Michel Têtu

Michel Têtu,[1][2][3] born 6 August 1941, is a French engineer best known as a designer of racing sports cars and Formula 1 (F1) cars for marques such as Ligier, Alfa Romeo, and Renault.

Michel Têtu
Born (1941-08-06) August 6, 1941
Châteauroux, France
Occupation(s)Engineer, race car designer

Early years

Têtu was born in Châteauroux, France, in the department of Indre.

He graduated from l'École des Techniques Aéronautiques et de Conception Automobile (ETACA), which became l'École supérieure des techniques aéronautiques et de construction automobile (ESTACA) in 1978.[4][5] He also took classes with the Société des ingénieurs de l'automobile (SIA).[6]

Career

Têtu spent five years with Charles Deutsch at Automobiles CD, joining in 1963 and staying until 1968.[6] While there he was involved with the Le Mans cars, initially the Panhard-engined LM64, and later the Peugeot-powered SP66.[7][8]

Têtu moved to Ligier in 1969. His first major design was also Ligier's debut model, the Ligier JS1, followed by the Ligier JS3 sports racing barquette, and then the Ligier JS2 sports coupé, both also Têtu designs.

He then joined Alfa Romeo's Autodelta competition division. He had been brought in to consult on the aerodynamics of the T33/2 Daytona coupé.[9][10] When he arrived in 1972, Têtu was put in charge of the eight-cylinder Tipo 33s, which were near the end of their development life.[1] He also drew the shape of the Alfa Tipo 33 TT 12 that won the 1975 World Championship for makes.[11][12]

In 1976, Têtu was contacted by Gérard Larrousse, then with Renault, about the possibility of him joining the company for a special project.[1][13] Têtu returned to France and began working for Renault Sport in Dieppe. He became one of the lead engineers on Renault's Projet 822, which was released as the Renault 5 Turbo.[14][15][16][17] He was asked to drive the prototype on its first outing.[13]

Têtu's other projects at this time included preparing Alpine A310s for Group 4 competition.[13][18][19] He also developed the Renault 5 Alpine Group 2 rally car, which finished second and third at the 1978 Monte Carlo Rally.[20][3]

At the 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans, Têtu was the race engineer for the winning team of Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and Didier Pironi and their Renault Alpine A442.[21][22][23]

In 1978 Têtu moved to the Renault Formula 1 team full time. He designed Renault's first ground effect F1 car, the RE10 (also called the RS10).[24][25] Driven by Jean-Pierre Jabouille and René Arnoux, the RS10 became the first F1 single-seater with a turbocharged engine to win a Grand Prix race. Têtu went on to design the RE20, RE30, RE40, and RE50, finally leaving Renault in 1984.

In 1985, Têtu went to Équipe Ligier, for whom he designed the JS27, and JS29. After the failure of his innovative Ligier JS31 in 1988, Têtu was fired by Ligier. He then went to the independent Larrousse F1 team, where he designed cars until the end of 1994.[26][27] He later returned to Ligier Automobiles for a stint that had him designing "voitures sans-permis", microcars that can be driven in France without an operator's license.

After leaving Larrousse, Têtu also served as technical adviser for race car builder Mygale.[28] Their MT01 Formula Ford chassis carried Têtu's initials.[29]

Formula 1 designs
A Ligier JS29 at the 2015 Essen Motor Show.

Other automobile designs

Personal life

Têtu was president of the Club Ligier JS2 of France.[2]

References
  1. Rogar, Olivier (1 January 2022). "Michel Têtu 1/2 – Les inédits de « Pilote et Gentleman »" [Michel Têtu 1/2 – The unpublished "Pilot and Gentleman"]. www.classiccourses.fr (in French).
  2. Auray, Géraldine (1 April 2012). "Michel Têtu entretient la flamme" [Michel Têtu tends the flame]. www.lejsl.com (in French).
  3. "7/ Laurels for the Renault 5" (PDF). Renault Classic. No. Renault 5 — 40 Ans. November 2011. p. 22.
  4. "ESTACA fête ses 90 ans : une rentrée anniversaire placée sous le signe de la nouveauté" [ESTACA celebrates its 90th anniversary: an anniversary return under the sign of novelty]. www.estaca.fr (in French). 1 September 2015.
  5. Prillieux, Jean-Michel; Le Roux, André. "Ligier, de la GT à la voiturette" [Ligier, from GT to microcar].
  6. "Michel Tetu". ligierautomotive.com. 2018-11-29.
  7. Rampal, Charly. "Le Mans 1964 : Panhard Derniere…" [Le Mans 1964: Panhard Last…]. panhard-racing-team.fr (in French).
  8. "CD Peugeot SP 66". www.ixocollections.com. 2021-11-04.
  9. Vack, Pete (20 March 2018). "Interview with Giovanna Scaglione Part 9". velocetoday.com.
  10. Thorsen, Lars; Zensen, Ulrich; Pajevic, Vladimir (April 2017). "Tipo 33 Part 2: Second Time Around" (PDF). Alfanytt. pp. 40–57.
  11. Hurel, François (2021-12-17). "Alfa Romeo 33 — enfin titrée !" [Alfa Romeo 33 — finally titled!]. www.autohebdo.fr (in French).
  12. Little, Robbert. "Constructing the World Famous 33TT12". www.robertlittle.us.
  13. Smith, Roy (15 November 2008). Alpine & Renault: The Development of the Revolutionary Turbo F1 Car 1968–1979 (PDF). Veloce Publishing. p. 112. ISBN 978-1845841775.
  14. Smith, Roy (15 November 2008). Alpine & Renault: The Sports Prototypes 1973 to 1978 (PDF). Veloce Publishing Ltd. p. 115. ISBN 978-1845842260.
  15. "Project no. 822: Over to the engineers" (PDF). Les Cahiers Histoire et Passion. No. Renault 5 Turbo — From Production to Competition. Renault. p. 6.
  16. Sernine, Paul (10 June 2022). "Renault 5 Turbo : l'impensable 5 bodybuildée" [Renault 5 Turbo: the unthinkable 5 bodybuilder]. www.stationhaxo.fr (in French).
  17. Lallement, Albert (2022-09-02). "Renault 5 Turbo — Born under the star sign of racing". www.ixocollections.com.
  18. Dupuis, Sébastien (2015-06-22). "Alpine A310 V6 (1976–1985)". www.automobile-sportive.com (in French).
  19. Le Bras, Thierry (2016-02-19). "Guy Fréquelin remporte la Ronde d'Armor 1977 sur Alpine A 310 V6" [Guy Fréquelin wins the 1977 Ronde d'Armor in an Alpine A310 V6]. circuitmortel.com (in French).
  20. LeJuge, Ewen (2016-06-30). "Renault 5 Turbo : projet année 1977, petit moteur Cléon-Fonte, gros turbo, 160 ch. Maxi 350 ch" [Renault 5 Turbo: project year 1977, small Cléon-Fonte engine, large turbo, 160 hp. Max 350 hp.]. www.designmoteur.com.
  21. Maroselli, Yves (2014-07-01). "Le Mans Classic : l'Alpine de retour pour une revanche" [Le Mans Classic: Alpine back for revenge]. www.lepoint.fr (in French).
  22. Fournier, Jean-Luc (5 July 2012). "Le Mans Classic : Alpine au Mans, Une Longue Histoire" [Le Mans Classic: Alpine Le Mans, a Long History]. www.autonewsinfo.com (in French).
  23. "Alpine aux 24 Heures du Mans" [Alpine at the 24 Hours of Le Mans]. www.guide-autosport.com (in French).
  24. "Renault — A century". Motor Sport. July 2006.
  25. "Constructors — Renault F1". www.grandprix.com.
  26. "Constructors — Ligier (Equipe Ligier)". www.grandprix.com.
  27. "Tank battle". Motor Sport. June 2000.
  28. "Live With Michel Tetu" (PDF). World of Mygale. Winter 2019. p. 3.
  29. Decoster, Bertrand (20 February 2012). "Pour Mygale, le Developpement Passe Par la Haute Technologie, l'International et la Toute Nouvelle Formule Ford" [For Mygale, Development Goes Through High Technology, International Business and the All-New Formula Ford.]. www.autonewsinfo.com.
  30. "Ligier JS31". www.statsf1.com (in French).

Further reading
  • "Saga : Michel Tetu, 2è Partie : A310 V6 GrV & Rallycross" [Saga: Michel Tetu, Part 2: A310 V6 GrV & Rallycross]. Berlinette (in French). No. 21. June–July 2007.
  • Tétu, Michel (July 2008). "Le Début de l'Aventure Renault 5 Turbo… 30 Ans Après" [The Beginning of the Renault 5 Turbo Adventure… 30 Years Later]. Renault Histoire (in French). No. 20. pp. 119–144.
  • Jenkins, Richard (9 January 2017). "Michel Tetu". www.oldracingcars.com.
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