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George Fouché

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George Fouché
Fouché in 1994
NationalitySouth African
Born(1965-05-15)15 May 1965
Pretoria, South Africa
Died5 May 2023(2023-05-05) (aged 57)
Pretoria, South Africa
Awards
1989 The Hero Award from the Japanese Automobile Federation (see Fuji)
1984 Springbok Colours[1]
1984 Young South African Sportsman of the Year (nominated)

George Robert Fouché (nicknamed Fast Fouché; 15 May 1965 – 5 May 2023) was a South African international motorsport race car driver, Le Mans 24 Hour winner and South African Formula 1 Powerboat pilot. He retired from competition in 2005.

Fouché grew up on his father's brick factory, and by the age of 6 he was able to drive a bulldozer. His passion for motorsport began when he started driving go-karts in races at the age of 8. This continued until he was able to race cars at the age of 16.

At 16 he got his first competition licence from Motorsport South Africa and started competing in motorsport while he was still not allowed to drive on public roads.

Fouché had a very large scar over his left eye that many [who?] believe is a result of a motorsport accident. In fact, he got the scar when on his 8th birthday - he was teaching someone to drive a tractor. While teaching him, the tractor accidentally jerked and George fell off and the tyre rode over the side of his head, causing a massive cut that went halfway around his head.

Due to his extensive travels between Japan and South Africa, he was actually booked on the ill-fated South African Airways Flight 295, The Helderberg, which crashed off Mauritius on 28 November 1987 en route from Taiwan to South Africa, but missed the flight when his connecting flight from Japan to Taiwan was cancelled due to a typhoon.

On 2 April 2007, he suffered a perforated ulcer which was misdiagnosed as pancreatitis. He spent 63 days in intensive care in Montana Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa and was released on 6 June 2007.

George died following complications from a fall in Pretoria, on 5 May 2023, at the age of 57.[2] According to his brother Pete, George had an accidental fall during load shedding in February 2023 and suffered a cut to the head and significant blood loss. The hospital managed to stop the bleeding and stitch the wound but did not give him a blood transfusion. Over the next two months, his health deteriorated and was admitted to Pretoria West Hospital on 1 May 2023.

International racing career

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At 17, he raced in the Kyalami World Sportscar Championship 1000 km on 10 December 1983 in a Kremer Racing Porsche CK5 with co-drivers Franz Konrad and Kees Kroesemeijer, but was disqualified for a push start.

While racing in round three of the 1989 Fuji Long Distance Series, George came across the burning car of Oscar Larrauri that had just crashed. Oscar was still in the car, and noticing that the marshals were not equipped to deal with the fire, George stopped his car and pulled Oscar out. George eventually finished 2nd in the race, which would eventually cost him the championship. George received an impromptu "The Hero Award" from the Japanese Automobile Federation while on the podium.

While qualifying for the Fuji 1000 km race in October 1992, one of his car's tyres burst, sending him head-on into a concrete wall at 280 km/h. George's foot was crushed and he spent seven months on crutches.

In 1993, George test drove the Sasol Jordan Grand Prix Formula 1 car at the Silverstone Circuit in England.

24 Hours of Le Mans

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Year Co-Driver Result
1984[3] Jürgen Lässig, Germany
John Graham, Canada 		DNF
1985[4] Mario Hytten, Switzerland
Sarel van der Merwe, South Africa 		5th
1986[5] Emilio de Villota, Spain
Fermín Vélez, Spain 		4th
1987[6] Franz Konrad, Austria
Wayne Taylor, South Africa 		4th
1988[7] Kris Nissen, Denmark
Harald Grohs,Germany 		8th
1989[8] Hideki Okada, Japan
Masanori Sekiya, Japan 		DNF
1990[9] Steven Andskär, Sweden
Shunji Kasuya, Japan 		13th
1991[10] Steven Andskär, Sweden DNF
1992[11] Stefan Johansson, Sweden
Steven Andskär, Sweden 		Category 2 winner
1993[12] Eje Elgh, Sweden
Steven Andskär, Sweden 		6th
1994[13] Steven Andskär, Sweden
Bob Wollek, France 		4th
1995[14] Steven Andskär, Sweden
Thomas Danielsson, Sweden 		DNA
1996[15] Steve Fossett,United States
Stanley Dickens, Sweden 		DNF
1997[16] Geoff Lees, United Kingdom
Tiff Needell, United Kingdom 		DNF

World Sportscar Championship (Europe)

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. 1983[17] 1984[17] 1985[17] 1986[17] 1987[17] 1988[17] 1989[17] 1990[17] 1991[17]
Points 0 0 0 16 10 0 17 0 12
Championship rank N/A N/A N/A 29th 34th N/A 25th N/A 27th

All Japan Sports Prototype Championship (Japan)

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. 1985[18] 1986[18] 1987[18] 1988[18] 1989[18] 1990[18] 1991[18]
Points 6 N/A N/A 17 55 47 52
Championship rank 29th N/A N/A 20th 3rd 5th 8th

Fuji Long Distance Series

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1985[19] Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
Co-driver N/A N/A Vern Schuppan, Australia
Keiichi Suzuki, Japan 		Vern Schuppan, Australia
Keiichi Suzuki, Japan
Position N/A N/A 6th 6th
1986[20] Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
Co-driver Vern Schuppan, Australia
Keiichi Suzuki, Japan 		Vern Schuppan, Australia
Keiichi Suzuki, Japan 		Vern Schuppan, Australia
Keiichi Suzuki, Japan 		N/A
Position DNF / Engine 1st 6th N/A
1987[21] Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
Co-driver N/A N/A Franz Konrad, Austria N/A
Position N/A N/A 12 N/A
1988[22] Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
Co-driver Vern Schuppan, Australia Vern Schuppan, Australia Vern Schuppan, Australia Vern Schuppan, Australia
Position DNF / Electrics DNF / Engine
Fastest Lap 		DNF / Engine 10
1989[23] Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
Co-driver Steven Andskär, Sweden Steven Andskär, Sweden Steven Andskär, Sweden Steven Andskär, Sweden
Position DNF / hub bearing 2nd 2nd 2nd
1990[24] Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
Co-driver Steven Andskär, Sweden Steven Andskär, Sweden,
Shunji Kasuya Japan 		Steven Andskär, Sweden Steven Andskär, Sweden
Position 3rd Unknown 2nd DNF / engine

Imsa

[edit]

Fouché competed in the 2nd round of the 1993[25] Imsa series in Miami alongside Wayne Taylor in an Intrepid RM1 Chevrolet GTP. They finished 5th.

Fouché also competed in the 1994 24 Hours of Daytona alongside[26] fellow South Africans, Hilton Cowie and Stephan Watson driving a Lotus Esprit S300 in the GTU class. On the 354 lap the car suffered engine failure.

South African racing career

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  • F1 Powerboat (South Africa)
  • Sascar
    2000 Champion[27]
  • Wesbank V8
  • Formula Atlantic

Fouché competed in the South African Formula Atlantic Championship in 1983[28] before starting his international career in the World Sportscar Championship in Europe in 1984.

Post racing career

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Fouché owned Dermalamp South Africa, a company that manufactures and sells phototherapy equipment for the management of Psoriasis and Eczema.

References

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  1. ^ "- 404" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 October 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2008.
  2. ^ 24 Heures du Mans. Le pilote George Fouché est décedé
  3. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1984. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1984. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1986. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1987. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1988. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1989. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1990. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  10. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1991. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1992. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1993. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1994. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1995. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1996. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Standings". uniquecarsandparts.com.au. 1997. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i "wspr-racing.com - Diese Website steht zum Verkauf! - Informationen zum Thema wspr-racing". ww1.wspr-racing.com.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g "Loading".
  19. ^ "Loading".
  20. ^ "Loading".
  21. ^ "Loading".
  22. ^ "Loading".
  23. ^ "Loading".
  24. ^ "Loading".
  25. ^ "Loading".
  26. ^ "Loading".
  27. ^ "DispatchLIVE".
  28. ^ "Formula Atlantic SA - TNF's Archive".
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