Racing driver. Josef 'Jo' Gartner was born in Vienna, Austria, and was regarded as one of the most determined, and nicest, drivers of the age. He began racing in SuperVee in 1977 and finish 3rd in the European Championship in 1978. 1979 saw him in European F3, and 1980 in F2 with an old March 782. After driving an ex-works F2 Toleman in 1981, in 1982 he moved to Arturo Merzarios' F2 team. In 1983 he bought a Spirit as he became a privateer again, and won at Pau, France. In mid-1984 he joined the struggling Osella F1 team. Sadly at the end of the year, and withour sponsorship, he lost his seat with Osella and moved to sportscars until the time was right to return to F1. He raced a Fitzpatrick Porsche and came 4th at the Le Mans 24hrs race. The following year he competed in the World Championship in a Kremer Porsche, and won the Sebring 12hrs (with Bob Akin and Hans Stuck Jr). However at Le Mans that year, during the middle of the night, he lost control of his car along the formidable Mulsanne Straight. The car flipped over the Armco and into trees at 300kph. It was a mystery why he lost control. Marshals reported seeing brake lights at a time when his right foot should have been hard on the accelerator. Did an animal cross the track or was there a suspension breakage? The struggle was over for the likeable Gartner.
Racing driver. Josef 'Jo' Gartner was born in Vienna, Austria, and was regarded as one of the most determined, and nicest, drivers of the age. He began racing in SuperVee in 1977 and finish 3rd in the European Championship in 1978. 1979 saw him in European F3, and 1980 in F2 with an old March 782. After driving an ex-works F2 Toleman in 1981, in 1982 he moved to Arturo Merzarios' F2 team. In 1983 he bought a Spirit as he became a privateer again, and won at Pau, France. In mid-1984 he joined the struggling Osella F1 team. Sadly at the end of the year, and withour sponsorship, he lost his seat with Osella and moved to sportscars until the time was right to return to F1. He raced a Fitzpatrick Porsche and came 4th at the Le Mans 24hrs race. The following year he competed in the World Championship in a Kremer Porsche, and won the Sebring 12hrs (with Bob Akin and Hans Stuck Jr). However at Le Mans that year, during the middle of the night, he lost control of his car along the formidable Mulsanne Straight. The car flipped over the Armco and into trees at 300kph. It was a mystery why he lost control. Marshals reported seeing brake lights at a time when his right foot should have been hard on the accelerator. Did an animal cross the track or was there a suspension breakage? The struggle was over for the likeable Gartner.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
