Helmut Koinigg

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Helmuth Koinigg
Formula One Career
Nationality	Austrian
Active years	1974
Team(s)	Scuderia Finotto, Surtees
Grands Prix	3
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podium finishes	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First Grand Prix	1974 Austrian Grand Prix


Last Grand Prix	1974 United States Grand Prix

Helmuth Koinigg (November 3, 1948 in Vienna - October 6, 1974 at Watkins Glen, New York) was a highly-regarded young racing driver who died in a crash in the 1974 United States Grand Prix, only the Austrian's second Grand Prix start.

Koinigg raced in touring cars, Formula Vee and Formula Ford before a period in sports car racing. He subsequently found the finance to buy a seat with Scuderia Finotto driving their Brabham at his home grand prix in 1974, and although he failed to qualify, this led to a contract with Surtees for the last two races of the season.

After a good showing at the 1974 Canadian Grand Prix, Koinigg was beginning to establish himself as a good prospect for 1975. But running near the back at the US GP at Watkins Glen, disaster struck when, approaching the braking zone for the corner known as the Toe, a suspension failure on his car sent it crashing head-on into the outer armco. The speed at which Koinigg crashed was relatively minor, and he ought to have escaped the scene uninjured. Unfortunately, as with a number of other circuits at that time, the armco barrier was insecurely installed and the bottom portion of it buckled as the vehicle struck it, decapitating the luckless driver and killing him instantly.