One of the greatest of the pre-war drivers, he was killed in a minor race at the end of the 1950 season. He was still competitive at the time of his death. Good in both single-seaters and sportscars, he won Le Mans twice, in 1932 and 1933; the Spa 24 Hours in 1936 and 11 Grand Prix or Formula 1 races between 1932 and 1949. His father was an aviator and carpet salesman and after a spell living in England, Raymond finished school and joined the family business, where he worked for a few years. However after taking up racing in 1928, he soon switched to racing full-time. During World War 2, Sommer, who served in the French Army, was captured and was interred in a Prisoner of War camp for some while. Just before his death, Raymond was awarded the Legion d'Honneur.

Biography last updated 29 Feb 2016