Ivan Dimitrov (Russian: Иван Димитров) was a professional Russian racing driver, assassin, and operative of the Soviet counterintelligence agency, SMERSH. The character appears in Anthony Horowitz's 2015 James Bond continuation novel Trigger Mortis.
Biography[]
Trigger Mortis[]
Described as a gaunt, scowling man, with thin strands of hair that hung loosely over a high forehead, Ivan Dimitrov was a professional racing driver who was banned from the ciruit circa 1955 after deliberately forcing another driver off the track, pushing him off at a corner.[2] During 1957,[1] a Czech intelligence operative working for the British Secret Service reported witnessing Dimitrov staging crashes and stated he was convinced the Russians were planning on cheating by crashing British racing driver, Lancy Smith. The operative was killed shortly afterwards. At the same time, Moscow put pressure on the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) to allow Dimitrov to race again.[2]
Subsequently, James Bond is sent to race at the Nürburgring Grand Prix in order to dispatch Dimitrov before he can get the chance to kill Smith. Before the race he witnesses Dimitrov meeting with Head of SMERSH, Colonel Vladimir Gaspanov, and American-Korean businessman, Jason Sin.[3] Bond's hunch that Dimitrov would act early in the race was proven correct, and while on an isolated stretch of track attempts to ram Smith's Vanwall. However, before he can succeed he is crashed by 007, who drags the burnt Russian from his mangled vehicle in an act of mercy. Much later, in London, Bond is ambushed by the vengeful man - blistered, deformed and still wrapped in bandages. Unarmed and held at gunpoint, Bond is saved from the assassin's first bullet by his car's bullet-proof door window, which shatters, but provides Bond the opportunity he needs to grab his Walther PPK from a hidden compartment and shoot Dimitrov dead.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Horowitz, Anthony (2015). "Chapter 15: Follow the Money", Trigger Mortis (in English). Hachette UK, p.185. ISBN 9781409159155. “[this counterfeit note is] at least seven years old ... Back in 1950 they made a few changes to the design.”
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Horowitz, Anthony (2015). "Chapter 2: Racing Uncertainty", Trigger Mortis (in English). Hachette UK, p.32. ISBN 9781409159155.
- ↑ Horowitz, Anthony (2015). "Chapter 6: Nürburgring", Trigger Mortis (in English). Hachette UK, p.81. ISBN 9781409159155.