Ben Pon (1936–2019): Dutch racing driver, Olympian and vintner

Motorsport career

Pon raced primarily in sports-car events through the late 1950s and early 1960s, taking part in international sports-car meetings that were common stepping stones for drivers of that era. He entered one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, the 1962 Dutch Grand Prix; while his single F1 start is the best-known statistic to general audiences, his involvement in sports-car racing was more extensive. Like many privateer drivers of the period, his career mixed occasional high-profile entries with regular participation in club and national events.

Olympic shooting

Outside motor racing, Pon also pursued clay-pigeon shooting at a competitive level. He represented the Netherlands in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, competing in shotgun clay-target disciplines where accuracy and timing are key. In that Olympic appearance he finished in the lower half of the field, a result that nonetheless marked him as one of his country's multi-discipline sportsmen. Read more about his Olympic involvement here and the 1972 Games here.

Wine business and later life

After stepping away from active competition Pon concentrated on the wine trade and became known as a vintner, establishing himself in viticulture and wine retail. This later career drew on a longstanding European tradition of sportspeople moving into business after their competitive years. For perspectives on the wine sector he joined, see wine trade resources. Pon remained a public figure in the Netherlands until his death on 30 September 2019 at age 82.

Legacy and notable facts

• Born in Amersfoort, his birthplace situates him geographically within the central Netherlands; see national context here.
• His sporting résumé is notable for its range: international sports cars, a single Formula One start and Olympic-level clay shooting.
• Pon exemplifies a mid-20th century pattern in which amateur and semi-professional athletes combined competition with business careers.

Although not a household name in the way championship-winning drivers are, Ben Pon is remembered for the breadth of his pursuits and for representing his country in two very different sporting arenas.