Wolfgang von Trips

German racing driver

Leading the 1961 title race

Wolfgang von Trips won twice for Ferrari in 1961 and led the championship until a fatal accident at Monza left him runner up by one point.

Wolfgang von Trips was born in Cologne, Germany, on May 4, 1928, and grew up in Kerpen. He turned to motor racing after an early start in agriculture, and Ferrari entered him for his first World Championship event, the 1956 Italian Grand Prix, where he did not take the start.

He raced for Ferrari in three Grands Prix in 1957 and finished third at Monza, his first podium. In 1958 he was a regular member of the team and finished third again at the French Grand Prix. He drove twice for Porsche in 1959 before returning to Ferrari for the final round of that year, and through 1960 he scored points regularly to finish seventh in the championship.

The 1961 season, with Ferrari's new 156, was his best. He won the Dutch Grand Prix for his first victory, finished second in Belgium, won the British Grand Prix and was second again in Germany. He arrived at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix leading the championship.

Early in that race at Monza his Ferrari touched Jim Clark's Lotus and went off the track and into the crowd. Von Trips was killed, along with 15 spectators. Ferrari did not enter the final round, and his teammate Phil Hill took the title by a single point, leaving von Trips runner up. Our record shows 27 starts, 2 wins, 1 pole position and 6 podiums across six seasons, with Ferrari, Porsche and Cooper.

0 world titles, 2 wins, 1 pole positions, 27 starts.

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