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Frédéric Sausset

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Frédéric Sausset
Sausset in 2016
NationalityFrance French
Born (1969-02-13) 13 February 1969
Blois, France
Categorisation FIA Bronze
Awards
2016Autosport Pioneering and Innovation Award

Frédéric Maurice Pierre Sausset (born 13 February 1969) is a French businessman and racing driver. He made history as the first quadruple amputee to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016.

Business ventures and personal life

Growing up in Blois, France, Sausset earned a Brevet de technicien supérieur in 1991, before working as a car salesman. In 1998, Sausset and his wife Frédérique began managing textile stores in his home town of Blois, as well as in Vendôme and Châteaudun.[1] Alongside that, Sausset also served as the president of the Blois Federation of Commerce for three years, as well as being the vice-president of commerce for the Loir-et-Cher Chamber of Commerce and Industry between 2011 and 2012.[2]

Sausset and his teammates on the 24 Hours of Le Mans podium in 2016.

During a vacation with his family in July of 2012, Sausset contracted a rapidly progressing bacterial toxin that led to necrotizing septicemia, an extremely rare infection.[3] Sausset then fell into a coma, and was treated at the Bayonne and Tours University Hospitals, but the doctors were forced to amputate his arms and legs. He eventually woke up from his coma towards the end of August.[4] On October 17, 2012, Sausset began his rehabilitation process at La Membrolle-sur-Choisille, and underwent several surgeries until May 2013.[5]

Racing career

In the winter of 2012, Sausset set himself the goal to become the first quadriplegic driver to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which led him to establish Sausset Racing Team 41 the following year.[6][7] Thanks to the support of his insurance company Axa, Sausset began testing a modified Ligier JS53 Evo in early 2014 for Onroak Automotive. The car was fitted with two long rods connecting to the pedals with two plates positioned under his thighs; his right arm stump was fitted into a prosthesis, which was attached to the steering wheel by a removable ankle; as well as an automatic gearbox and an eject button in case of an accident.[8]

In 2015, Sausset made his competitive racing debut in the V de V Challenge Endurance Proto for his own team.[9][10] Racing five times, Sausset's races were characterised by the disparity in duration of his driver changes, as it took him nearly four minutes to get in the car, compared to the 30 seconds for an able-bodied driver.[11]

Sausset testing his modified Morgan LMP2 at the Circuit de la Sarthe in 2016.

In 2016, Sausset made a one-off appearance in the European Le Mans Series with a modified Morgan LMP2 at Silverstone for OAK Racing, as well as select appearances in the V de V Endurance Series with the same team.[12][13] During that year, Sausset achieved his goal by racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Garage 56 entry alongside Jean-Bernard Bouvet and Christophe Tinseau,[14] finishing 38th overall after a clutch issue cost the team one and a half hours in the pits.[15][16] At the end of the year, Sausset was given the Pioneering and Innovation Award at the Autosport Awards in London.[17]

After stepping back from racing, Sausset launched the Frédéric Sausset by SRT41 programme to promote drivers with disabilities and take them to the 2020 24 Hours of Le Mans.[18] His SRT41 team came back into action two years later in VdeV with disabled trio Takuma Aoki, Snoussi Ben Moussa and Nigel Bailly, who went on to race at the 2019 Road to Le Mans in LMP3.[19][20] After the Covid-19 pandemic halted the plans in early 2020, the entry to the French enduro was withdrawn, and the project delayed until 2021.[21] In 2021, SRT41 made select starts in the European Le Mans Series with a modified Oreca 07, with professional driver Pierre Sancinéna taking over the place of Moussa, who withdrew on personal grounds.[22] For the 24 Hours of Le Mans, François Hériau was set to be the third driver, but was replaced by Matthieu Lahaye after picking up an injury.[23] Five years on from Sausset's appearance as a driver, his team finished 32nd overall in its last competitive appearance to date.[24][25]

Racing record

Racing career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2015 V de V Challenge Endurance Proto – Scratch SRT 41 5 0 0 0 0
2016 V de V Endurance Series – LMP3 OAK Racing 1 0 0 0 0
V de V Challenge Endurance Moderne – Proto SRT 41 2 0 0 0 0
European Le Mans Series – Innovative SRT41 by OAK Racing 1 N/A NC
24 Hours of Le Mans – Innovative 1 0 0 0 0 —N/a 38th
Sources:[26][27]

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2016 France SRT41 by OAK Racing France Jean-Bernard Bouvet
France Christophe Tinseau		 Morgan LMP2-Nissan CDNT 315 38th –

References

  1. "CCI économie" (PDF). doc.pilote41.fr. June 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  2. Brissot, Henri (25 March 2026). "Blois : Frédéric Sausset invité d'honneur des 24 Heures du Mans". lanouvellerepublique.fr (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  3. Veille, Frédéric (4 February 2026). "24 Heures du Mans 2016 : Frédéric Sausset, premier pilote quadri-amputé au départ". rtl.fr (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  4. Mercier, Laurent (10 March 2014). "Frédéric Sausset : "Disputer Le Mans en LM P2 donne un caractère encore plus exceptionnel à mon projet"". endurance-info.com (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  5. "Frédéric Sausset, la passion du sport pour dépasser le handicap". ecoreseau.fr (in French). 30 January 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  6. Richard, Xavier (1 April 2014). "Frédéric Sausset veut faire Le Mans". franceinfo.fr (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  7. Mercier, Laurent (24 February 2014). "Frédéric Sausset, amputé des 4 membres, veut s'attaquer au Mans en LM P2". endurance-info.com (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  8. "Comment rouler sans bras ni jambes". leparisien.fr (in French). 27 March 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  9. Mercier, Laurent (10 March 2015). "Première sortie concluante pour Frédéric Sausset sur la Ligier-Audi du srt41". endurance-info.com (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  10. Mercier, Laurent (23 March 2015). "The Ligier JS P2s and the JS 53 EVO 2s the quickest this weekend!". motorsport.com. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  11. Gourgeon, Aurelien (19 April 2016). "Endurance: Fred, quadri-amputé, démarre sa saison". sportauto.fr (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  12. Lee, Kristen (9 February 2016). "Quadruple Amputee Will Race Experimental Car in the 24 Hours of Le Mans". roadandtrack.com. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  13. Tassel, Pierre (22 October 2015). "Le Mans – Frédéric Sausset unveils his Morgan LM P2". autohebdof1.com. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  14. "Amputé des quatre membres, il sera au départ des 24 Heures du Mans". cnews.fr (in French). 25 April 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  15. Navarro, Guillaume (19 June 2016). "Toyota perd les 24 Heures du Mans dans le dernier tour!". motorsport.com (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  16. Fernandez, Mat (4 October 2016). "Frederic Sausset, On To A New Challenge". dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  17. Adam, Mitchell (5 December 2016). "Autosport Awards 2016: F1's Rosberg and Mansell lead winners". autosport.com. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  18. Veille, Frédéric (28 May 2018). "24 Heures du Mans : un équipage 100% handicapé en 2020". rtl.fr (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  19. Kilshaw, Jake (28 May 2018). "Sausset-Led Team of Disabled Racers Enters VdeV". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  20. Tassel, Pierre (13 May 2019). "A first for the Frédéric Sausset Industry at Road To Le Mans". autohebdof1.com. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  21. Klein, Jamie (14 April 2020). "Sausset's SRT41 team of disabled drivers withdraws 2020 Le Mans entry". autosport.com. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  22. Jensen, Jens (7 March 2021). "SRT41 back for 2021". racing24-7.net. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  23. Dagys, John (12 August 2021). "Lahaye Replaces Injured Heriau in SRT41 Garage 56 Entry". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  24. Lloyd, Daniel (13 August 2021). "Sausset "Proud" to Bring Latest Innovative Entry to Le Mans". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  25. "Le Mans 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans: Race". Autosport. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  26. "Frédéric Sausset Results". motorsportstats.com. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  27. "Frédéric Sausset | Racing career profile | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 16 June 2026.