Guy Ligier, an all-round athlete who went on to a lucrative business career and fame as a Formula One team owner, has died at age 85, French media reported Sunday.
Ligier made his F1 debut in the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix as a driver but left that role following the racing death of friend Jo Schlesser in 1968, taking an interest in the business side of racing instead.
Ligier moved into sports car construction, bought Matra Sports in 1974 to enter Formula One and posted nine victories between 1976 and 1996 with drivers Jacques Laffite, Patrick Depailler, Didier Pironi and Olivier Panis.
Ligier later sold his operations to world-champion driver Alain Prost.
A champion rower and national-team rugby player in France as a young man, Ligier discovered racing in his late 20s and earned motorcycle titles before taking an interest in cars.
He went on to make substantial money in the engineering and construction industry.
