Erwin Bauer
Erwin Bauer ( born July 17, 1912 in Stuttgart, † June 2, 1958 in Cologne ) was a German racing driver.
Erwin Bauer drove one race of the Formula 1 World Championship. He was the first continental European who could drive a Lotus outside the British Isles. In the 1000 - km race at the Nürburgring in 1954, he jumped quickly and brought the little Lotus to an impressive fourth place in the class up to 1000 cc.
His only start in Formula 1 took place on August 2, 1953. Once again at the Nürburgring he drove a Veritas RS, but fell out already in the first round. Erwin Bauer drove in the German Sports Car Championship in 1956, together with Willi Heeks in a Mercedes 220SE, and from 1956 with the Austrians Gotfrid Köchert in its 2-liter Ferrari several years. In this car Erwin Bauer had the 1000- km race in 1958, again at the Nürburgring, a fatal accident. He took the checkered flag in tenth, but overlooked the race director with the checkered flag and drove on. A few kilometers after the target - the race was ended long ago - he collided with a slow vehicle, which was in his victory lap - and crashed fatally.