Jo Gartner
Joseph " Jo " Gartner (born 24 January 1954 in Vienna, † June 1, 1986 in Le Mans) was an Austrian racing driver.
Career
In the years 1975-1979, Gartner started his career in Formula Super V. In 1979 he drove a season in Formula 3, among others, against Alain Prost. From 1981 to 1983 he drove in Formula 2, where he produced his first Formula 2 success by winning the race in Pau in 1983, "Monte Carlo" of Formula 2 succeeded. Jo Gartner was in 1984 with a total of eight Formula 1 Grand Prix at Osella - Alfa Romeo at the start. Best result was a 5th place at the Grand Prix of Italy, but remained without Gartner championship points because Osella was entitled only to a car to participate in the drivers' championship. In 1985, he remained without a Formula 1 cockpit, he then moved into the sports car series. In the same year, Gartner drove the 24 - hour race at Le Mans, in which he reached with his teammates David Hobbs and Guy Edwards, despite the finish line on three wheels in fourth place.
A year later, in 1986, he had a sensational victory in the 12 Hours of Sebring in a Porsche 962 with Bob Akin and Hans- Joachim Stuck.
On the night of May 31 to June 1, 1986, against 3:12 clock, he raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans on the Mulsanne straight at over 300 km / h into the left guide rail of the track and died on impact. The car overturned and came out on the other side of the track to lie where he subsequently burned. The cause of the accident could not be clearly understood, but it is a broken rear suspension accepted as the cause. His grave is located in Vienna - Dobling on the Döblinger cemetery.