Gustav Brunner
Encyclopedia
Gustav Brunner is an Austria
n Formula One
designer and engineer. He was born on 12 September 1950 (in Graz
, Austria
), and got his start in racing car design at the German-based constructor McNamara
. He first entered F1 in a brief spell working for the ATS
team in 1978, before designing cars for Formula Two
and sportscar racing. He came to prominence in Formula One in 1983, by returning to ATS. He would design two chassis for the team, the 1983 D6 and the 1984 D7, before quitting after a number of arguments with team principal Hans Gunther Schmidt. 1985 would see him joining RAM Racing
, designing the RAM 03 car. By now he was gaining a reputation within the sport for designing good chassis on a limited budget, even if the teams he had worked for had a conspicuous lack of results.
He then worked for Arrows
and Ferrari
, before reuniting with ATS boss Schmidt as designer for his new Rial F1 outfit in 1988. He fell out with Schmidt again and became Technical Director of the Zakspeed
team. When the team folded at the end of the 1989 season, he moved on to Leyton House
, staying as they reverted to March Engineering
- during this period, he is perhaps best remembered for vaulting the pitlane wall and running on to the track when Ivan Capelli
finished 2nd in the 1990 French Grand Prix
. With March Engineering folding, he moved to Minardi
for 1993, designing their successful M193 chassis, before another switch, to Ferrari's Research & Development department, eventually returning to Minardi as chief designer in 1997 to help new technical director, Gabriele Tredozi
, and became the technical director in 1999.
Following three successive seasons where his Minardi designs had been praised for their innovative design considering such small resources, he was head-hunted by Toyota to become their Technical Director for their new Formula One team in 2001. He left Toyota at the end of 2005.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
designer and engineer. He was born on 12 September 1950 (in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
), and got his start in racing car design at the German-based constructor McNamara
McNamara (constructor)
McNamara was a German constructor of racecar chassis from the late 1960s to the 1972.-History:McNamara was formed by Francis McNamara, a United States soldier who raced Formula Vee cars while stationed in Germany. Dan Hawkes designed a 1969 chassis for Formula 3 called the F3 McNamara Sebring Mk3...
. He first entered F1 in a brief spell working for the ATS
ATS (wheels)
ATS was a German Formula One team, named after German alloy wheel brand Auto Technisches Spezialzubehör. The company is based in Bad Dürkheim near the Hockenheimring, its team was active in Formula One from 1977 to 1984.-Wheel manufacturer:...
team in 1978, before designing cars for Formula Two
Formula Two
Formula Two, abbreviated to F2, is a type of open wheel formula racing. It was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but the FIA announced in 2008 that Formula Two would return for 2009 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship...
and sportscar racing. He came to prominence in Formula One in 1983, by returning to ATS. He would design two chassis for the team, the 1983 D6 and the 1984 D7, before quitting after a number of arguments with team principal Hans Gunther Schmidt. 1985 would see him joining RAM Racing
RAM Racing
RAM Racing was a Formula One racing team which competed during the racing seasons of 1976 to 1985. The team entered other manufacturers' chassis from 1976 to 1980, then ran March's team from 1981 to 1983, only entering a car entirely their own in 1984 and 1985.The team was formed in 1975 by Mike...
, designing the RAM 03 car. By now he was gaining a reputation within the sport for designing good chassis on a limited budget, even if the teams he had worked for had a conspicuous lack of results.
He then worked for Arrows
Arrows
Arrows Grand Prix International was a British Formula One team active from to . For a period of time, it was also known as Footwork.-Origins :...
and Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari
Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing....
, before reuniting with ATS boss Schmidt as designer for his new Rial F1 outfit in 1988. He fell out with Schmidt again and became Technical Director of the Zakspeed
Zakspeed
Zakspeed is a motor racing team from Germany, founded in 1968 by Erich Zakowski and nowadays run by his son Peter Zakowski. Their home town of Niederzissen is located not far away from the Nürburgring race track.-1973 to 1981: Saloon and sports car racing:...
team. When the team folded at the end of the 1989 season, he moved on to Leyton House
Leyton House Racing
Leyton House Racing was a Formula One constructor that raced in the 1990 and 1991 seasons.It was, in essence, a rebranding of the March team which returned to F1 in 1987. Leyton House, a Japanese real estate company, had been the team's marquee sponsor since that year, and went on to buy the team...
, staying as they reverted to March Engineering
March Engineering
March Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,...
- during this period, he is perhaps best remembered for vaulting the pitlane wall and running on to the track when Ivan Capelli
Ivan Capelli
Ivan Franco Capelli is an Italian former Formula One driver. He participated in 98 Grands Prix, debuting on October 6, 1985. He achieved 3 podiums, and scored a total of 31 championship points...
finished 2nd in the 1990 French Grand Prix
1990 French Grand Prix
The 1990 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Paul Ricard on July 8, 1990. It was the seventh race of the 1990 Formula One season. It was the 68th French Grand Prix and the 14th and last to be held at Paul Ricard...
. With March Engineering folding, he moved to Minardi
Minardi
Minardi was an automobile racing team and constructor founded in 1979 by Giancarlo Minardi. It competed in the Formula One World Championship from 1985 until 2005 with little success, nevertheless acquiring a loyal following of fans...
for 1993, designing their successful M193 chassis, before another switch, to Ferrari's Research & Development department, eventually returning to Minardi as chief designer in 1997 to help new technical director, Gabriele Tredozi
Gabriele Tredozi
Gabriele Tredozi is a former engineer with the Minardi and Scuderia Toro Rosso Formula One teams....
, and became the technical director in 1999.
Following three successive seasons where his Minardi designs had been praised for their innovative design considering such small resources, he was head-hunted by Toyota to become their Technical Director for their new Formula One team in 2001. He left Toyota at the end of 2005.