Christian Danner
Born (1958-04-04) 4 April 1958 (age 65)
Munich, West Germany
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityGermany German
Active years1985–1987, 1989
TeamsZakspeed, Osella, Arrows, Rial
Entries47 (36 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points4
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1985 Belgian Grand Prix
Last entry1989 Portuguese Grand Prix

Christian Josef Danner (born 4 April 1958) is a former racing driver from Germany.

Career

Formula Two and Formula 3000

The son of car safety expert Max Danner, Danner started his motor racing career immediately after leaving school in 1977.[1] After having raced in the Renault 5 cup Danner moved to the European Formula Two Championship for the 1981 season. During his years in Formula Two Danner was a constant frontrunner. He scored several podiums but failed to win a race. Danner also set the F2 lap record of the current configuration of the old Nürburgring. Danner moved to the Formula 3000 championship in 1985 which replaced the Formula Two championship. With four wins Danner became the inaugural Formula 3000 championship winner.

Formula One

Danner at the 1985 European Grand Prix

1985 saw Danner also made his Formula One debut with Zakspeed. He made two starts but failed to finish any races due to mechanical failures. For 1986 he signed with minor Italian outfit Osella but struggled to make an impression with the car and its under powered Alfa Romeo engine. After failing to finish a race in the first six races, Danner moved to Arrows with their powerful BMW turbo engines and scored his first point at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Danner returned to Zakspeed in 1987. The car was both un-competitive and often unreliable and when Danner finished a race it was always outside the points. After having raced touring cars in 1988, Danner returned to Formula one in 1989 with Rial Racing. The car was highly uncompetitive and a fourth place due to a high attrition rate at the 1989 United States Grand Prix was the only highlight of the year. Danner was fired after the Portuguese Grand Prix after only qualifying for four races that year.[2]

Touring cars

Christian Danner -Schubel Engineering - Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI 94 exits The Esses, Donington 1994 DTM

After his Formula one career Danner became a regular competitor in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft. He made his debut in 1988 after failing to find a ride in Formula one. Danner made an impressive start to his touring car career as he won both races at the Hockenheimring driving a BMW M3. After only making sporadic appearances in 1989 and 1990, Danner made a full-time return to the series in 1991. He had a disappointing season and only had one points scoring finish. In 1993 Danner had his best season. He scored six podium finishes and finished fifth in the points standings. He also won a race at the Non-Championship round in Donington Park. Danner returned to winning ways in 1995 when he won a race at the Norisring. Danner kept racing touring cars through 1997.

In 1991 he also started in one British Touring Car Championship race at Thruxton driving a BMW M3.

Other racing

Danner competed in Japanese Formula 3000 in 1990 driving for Leyton House's F3000 team. He scored 4 points and was ranked 14th. In the nineties Danner made several appearances in the Indy Car World Series. His best finish was a seventh place at Homestead Miami in 1995. He also took part in the now defunct series, Grand Prix Masters.

Media career

After his racing career Danner became an F1 commentator for the channel RTL in his native Germany.[1]

Motorsports career results

Career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
1980 German Racing Championship Cassani Racing 5 0 0 0 0 20 23rd
1981 European Formula Two March Racing 12 0 0 0 0 2 18th
24 Hours of Le Mans Helmut Marko RSM 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
1982 European Formula Two March Racing 13 0 0 1 0 6 14th
1983 European Formula Two Onyx Racing 12 0 0 0 1 21 5th
Formula Pacific Andrew Miedecke 8 0 1 1 3 46 7th
1984 European Formula Two BS Automotive 11 0 1 0 4 23 5th
World Sportscar Championship Richard Lloyd Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1985 International Formula 3000 BS Automotive 11 4 2 4 7 51 1st
Formula One West Zakspeed Racing 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
24 Hours of Le Mans Kreepy Krauly Racing 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 22nd
European Touring Car Championship Magnum Racing 3 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1986 Formula One Osella Squadra Corse 6 0 0 0 0 1 18th
Barclay Arrows BMW 10 0 0 0 0
24 Hours of Le Mans Kouros Sauber Racing Team 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF
1987 Formula One West Zakspeed Racing 15 0 0 0 0 0 NC
European Touring Car Championship Schnitzer Motorsport 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1988 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Alpina 22 2 ? 0 3 151 11th
European Touring Car Championship Prodrive 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1989 Formula One Rial Racing 13 0 0 0 0 3 21st
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Linder Rennsport 6 0 ? 0 0 46 21st
1990 Japanese Formula 3000 Leyton House Racing 9 0 0 0 1 4 15th
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Schnitzer Rennsport 3 0 ? 0 0 0 NC
1991 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft MM-Diebels 15 0 ? 0 0 6 21st
British Touring Car Championship Prodrive 1 0 0 0 0 8 18th
1992 PPG Indycar Series Euromotorsport 9 0 0 0 0 0 39th
1993 PPG Indycar Series Euromotorsport 3 0 0 0 0 2 31st
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Schübel Engineering 22 0 ? 2 6 161 5th
FIA Touring Car Challenge 2 0 0 0 0 10 18th
1994 PPG Indycar Series Project Indy 3 0 0 0 0 2 30th
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Schübel Engineering 24 0 0 0 3 88 9th
1995 PPG Indycar Series Project Indy 2 0 0 0 0 6 25th
Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Schübel Engineering 14 1 0 1 1 48 9th
International Touring Car Championship 10 1 1 0 1 22 13th
1996 International Touring Car Championship TV Spielfilm Alfa Corse 26 0 2 0 2 48 15th
1997 Super Tourenwagen Cup JAS Engineering 20 0 0 0 0 37 29th
PPG Indycar Series Dale Coyne Racing 3 0 0 0 0 1 31st
2001 Formula One Jaguar Racing Test driver
2002 V8Star Series JAG Racing Team 1 0 0 0 0 27 25th
2004 Mini Challenge Deutschland O2 can Race Team 1 1 0 0 1 30 24th
2005 Grand Prix Masters Team Unipart 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 7th
Italian Formula 3000 Championship Durango 1 0 0 0 0 1 23rd
2006 Grand Prix Masters Team LUK 2 0 2 0 0 10 2nd
Mini Challenge Deutschland Team MINI Deutschland 2 0 2 0 0 0 NC
2007 Formula One Super Aguri Test driver
Mini Challenge Deutschland Team MINI Deutschland 2 0 1 0 0 29 27th
2008 Speedcar Series Phoenix Racing 2 0 0 0 0 0 20th
2017 GT4 European Series Northern Cup MOMO-Megatron Team Partrax 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
GT4 European Series Southern Cup 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2018 GT4 Central European Cup - Am Team GT 2 1 0 2 2 43 8th
French GT4 Cup - Am 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2019 GT4 European Series - Am Team GT 2 1 0 0 2 43 7th
ADAC GT4 Germany 4 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Source:[3]

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos. Pts
1980 Cassani Racing Team Ralt RT1 BMW THR HOC NÜR
DNS 		VAL PAU SIL ZOL MUG ZAN PER MIS HOC NC 0
1981 March Racing March 812 BMW SIL
10 		HOC
9 		THR
5 		NÜR
10 		VAL
Ret 		MUG
16 		PAU
Ret 		PER
Ret 		SPA
Ret 		DON
14 		MIS
Ret 		MAN
11 		18th 2
1982 March Racing March 822 BMW SIL
Ret 		HOC
Ret 		THR
Ret 		NÜR
9 		MUG
DNS 		VAL
13 		PAU
Ret 		SPA
9 		HOC
Ret 		DON
7 		MAN
6 		PER
5 		MIS
4 		14th 6
1983 Onyx Racing March 832 BMW SIL
3 		THR
13 		HOC
2 		NÜR
3 		VAL
10 		PAU
5 		JAR
9 		DON
5 		MIS
Ret 		PER
7 		ZOL
4 		MUG
10 		5th 21
1984 BS Automotive March 842 BMW SIL
7 		HOC
6 		THR
2 		VAL
3 		MUG
3 		PAU
4 		HOC
Ret 		MIS
6 		PER
Ret 		DON
3 		BRH
10 		5th 23
Source:[4]

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1981 Austria Helmut Marko RSM West Germany Peter Oberndofer
West Germany Prince Leopold von Bayern 		BMW M1 GT 49 DNF DNF
1985 South Africa Kreepy Krauly Racing South Africa Graham Duxbury
Italy Almo Coppelli 		March 85G-Porsche C1 270 22nd 17th
1986 Switzerland Kouros Sauber Racing Team France Henri Pescarolo
Austria Dieter Quester 		Sauber C8-Mercedes C1 86 DNF DNF
Sources:[5][6]

Complete International Formula 3000 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos. Pts
1985 BS Automotive March 85B Cosworth SIL
4 		THR
6 		EST
9 		NÜR
C 		VAL
3 		PAU
1 		SPA
3 		DIJ
1 		PER
3 		ÖST
16 		ZAN
1 		DON
1 		1st 51
Sources:[5][4]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Pts
1985 West Zakspeed Racing Zakspeed 841 Zakspeed 1500/4 1.5 L4t BRA POR SMR MON CAN DET FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA BEL
Ret 		EUR
Ret 		RSA AUS NC 0
1986 Osella Squadra Corse Osella FA1G Alfa Romeo 890T 1.5 V8t BRA
Ret 		ESP
Ret 		SMR
Ret 		MON
DNQ 		CAN
Ret 		18th 1
Osella FA1H BEL
Ret
Barclay Arrows BMW Arrows A8 BMW M12/13 1.5 L4t DET
Ret 		FRA
11 		GBR
Ret 		GER
Ret 		AUT
6 		ITA
8 		POR
11 		MEX
9 		AUS
Ret
Arrows A9 HUN
Ret
1987 West Zakspeed Racing Zakspeed 861 Zakspeed 1500/4 1.5 L4t BRA
9 		SMR
7 		NC 0
Zakspeed 871 BEL
Ret 		MON
EX 		DET
8 		FRA
Ret 		GBR
Ret 		GER
Ret 		HUN
Ret 		AUT
9 		ITA
9 		POR
Ret 		ESP
Ret 		MEX
Ret 		JPN
Ret 		AUS
7
1989 Rial Racing Rial ARC2 Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8 BRA
14 		SMR
DNQ 		MON
DNQ 		MEX
12 		USA
4 		CAN
8 		FRA
DNQ 		GBR
DNQ 		GER
DNQ 		HUN
DNQ 		BEL
DNQ 		ITA
DNQ 		POR
DNQ 		ESP JPN AUS 21st 3
Sources:[4][5][7]

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Pos. Pts
1988 Alpina BMW M3 ZOL
1
26 		ZOL
2
8 		HOC
1
1 		HOC
2
1 		NÜR
1
Ret 		NÜR
2
14 		BRN
1
34 		BRN
2
Ret 		AVU
1
11 		AVU
2
Ret 		MFA
1
4 		MFA
2
6 		NÜR
1
9 		NÜR
2
3 		NOR
1
24 		NOR
2
Ret 		WUN
1
24 		WUN
2
26 		SAL
1
C 		SAL
2
C 		HUN
1
11 		HUN
2
13 		HOC
1
12 		HOC
2
7 		11th 151
1989 Linder Rennsport BMW M3 ZOL
1
17 		ZOL
2
4 		HOC
1 		HOC
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		MFA
1 		MFA
2 		AVU
1 		AVU
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		NOR
1
22 		NOR
2
8 		HOC
1 		HOC
2 		DIE
1 		DIE
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		HOC
1
13 		HOC
2
7 		21st 46
1990 Schnitzer Motorsport BMW M3 ZOL
1 		ZOL
2 		HOC
1 		HOC
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		AVU
1 		AVU
2 		MFA
1 		MFA
2 		WUN
1 		WUN
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		NOR
1
Ret 		NOR
2 		DIE
1 		DIE
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		HOC
1
18 		HOC
2
14 		NC 0
1991 MM-Diebels BMW M3 ZOL
1
23 		ZOL
2
6 		HOC
1
18 		HOC
2
14 		NÜR
1
16 		NÜR
2
12 		AVU
1
Ret 		AVU
2
DNS 		WUN
1
22 		WUN
2
Ret 		NOR
1 		NOR
2 		DIE
1
DNS 		DIE
2
DNS 		NÜR
1
Ret 		NÜR
2
12 		ALE
1
14 		ALE
2
Ret 		HOC
1
29 		HOC
2
19 		BRN
1 		BRN
2 		DON
1 		DON
2 		21st 6
1993 Schübel Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti ZOL
1
2 		ZOL
2
2 		HOC
1
8 		HOC
2
6 		NÜR
1
6 		NÜR
2
Ret 		WUN
1
4 		WUN
2
5 		NÜR
1
6 		NÜR
2
2 		NOR
1
3 		NOR
2
3 		DON
1
1 		DON
2
2 		DIE
1
7 		DIE
2
Ret 		ALE
1
6 		ALE
2
4 		AVU
1
4 		AVU
2
2 		HOC
1
Ret 		HOC
2
5 		5th 161
1994 Schübel Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti ZOL
1
10 		ZOL
2
9 		HOC
1
6 		HOC
2
5 		NÜR
1
2 		NÜR
2
2 		MUG
1
3 		MUG
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
4 		NÜR
2
8 		NOR
1
Ret 		NOR
2
11 		DON
1
9 		DON
2
DSQ 		DIE
1
7 		DIE
2
5 		NÜR
1
Ret 		NÜR
2
DNS 		AVU
1
10 		AVU
2
18 		ALE
1
5 		ALE
2
Ret 		HOC
1
10 		HOC
2
6 		9th 88
1995 Schübel Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti HOC
1
16 		HOC
2
9 		AVU
1
8 		AVU
2
3 		NOR
1
1 		NOR
2
6 		DIE
1
8 		DIE
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
12 		NÜR
2
14 		ALE
1
7 		ALE
2
4 		HOC
1
15 		HOC
2
16 		9th 48
Sources:[4][5][8]

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 DC Pts
1991 BMW Team Finance BMW M3 SIL SNE DON THR
5 		SIL BRH SIL DON
1 		DON
2 		OUL BRH
1 		BRH
2 		DON THR SIL 18th 8
Sources:[4][5][8]

Complete International Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Pos. Pts
1995 Schübel Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti MUG
1
Ret 		MUG
2
12 		HEL
1
1 		HEL
2
13† 		DON
1
12 		DON
2
9 		EST
1
15 		EST
2
DNS 		MAG
1
Ret 		MAG
2
13 		13th 22
1996 TV Spielfilm Alfa Corse Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti HOC
1
13 		HOC
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
9 		NÜR
2
10 		EST
1
12 		EST
2
13 		HEL
1
8 		HEL
2
Ret 		NOR
1
Ret 		NOR
2
DNS 		DIE
1
15 		DIE
2
Ret 		SIL
1
10 		SIL
2
13 		NÜR
1
18 		NÜR
2
20 		MAG
1
Ret 		MAG
2
DNS 		MUG
1
12 		MUG
2
Ret 		HOC
1
7 		HOC
2
6 		INT
1
3 		INT
2
Ret 		SUZ
1
2 		SUZ
2
7 		15th 48
Sources:[4][8]

Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pos. Pts
1997 JAS Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 TS HOC
1
17 		HOC
2
23 		ZOL
1
23 		ZOL
2
23 		NÜR
1
17 		NÜR
2
Ret 		SAC
1
Ret 		SAC
2
Ret 		NOR
1
17 		NOR
2
Ret 		WUN
1
18 		WUN
2
Ret 		ZWE
1
24 		ZWE
2
21 		SAL
1
20 		SAL
2
18 		REG
1
20 		REG
2
18 		NÜR
1
23 		NÜR
2
18 		29th 37
Source:[8]

Complete Japanese Formula 3000 Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 DC Points
1990 Leyton House Racing SUZ
13 		FUJ
Ret 		MIN
9 		SUZ
15 		SUG
17 		FUJ
Ret 		FUJ
10 		SUZ
16 		FUJ
3 		SUZ 15th 4
Source:[4]

American Open-Wheel racing results

PPG Indycar Series

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points Ref
1992 Euromotorsport SRF PHX LBH INDY DET
18 		POR MIL NHA TOR
16 		MCH CLE
16 		ROA
16 		VAN
21 		MDO
19 		NAZ
13 		LAG
20 		39th 0 [9]
1993 Euromotorsport SRF PHX LBH INDY MIL DET POR CLE
25 		TOR MCH NHA ROA
11 		VAN MDO NAZ LAG
26 		31st 2 [10]
1994 Project Indy SRF PHX LBH INDY MIL DET
12 		POR CLE
Wth 		TOR MCH MDO NHA VAN ROA
12 		NAZ LAG 30th 2 [11]
1995 Project Indy MIA
7 		SRF PHX LBH NAZ INDY MIL DET
22 		POR ROA TOR CLE MCH MDO NHA VAN LAG 25th 6 [12]
1997 Payton/Coyne MIA SRF LBH NAZ RIO GAT MIL DET
12 		POR
27 		CLE TOR MCH MDO ROA VAN
23 		LAG FON 31st 1 [13]

Complete Grand Prix Masters results

(key) Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap.

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5
2005 Team Unipart Delta Motorsport GPM Nicholson McLaren 3.5 V8 RSA
7
2006 Team LUK Delta Motorsport GPM Nicholson McLaren 3.5 V8 QAT
2 		ITA
C 		GBR
3 		MAL
C 		RSA
C
Source:[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Christian Danner's CV". christian-danner.net. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  2. ^ "CONSTRUCTORS: RIAL". grandprix.com. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Christian Danner". Driver Database. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Christian Danner". Motor Sport. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Christian Danner Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Christian Danner". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  7. ^ Small, Steve (2000). "Danner, Christian". Grand Prix Who's Who (Third ed.). Reading, Berkshire: Travel Publishing. pp. 154–155. ISBN 978-1-902007-46-5. Retrieved 3 January 2024 – via Internet Archive.
  8. ^ a b c d "Christian Danner race results". TouringCars.net. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Christian Danner – 1992 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Christian Danner – 1993 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Christian Danner – 1994 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Christian Danner – 1995 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Christian Danner – 1997 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Christian Danner.
Sporting positions Preceded byMike Thackwell(Formula 2) International Formula 3000 Champion 1985 Succeeded byIvan Capelli
Formula One drivers from Germany
Winners of the Nürburgring 24 Hours
Spa 24 Hours winners
Authority control databases
Categories