Philippe Streiff, racing driver who was left quadriplegic following a crash in 1989 obituary

Philippe Streiff, who has died aged 67, was a racing driver who took part in 55 Formula One grands prix, as well as the Le Mans 24 Hours and the world sportscar championship, until a crash in pre-season testing in 1989 left him quadriplegic; the care he received in the aftermath of the accident was called into question.

He was testing at the Autódromo Nelson Piquet in Rio de Janeiro a week before the 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix when his car ran over the kerb at a fast right-hand bend. Streiff’s car was thrown across the track and landed upside down on the barriers.

“I remember leaving the pits and then just black, a void,” he recalled. “I ended up rolling many times, tearing the engine, gearbox and all the wheels off. But, most importantly, the roll-hoop of the car was gone, too. The car was completely destroyed and I ended up over the guardrail.”

He suffered a broken shoulder and two fractured upper vertebrae. The first people to reach him were not medically qualified, and they moved his neck – ensuring, he said, that “I would never walk again.” Half an hour went by before he arrived back at the pits in an ambulance, and he was put in a helicopter.

But the pilot was from São Paulo and did not know Rio at all, so it took an hour to travel the 22 kilometres to hospital – via an unscheduled stop on Copacabana beach, with the pilot hopelessly lost. Incredibly, Streiff’s wife arrived at the hospital by road before him.

Philippe Streiff was born on June 26 1955 at La Tronche, a commune in south-east France. He was a late starter in motor racing and was already 22 when he won a competition at the racing school at Nogaro in the south-west of the country. He turned professional the following year, in Formula Renault, and won his first race, at the French Grand Prix meeting at the Paul Ricard circuit near Marseille.

He finished fifth overall in his rookie season, as well as taking part in the Le Mans 24 Hours, then moved to the European Formula 3 series, initially in a privately entered Martini-Renault, but when he switched to a Toyota engine he was able to take on the top outfits. In 1980 he beat the Martini factory team at Zolder and the following year won the French F3 title, as well as finishing second in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

In 1982 he moved to European Formula Two, finishing sixth, fourth and fourth again in his first three seasons. In 1984 he also finished third in the Le Mans 24 Hours, and made his Formula One debut, for Renault at the Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril, the last race of the season. He drove a third car for Renault, alongside Derek Warwick and Patrick Tambay, but transmission problems forced him to retire.

The following year he was taken on by Ligier for the last few races of the F1 season, limping across the line in third place at Adelaide despite colliding with his teammate Jacques Lafitte. It was the best result of his career. He later drove F1 for Tyrrell.

After his accident, despite being confined to a wheelchair, Streiff remained involved in motorsport, organising the Paris Bercy Masters Karting event in which young karters raced alongside F1 luminaries such as Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, who drove at the first Bercy meeting – the last time they would race against each other.

In 1994 Streiff made an unsuccessful bid for his old Ligier team. He ran several other businesses, including one organising events and a company which converts vehicles for disabled drivers; he also imported Gillet sports cars from Belgium.

Philippe Streiff was married to Renée.

Philippe Streiff, born June 26 1955, died December 23 2022

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