Vern Schuppan

Vernon " Vern " Schuppan ( born March 19, 1943 in Booleroo ) is an Australian former racing driver and racing car constructor. Schuppan drove in Formula 1 in 1983 and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

After several successful years in the Australian karting Schuppan in 1969 to Great Britain. He got there, and in 1971 in the Formula Ford to Formula Atlantic on. After his overall victory in the Yellow Pages championship he first came into contact with Formula 1, as Ken Tyrrell invited him to a test day. But not the Tyrrell team, but B.R.M. gave him a contract for 1972.

Schuppan was hired as a junior driver and according to the contract he should go, especially at the races which did not count for the World Cup, at the start. He was fifth in the Gold Cup at Oulton Park and fourth at the John Player Challenge at Brands Hatch. As in 1973, the situation in B.R.M. did not change and he waited on as a substitute driver for a mission at a Grand Prix, he accepted an offer from John Wyer and the Gulf sports car team. In Mirage M6 he was together with Mike Hailwood and Howden Ganley second in the 1000 km race at Spa.

1974 Schuppan factory driver was at Ensign and made ​​his Grand Prix debut at the Belgian Grand Prix at Nivelles. To its Formula 1 involvement sporadic inserts came in Formula 5,000.

The Formula 1 career of the Australian remained unfulfilled and, ultimately, with little success. After a race for Graham Hill at Hill GH1 1975, followed by three inserts for Surtees in 1977, then the time in the highest Monopostoklasse was over after just nine races.

1976 Schuppan was already settled for a year in the United States to start for the Eagle team of Dan Gurney in the USAC racing series. In 1978 he returned and was in 1981 at the Indy 500 third party. In addition to its U.S. involvement, he built up a highly successful sports car career. Beginning of the 1980s he was one of the fastest drivers in the Porsche 956 and his run of success culminating in the Le Mans victory in 1983 with Al Holbert and Hurley Haywood as partners.

Schuppan distinguished himself as a constructor. His Schuppan 962CR, a street version of the Porsche 962 was built and sold six times. After the end of his active career, he rose into a successful team management and was for many years a partner of Stefan Johansson in the Indy Lights series.

Le Mans results

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