Wolfgang von Trips
Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips (1928-1961), nicknamed ‘Taffy’ by friends and fellow racers, was a German racing driver, son of a noble Rhineland family.
Trips participated in 29 Formula One races. He won two Grand Prix, secured one pole position, achieved 6 podiums, and scored a total of 56 championship points.
Von Trips won the 1961 Targa Florio with Belgian Olivier Gendebien in a Ferrari at an average speed of 103, 42 km/h (64.26 mph) on the tricky Sicilian roads.
The 1961 Italian Grand Prix at Monza was the final race of the season, and Wolfgang von Trips was locked in a battle for the crown with team-mate Phil Hill.
During the race, his Ferrari collided with Jim Clark’s Lotus, became airborne and crashed into a barrier, fatally throwing von Trips from the car, and killing fifteen spectators. Phil Hill was crowned 1961 World Champion.
In 1961 von Trips had established a go-kart race track in Kerpen, Germany. The track was later leased to Rolf Schumacher, whose sons Michael and Ralf became such famous F1 drivers.
