Grand Prix Rejects

Sadly, it appears Gimax passed away last week. His F1 career consisted of a solitary DNQ for the declining Surtees team in 1978, but his real claim to fame was being one of only two known Formula One drivers to race under pseudonyms, the other of course being Geki.

I had wanted to do a profile on Gimax shortly after the Geki profile was published a few years ago, however the chap seemed to move in very mysterious circles What little I could find was complicated by his son subsequently using the Gimax name for his own racing activities.

RIP Carlo Franchi, aka Gimax

East Londoner wrote:[...]one of only two known Formula One drivers to race under pseudonyms[...]

Pierre Levegh, Bernhard Nacke (F2), B. Bira, Keke Rosberg, JJ Lehto, Georges Raph...

You'll also be glad to know that not just one, but all three of his sons have raced under the 'Gimax' name at one time or another...

But more to the point, rest in peace to one of John Surtees' more left-field driver hirings. I understand he had been in quite poor health for several years now.

Rest in peace. Speaking of Pierre Levegh, I found his grave in Père Lachaise Cemetery which is just down the road from where I live now in Paris. It was very hard to find because, as you say, it was not his real name, and on the grave itself there is no mention of him or the accident. Very out of the way, but I found it, and left some flowers there.