Alex Blignaut (30 November 1932 – 15 January 2001) was a racing driver and motor racing team owner from South Africa.

Alex Blignaut
Born(1932-11-30)30 November 1932
Johannesburg, South Africa
Died15 January 2001(2001-01-15) (aged 68)
Honeydew, Johannesburg, South Africa
Formula One World Championship career
NationalitySouth Africa South African
Active years1965
Teamsprivateer Cooper
Entries1 (0 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1965 South African Grand Prix
Last entry1965 South African Grand Prix
Alex Blignaut Racing Team
Full nameSouth Africa Blignaut Lucky Strike Racing
Blignaut Embassy Racing
BaseSouth Africa South Africa
Founder(s)Alex Blignaut
Noted staffAlex Blignaut
Noted driversSouth Africa Eddie Keizan
Formula One World Championship career
First entry1973 South African Grand Prix
Races entered2
ConstructorsTyrrell
Drivers'
Championships
0
Race victories0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
Final entry1974 South African Grand Prix

Career

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Blignaut raced locally in South Africa for many years and made two appearances in the Formula One Rand Grand Prix under the "Team Valencia" banner, in 1963 and 1964, finishing 12th on both occasions. He also entered the 1965 South African Grand Prix, a World Championship event, but withdrew before the meeting took place.[1]

He later turned to team ownership, setting up the "Alex Blignaut Racing Team" and entering cars in the South African Formula One Championship throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, earning many race wins. Among the drivers who competed for Blignaut were Eddie Keizan and Ian Scheckter. Keizan also drove Blignaut's Tyrrell 004 in the World Championship South African Grands Prix in 1973 and 1974.[2]

Blignaut was later secretary of SAMRaC (South African Motor Racing Club), the club which organised the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami. He died in 2001 after an accident on his farm, when he electrocuted himself while repairing a piece of machinery.[3]

Results

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Complete Formula One World Championship results

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(key)

Yr Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WDC Points
1965 Team Valencia Cooper Special Climax Straight-4 RSA
WD
MON BEL FRA GBR NED GER ITA USA MEX NC 0

Non-Championship Formula One results

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(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
1963 Team Valencia Cooper T53 Climax Straight-4 LOM GLV PAU IMO SYR AIN INT ROM SOL KAN MED AUT OUL RAN
12
1964 Team Valencia LDS Alfa Romeo Straight-4 DMT NWT SYR AIN INT SOL MED RAN
12

References

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  1. ^ John Thompson, "The Formula One Record Book", Frewin, 1974, pp.210-211.
  2. ^ Steve Small, "The Grand Prix Who's Who", Guinness, 1996, p.237.
  3. ^ Mario Bauer, "Grand Prix Insider", 30 November 2008