Hans Heyer
Encyclopedia
Hans Heyer is a racing driver from Wegberg
, the site of the Grenzlandring
, a former high speed race track oval. He mainly raced touring car
s, being popular with the fans for his rather funny style.
Very unusual for his Western German origin, Heyer's sign is his so-called Tirolerhut, a hat
from Tyrol or Bavaria
which would fit better to drivers from these Alpine regions, like Hans-Joachim Stuck or Niki Lauda
.
Living close to the Netherlands
and not yet allowed to race in Germany at the age of 16, he started his career there in 1959 with Karts and won the 1962 Dutch Championship.
For many years, Heyer was associated with Zakspeed
, racing their Group 2
Ford Escorts in the European Touring Car Championship
(champion 1974) and the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft
(champion 1975 and 1976). Heyer attempted two European F2 races in 1976, finishing sixth at Hockenheim, but non-qualifying the race after.
In 1980 he won the DRM again, this time for Lancia
in a Group 5
Lancia Monte Carlo
Turbo, a car he also helped developing. He crashed his 480 hp car badly at the Norisring
in Nuremberg
, rolling several times. He escaped unhurt, but returned immediately to the wreck to recover his famous hat. In the following medical exam, the doctor was said to have been more nervous than Hans was.
Heyer was also successful in sportscar racing, winning the 1984 12 Hours of Sebring
in a Porsche 935
.
In his single attempt at Formula One
, he entered the 1977 German Grand Prix
on July 31, 1977 with the second Penske
car of the new German team ATS
. With little experience in single seaters and a bad car, he did not qualify. This did not stop him from racing, however; as he was well known with the marshals
at Hockenheim
, they looked the other way when he put his car at the end of the starting grid and joined the race anyway, to the surprise of everyone. His Formula One career didn't last long, though, for after 10 laps the car's gearbox broke down, and he was disqualified from this race, as well as disqualified from starting the next. But Heyer had his 15 minutes of fame – as well as one more story to tell.
Heyer retired in 1989 after 999 races in 30 years.
In 2004, Volkswagen
director Kris Nissen
found out about the number and invited Hans Heyer (and his hat) to drive his 1000th race in the ADAC
Volkswagen Polo
Cup at the Norisring
against youngsters.
His son Kenneth Heyer is also a racing driver, currently involved in the ADAC GT Masters
series driving a Ford GT
for the Swiss Matech team.
* Started illegally after failing to qualify.
Wegberg
Wegberg is the northernmost town in the district of Heinsberg in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Wegberg is situated between Mönchengladbach in the northeast and Erkelenz in the southeast. The city lies in the Naturpark Maas-Schwalm-Nette, a nature and wildlife park hugging the border to...
, the site of the Grenzlandring
Grenzlandring
The Grenzlandring , sometimes Grenzland-Ring written, is a former high-speed race track oval in the Lower Rhine area of Germany, around the town of Wegberg, located close to Mönchengladbach and the Dutch town of Roermond....
, a former high speed race track oval. He mainly raced touring car
Touring car
A touring car, or tourer, is an open car seating five or more. Touring cars may have two or four doors. Often, the belt line is lowered in the front doors to give the car a more sportive character. They were often fitted with a folding roof and side curtains. Engines on early models were either in...
s, being popular with the fans for his rather funny style.
Hat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
from Tyrol or Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
which would fit better to drivers from these Alpine regions, like Hans-Joachim Stuck or Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda
Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. More recently an aviation entrepreneur, he has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years.- Early years in racing :Born in Vienna,...
.
Living close to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and not yet allowed to race in Germany at the age of 16, he started his career there in 1959 with Karts and won the 1962 Dutch Championship.
For many years, Heyer was associated with 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:...
, racing their Group 2
Group 2 (racing)
The Group 2 racing class referred to regulations for cars in touring car racing and rallying, as regulated by the FIA. Group 2 was replaced by Group A in 1982....
Ford Escorts in the European Touring Car Championship
European Touring Car Championship
The European Touring Car Championship was an international touring car racing series organised by the FIA. It had two incarnations, the first one between 1963 and 1988, and the second between 2000 and 2004...
(champion 1974) and the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft
Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft or simply DRM as it was known, was a touring car and Sportscar racing series...
(champion 1975 and 1976). Heyer attempted two European F2 races in 1976, finishing sixth at Hockenheim, but non-qualifying the race after.
In 1980 he won the DRM again, this time for Lancia
Lancia
Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
in a Group 5
Group 5 (racing)
Group 5 was an FIA motor racing classification which was applied to four distinct categories during the years 1966 to 1982. Initially Group 5 regulations defined a Special Touring Car category and from 1970 to 1971 the classification was applied to limited production Sports Cars restricted to 5...
Lancia Monte Carlo
Lancia Monte Carlo
The Lancia Montecarlo is a mid-engined sports car which was produced by Lancia in Italy from 1975 to 1982.Cars from the first series, which were produced from 1975 to 1978, were known as Lancia Beta Montecarlos and those from the second series, produced from 1979 to 1982, simply as Lancia Montecarlos...
Turbo, a car he also helped developing. He crashed his 480 hp car badly at the Norisring
Norisring
The Norisring is a street circuit in Nuremberg, on the former Nazi party rally grounds site of the NSDAP party conventions. As the city's German name Nürnberg would lead to confusion with the already famous Nürburgring, the old name Noris was chosen for the simple track which is nowadays approx...
in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, rolling several times. He escaped unhurt, but returned immediately to the wreck to recover his famous hat. In the following medical exam, the doctor was said to have been more nervous than Hans was.
Heyer was also successful in sportscar racing, winning the 1984 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
in a Porsche 935
Porsche 935
The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976, as the factory racing version of the Porsche 911 turbo prepared for FIA-Group 5 rules. It was an evolution of the Porsche Carrera RSR 2.1 turbo prototype which had scored 2nd overall in the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans....
.
In his single attempt at 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...
, he entered the 1977 German Grand Prix
1977 German Grand Prix
The 1977 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hockenheimring on July 31, 1977. After Niki Lauda's near-fatal accident at the dangerous Nürburgring in 1976, the German Grand Prix was moved to and held every year except for 1 at Hockenheim until 2007, and this was the second year the race...
on July 31, 1977 with the second Penske
Penske Racing
Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske...
car of the new German team 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:...
. With little experience in single seaters and a bad car, he did not qualify. This did not stop him from racing, however; as he was well known with the marshals
Track marshal
Motorsport marshals contribute to more enjoyable, more efficient, and safer motor racing. They are responsible for the safety of competitors and are stationed at various points of danger around race tracks to assist them in case of any collisions, accidents or track problems...
at Hockenheim
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...
, they looked the other way when he put his car at the end of the starting grid and joined the race anyway, to the surprise of everyone. His Formula One career didn't last long, though, for after 10 laps the car's gearbox broke down, and he was disqualified from this race, as well as disqualified from starting the next. But Heyer had his 15 minutes of fame – as well as one more story to tell.
Heyer retired in 1989 after 999 races in 30 years.
In 2004, Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
director Kris Nissen
Kris Nissen
Nils-Kristian "Kris" Nissen is a retired Danish auto racing driver. He is Volkswagen's motorsport director.-Single seater and sports car racing racing:...
found out about the number and invited Hans Heyer (and his hat) to drive his 1000th race in the ADAC
ADAC
The ADAC is Germany's and Europe's largest automobile club, with more than 17 million members in June 2010. It was founded on May 24, 1903 as "Deutsche Motorradfahrer-Vereinigung" and was renamed in 1911...
Volkswagen Polo
Volkswagen Polo
The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. It is sold in Europe and other markets worldwide in hatchback, saloon, coupé and estate variants....
Cup at the Norisring
Norisring
The Norisring is a street circuit in Nuremberg, on the former Nazi party rally grounds site of the NSDAP party conventions. As the city's German name Nürnberg would lead to confusion with the already famous Nürburgring, the old name Noris was chosen for the simple track which is nowadays approx...
against youngsters.
His son Kenneth Heyer is also a racing driver, currently involved in the ADAC GT Masters
ADAC GT Masters
The ADAC GT Masters is a grand tourer-based auto racing series founded by the international Stéphane Ratel Organisation and supported by the German ADAC automotive club. Similar to an earlier ADAC GT Cup series in the 1990s, the new GT Masters ran their first season in 2007...
series driving a Ford GT
Ford GT
The Ford GT is a mid-engine two-seater sports car. Ford Motor Company produced the Ford GT for the 2005 to 2006 model years. The designers drew inspiration from Ford's GT40 race cars of the 1960s.- Development :...
for the Swiss Matech team.
Complete Formula One results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 1977 Formula One season The 1977 Formula One season included the 28th FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on January 9, 1977, and ended on October 23 after seventeen races.-Season summary:... |
ATS Racing Team 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:... |
Penske Penske Racing Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske... PC4 |
Cosworth Cosworth Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries... V8 |
ARG 1977 Argentine Grand Prix The 1977 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Argentina on January 9, 1977.-Report:The 1977 season started in Argentina, and it was reigning world champion James Hunt who started off his title defence with pole position in his McLaren... |
BRA 1977 Brazilian Grand Prix The 1977 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Interlagos on January 23, 1977.-Report:James Hunt took pole again with Carlos Reutemann second and Mario Andretti third on the grid. Home hero Carlos Pace took the lead at the start, with Hunt dropping behind Reutemann as well but... |
RSA 1977 South African Grand Prix The 1977 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami on 5 March 1977. The race is principally remembered for the fatal accident that claimed the lives of race marshal Frederick Jansen van Vuuren and driver Tom Pryce... |
USW 1977 United States Grand Prix West The 1977 United States Grand Prix West was a Formula One race held on April 3, 1977 in Long Beach, California.__FORCETOC__- Summary :An already tragic Formula One season received exactly what it needed to chase away the despair when the brilliant Mario Andretti became the first American to win a... |
ESP 1977 Spanish Grand Prix The 1977 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Jarama on May 8, 1977.-Report:Mario Andretti continued his recent form with pole position and Jacques Laffite's Ligier springing a surprise, beating Niki Lauda to second, however Lauda was unable to take part in the race due to a... |
MON 1977 Monaco Grand Prix The 1977 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 22, 1977.-Report:John Watson took his first career pole for Brabham with Jody Scheckter also on the front row and Carlos Reutemann third. It was Scheckter who got the best start to beat Watson to the first corner, with... |
BEL 1977 Belgian Grand Prix -Report:In qualifying Mario Andretti took a comfortable pole position with John Watson just beating the second Lotus of Gunnar Nilsson to second. The race was wet due to rain earlier in the day, and Watson took the lead at the first corner, but later in the first lap, Andretti ran into the back to... |
SWE 1977 Swedish Grand Prix The 1977 Swedish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Scandinavian Raceway on 19 June 1977.-Report:The Swedish race was full of anticipation after Gunnar Nilsson's win last time out, but once again in qualifying, it was his teammate Mario Andretti leading the way from John Watson, with... |
FRA 1977 French Grand Prix The 1977 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Dijon on 3 July 1977.-Report:Once again it was Mario Andretti on pole with James Hunt second and Gunnar Nilsson third on the grid. Hunt got the best start and led into the first corner from John Watson and Jacques Laffite, with Andretti... |
GBR 1977 British Grand Prix The 1977 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on 16 July 1977. It was won by James Hunt driving a McLaren M26, and marked the debut of Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve... |
GER 1977 German Grand Prix The 1977 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hockenheimring on July 31, 1977. After Niki Lauda's near-fatal accident at the dangerous Nürburgring in 1976, the German Grand Prix was moved to and held every year except for 1 at Hockenheim until 2007, and this was the second year the race... DSQ* |
AUT 1977 Austrian Grand Prix The 1977 Austrian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Österreichring on August 14, 1977. It was the tenth Austrian Grand Prix since the race was first held in 1963. It was held over 54 laps of the six kilometre venue for a race distance of 320 kilometres... |
NED 1977 Dutch Grand Prix The 1977 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Circuit Zandvoort on 28 August 1977.-Report:In qualifying, Mario Andretti took his fifth pole of the season with Jacques Laffite alongside on the front row, and James Hunt third... |
ITA 1977 Italian Grand Prix The 1977 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Monza on September 11, 1977.-Report:The fact that it was Ferrari's home race did not deter James Hunt who took pole, whereas Carlos Reutemann cheered the home fans by starting second in front of Jody Scheckter... |
USA 1977 United States Grand Prix The 1977 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 2, 1977 at the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course in Watkins Glen, New York... |
CAN 1977 Canadian Grand Prix The 1977 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 9 October 1977 at Mosport Park.-Report:The field arrived in Canada without Niki Lauda who, having clinched the championship at the previous race, and already announced his intention to drive for Brabham the following year, abruptly quit... |
JPN 1977 Japanese Grand Prix The 1977 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 23 October 1977 at Fuji.-Report:Mario Andretti and James Hunt continued their late-season battle, with the American pipping Hunt to the pole, with John Watson heading the second row... |
NC | 0 |