Taso Mathieson (original) (raw)

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British racing driver

T.A.S.O. Mathieson
Born Thomas Alastair Sutherland Ogilvie Mathieson(1908-07-25)25 July 1908Glasgow, Scotland
Died 12 October 1991(1991-10-12) (aged 83)Vichy, France
Spouse Mila Parély ​(m. 1947)​
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years 1938 – 1939, 1949 - 1950
Teams Norbert Jean Mahé Luigi Chinetti Mrs. R.P. Hichens H.J. Aldington
Best finish 9th (1950)
Class wins 1 (1950)

Thomas Alastair Sutherland Ogilvie ('Taso') Mathieson (25 July 1908, Glasgow – 12 October 1991, Vichy),[1][2] stylised as T.A.S.O. Mathieson and sometimes referred to as Donald Mathieson, was a British racing driver and author of automotive history books.

Racing career and personal life

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'Taso' was the son of Thomas Ogilvie Mathieson. His family owned the Scottish hand tool manufacturing company Alexander Mathieson & Sons.

'Taso' Mathieson started racing in 1930, when he entered a race at Brooklands restricted to Lagondas.[3] He established his first victory during an Easter Bank-Holiday BARC Open Meeting on 28 March 1932, driving a supercharged Officine Meccaniche. Over the next two years, he won three races in his Bugatti and broke the lap record for 2-litre cars at Snaefell Mountain Course on the Isle of Man, with an average speed of 72.15 mph (116.11 km/h).[2]

A 1936 Bugatti Type 57 like Mathieson used in 1938

Because of health problems, Mathieson was unable to enter any races from 1934 to 1937, so his Bugatti was driven a few times by Chris Staniland. In 1938 and 1939 he entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but both times retired before the finish.[2][4]

Mathieson was one of the first, if not the first, Briton to race again in Continental Europe after World War II, racing an ex-Henry Birkin 3-litre Maserati in 1946.[2] On 30 May, he raced in the Coupe de la Résistance and retired with an oil leak.[5] He entered the Grand Prix des Frontières on 9 June, but instead raced at the René le Bègue Cup held on the same day, finishing fifth.[6][7] On 16 June, he attended the Belgian Grand Prix in Brussels, but did not start.[8] He placed sixth in the Roussillon Grand Prix on 30 June,[9] and on 28 July he raced in the Nantes Grand Prix, retiring with engine troubles.[10]

Mathieson entered an ERA E-Type with Leslie Johnson as driver, for 1949 Richmond Trophy,[11] Jersey Road Race[12] and British Empire Trophy, as well as the 1950 British Grand Prix.[13] Some sources attribute these as official ERA entries because Johnson had purchased the car manufacturer three years before.[14] Mathieson bought a 2-litre Frazer Nash Le Mans in which he scored a class victory in the 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans together with Richard "Dickie" Stoop.

He continued racing until 1955, mostly entering Grands Prix in France. When he was injured in a traffic or racing accident, he was forced to retire.[15] After 25 years of racing, Mathieson concentrated on his writing and his collection of photographs, together with his wife Mila Parély, a French actress he had married in 1947. He wrote various authoritative books, including Grand Prix Racing 1906-1914, and wrote several articles in the French magazine Le Fanauto in 1979 and 1980.

Year Date Race Entrant Car Teammate(s) Result
1933 14 July 1933 Mannin Moar T. Mathieson Bugatti Type 35C none DNF
7 October Donington Park Trophy
21 October Mountain Championship
1938 22 May Antwerp Grand Prix Bugatti Type 57
5 June Grand Prix des Frontières TASO Mathieson none 3rd
19 June–20 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans DNA
19–20 June 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans Norbert Mahé Talbot-Lago T150C Freddy Clifford DNF (17th)
10 July 24 Hours of Spa Talbot-Lago T150C DNA
3 September RAC Tourist Trophy TASO Mathieson Bugatti Type 57 none 20th
1939 28 May Grand Prix des Frontières T. Mathieson Maserati none DNA
18 June–19 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans Luigi Chinetti Talbot-Lago T26 Luigi Chinetti DNF (24th)
TASO Mathieson Talbot 150SS Figoni Philippe de MassaNorbert Mahé DNS *
1946 30 May Resistance Cup Maserati 8C DNF
9 June 1946 René le Bègue Cup 5th
16 June Brussels Grand Prix TASO Mathieson Talbot-Lago none DNS
30 June Roussillon Grand Prix Maserati 8C 6th
1947 13 July National Gransden (Formula Libre) John Wyer HRG none DNA
1949 26 June 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans Mrs. R.P. Hichens Aston Martin 2-Litre Sports Pierre Maréchal DNF (22nd) †
1950 25 June 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans H.J. Aldington Frazer Nash Mille Miglia Richard Stoop Overall 9thClass 1st
1951 17 June Circuito do Porto Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica 9th
12 August Circuito di Senigallia 5th
9 September Targa Florio TASO Mathieson Jacques Pollet DNF
1952 29 June Ferrari 195 S Overall 6thClass 1st
1953 7 June 12 Hours of Hyères Maserati A6GCS
20 June Roubaix Grand Prix 6th
28 June Circuit de Bressuire 3rd
25 July Caen Grand Prix Scuderia della Guestella none 4th
Sources:[1][2][5][6][7][8][9][10][16][17][18]

† Pierre Maréchal was killed in an accident.

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. ClassPos.
1938 France Norbert Jean Mahé United Kingdom Freddy Clifford Talbot T150C 5.0 159 DNF(Fire)[2]
1939 Italy Luigi Chinetti Italy Luigi Chinetti Talbot T26 5.0 154 DNF(Contact)
1949 United Kingdom Mrs. R.P. Hichens_(private entrant)_ France Pierre Marechal Aston Martin DB2 S2.0 192 DNF(Accident)
1950 United Kingdom H.J. Aldington_(private entrant)_ United Kingdom Richard "Dickie" Stoop Frazer Nash Milla Miglia S2.0 235 9th 1st

Complete Targa Florio results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. ClassPos.
1951 United Kingdom T.A.S.O. Mathieson France Jacques Pollet Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica S+1.1 4 DNF(Engine)
1952 ??? ??? Ferrari 195 S Barchetta S+2.0 8 6th 1st
  1. ^ a b "THE GOLDEN ERA OF GP RACING 1934-40 - DRIVERS (M)". kolumbus.fi. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "TASO Mathieson". historicracing.com. Archived from the original on 30 April 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Bonhams". bonhams.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  4. ^ Boddy, Bill (January 1992). "TASO Mathieson". Motor Sport. p. 55. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Coupe de la Résistance • STATS F1". statsf1.com. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  6. ^ a b "XV Grand Prix des Frontières • STATS F1". statsf1.com. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Coupe René le Bègue • STATS F1". statsf1.com. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  8. ^ a b "GP Belgium - Sports 4500 cc or 2250 cc s/c 1946 - Racing Sports Cars". racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  9. ^ a b "I Grand Prix du Roussillon • STATS F1". statsf1.com. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  10. ^ a b "1946 24 Heures du Mans - ChicaneF1.com". chicanef1.com. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Richmond Trophy • STATS F1". statsf1.com. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  12. ^ "III Jersey Road Race • STATS F1". statsf1.com. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  13. ^ "TASO Mathieson and ERA - TNF's Archive - The Autosport Forums". forums.autosport.com. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  14. ^ "All Formula One Info - ERA (English Racing Automobiles Ltd.)". allf1.info. Archived from the original on 9 April 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  15. ^ "Décès de la comédienne française Mila Parély". La Presse (in French). 16 January 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  16. ^ "T.A.S O. Mathieson (GB) - Racing Sports Cars". racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  17. ^ "World Sports Racing Prototypes". wsrp.cz. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  18. ^ "TNF Guide to former premises: Gransden Lodge circuit". The Autosport Forums. Archived from the original on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2016.