Jean Behra is a racing driver from France who last raced in Formula 1 for Ferrari. Behra has recorded 0 wins and 9 podiums from 52 starts.[1]
A Racer Rating of 4,855 ranks Behra 424th of 15,348 indexed drivers, on an Elo scale where the strongest reach the low five figures. It is built from every indexed race in the driver's file, decayed for time since their last race.
| 1959-07-05 | Reims-Gueux | DNF | −23 |
| 1959-05-31 | Circuit Park Zandvoort | P5 | +67 |
| 1959-05-10 | Circuit de Monaco | DNF | −50 |
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Podiums | DNFs | Poles | Points | Pos | Gain/Loss | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | ▸Formula 1 | Ferrari | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | P17 | −7 | 4,910 |
| 1958 | ▸Formula 1 | BRM | 10 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 9 | P10 | −308 | 4,917 |
| 1957 | ▸Formula 1 | Maserati | 6 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | P11 | −16 | 5,225 |
| 1956 | ▸Formula 1 | Maserati | 7 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 22 | P4 | +621 | 5,241 |
| 1955 | ▸Formula 1 | Maserati | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | P9 | +219 | 4,620 |
| 1954 | ▸Formula 1 | Gordini | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | P26 | −220 | 4,402 |
| 1953 | ▸Formula 1 | Gordini | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | P20 | −161 | 4,622 |
| 1952 | ▸Formula 1 | Gordini | 6 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | P10 | −17 | 4,783 |
| Rival | Rating | Raced | Ahead | Behind | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇷 Juan Fangio | 6,092 | 16 | 1 | 15 | 6% |
| 🇬🇧 Stirling Moss | 5,388 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 23% |
| 🇬🇧 Mike Hawthorn | 5,537 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 42% |
| 🇺🇸 Harry Schell | 4,981 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 60% |
| 🇫🇷 Maurice Trintignant | 4,839 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 60% |
| 🇬🇧 Peter Collins | 4,904 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 22% |
| 🇮🇹 Luigi Musso | 4,994 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 38% |
| 🇫🇷 Louis Rosier | 4,858 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 71% |
| 🇮🇹 Nino Farina | 5,565 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% |
| 🇮🇹 Piero Taruffi | 5,122 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% |
Jean Behra competed in Formula 1 for eight seasons between 1952 and 1959, accumulating 52 starts for Ferrari without a race victory. He finished on the podium nine times, placing him among the capable professionals of that era; his average finishing position across classified races was fourth. As a mid-field performer, Behra met the best drivers of his generation, though his record against them reflects the depth of that competition. Against five-time world champion Juan Fangio, Behra finished ahead once in sixteen races; against Stirling Moss, he managed three wins in thirteen shared starts; and he outran single-time champion Mike Hawthorn five times in twelve encounters. Against drivers closer to his own level, such as Harry Schell and Maurice Trintignant, he held a slight edge.[1]
Behra's longest tenure was with Gordini, which accounted for twenty of his starts. The team itself did not win races in the broader index and was competitive at a consistent but modest level; Behra proved to be its strongest driver during that period. His final season, 1959, saw him fall away from consistent competitiveness, finishing seventeenth in three rounds, marking the end of a career in single-seater racing at the sport's highest level. Historical reflection on Behra's career has extended beyond his Formula 1 record; accounts suggest his broader motorsport work, including sports car racing, formed a significant part of his racing life.[2]