Otto Stuppacher facts for kids
| Born | 3 March 1947 |
|---|---|
| Died | 13 August 2001 (aged 54) |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Austrian |
| Active years | 1976 |
| Teams | non-works Tyrrell |
| Entries | 3 (0 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1976 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1976 United States Grand Prix |
Otto Stuppacher was an Austrian racing driver. He was born in Vienna, Austria, on March 3, 1947. He passed away on August 13, 2001. Otto loved racing cars and competed in different types of races. He even tried to race in Formula One, which is the highest class of international racing.
Contents
Otto Stuppacher: A Racing Story
Otto Stuppacher started his racing career in events like hill-climbs. These are races where cars drive up steep roads. He also competed in sports car racing, which involves special cars racing on tracks for many hours.
Trying for Formula One
In 1976, Otto Stuppacher decided to try his hand at Formula One. He joined the ÖASC Racing Team. He used a Tyrrell 007 car for his races.
The Austrian Grand Prix
His first attempt to race was at the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix. However, he and his teammate were not allowed to enter the race. They even tried to get other teams to sign a paper to help them. But it did not work.
The Italian Grand Prix Adventure
At the 1976 Italian Grand Prix, Otto Stuppacher did not qualify well. This means his practice times were too slow to join the main race. But then, something unusual happened. Three other cars had their times removed because of fuel problems. This meant Otto was suddenly allowed to race!
However, Otto had already left the track and gone home. He could not get back in time to compete. In the end, the three other drivers were allowed back into the race. This happened after Otto and two other drivers pulled out.
More Qualifying Challenges
Otto tried to qualify for two more races in 1976. These were the 1976 Canadian Grand Prix and the 1976 United States Grand Prix. Sadly, he did not qualify for either of them.
At the US Grand Prix, he was very far from the fastest time. The fastest driver was James Hunt. Otto was more than 27 seconds slower than James Hunt's time. This huge difference between the fastest and slowest qualifying times is still a record in Formula One today!
Life After Racing
It is not very clear what Otto Stuppacher did after 1976. Not much is known about his life until 2001. He was found dead in his apartment in Vienna that year.
Otto had a sister named Elisabeth Stuppacher. She was also a racer! She competed in harness racing. This is a type of horse racing where a horse pulls a driver in a two-wheeled cart. Elisabeth was very good. She was the Austrian champion from 1993 to 2000.
