Paul Pietsch

Paul Pietsch
Born 20 June 1911
Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Died 31 May 2012 (aged 100)
Titisee-Neustadt, Germany
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Germany German
Active years 1950–1952
Teams Alfa Romeo, non-works Maserati and Veritas
Races 3
Championships 0
Wins 0
Podiums 0
Career points 0
Pole positions 0
Fastest laps 0
First race 1950 Italian Grand Prix
Last race 1952 German Grand Prix

Paul Pietsch (20 June 1911 – 31 May 2012) was a former racing driver from Germany and founder of the magazine Das Auto.[1]

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 in Sweden the 1933 III Svenska Isloppet GP (Ice Race) in Hemfjärden, and in 1934 the I Vallentunaloppet (Ice Race) in Vellentunasjön.

In the 1935 German Grand Prix he raced for Auto Union, and finished 3rd in the 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 2 onwards 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 3 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.

Up until his death, Pietsch was the oldest surviving Formula One driver,[1] at age 100[3] and the last surviving of the Auto Union Silver Arrow drivers and one of the two overall (the other being Heinz Brendel of Mercedes-Benz). 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]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

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

Complete European Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Entrant Make 1 2 3 4 5 EDC Points
1932 Pilesi Racing Team Bugatti ITA FRA GER
Ret		 22= 23
1935 Auto Union Auto Union BEL GER
9		 SUI ITA
3		 ESP 11= 31
1937 Private entry Maserati BEL GER
Ret		 MON SUI
10		 ITA 17= 35
1938 Private entry Maserati FRA GER
6		 SUI ITA 14= 28
1939 Maserati Maserati BEL FRA GER
3		 14 26
Private entry Maserati SUI
Ret

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Glückwunsch zum 100. Geburtstag - ADAC Motorwelt 6/2012 p12
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 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. ↑ "Zum Tode von Paul Pietsch. Der Grand-Prix-Pilot und Gründer von Auto Motor und Sport starb wenige Tage vor seinem 101. Geburtstag". Auto Motor u. Sport. 14 2012: Seite 14.2012/11. 14 June 2012.