Philippe Streiff is best remembered for two things: firstly, the horrific accident he suffered during the preliminary tests of the 1989 season in Rio Jacarepegua, Brazil. The lamentable conditions with which he will be taken care of by totally inexperienced Brazilian rescuers (extracted on a simple stretcher, his back will not even be immobilized by a shell!) will make him quadriplegic until the end of his days. Then, he will be the instigator of the Masters Kart de Bercy from 1993 and which will see stars like Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost or Michael Schumacher compete in a relaxed context. Relaunched in 2011 in electric format, Jérôme d’Ambrosio will finish 2nd in this last edition.
Before the accident that sounded the death knell of his career, Streiff scored a podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Rondeau in 1981 and a victory in Formula 2 on AGS at Brands Hatch in 1984. He moved to Formula 1 the following season with Ligier ( with obtaining his only podium in Adelaide) before joining Tyrrell in 1986 and 1987. He will end his career at AGS, a small French team “not like the others”. Subsequently, he had moved closer to political circles, working in particular in the team of Nicolas Sarkozy.
Despite his quadriplegia, Philippe Streiff wanted to remain as mobile as possible. We remember that he was able to swallow hundreds of kilometers at the wheel of a sedan specially adapted to his handicap. It is certainly a driver who commands respect forever who died two days before Christmas. Hello, Philip…