François Cévert

Albert François Cevert Goldenberg (born February 25, 1944 – died October 6, 1973) was a distinguished French racing driver known for his participation in the Formula One World Championship. Over the course of his career, he competed in 48 Grands Prix, securing one victory, 13 podium finishes, and amassing a total of 89 points.

Cevert was born in Paris to Charles Goldenberg, a Jewish jeweler and World War II resistance fighter, and Huguette Cevert. His father's experiences as a Russian émigré and resistance member profoundly influenced Cevert’s upbringing, resulting in the family adopting the Cevert surname for safety during the war. François eventually pursued motorsport, initially riding his mother’s Vespa scooter at the age of 16, later transitioning to motorcycles with a Norton.

After completing his National Service, he turned his focus to car racing. In 1966, he attended the prestigious Le Mans school and the Winfield Racing School, where he garnered the Volant Shell scholarship, leading to a Formula Three Alpine. Despite a rocky start in his debut season, Cevert's fortunes changed in 1968 when he secured sponsorship, switched to a Tecno car, and claimed the French Formula 3 Championship, edging out Jean-Pierre Jabouille.

His success in Formula 3 opened doors to Formula Two, where he joined the Tecno team in 1969 and finished third overall. Jackie Stewart’s endorsement led to Cevert joining the Tyrrell Formula One team in 1970, marking the beginning of a promising yet tragically short career in the sport.