Jochen Neerpasch
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Jochen Neerpasch (born 23 March 1939) is a German former racecar driver and motorsports manager.
Career
Neerpasch's racing career began in the 1960s, first on Borgward touring car, then with the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans as a first major event. Racing a Porsche 907, he won the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona. After his third-place finish in Le Mans the same year, he retired from racing.
In the 1970s, Neerpasch became a successful manager in the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and the European Touring Car Championship. First he managed Ford, then he took the 1972 champion Hans-Joachim Stuck with him to BMW, to found the successful BMW M team and company.
In BMW, Neerpasch also led the development of the mid-engined BMW M1, which he designed to take on Porsche in Group 5 racing. While the required 400 homologation cars were being assembled, to gain racing experience for the cars, he contacted March Engineering's head Max Mosley, who was a member of Formula One Constructors' Association, and together they created a one-make racing series BMW M1 Procar Championship, that ran in 1979 and 1980. Neerpasch himself later raced in a 2008 one-time revival of the Procar Championship, driving a M1 Procar designed by Andy Warhol.
In the 1980s, Neerpasch was in charge of Sauber-Mercedes sports car racing team, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1989. He also discovered and taught talents like Michael Schumacher, Karl Wendlinger, and Heinz-Harald Frentzen[citation needed].
Racing record
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | United States Briggs S. Cunningham | New Zealand Chris Amon | Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe | GT +3.0 | 131 | DSQ (Outside assistance) | |
| 1965 | France J. Simone (private entrant) | Switzerland Jo Siffert | Maserati Tipo 65 | P 5.0 | 3 | DNF (Accident damage) | |
| 1966 | United States Essex Wire Corporation | Belgium Jacky Ickx | Ford GT40 | S 5.0 | 154 | DNF (Engine) | |
| 1967 | Germany Porsche System Engineering | Germany Rolf Stommelen | Porsche 910 kurzheck | P 2.0 | 351 | 6th | 2nd |
| 1968 | Germany Porsche System Engineering | West Germany Rolf Stommelen | Porsche 908LH | P 3.0 | 325 | 3rd | 2nd |
Complete 24 Hours of Daytona results
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Germany Porsche System Engineering | United Kingdom Vic Elford Germany Rolf Stommelen Switzerland Jo Siffert Germany Hans Herrmann | Porsche 907LH | P | 673 | 1st | 1st |
Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Germany Porsche Automobile Company | United Kingdom Vic Elford | Porsche 907 | P 3.0 | 226 | 2nd | 2nd |
Complete Targa Florio results
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Germany Porsche System Engineering | Germany Günther Klass | Porsche 356B Carrera 2000 GS/GT | GT 2.0 | 10 | 7th | 3rd |
| 1967 | Germany Porsche System Engineering | United Kingdom Vic Elford | Porsche 910 | P 2.0 | 10 | 3rd | 2nd |
| 1968 | Germany Porsche System Engineering | Germany Hans Herrmann | Porsche 907 | P 3.0 | 10 | 4th | 2nd |
External links
- career summary at DriverDB.com