12 replies to this topic

[Kuwashima]

We are trying to research Otto Stuppacher for our site, but can find virtually no info (not to mention pictures) on him at all!

We know thus far: he was born on 3 March 1947 in Vienna, and was a hillclimb and Porsche sports car racer of no real renown. He raced in F1 in 1976 in a Tyrrell 007, DNQ-ing three times.

Although at Monza, when McLaren drivers James Hunt and Jochen Mass, plus Penske driver John Watson had their times disallowed for fuel irregularities, Arturo Merzario and Stuppacher were bumped up to 25th and 26th. But by this stage, Stuppacher was already back in Vienna, and he was unable to make it back in time for the start.

Does anyone have any stories about his time in F1, or know anything about his pre and post F1 racing career? Thanks heaps!

[Paul Hartshorne]

There's a paragraph or so about Stuppacher in an article in the 1985 Austrian GP race program, along with a small portrait photo. He looks a bit like Gregor Foitek, if that's any help!

The article describes him as Der Wiener Hobby-Rennfahrer (the Viennese hobby racing driver), so perhaps he became bored with his hobby?

Actually, I seem to remember reading somewhere that he was an amateur hillclimber, possibly in the European Championship.

[C F Eick]

I guess that Austrian motor racing journalist Helmut Zwickl would know something about Herr Stuppacher but how do one get in touch with Herr Zwickl?

/C F Eick

[Ray Bell]

Have you hit a new low in your quest for GP failures?

[Francis]

Otto Stuppacher competed in sports car races in Europe in the late 1960's and early 1970's with a Bosch Racing Porsche.

He competed in the 1969 Austrian GP and shared his Porsche 910 with a certain Niki Lauda. They finished in 21st place.

[Ray Bell]

Was that on the airfield circuit?

[Francis]

The 1969 Austrian Grand Prix was the first event held at the Osterreichring and it was won by Jo Siffert and Kurt Ahrens Jr in a Porsche 917.

Siffert also won the GP in 1968 the last to be held at the Zeltweg airfield circuit.

[Ray Bell]

Was that race also for Sports Cars?

[Francis]

Yes it was.

The Austrian GP was held as a non-championship F1 race in 1963, and as a round of the Formula 1 World Championship in 1964. From 1965 it became a sports car race and was a round of the International Championship for Makes in 1968 and 1969.

[Ray Bell]

...and 1964 was the year Phil Hill really got John Cooper irate by crashing and having a petrol and strawbale fire that really did some damage...
Bruce still loved him, but Cooper wasn't at all impressed. The end of his GP career.

[Felix Muelas]

Originally posted by Kuwashima
...but can find virtually no info (not to mention pictures) on him at all!

Patiente is such a virtue...

Felix

[Racer.Demon]

"Austria Is Beautiful"?

And is that still the original Tyrrell paint job underneath?

BTW, Felix, I can understand that you don't want to keep this one for the game. That would be a very brief Why...

[Marcor]

I've seen this picture of Otto stuppacher in the French magazine Auto Hebdo October 14, 1976.

This was taken at Mosport in the 1976 Canadian GP. It was of course during the practice...