Sunday, June 23, 2013

Thierry Boutsen Autographed Postcard

I wish I'd found this two weeks ago, when the Grand Prix was in town... it's a signed postcard from former Formula 1 race car driver Thierry Boutsen, from Belgium. It shows several of his cars, and right in the center is his Williams-Renault car, in which he won 3 races, including the manufacturer's very first F1 win. It's signed in (fading) black sharpie:



Although Boutsen retired from F1 in 1993 - two years before I started paying closer attention to the sport thanks in part to the man who took the brand to new heights, Jacques Villeneuve - I was familiar with him for having finished third in Montréal in 1988 (while with Benetton-Ford, behind the McLaren-Honda star duo of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost), and winning it in 1989, ahead of Williams teammate Riccardo Patrese and Andrea de Cesaris (on Dallara-Ford).

Simultaneous to his F1 career - and more steadily afterwards - he also participated in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans race, his teams finishing second from 1993 to 1995 (on a Peugeot the first year, Porsche the next two), and winning in 1996 (also on Porsche).

I've had this signed postcard framed on my wall for about a decade or so - what will soon be three apartments ago (moving, in Montréal, is the second national sport, right after hockey; for many, it is a yearly occurrence).

I'd originally been communicating with Boutsen through email, and at the third or fourth exchange, I asked if I could get an autograph, which he promptly sent.

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