Paul Pietsch

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Paul Pietsch
Veritas
Entries3
First entry1950 Italian Grand Prix
Last entry1952 German Grand Prix

Paul Pietsch (20 June 1911 – 31 May 2012) was a

Das Auto.[1] He was the first German ever to take part in a Formula One
Grand Prix.

Biography

Born in

Freiburg,[2] Pietsch began his racing career in 1932 with a private Bugatti and Alfa Romeo
.

Racing with an Alfa Romeo, he won the 1933 III Svenska Isloppet GP ice race in Hemfjärden, and the 1934 I Vallentunaloppet ice race in Vellentunasjön, both in Sweden.

In the 1935 German Grand Prix he raced for Auto Union, and he finished third in the 1935 Italian Grand Prix before leaving the team with its hard-to-drive rear engines. From 1937 onwards he entered a private Maserati. His greatest hours came in the 1939 German Grand Prix which he led from lap two until the ignition failed, making him drop down to third, which was still an excellent result for a privateer against the dominant force of the Silver Arrows.

After the war, he participated in three World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on September 3, 1950. His drive in a factory Alfa Romeo in the 1951 German Grand Prix ended with an accident. He scored no championship points.

At that time, Pietsch was already a successful editor and publisher of motorcycle and automobile magazines. His company, Motor Presse Stuttgart, is the largest in the European market for technology and special interest magazines.

From the death of his countryman Karl Kling in 2003 until his own death, Pietsch was the oldest surviving Formula One driver,[1] at age 100[3] and the last surviving driver of pre-war grand prix era. His son Peter-Paul Pietsch races often at the Nürburgring with fellow journalists.

On 31 May 2012, Pietsch died from pneumonia[4] at the age of 100 years, 11 months and 11 days.[2] Pietsch was also the first Grand Prix driver to reach the age of 100.[2]

Racing record

Complete European Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 EDC Pts
1932 Pilesi Racing Team
T35B
 Bugatti 2.3 L8 ITA FRA GER
Ret 		22nd 23
1935
Auto Union AG
B
Auto Union 5.0 V16
 MON FRA BEL GER
9 		SUI
111 		ITA
3 		ESP
DNS 		15th 47
1937 P. Pietsch Maserati 6C-34
L6
 BEL GER
Ret 		MON
DNS 		SUI
10 		ITA 17th 35
1938 P. Pietsch Maserati 6CM
L6
 FRA GER
6 		SUI ITA 14th 28
1939 Officine A. Maserati Maserati 8CTF
L8
 BEL FRA GER
3 		14th 26
P. Pietsch Maserati 4CL
L4
 SUI
Ret
Source:[5]
Notes
  • ^1 – As a co-driver Pietsch was ineligible for championship points

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 WDC Pts
1950 Paul Pietsch
4CLT/48
L4s
 GBR MON 500 SUI BEL FRA ITA
Ret 		NC 0
1951 Alfa Romeo SpA Alfa Romeo 159
L8s
 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER
Ret 		ITA ESP NC 0
1952
Motor Presse Verlag
Veritas Meteor
L6
 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER
Ret 		NED ITA NC 0

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Glückwunsch zum 100. Geburtstag - ADAC Motorwelt 6/2012 p12
  2. ^ a b c Jenkins, Richard. "The World Championship drivers - Where are they now?". OldRacingCars.com. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
  3. ^ Vorano, Neil (2011-06-25). "German rally marks 100th birthday of racing great Paul Pietsch". The National. Retrieved 2011-07-01.
  4. Auto Motor u. Sport
    . 14 2012: Seite 14.2012/11. 14 June 2012.
  5. ^ "THE GOLDEN ERA – OF GRAND PRIX RACING". kolumbus.fi. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2017.
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