Karl-Günther Bechem (21 December 1921 - 3 May 2011) was a former racing driver from Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

.

Bechem started out in sports car racing

Sports car racing

Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....

 before competing in 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...

 in the 1952 German Grand Prix

1952 German Grand Prix

The 1952 German Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on August 3, 1952 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It was the sixth round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Race report :Sadly...

, driving a BMW under the alias "Bernhard Nacke". He failed to finish the race, and so did not score any World Championship points. He continued driving an ex-Karl Gommann AFM

Alex von Falkenhausen Motorenbau

Alex von Falkenhausen Motorenbau was a German racing car constructor. The team was started by Alexander von Falkenhausen, who was in the 1930s an important engineer in the development of BMW's model 328, along with Alfred Boning, Ernst Loof and Fritz Fiedler...

-BMW (chassis 50-5) in Formula One in 1953, at AVUS

AVUS

The Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übungs-Straße, better known as AVUS, is a public road that was also used as a motor racing circuit. It is located in the south-western districts of Berlin, Germany, between Charlottenburg and Nikolassee, and is nowadays an important part of the public highway system, as...

 and then in the German Grand Prix

German Grand Prix

The German Grand Prix is an annual automobile race.Because Germany was banned from taking part in international events after World War II, the German GP only became part of the Formula One World Championship in 1951...

 at Nürburgring

Nürburgring

The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...

, again failing to finish. He was more successful in sports car racing

Sports car racing

Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....

 with the Borgward

Borgward

Borgward was a German automobile manufacturer founded by Carl F. W. Borgward . The company was based in Bremen...

 team.

In 1954 Bechem crashed heavily while competing in the Carrera Panamericana

Carrera Panamericana

The Carrera Panamericana was a border-to-border sports car racing event on open roads in Mexico similar to the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio in Italy. Running for five consecutive years from 1950 to 1954, it was widely held by contemporaries to be the most dangerous race of any type in the world...

, and although he recovered fully from his injuries, he never raced again at this high level.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	WDC	Points
1952 1952 Formula One season The 1952 Formula One season was the third season of FIA Formula One motor racing. In comparison to previous seasons, the 1952 season consisted of a relatively small number of Formula One races, following the FIA's decision to run the Grand Prix events counting towards the World Championship of...	"Bernhard Nacke"	BMW	Eigenbau Straight-6 Straight-6 The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...	SUI 1952 Swiss Grand Prix The 1952 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on May 18, 1952 at Bremgarten Circuit. It was the first round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.-Qualifying:-Race:- Notes :* Pole...	500 1952 Indianapolis 500 The 1952 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Friday, May 30, 1952 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the second round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship. Troy Ruttman won the race, bringing the Borg-Warner Trophy home for car owner J.C. Agajanian.Bill Vukovich led...	BEL 1952 Belgian Grand Prix The 1952 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on June 22, 1952 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. It was the third round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.-Qualifying:-Race:-...	FRA 1952 French Grand Prix The 1952 French Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on July 6, 1952 at Rouen-Les-Essarts. It was the fourth round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.-Qualifying:-Race:- Notes :* Pole...	GBR 1952 British Grand Prix The 1952 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on July 19, 1952 at Silverstone Circuit. It was the fifth round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.-Qualifying:-Race:-Drivers'...	GER 1952 German Grand Prix The 1952 German Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on August 3, 1952 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It was the sixth round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Race report :Sadly... Ret	NED 1952 Dutch Grand Prix The 1952 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on August 17, 1952 at the Circuit Zandvoort. It was the seventh round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Race report :Mike...	ITA 1952 Italian Grand Prix The 1952 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on September 7, 1952 at Monza. It was the eighth and final round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Race report :Juan Manuel...		NC	0
1953 1953 Formula One season As in , the 1953 Formula One season consisted of a small number of Formula One races, following the FIA's decision to once again run the World Drivers' Championship to Formula Two regulations rather than Formula One....	Günther Bechem	AFM Alex von Falkenhausen Motorenbau Alex von Falkenhausen Motorenbau was a German racing car constructor. The team was started by Alexander von Falkenhausen, who was in the 1930s an important engineer in the development of BMW's model 328, along with Alfred Boning, Ernst Loof and Fritz Fiedler...  50-5	BMW Straight-6 Straight-6 The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...	ARG 1953 Argentine Grand Prix The 1953 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on January 18, 1953 at the Autódromo Juan y Óscar Gálvez, Buenos Aires. It was the first round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally...	500 1953 Indianapolis 500 The 1953 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Saturday, May 30, 1953 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the second round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship.-Race:...	NED 1953 Dutch Grand Prix The 1953 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on June 7, 1953 at the Circuit Zandvoort. It was the third round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Race report :The Ferraris...	BEL 1953 Belgian Grand Prix The 1953 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on June 21, 1953 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. It was the fourth round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Race report :A...	FRA 1953 French Grand Prix The 1953 French Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on July 5, 1953 at Reims-Gueux. It was the fifth round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used....	GBR 1953 British Grand Prix The 1953 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on 18 July 1953 at Silverstone Circuit. It was the sixth round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Classification :- Drivers'...	GER 1953 German Grand Prix The 1953 German Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on August 2, 1953 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It was the seventh round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Classification :-... Ret	SUI 1953 Swiss Grand Prix The 1953 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on August 23, 1953 at Bremgarten Circuit. It was the eighth round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.It marked the brief return of...	ITA 1953 Italian Grand Prix The 1953 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on September 13, 1953 at Monza. It was the ninth and final round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used...	NC	0

Sources

• Profile at www.grandprix.com