Gerrit van Kouwen (5 July 1963 – 26 January 2024) was a Dutch racing driver.[1][2][3][4]

Gerrit van Kouwen
NationalityNetherlands Dutch
Born(1963-07-05)5 July 1963
De Meern, Utrecht, Netherlands
Died26 January 2024(2024-01-26) (aged 60)
British Touring Car Championship
Years active19891990
TeamsJQF Engineering
Pyramid Motorsport
Starts13
Wins0
Poles0
Fastest laps0
Best finish42nd in 1989
Championship titles
1982, 1983Dutch Formula Ford 1600

Van Kouwen was born in 1963 at his father's car scrapyard in De Meern, the Netherlands.[5]

In 1982 and 1983 he was Dutch Formula Ford 1600 champion and went on to win the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in 1984,[6] the first Dutchman to win the event. Van Kouwen competed in the British Formula 3 championship in 1985, winning three races to finish the season fifth overall. A second season in British F3 followed in 1986 which saw van Kouwen improve to fourth overall despite taking only one victory during the season.[7] Van Kouwen later switched to touring car racing and was active in this category until 1992.[8][9]

Van Kouwen died of cancer on 26 January 2024.

Racing record

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Complete World Touring Car Championship results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Pts
1987   Linder Rennsport BMW M3 MNZ JAR DIJ NÜR SPA
ovr:7
cls:5
BNO SIL BAT CLD WEL FJI NC† 0

† Not eligible for points.

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

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(key) Races in bold indicate pole position. Races in italics indicate fastest lap.

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 DC Pts Class
1989 JQF Engineering Ford Sierra RS500 A OUL
Ret
SIL
9
THR
Ret
DON
5
THR
7
SIL
11
SIL
7
BRH
Ret
SNE
7
BRH
Ret
BIR
6
DON SIL 42nd 4 17th
1990 Pyramid Motorsport BMW M3 B OUL DON
8‡
THR SIL OUL SIL BRH
13‡
SNE BRH BIR DON THR SIL NC‡ 0 0‡
Source:[10]

‡ Endurance driver – not eligible for points.

References

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  1. ^ "Gerrit van Kouwen presteert goed". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). 22 April 1985 – via Delpher.
  2. ^ "Gerrit van Kouwen trekt de aandacht". Limburgsch Dagblad (in Dutch). 22 July 1985 – via Delpher.
  3. ^ "Gerrit van Kouwen derde in Engeland". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 1 April 1986 – via Delpher.
  4. ^ "Westduits aanbod voor Gerrit van Kouwen". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 25 November 1988 – via Delpher.
  5. ^ "Autosport-icoon Gerrit van Kouwen overleden". RTV Utrecht (in Dutch). 27 January 2024. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Gerrit van Kouwen". Driver Database. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  7. ^ Pye, Marcus (31 January 2024). "Obituary: Formula Ford Festival and British F3 winner Gerrit van Kouwen dies aged 60". Autosport. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  8. ^ Pye, Marcus (31 January 2024). "Obituary: Formula Ford Festival and British F3 winner Gerrit van Kouwen dies aged 60". Autosport.com. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  9. ^ Diepraam, Mattijs (26 January 2024). "Formule Ford-held Gerrit van Kouwen (60) overleden". Autosport.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 March 2024.
  10. ^ de Jong, Frank. "British Saloon Car Championship". History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993. Retrieved 30 October 2024.