Olivier Gendebien is a racing driver from Belgium who last raced in Formula 1 for Lotus-Climax. Gendebien has recorded 0 wins and 2 podiums from 16 starts.[1]
A Racer Rating of 4,884 ranks Gendebien 392th 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.
| 1961-10-08 | Watkins Glen | P11 | −7 |
| 1961-07-15 | Aintree | DNF | −156 |
| 1961-07-02 | Reims-Gueux | DNF | −153 |
| 1961-06-18 | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | P4 | +107 |
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Podiums | DNFs | Poles | Points | Pos | Gain/Loss | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | ▸Formula 1 | Lotus-Climax | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | P13 | −209 | 4,968 |
| 1960 | ▸Formula 1 | Cooper-Climax | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | P6 | +302 | 5,177 |
| 1959 | ▸Formula 1 | Ferrari | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | P15 | +194 | 4,876 |
| 1958 | ▸Formula 1 | Ferrari | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | P22 | −103 | 4,682 |
| 1956 | ▸Formula 1 | Ferrari | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | P19 | −15 | 4,785 |
| Rival | Rating | Raced | Ahead | Behind | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇬🇧 Jim Clark | 5,692 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 71% |
| 🇦🇺 Jack Brabham | 5,211 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0% |
| 🇳🇿 Bruce McLaren | 5,136 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% |
| 🇺🇸 Phil Hill | 4,199 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 29% |
| 🇬🇧 Tony Brooks | 4,920 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17% |
| 🇩🇪 Wolfgang von Trips | 5,289 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% |
| 🇫🇷 Maurice Trintignant | 4,839 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 100% |
| 🇬🇧 Innes Ireland | 4,610 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20% |
| 🇸🇪 Jo Bonnier | 4,402 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 60% |
| 🇺🇸 Dan Gurney | 4,902 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 50% |
Olivier Gendebien competed in Formula 1 between 1956 and 1961, making 16 starts for Lotus-Climax. His single-seater record yielded two podiums but no wins across five seasons in a field that included multiple world champions. His head-to-head record against those rivals was mixed; he finished ahead of Jim Clark five times across their seven shared races, a notably strong result against a two-time champion, and took single victories over Stirling Moss and Wolfgang von Trips. However, he struggled against Jack Brabham, finishing behind the three-time champion in all seven encounters, and held negative records against Bruce McLaren, Phil Hill, and Tony Brooks. His average finish of sixth across classified starts places him in the professional ranks of his era, a mid-field competitor in Formula 1's most competitive period.[1]
Gendebien's true distinction lay in sportscar and endurance racing, where he became one of the most successful drivers of his time. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times with Ferrari, the 12 Hours of Sebring three times, and the Targa Florio three times; these achievements defined his racing legacy far more than his Grand Prix career. His eight starts for Ferrari in Formula 1 saw him share a team with one of racing's most storied marques but yield no wins, suggesting his gifts were better suited to the different demands of long-distance competition. He retired from racing after 1961, having established himself as a Belgian racing legend whose endurance racing record remains his enduring testament.[2]