Motorsport: Claude Haldi (75) died
MOTORSPORT Claude Haldi died on December 25 at the age of 75. The Vaud native was one of the best GT drivers from Switzerland in his day. He competed 22 times in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Claude Haldi died of Alzheimer's disease on Christmas Day. Born on November 28, 1942, he belonged to the late [...]
Claude Haldi died of Alzheimer's on Christmas Day. Born on November 28, 1942, he was one of the best sports car and GT drivers from Switzerland from the late 1960s until the 1990s.
The Lausanne native was a real all-rounder and fast on any terrain. His preferred brand was Porsche. Although he sometimes drove works cars, the trained coppersmith remained an amateur racing driver.
In 1970, Haldi won the European Hillclimb Championship in a Porsche 911S in the Cat. GT, having finished runner-up in the Swiss GT championship the season before. He then narrowly missed out on the European GT Championship title on the circuit several times.
The Lausanne native was also successful in rallies at home and abroad. In 1979, he won the Swiss Rally Championship in a Porsche 930 Turbo.
His second place overall with Bernard Chenevière in a Porsche 911S at the 24 Hours of Spa in 1969 and third place at the legendary Targa Florio in 1973 in a works Carrera RSR were outstanding.
Claudi Haldi was only denied success at Le Mans. From 1968 to 1993, he competed in the 24-hour race a total of 22 times, more than any other Swiss driver. Haldi only saw the chequered flag five times, but never in the top ten.
In 1975, he celebrated a class victory with Peter Zbinden from Bern and Frenchman Bernard Béguin in a 911 Carrera from the Porsche Club Romand.
After finishing 18th overall in 1993, Haldi ended his career. He then continued to be heavily involved in the ACS Vaud section (president for many years) and campaigned in vain for the construction of a Swiss circuit in Moudon.
