Killed in a private test on a public road when a horse and cart came out of a side road, forcing Josef to swerve, when he then crashed into a wall. He raced as early as 1905, and was also the first man ever to fly a plane over Singapore. He also flew in South Africa during the early days of aviation. Initially Christiaens trained as an engineer but became an aviator and racing driver instead, winning the 1909 Coupe de Liedekerke. In 1915, Joseph moved to England to join Sunbeam as the head of the company's experimental department and raced the company's cars at Indianapolis.

Biography last updated 23 Oct 2015