Paul Pietsch facts for kids
Pietsch at 1938 Targa Florio in Maserati 4CM
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| Born | 20 June 1911 Freiburg im Breisgau, German Empire |
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| Died | 31 May 2012 (aged 100) Titisee-Neustadt, Germany |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  German |
| Active years | 1950–1952 |
| Teams | Alfa Romeo, non-works Maserati and Veritas |
| Entries | 3 |
| First entry | 1950 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1952 German Grand Prix |
Paul Pietsch (born June 20, 1911 – died May 31, 2012) was a famous German racing driver. He was also a journalist and a publisher. Paul Pietsch started a well-known magazine called Das Auto. He made history as the very first German driver to compete in a Formula One Grand Prix race. He lived to be 100 years old.
Contents
Paul Pietsch's Life and Racing Career
Early Days and First Races
Paul Pietsch was born in Freiburg, Germany. He started his racing journey in 1932. His first race cars were a private Bugatti and an Alfa Romeo.
He quickly showed his talent, especially in ice races. He won the 1933 III Svenska Isloppet GP ice race. This race took place in Hemfjärden, Sweden. The next year, in 1934, he won another ice race. This was the I Vallentunaloppet in Vellentunasjön, also in Sweden.
Racing with Big Teams
In 1935, Paul Pietsch raced for the Auto Union team. He finished ninth in the 1935 German Grand Prix. Later that year, he achieved a great result. He came in third place at the 1935 Italian Grand Prix. After this, he left the Auto Union team. Their cars had engines at the back, which were very hard to control.
From 1937 onwards, he raced his own private Maserati car. One of his best races was the 1939 German Grand Prix. He led the race from the second lap. Unfortunately, his car's ignition system failed. This made him drop to third place. Still, finishing third was an amazing achievement. He was a private driver competing against the powerful "Silver Arrows" teams. These were the dominant Mercedes and Auto Union cars.
After World War II
After World War II ended, Paul Pietsch continued racing. He took part in three World Championship Grand Prix races. His first race was on September 3, 1950. In the 1951 German Grand Prix, he drove a factory Alfa Romeo car. However, his race ended early due to an accident. He did not score any championship points in these races.
A Successful Publisher
Even while racing, Paul Pietsch was very successful in business. He became a well-known editor and publisher. He created magazines about motorcycles and cars. His company, Motor Presse Stuttgart, grew very large. Today, it is the biggest company in Europe for technology and special interest magazines.
The Oldest Driver
Paul Pietsch lived a very long life. After his countryman Karl Kling passed away in 2003, Pietsch became the oldest living Formula One driver. He was also the last surviving driver from the pre-war Grand Prix era. His son, Peter-Paul Pietsch, also enjoys racing. He often races at the Nürburgring track with other journalists.
Paul Pietsch passed away on May 31, 2012. He was 100 years, 11 months, and 11 days old. He died from pneumonia. He was the first Grand Prix driver ever to reach the age of 100.
See also
- List of centenarians (sportspeople)
