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Érik Comas

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Érik Comas
Comas in 2005
Born (1963-09-28) 28 September 1963 (age 61)
Romans-sur-Isère, Drôme, France
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityFrance French
Active years1991–1994
TeamsLigier, Larrousse
Entries63 (59 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points7
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1991 United States Grand Prix
Last entry1994 Japanese Grand Prix

Érik Gilbert Comas (French: [e.ʁik kɔ.mas]; born 28 September 1963) is a French former racing driver. He was the French Formula 3 champion in 1988, and then Formula 3000 champion in 1990, after scoring the same number of points as Jean Alesi in 1989, but losing on a count-back of positions. He participated in 63 Formula One Grands Prix between 1991 and 1994, scoring a total of seven championship points. His last point, in the 1994 German Grand Prix, was also the last one for the Larrousse team. After his F1 career, he won the All-Japan GT Championship for Nismo in the top GT500 class in 1998 and 1999.

Career

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Formula One

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1991 and 1992: Ligier

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After his F3000 championship victory in 1990, Comas was selected to drive for the Ligier F1 team in 1991. The Ligier JS35 with its Lamborghini engine proved uncompetitive throughout the season. Comas failed to qualify for the race on his first attempt in Brazil, achieved his first finish with 10th at Imola, and achieved his highest finish of the season with 8th in Canada, scoring no points during the season. Although he failed to qualify on two other occasions and suffered a spectacular crash at Hockenheim, he generally compared well with more experienced teammate Thierry Boutsen who also failed to score any points. Early in 1992, Comas's place in the team was briefly threatened by Alain Prost who tested the team's new Renault-powered car with a view to driving for, and possibly buying the team, with Comas revealing years later that he had not been given any testing mileage during the winter.[1] Ultimately Prost chose not to proceed, and Comas retained his drive alongside Boutsen for the season. The 1992 car, the Ligier JS37 seemed promising, a brand new design featuring the race-winning Renault V10 engine, but it proved to be only inconsistently competitive. Comas scored his first career F1 point with 6th place in Canada, scored 5th at Ligier's home race in France and a further point in Germany during a mid-season revival of the team's fortunes. With four points, he was generally faster than and outscored Boutsen, and finished 11th in the Driver's Championship. At the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix Comas was involved in a severe accident at the Blanchimont corner during Saturday qualifying. Left unconscious in his car beached in the middle of the track with the engine still running at its rev limiter, Comas was rescued by Ayrton Senna who stopped his own car and ran to help Comas, by shutting off the car's screaming engine (which was still pumping fuel and could have blown at any moment starting a fire), and holding the Frenchman's head in a stable position until medical assistance arrived.[2] Comas credited Senna with saving his life.

1993 and 1994: Larrousse

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Comas was not retained by Ligier for 1993; he instead signed with the small Larrousse team, running the LH93 chassis powered by Lamborghini V12s. The car was uncompetitive, Comas retiring from half the 16 races of the season, and scoring only one point for 6th at Monza.

Retained by Larrousse in 1994, Comas drove the LH94 car, now powered by more reliable Ford HB engines. Comas scored a point for 6th at the Pacific Grand Prix, and benefited from the retirement of many other cars to take another point at Hockenheim. This was both his and Larrousse's final F1 points finish. For the last race of the season in Australia, Comas relinquished his seat to make way for Jean-Denis Delétraz who brought more funding to the team.

At the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix due to a radio miscommunication(That’s disputed as Comas himself would maintain years later that the greatest regret in his life was that he couldn’t do the same for Senna as he had done for him) ; Comas was released onto the track during the red flag after Senna had crashed, arriving at the Tamburello corner where he met the workers and vehicles, including an aid helicopter which had landed at the scene. Having had to brake hard to avoid hitting either marshals, their vehicles, or the helicopter Comas declined to participate in the restart of the race, after witnessing medical staff treating the mortally-injured Senna.[1]

After Formula One

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The Nissan Skyline GT-R in which Comas won his second JGTC title in 1999

After ending his Formula One career at the end of the 1994 season, Comas went to Japan to continue his racing career in the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship (JGTC), Japan's premiere racing series. He won the GT500 title in 1998 and 1999, and was runner-up in the standings in 2000, all three years driving for Nissan in a factory Nismo-prepared Skyline GT-R. He left the Nismo team in 2002 to join the factory Toyota team the following year. By the end of the 2003 season, he was the most successful driver in the history of the series, with the most career championship points ever scored by a single driver. This was eventually surpassed by another Nismo driver, Satoshi Motoyama.

Comas spent the 2004/2005 seasons with Masahiro Hasemi's privateer Hasemi Sport team, running non-factory Nissan 350Zs in GT500, including inheriting the team's only win (co-driving with Toshihiro Kaneishi) thus far, on the evening of 18 December 2004 at the "All-Star 200" exhibition race on California Speedway's combined oval/road course after the unofficial winners were penalized 60 seconds on their finishing time for a pit window infraction. The race was a non-points scoring event and as such does not count towards the drivers' or teams' official win record.

In the 2006 Super GT championship season (formerly JGTC) he raced for former JGTC driver and 24 Hours of Le Mans team owner Masahiko Kondo's new privateer Nissan 350Z racing team. He also branched out into rallying, competing in various events around the world. Along with this, he created Comas Racing Management (CRM), a firm that focuses on the management and development of young up and coming drivers, primarily from his home country of France.

At the fifth race of the 2006 season at Sportsland SUGO, Comas was replaced by Seiji Ara due to ill health.[3] After returning for the Pokka 1000 km, on 5 September 2006, Comas announced that because of his health, he would not compete in the final three races of the season.[4]

In 2010 and 2011, he won the electric vehicle category of the Rallye Monte Carlo des Véhicules à Énergie Alternative (the opening event of the FIA Alternative Energies Cup) with a Tesla Roadster.[5] In 2014 he won the Carrera Panamericana in a Studebaker. Between 2012 and 2017, he rallied a Lancia Stratos.

Comas has now retired from all forms of racing. He spends his time running Comas Historic Racing, which provides for paying customers to enter historic rallies driving cars from his fleet of blue Alpine automobiles.[6] In 2019 Comas obtained one of the Nissan R390 GT1, a car he competed in the 1998 Le Mans 24 Hours with, and had it restored as well as being made street-legal.[7][8]

Racing record

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Career summary

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Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
1985 Championnat de France Formule Renault Turbo Ecurie Elf 12 1 0 1 6 98 4th
1986 Championnat de France Formule Renault Turbo Ecurie Elf 13 8 9 9 12 163 1st
1987 French Supertouring Championship Sonica 12 3 ? ? ? ? 1st
French Formula Three Championship Ecurie Elf 12 0 0 0 3 70 6th
1988 French Formula Three Championship Ecurie Elf 12 4 5 4 10 136 1st
Macau Grand Prix Team KTR 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 10th
1989 International Formula 3000 DAMS 9 2 3 3 5 39 2nd
1990 International Formula 3000 DAMS 11 4 3 1 6 51 1st
1991 Formula One Ligier Gitanes 13 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1992 Formula One Ligier Gitanes Blondes 15 0 0 0 0 4 11th
1993 Formula One Larrousse F1 16 0 0 0 0 1 20th
1994 Formula One Tourtel Larrousse F1 15 0 0 0 0 2 23rd
1995 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship Team Cerumo 6 0 1 1 0 8 17th
24 Hours of Le Mans Société Larbre Compétition 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
1996 Japanese Touring Car Championship Team Cerumo 14 1 0 0 2 52 8th
All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship TOM'S 6 1 0 0 2 55 3rd
1997 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship NISMO 5 1 0 0 3 50 6th
24 Hours of Le Mans 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 12th
1998 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship NISMO 6 2 0 0 2 67 1st
24 Hours of Le Mans 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 6th
1999 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship NISMO 7 1 0 0 4 77 1st
American Le Mans Series Team Rafanelli SRL 3 0 0 0 1 48 24th
24 Hours of Le Mans NISMO 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
2000 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship NISMO 7 1 0 2 3 68 2nd
2001 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship NISMO 7 0 0 1 3 53 4th
2002 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship NISMO 8 0 0 8 8 19 19th
24 Hours of Le Mans PlayStation Team Oreca 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 5th
2003 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship TOM'S 8 0 1 1 2 61 5th
2004 All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship Hasemi Motorsport 7 0 1 1 2 50 4th
24 Hours of Le Mans Pescarolo Sport 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 4th
2005 Super GT Hasemi Motorsport 8 0 0 0 2 42 8th
24 Hours of Le Mans Pescarolo Sport 1 0 0 0 1 N/A 2nd
European Le Mans Series 1 0 0 0 1 8 14th
2006 Super GT Kondo Racing 5 0 0 0 0 18 18th
24 Hours of Le Mans Pescarolo Sport 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 5th
Sources:[9][10][11]

Complete Macau Grand Prix results

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Year Team Chassis/Engine Qualifying Race1 Race2 Overall ranking Ref
1988 France KTR Racing Ralt・VW 27th 16 8 10th [10]

Complete International Formula 3000 results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points
1989 DAMS SIL
5 		VAL
4 		PAU
DNQ 		JER
2 		PER
Ret 		BRH
3 		BIR
Ret 		SPA
2 		BUG
1 		DIJ
1 		2nd 39
1990 DAMS DON
1 		SIL
2 		PAU
Ret 		JER
1 		MNZ
1 		PER
Ret 		HOC
4 		BRH
Ret 		BIR
Ret 		BUG
1 		NOG
2 		1st 51
Sources:[10][11]

Complete Formula One results

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(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points
1991 Ligier Gitanes Ligier JS35 Lamborghini V12 USA
DNQ 		BRA
Ret 		SMR
10 		MON
10 		CAN
8 		MEX
DNQ 		FRA
11 		GBR
DNQ 		GER
Ret 		HUN
10 		BEL
Ret 		ITA
11 		POR
11 		ESP
Ret 		JPN
Ret 		AUS
18 		NC 0
1992 Ligier Gitanes Blondes Ligier JS37 Renault V10 RSA
7 		MEX
9 		BRA
Ret 		ESP
Ret 		SMR
9 		MON
10 		CAN
6 		FRA
5 		GBR
8 		GER
6 		HUN
Ret 		BEL
DNQ 		ITA
Ret 		POR
Ret 		JPN
Ret 		AUS
Ret 		11th 4
1993 Larrousse F1 Larrousse LH93 Lamborghini V12 RSA
Ret 		BRA
10 		EUR
9 		SMR
Ret 		ESP
9 		MON
Ret 		CAN
8 		FRA
16 		GBR
Ret 		GER
Ret 		HUN
Ret 		BEL
Ret 		ITA
6 		POR
11 		JPN
Ret 		AUS
12 		20th 1
1994 Tourtel Larrousse F1 Larrousse LH94 Ford V8 BRA
9 		PAC
6 		SMR
Ret 		MON
10 		ESP
Ret 		CAN
Ret 		FRA
Ret 		GBR
Ret 		GER
6 		HUN
8 		BEL
Ret 		ITA
8 		POR
Ret 		EUR
Ret 		JPN
9 		AUS 23rd 2
Sources:[10][11][12]

Complete JGTC/Super GT results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Pts
1995 Team Cerumo Toyota Supra GT1 SUZ
5 		FUJ
14 		SEN
15 		FUJ
Ret 		SUG
11 		MIN
DSQ 		19th 8
1996 TOM'S Toyota Supra GT500 SUZ
16 		FUJ
4 		SEN
1 		FUJ
Ret 		SUG
4 		MIN
2 		3rd 55
1997 NISMO Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 SUZ
1 		FUJ SEN
2 		FUJ
10 		MIN
9 		SUG
3 		6th 50
1998 NISMO Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 SUZ
1 		FUJ
C 		SEN
1 		FUJ
10 		MOT
4 		MIN
4 		SUG
6 		1st 67
1999 NISMO Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 SUZ
2 		FUJ
5 		SUG
6 		MIN
1 		FUJ
3 		TAI
7 		MOT
3 		1st 77
2000 NISMO Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 MOT
1 		FUJ
6 		SUG
Ret 		FUJ
4 		TAI
3 		MIN
3 		SUZ
5 		2nd 68
2001 NISMO Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 TAI
13 		FUJ
4 		SUG
10 		FUJ
2 		MOT
Ret 		SUZ
3 		MIN
2 		4th 53
2002 NISMO Nissan Skyline GT-R GT500 TAI
12 		FUJ
6 		SUG
4 		SEP
16 		FUJ
14 		MOT
17 		MIN
Ret 		SUZ
8 		19th 19
2003 TOM'S Toyota Supra GT500 TAI
6 		FUJ
10 		SUG
2 		FUJ
7 		FUJ
5 		MOT
2 		AUT
8 		SUZ
8 		5th 61
2004 Hasemi Motorsport Nissan Z GT500 TAI
6 		SUG
6 		SEP
4 		TOK
3 		MOT
7 		AUT
Ret 		SUZ
3 		4th 50
2005 Hasemi Motorsport Nissan Z GT500 OKA
3 		FUJ
9 		SEP
Ret 		SUG
15 		MOT
13 		FUJ
4 		AUT
3 		SUZ
4 		8th 42
2006 Kondo Racing Nissan Z GT500 SUZ
10 		OKA
10 		FUJ
10 		SEP
8 		SUG SUZ
5 		MOT AUT FUJ 18th 18
Sources:[9][13]

24 Hours of Le Mans results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1995 France Société Larbre Compétition France Jean-Pierre Jarier
Spain Jesús Pareja 		Porsche 911 GT2 Evo GT1 64 DNF DNF
1997 Japan NISMO Japan Kazuyoshi Hoshino
Japan Masahiko Kageyama 		Nissan R390 GT1 GT1 294 12th 5th
1998 Japan NISMO Netherlands Jan Lammers
Italy Andrea Montermini 		Nissan R390 GT1 GT1 342 6th 6th
1999 Japan NISMO Germany Michael Krumm
Japan Satoshi Motoyama 		Nissan R391 LMP 110 DNF DNF
2002 France PlayStation Team Oreca Monaco Olivier Beretta
Portugal Pedro Lamy 		Dallara SP1-Judd LMP900 359 5th 4th
2004 France Pescarolo Sport France Soheil Ayari
France Benoît Tréluyer 		Pescarolo C60-Judd LMP1 361 4th 4th
2005 France Pescarolo Sport France Emmanuel Collard
France Jean-Christophe Boullion 		Pescarolo C60 Hybrid-Judd LMP1 368 2nd 2nd
2006 France Pescarolo Sport France Emmanuel Collard
France Nicolas Minassian 		Pescarolo C60 Hybrid-Judd LMP1 352 5th 4th
Sources:[13][14]

Complete JTCC results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 DC Pts
1996 Team Cerumo Toyota Corona EXiV FUJ
1
18 		FUJ
2
6 		SUG
1
6 		SUG
2
10 		SUZ
1
Ret 		SUZ
2
Ret 		MIN
1
13 		MIN
2
8 		SEN
1
5 		SEN
2
6 		TOK
1
Ret 		TOK
2
8 		FUJ
1
1 		FUJ
2
3 		8th 52
Sources:[9][15]

World Rally Championship results

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Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 WDC Points
2000 Éric Comas Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI MON SWE KEN POR ESP ARG GRC NZL FIN CYP FRA ITA AUS
Ret 		GBR - 0
Sources:[10][16]

References

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  1. ^ a b "'A huge mistake' - Where a lost apolitical F1 star went wrong". The Race. 2024-08-11. Retrieved 2024-08-11.
  2. ^ YouTube.com
  3. ^ ErikComas.com Archived February 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ ErikComas.com Archived February 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Rallye Monte Carlo des Énergies Nouvelles et Électrique, in ACM.mc.
  6. ^ comashistoric.com Archived July 19, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Classic, Heritage. "Heritage Classic". www.heritageclassic.com. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  8. ^ Comas, Raffaella Serra (2023-04-24). "Nissan R390 GT1". Car&vintage | Land | Sea | Air. Retrieved 2024-08-26.
  9. ^ a b c "Érik Comas". Driver Database. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Érik Comas Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "Erik Comas". Motor Sport. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  12. ^ Small, Steve (2000). "Comas, Érik". Grand Prix Who's Who (Third ed.). Reading, Berkshire: Travel Publishing. pp. 140–141. ISBN 978-1-902007-46-5. Retrieved 12 January 2024 – via Internet Archive.
  13. ^ a b "Complete Archive of Erik Comas". Racing Sports Cars. pp. 2, 3. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Erik Comas". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Érik Comas". Super Touring Register. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Erik Comas". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Érik Comas.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Championnat de France Formule Renault Turbo
Champion
1986 		Succeeded by
Claude Degremont
Preceded by
Xavier Lapeyre
 French Touring Car Championship
Champion
1987 		Succeeded by
Preceded by French Formula Three Championship
Champion
1988 		Succeeded by
Preceded by International Formula 3000
Champion
1990 		Succeeded by
Preceded by All Japan Grand Touring Car Championship
GT500 Champion
1998-1999
With: Masami Kageyama (1998) 		Succeeded by
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