KEEPING THE SPIRIT ALIVE SINCE 1999
Arthur Legat
1/11/1898 - 23/2/1960
A Belgian garage owner who raced almost exclusively at Chimay. He entered the Belgian Grand Prix in 1952 and 1953 and became the oldest driver to debut in a Grand Prix at the age of 53 years, 7 months and 21 days.
Arthur Legat died 61 years ago, he was 62
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Arthur Legat was born in Haine-Saint-Paul, Belgian asd was a garage owner who started racing in 1926 at Chimay in Belgium when it first opened and he was still there 30 years later, competing in the annual Grand Prix des Frontieres. Chimay was a fast and dangerous 6.754-mile temporary road course close to the French border and held great appeal to semi-professional and amateur racers who came to test their skills. Legat won the race twice with his Bugatti T37A, in 1931 and 1932. Over the years he made a total of 25 appearances on the track.
He bought a Veritas-Meteor in 1951 and raced the machine almost unchanged over the next few seasons, venturing to Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix in 1952 and 1953, when Grand Prix regulations were changed to conform to the then current Formula 2 regulations.
In doing so he became the oldest driver to start his first World Championship Formula One race. He was 53 years, 7 months and 21 days at the time and finished the race in 13th position.
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