Mairesse built a haulage business during the interwar period,[2] and became interested in motor sport in 1946 through his friendship with Le Mans driver, Paul Vallée.

[2] In 1949 Mairesse joined Vallée's team, Ecurie France, to race the Talbot-Lago and took fourth place at Pau and fifth at Albi.

[2] Towards the end of that season the Vallée team closed and Mairesse purchased the Le Mans car and a Talbot-Lago T26C, which he used to enter the 1950 Italian Grand Prix, from which he retired, and the Swiss and French Grands Prix in 1951, finishing 11 laps down and "not classified" on both occasions.

[1] Thereafter his business commitments curtailed his involvement in racing and he sold his cars in 1952 appearing infrequently in other owners' machinery.

[2] Mairesse was killed in practice for the Coupe de Paris at Montlhéry in 1954, when he swerved to avoid another car and crashed into a concrete wall.