Willy Mairesse was a Belgian Formula 1 and Sports Car driver with a penchant for wrecking his Ferraris. So much so that his death by suicide in 1969 was attributed to a severe wreck he had at Le Mans in the Mulsanne Straight in 1968. Mairesse drove in races with friends before making the big time as a driver around 1956. Willy was offered a works ride as a sports car driver and grand prix racer by Ferrari in 1960. He showed brilliance as a driver but was also plagued by taken risks that led him into shunts quite often. A number of these left him with cuts and some with severe burns.