KARL WENDLINGER: Austrias last contender for victory in Formula 1

Words and pictures: Roman Klemm

Thanks to the extremely successful Mercedes-Benz junior program, German-speaking motorsport experienced an unprecedented renaissance in the early 1990s. Two Germans and one Austrian were given the chance to prove their talent and qualify for a rise to Formula 1: Michael Schumacher, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, and Karl Wendlinger. All three took this opportunity. The successes of the two Germans are undisputed - they regularly competed for wins and titles in the pinnacle of motorsport. Wendlinger also showed promise for a successful F1 career, but a serious accident in Monaco in 1994 ended his plans. In his hometown of Kufstein, we talked about Karl's unique adventures in motorsport. 

Your father owned a workshop and raced himself, so you were 'closely involved'?

Exactly. My father first drove a Puch 500, then an Abarth 1000, Alfa GT Junior, and then a Formula Super-V. From 1977 to 1983, he competed in the AlfaSud and Alfa Sprint Cup. He won the Austrian Touring Car Championship four times and the AlfaSud Cup once. Going to the races with him was a wonderful adventure for me. The paddocks at Imola, Le Castellet, or Spa were practically my second home. Only school caused problems because of it. The principal often threatened me that I wouldn't receive a report card if I skipped classes on Fridays and Saturdays again. My very first memory of a race is the Norisring around 1973 or 1974. The announcer frequently mentioned a driver called Michael May. I had a mate with the same name in kindergarten and wondered if they had anything in common. My father stopped racing single-seaters because the Austrian Kaiman cars with their tube frames were inferior to the English alloy monocoque chassis from March. He  started an Alfa Romeo and Peugeot dealership in Kufstein and switched to the AlfaSud one-make cup. 
 

I came across your name for the first time when ORF broadcasted a kart race from the paddock at the Salzburgring…

My declared goal was to become a racing driver. At the age of 14, my father and I drove to Munich and bought a used kart there. In the first year, 1983, I only raced five times a year because my father was still active himself. But then things went really well in the Pop100 class. At that time, you were only allowed to race cars at the age of 18. So we bought an older Formula Ford 1600 from Walter Lechner (an ex-Michael Bartels car). My father, our mechanic Sepp, and I threw ourselves into the Austrian and German championships. I had even mothers support.

Just a stone's throw from Kufstein, another great Tyrolean Formula 1 driver grew up in Wörgl, about ten years before you: Gerhard Berger. Was there a connection? 
Oh, definitely! When Gerhard considered becoming a racing driver in 1981, he came to my father, who explained him all about it. Berger also drove AlfaSuds, and we traveled to the races together. We even all slept in the same tent. I still remember a journey to Pau. Gerhard in his fat Mercedes, towing the AlfaSud on a trailer, and me next to him in the passenger seat - it was just the two of us… When I started in FF1600, Gerhard was already a Formula 1 driver and helped me get in touch with the sponsor Glückstelle Moser. I also received money from a local agricultural machinery dealer and from Castrol.  There Dr. Helmut Marko took notice of me in Formula Ford… Gerhard Berger recommended me after a race at the Salzburgring, where I secured pole position in the Austrian and German Formula Ford 1600 championships. Dr. Marko wanted to run me in German Formula 3, which was a huge step forward. I owe Mr. Marko a lot. He has made an enormous contribution to Austrian sports. I had his full support, even when our budget was sometimes tight. He is a tough man, both towards himself and his employees.

How did you fare in Formula 3? 

The team consisted of a mechanic from Marko and "our Sepp." We used Ralt chassis with Alfa Romeo engines. At first, things didn't go so well. Reynard and Dallara already had carbon chassis; Tauranac's Ralt was still made of aluminium. We only tested in Varano - I don't even remember why. The first three races went so badly that Marko said to me: "Wenglinger, there are two options: either we quit right away, or you finally press the pedal!" Thank God the results improved, and we stayed together in 1989 as well...

...which in many ways was a triumph? 
The new Ralt performed significantly better, and Marko hired two excellent mechanics from New Zealand. I won the very first non-championship race, which was good for my confidence. In the end, we were only competing with Schumacher and Frentzen for the title. Both had the advantage of being considerably smaller and therefore lighter. I beat both of them and became champion. It certainly helped that I had won the favor of the engine tuners Novamotor, the Pederzani brothers. Although their chief engineer spoke only Italian, I knew that he loved sour pickles, which were not available in Italy. I always arrived with two large jars of pickles when the engines were overhauled - and in return, we got a perfect machine. 
At the same time, Jörg van Ommen and I drove Marko's RSM-Mercedes 190E in the DTM. Against the factory teams, however, we didn't stand a chance.

Were you already a professional back then? 
By no means! I'm a trained mechanic and worked in my father's workshop between races. He only paid me 5,000 schillings. He said I didn't deserve more because I was away so often. In August, the phone rang. My mother came to get me from the workshop and said someone from Mercedes was calling. It was the sporting director, Mr. Neerpasch. He suggested a meeting in Untertürkheim. Back then, I had no idea what kind of sports personality Jochen Neerpasch was (he had previously founded the motorsport departments at BMW and Ford). At the meeting, he offered me a test driver contract with the opportunity to enter the Group C World Championship and support in advancing to Formula 1. I still remember very well the feeling I had on the highway on the way home. I thought: 'That was a good day. The best day of my life!'

You became a member of the great Mercedes Junior Team, for which Neerpasch also recruited Schumacher and Frentzen. 

Later, Dr. Marko, who became my manager, and I went to Hinwil in Switzerland to the Sauber team. Jochen Neerpasch, Max Welti, and Peter Sauber were involved with the contract there. Dr. Marko is a lawyer and took care of the details - I just told him: 'Sign! Sign!'

The project developed sensationally, didn't it? 

Neerpasch decided that he would put us in the races alongside the experienced Jochen Mass if we did well in the tests. They took place in Dijon, at the Nürburgring, and in Le Castellet. We were good and got along brilliantly with Michael and Heinz-Harald! Especially Heinz, with his stories from the world of the funeral business, entertained us greatly... And the dinners with Jochen Mass were always an experience. He could tell us so much - and not just about sport. He was a worldly man, and we, being country boys, were just amazed. Above all, until then, Michael probably only knew go-kart tracks... It was decided that I should drive the first race in Suzuka. Gerhard Berger briefly explained the track to me, and I flew there into the world of the stars. I still remember well how Derek Warwick shook my hand that morning at the Suzuka hotel and welcomed me to the WEC. They treated me very well. In the race, I finished second together with Mass in the Sauber-Mercedes, behind the sister team Schlesser/Baldi. We repeated this result in Monza - and in Spa we even won! It couldn't have gone better...

You were racing in Formula 3000 for Marko's team at the same time as the WEC, but it didn't go well there. You scored points only in Hockenheim? 
The explanation is simple. I am very tall and didn't have much space in the cockpit. Before the season, Marko sent me to Reynard and Lola to choose the more comfortable chassis. I chose Lola. But they delivered a chassis that was much tighter than the mock-up had shown. This caused problems with shifting, and I couldn't even operate the pedals individually because they were so close together…

In 1991, you formed a driver pairing with Michael Schumacher at Sauber-Mercedes? 

The WEC rules were better that year. You didn't have to consider fuel consumption as much, so it worked out well for us. But the new car was quite complicated. The Jaguars and Peugeots were strong competitors. We were only able to beat them at the season finale in Autopolis, Japan.

Your Formula 1 debut wasn't far off? 
Mr. Neerpasch gave me the advice to present myself a bit in the F1 paddock. Someone got me a ticket, and I went to Barcelona and Silverstone. I didn't know anyone there, and no one knew me… Then, in Monza, a Marlboro representative approached me. He told me to go to the Leyton House (March) team - something might come of it there. And that's exactly what happened: their sponsor went bankrupt, Neerpasch found a financier for the last two races of the season - and I made my F1 debut in Suzuka! Of course, I didn't fit in the car at all, but I didn't complain. For example, it was impossible for me to engage second gear. I knew the track from the WEC, and in qualifying I was on a lap that would have been good enough for the Top 10 - if my gearbox hadn't given up... 

What was it like to meet Schumacher, who was already a Formula 1 sensation at the time? 

He came straight up to me in Suzuka. I remember how he introduced me to the media as 'Karl, who is just as fast as he is.' I can only say good things about him... The next race was Adelaide. I didn't know the track and didn't do particularly well there...

What was special about Michael Schumacher? 

It was a combination of his talent, his motivation, and his ability to quickly absorb technical information. And he was able to constantly develop these talents further. Moreover, he was always loyal to the team - as his time at Ferrari showed. Nevertheless, we had a lot of fun with him during our time together!

In the meantime, Mercedes had already prepared a F1 program for you for the 1992 season, right? 
Not at all! We had to find a cockpit together with Dr. Marko. A friend told me that March designer Gustav Brunner was on a ski vacation in our region. I contacted him. He told me that they wanted me, but didn't have the necessary money. We then went to England to meet Ken Tyrrell. We arrived, Ken and his son Bob were in the office. Without wasting much time, he directly told us that he wanted a $3.5 million, without the sponsor being visible on the car. So we left after a few minutes without having accomplished anything. Our next stop was March, then led by the Dutchman Henny Vollenberg. They wanted about half the amount, which, however, we still didn't have.But I signed the contract and thought it would somehow work out. It turned out that my budget was already used up after the first three races. I financed the fourth race by transferring my personal savings, that is, my Mercedes salary, to March. And so it went on, race after race. I think Mr. Neerpasch ended up helping after all…

Your sporting achievements were sensational. 7th place in qualifying in Kyalami, 8th place in the race in Barcelona, and an excellent 4th place at the finish in Montreal!

From that perspective, it was excellent. Ironically, after Kyalami, Tyrrell came to me and said they had a car for me anytime! But March was a good team. Gustav Brunner is a genius, and the mechanics knew their way around Formula 1. The team looked for sponsors race by race. In Canada, for example, we had a sticker from a local restaurant on the car - in return, we were allowed to eat there for free. Sometimes that was a bit embarrassing for me…

Since when did you know that your future would lead you to the cockpit of Sauber-Mercedes F1? 

I was constantly in contact with Sauber and Mercedes Motorsport back in 1992 and knew that a Formula 1 project was being developed there. And I was still undercontract with Mercedes at the time. From May on everything was set.

How do you remember 1993? 
My teammate was JJ Lehto. He probably joined the team through Keke Rosberg… We were about equally fast, but we didn't really get along. Schumacher later completely destroyed him at Benetton - which highlights Schumi's class. I scored points four times in 1993, which was certainly very good for a new team in F1. I also started from fifth place twice and once from sixth.

The year 1994 started off great for you… 

In Brazil, I was in fourth place, which I lost because of engine failure - still ended up sixth. In Aida, my new colleague Frentzen finished fifth, and in Imola, I scored points again as fourth from tenth on the grid…

Briefly on the topic of Imola 1994, Ratzenberger and Senna? 

I saw Roland's accident on the monitor in the pit. It looked bad, and when Mr. Sauber told us we could get out, everything was clear… Ratzenberger was much older than me, and we only spoke briefly for the first time during the test drives a week before the race… And Senna? For me, he was the greatest personality in motorsport. I liked his style, the successes he had… But at that time, I was still a boy - I didn't know how to comment on the tragedy…

The next race turned into your personal tragedy. You don't remember the Monaco crash. What were the days like when you came back to yourself after a month in a coma? 
My brain injuries were initially treated by an excellent medical team in Nice. Later, someone told me I was lucky to be there: it's a region with many motorcycle accidents of similar severity. So they had experience… I was also excellently cared for in Innsbruck. My family was always with me, as was Sauber's right-hand man, Mr. Tomassini. Sauber himself visited me with his wife, even when I was unconscious. So I was not alone… Later, when I was conscious again, Frank Williams even called me personally once…

Peter Sauber actually offered you another chance later? 
Yes. After my knee surgery (aside from my head injury, that was the only injury from Monaco), I returned to the paddock in Monza. In August, I tested a Cup Porsche at the Salzburgring, and in September, a F1 car at Le Castellet. During the test in Barcelona, Pedro Lamy and Kris Nissen also tested for Sauber - but I was the fastest. So I thought to myself that I was ready for 1995. I still had strong neck and head pain in the car, but with the right treatment, it healed quickly.

But your actual competitiveness was not in good shape… 

Sauber switched to Ford engines from 1995 onwards. The first four races of the year didn't go well for me. Frentzen suddenly was more than a second faster per lap. I noticed that I had major concentration problems - and I couldn't see any tendency for improvement… I understood that Mr. Sauber had to replace me with another driver. From Monaco onwards, Jean-Christophe Bouillon took over my car… But Sauber remained fair. In October, I was able to test again in Mugello, and compared to the lap times that Frentzen had driven shortly before in test runs, it looked very good, so I was allowed back in the cockpit for Suzuka and Adelaide. But even there, I was not good enough. I had to come to terms with the fact that my Formula 1 career was over…

You remained a professional until 2016. In long-distance racing, the DTM, and GT. In 1999, you won the FIA GT Championship… 

I especially liked the powerful Chrysler Vipers. I like cars with power. The DTM suited me less in 2002 and 2003 for various reasons. I raced a lot for the French team ORECA, also in the ALMS in the USA, and returned to Le Mans seven more times after 1991 and 1992.

How on earth did it happen that you started in Le Mans in 1992 for Peugeot as a Mercedes employee?
Mercedes was no longer participating there, I had time off, so I asked Mr. Neerpasch if something could be arranged. He agreed and set up a meeting with Peugeot director Jean Todt in Paris. We immediately reached an agreement. In the race, my teammate Alain Ferte unfortunately had an accident in his first stint. He then drove the car to the pit with three wheels, where it was repaired for hours. And then I went full throttle in the rain, being by far the fastest of the team even though it really didn't matter anymore. Todt told me it wasn't necessary to take such risks. The recklessness of youth…

How are you living today? 

After a few years in Monaco, my family and I returned to Kufstein. It was better for the children. My daughter is studying, my son is a professional goalkeeper for the second-division team Almere City FC in the Netherlands. He always wanted to become a professional footballer! I am involved in companies and work about 90 days a year as a brand ambassador for AMG. For AMG Experience, I attend many events, including Experience-on-Ice in Sweden. In addition, I present and drive historic Mercedes vehicles. I especially remember the victorious Mercedes 300 SLR with which Stirling Moss won the Mille Miglia. I find it completely incomprehensible how he could drive such a car on public roads at an average speed of over 165 km/h. The race drivers back then must have had a different approach to danger and death…

Do you remember competitors who, because of their talent, could have achieved much more than luck (and financial resources) allowed them?
Sure. For example, the Germans Frank Krämer and Klaus Panchyrz, against whom I raced in Formula 3, deserved a chance in F1. And Michael Bartels was certainly better than his four F1-DNQs indicate. But that's just how motorsport is…