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| Bertrand Baguette | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bertrand Baguette |
| Birth date | 18 February 1986 |
| Birth place | Le Mans, Pays de la Loire, France |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Occupation | Racing driver |
Bertrand Baguette (born 18 February 1986) is a Belgian professional racing driver known for competing in open-wheel and endurance sports car categories. He raced in international series including Formula Renault 2.0, GP2 Series, IndyCar Series, and the FIA World Endurance Championship, achieving notable podiums and an IndyCar Series race victory. Baguette has driven for teams and constructors such as A1 Team Belgium, Dale Coyne Racing, SAMAX Motorsport, JDC-Miller MotorSports, and Glickenhaus Racing.
Born in Le Mans, Baguette grew up in a region famous for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit, influences that paralleled the careers of drivers like Jackie Stewart and Stirling Moss. His family supported karting in regional circuits near Normandy and Pays de la Loire, exposing him to events connected to organizations such as the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and national bodies like the Royal Automobile Club of Belgium. Early contemporaries included kart racers who progressed to Formula One feeder series like Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.
Baguette advanced through karting into single-seater ladders, contesting series such as Formula Renault 1.6 and Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup before stepping up to higher-profile championships. He raced in events organized by entities like Motorsport UK and teams with links to outfits such as ART Grand Prix and Prema Powerteam. During this phase he competed against drivers who later joined Formula One and GP2 Series grids, including Romain Grosjean, Bruno Senna, Sebastian Vettel, and Robert Kubica.
Baguette's international exposure increased with appearances in the Champ Car World Series feeder categories and tests for teams influenced by promoters like Open Wheel Racing Series and constructors such as Panoz and Lola Cars International. He later contested rounds in the GP2 Series, racing on circuits shared with Formula One such as Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Monza, Silverstone Circuit, and Circuit de Monaco. His GP2 tenure placed him alongside competitors from outfits like ART Grand Prix, DAMS, Rapax, and drivers such as Pastor Maldonado, Davide Valsecchi, Giedo van der Garde, and Jérôme d'Ambrosio.
Seeking opportunities in North America, Baguette joined the Indy Lights ladder, associating with teams like Sam Schmidt Motorsports and organizations that feed into the IndyCar Series grid, which features promoters such as Andretti Autosport and Chip Ganassi Racing. He tested and raced on oval venues including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and road courses like Road America, sharing paddocks with drivers from A1 Grand Prix, Formula Atlantic and European series entrants such as Sébastien Bourdais and Oriol Servià. His performances earned him a debut in the top-level IndyCar Series with teams including Dale Coyne Racing.
Competing in the IndyCar Series, Baguette raced in marquee events managed by promoters like IZOD and series governed by the IndyCar organization. He secured his first and only IndyCar win at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of St. Petersburg milestone weekend, joining past victors such as Will Power, Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Simon Pagenaud. His success came against teams with pedigrees like Team Penske, Andretti Autosport, AJ Foyt Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and drivers including Dario Franchitti, Helio Castroneves, and Marco Andretti.
After open-wheel campaigns, Baguette transitioned into sports car and endurance racing, participating in championships such as the FIA World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series, and the IMSA SportsCar Championship. He raced at endurance classics like the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 12 Hours of Sebring for outfits including Rebellion Racing, G-Drive Racing, Jota Sport, Team WRT, United Autosports, and later Glickenhaus Racing. Teammates and competitors in endurance paddocks included Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish, Brendon Hartley, Mike Conway, and Kévin Estre.
Baguette's record spans single-seaters, Champ Car feeder series, and endurance categories. His résumé includes starts in GP2 Series, Indy Lights, and the IndyCar Series, plus entries at 24 Hours of Le Mans with LMP1 and LMP2 prototypes and GT classes. Statistically, he recorded race wins, podiums, pole positions, and fastest laps across championships run by organizers like the FIA, ACO, IndyCar, and IMSA. His career intersects with constructors and chassis builders such as Dallara, Oreca, Ligier, Porsche, Toyota Gazoo Racing, and engine suppliers including Honda, Chevrolet, and AER.
Category:Belgian racing drivers Category:IndyCar Series drivers Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers