Annie Bousquet's Fatal Crash @ Reims 1956 (Aftermath)
FatalMotorsportChannel
2023-10-13
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Considered as one of the best woman racers of France at the time, Annie Bousquet died in consequence of an accident which happened during the 12 Heures de Reims, on 30 June 1956.
Annie Bousquet, née Schaffer, was born in Wien, Austria in 1923. Her date of birth is not confirmed, according to different sources she was born in 1921 or in 1925, this has not yet been clarified. During the World War II she met her French husband Pierre Bousquet, who was a KG (military war prisoner) there, and then acquired French citizenship.
During her short racing career, from 1952 to 1956, Annie Bousquet was a talented rally and circuit driver. In 1953 she campaigned a Renault 4CV in French events, gaining several good results in the 750 cm3 class. She took part in the 1953 Mille Miglia race, sharing a 1063 cm3 Renault 4CV with M.me Simone de Forest, finishing 282th overall.
In the beginning of 1956 Annie Bousquet lost her husband Pierre Bousquet in a road traffic accident, slipping on an ice patch near Saulieu, France. Fighting her grief, she was signed up by Triumph and was 4th in class in the 1956 Mille Miglia, driving alone a Triumph TR2. In June of 1956, just a few days before her fatal crash, Annie Bousquet raced in the 1000 Kms of Paris, at Linas-Montlhéry, in Alejandro De Tomaso's Maserati 150S. Perhaps also upset by the recent loss of her husband, she embarked on the 12-hour race at Reims with energy and excitement. She was scheduled to share a pale blue Porsche 550 Speedster with Isabel Haskell, who was to become Mrs. De Tomaso.
The up to 1500 cm3 sportscar race was a supporting event to the Formula 1 French Grand Prix, held on Sunday 01 July 1956. The races of the 1956 Reims meeting were scheduled:
- Sportscar race 750 up to 1500 cm3, Saturday 30 June, 10h00-22h00;
- Sportscar race 1500 up to 3500 cm3, Sunday 01 July, 00h00-12h00;
- Formula 1 French Grand Prix start, Sunday 01 July, 14h45.
Annie Bousquet took the first leg, but crashed on the 17th lap, after less than an hour of race, at about 11h00 on Saturday, 30 June 1956. Her Porsche that she qualified full eleven seconds slower than its closest sister car, left the road at some 170 km/h, its wheels running off the race track. The car started fishtailing and barrel-rolling, it bounced across to the other side, ending in one of the wheat fields that surrounded the track. Annie Bousquet was ejected during the rolls, and laid some fifteen meters from the car. She was taken to Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Reims, where she was declared dead on arrival, from skull fractures. Her friend Thirion, driving a Gordini T15S, withdrew from the race immediately.
R.I.P
Annie Bousquet, née Schaffer, was born in Wien, Austria in 1923. Her date of birth is not confirmed, according to different sources she was born in 1921 or in 1925, this has not yet been clarified. During the World War II she met her French husband Pierre Bousquet, who was a KG (military war prisoner) there, and then acquired French citizenship.
During her short racing career, from 1952 to 1956, Annie Bousquet was a talented rally and circuit driver. In 1953 she campaigned a Renault 4CV in French events, gaining several good results in the 750 cm3 class. She took part in the 1953 Mille Miglia race, sharing a 1063 cm3 Renault 4CV with M.me Simone de Forest, finishing 282th overall.
In the beginning of 1956 Annie Bousquet lost her husband Pierre Bousquet in a road traffic accident, slipping on an ice patch near Saulieu, France. Fighting her grief, she was signed up by Triumph and was 4th in class in the 1956 Mille Miglia, driving alone a Triumph TR2. In June of 1956, just a few days before her fatal crash, Annie Bousquet raced in the 1000 Kms of Paris, at Linas-Montlhéry, in Alejandro De Tomaso's Maserati 150S. Perhaps also upset by the recent loss of her husband, she embarked on the 12-hour race at Reims with energy and excitement. She was scheduled to share a pale blue Porsche 550 Speedster with Isabel Haskell, who was to become Mrs. De Tomaso.
The up to 1500 cm3 sportscar race was a supporting event to the Formula 1 French Grand Prix, held on Sunday 01 July 1956. The races of the 1956 Reims meeting were scheduled:
- Sportscar race 750 up to 1500 cm3, Saturday 30 June, 10h00-22h00;
- Sportscar race 1500 up to 3500 cm3, Sunday 01 July, 00h00-12h00;
- Formula 1 French Grand Prix start, Sunday 01 July, 14h45.
Annie Bousquet took the first leg, but crashed on the 17th lap, after less than an hour of race, at about 11h00 on Saturday, 30 June 1956. Her Porsche that she qualified full eleven seconds slower than its closest sister car, left the road at some 170 km/h, its wheels running off the race track. The car started fishtailing and barrel-rolling, it bounced across to the other side, ending in one of the wheat fields that surrounded the track. Annie Bousquet was ejected during the rolls, and laid some fifteen meters from the car. She was taken to Centre Hospitalier Universitaire in Reims, where she was declared dead on arrival, from skull fractures. Her friend Thirion, driving a Gordini T15S, withdrew from the race immediately.
R.I.P
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