Best known for co-driving with Johnson to win the Bathurst 1000 in 1981 in the famous Tru-Blu Ford XD Falcon, French passed in his sleep overnight at the age of 94 after an incredible career in the automotive and motorsport industries.
“Mate, he was a ripper,” said Johnson.
“I still believe he is one of the most underrated drivers we have ever had in this country and it was a privilege to share one of my greatest on-track moments with him.
“More so, he was a great mate and one of the funniest bastards you could wish to meet.
“He had a tremendous sense of humour and when you were with him you just never stopped laughing. At the same time he knew how to get speed out of anything he was driving – and most of the time with a sense of calmness.
“He was actually godfather to our daughter Kelly.
“It was difficult to see him deteriorate in recent times, but he never really recovered after he lost (his partner) Carole.”
One of the female pioneers of Australian motorsport, Carole Corness, and French were partners for 13 years before she died with dementia in 2018.
One of the most famous stories in motorsport folklaw involves French and Johnson, a decaying old Vegemite sandwich, and some moldy oranges, found several weeks after the 1981 victory in the console of the XD.
“In those days Bathurst was the last race of the year and you basically brought the car home and parked it in the shed for a few months before you touched it,” said Johnson.
“I remember going to the car after that ‘81 race and thinking ‘What’s that bloody smell?’
“I looked in the console and there were the remnants of some Vegemite sandwiches and some old oranges.
“He was always pretty good on the tooth!”
At a public event several years ago when Johnson told that story, French replied: “Well, a man’s gotta eat.”
Johnson is always happy to tell the story of how he passed up an opportunity to drive with the reigning Formula 1 champion Alan Jones for his famous 1981 Bathurst 1000 victory in favour of his “little mate” French.
Jones had become available after a venue and date change to the US Grand Prix and this freed up the F1 driver for his Bathurst debut.
French had driven with Johnson the previous year when their Tru-Blu Ford XD Falcon hit a rock early in the race in one of the most famous incidents in the history of Mount Panorama.
A national campaign driven by Channel Seven commentator Mike Raymond was launched on air during the race and enough money was raised to support Johnson into the following year’s national championship, which he won.
Johnson then elected to drive alone in the Hang Ten 400 at the Sandown International Raceway where he finished second to Peter Brock, before giving French the Bathurst call-up.
“John Crawford was looking after AJ and suggested that he should drive with me at Bathurst,” said Johnson.
“I said ‘Why would I want a world champion when I have my little mate ‘Frenchy’?’
“We had been through everything together the year before and to be honest, I was never going to have anyone else in the car with me.
“As it turned out, it was the right move and to this day we still enjoy everyone talking to us about that victory and that car.”
French was at the wheel of the Johnson Falcon when the race was stopped and then declared.
Ironically, Jones won the 1981 US Grand Prix and made his debut with Dick Johnson Racing in his last Bathurst 1000 appearance 21 years later.
French’s funeral will be held in Brisbane next week with details to be confirmed. Speedcafe offers its condolences to Frenchy’s family and friends.
Johnson passed on F1 champion out of loyalty to his ‘little mate’
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