Louis Chevrolet, the forgotten pioneer of the Swiss automobile

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Louis Chevrolet conquered the world from Jura in 1900.

Felix BingesserSports reporter

The new season of Formula 1 will be launched soon with tests in Bahrain. The expectations are high, the racing series is at its best.

This is not provided. When the new Formula E was launched in 2014 with much fanfare and fanfare, there were many voices predicting hard times for Formula 1 following the climate debate and wanting to see a changing of the guard in motorsport’s elite discipline.

Ten years later, the results of Formula E, which even has to fear its presence in the corona crisis, are mixed and encouraging. And it has in no way damaged the appeal of Formula 1. On the contrary: in 2016, Liberty Media bought Formula 1 for $4.6 billion. Seven years later, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is ready to release $20 billion. Audience interest also remains high.

An interesting story of immigrants

Apparently motorsport, where you can still smell petrol, defies the climate debate and remains a success story. Switzerland always has its place in this success story. The last Formula 1 GP on Swiss soil took place in 1954 in Bremgartenwald near Bern. The winner is the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio. Because 84 people died in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955, the Federal Council banned circuit racing in Switzerland.

But despite the circuit ban, there are still influential Swiss figures in motorsport. Clay Regazzoni, Peter Sauber and Jo Siffert are just a few names.

The name of Louis Chevrolet, whose story is the most interesting story of immigration in Switzerland, is always forgotten. Louis was born on Christmas Day 1878 as one of eight children of watchmaker Joseph Chevrolet in Neuchâtel Jura. The family later moved to Burgundy, and in 1900 Louis, who was already a racing driver at the time, moved to the USA via Canada.

In 1911 he founded the Chevrolet Automobile Company in Detroit with partner William Durant. In 1915, Louis left the company in crisis and founded the Frontenac company to build racing cars. He continues to run himself. His brother Gaston celebrated his greatest success at Frontenac, winning the Indianapolis 500. When Gaston suffered a fatal accident during a race at Beverly Hills in 1920, Louis also ended his racing career. His qualities as an engineer and a daring racing driver will never be forgotten.

Up and away, but without a camera crew

As a businessman, he was denied great success. To stay afloat, he returns to Detroit as a Chevrolet mechanic. Louis died in 1941.

Today, not everyone who drives a Chevrolet Camaro or Corvette knows that the history of their car begins with a young Swiss man who boarded a ship in 1900 and immigrated to the USA.

Louis Chevrolet. Up and away! Without the camera team behind us, which today accompanies every Swiss who opens a snack stand somewhere in the world.

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