16 Facts About Hans Heyer

Hans Heyer is most commonly known for starting one Formula One World Championship race, the 1977 German Grand Prix, despite failing to qualify.

Hans Heyer was born in Monchengladbach, Germany to parents who ran a bitumen and a concrete mixing company.

Hans Heyer developed his passion for motor racing and engineering when he was at boarding school at Adenau, which is near the Nurburgring.

Hans Heyer later started an apprenticeship with Daimler-Benz as a mechanic which was completed in 1962.

Hans Heyer raced in France by competing in the Brignoles 24 Hour Classic in 1969 to 1971 winning twice and finished 2nd in 1970.

For many years, Hans Heyer was associated with Zakspeed, racing their Group 2 Ford Escorts in the European Touring Car Championship and the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft.

Hans Heyer attempted two European F2 races in 1976, finishing sixth at the first Hockenheim race.

Hans Heyer failed to qualify for the second Hockenheim race and made no further attempts in F2.

Hans Heyer was the third reserve driver, meaning that he would get the chance to race if three drivers dropped out.

Hans Heyer is the only driver to be credited with a DNQ, DNF, and DSQ in the same race, technically being banned from 5 Formula One races afterwards.

Hans Heyer switched to continuations cooling when control of the water supply failed when the brake light switch failed which had not worked resulting in the left front brake caliper failing which destroyed the tyre rod and a burst affected the front left tyre.

Hans Heyer escaped unhurt, but returned immediately to the wreck to recover his famous hat.

Hans Heyer won in 1982 driving a BMW 528i with Armin Hahne and Eddy Joosen, 1983 in a BMW 635 CSi with Hahne and Thierry Tassin, and finally in 1984 driving a TWR Jaguar XJS with Tom Walkinshaw and Win Percy.

Between 1990 and 1991 Hans Heyer worked at his family concrete works business but came out of retirement to test Mercedes-Benz's truck racing vehicles and competed in the Nurburgring Truck Grand Prix in 1992.

Hans Heyer returned to the same track in 1994 to compete in the Nurburgring 24 Hours alongside Heiner Weiss, Rainer Braun driving a BMW M3 and returned to compete in the same race in 1995 albeit in a BMW veterans 'Dream Team'.

Hans Heyer's son Kenneth Heyer is a racing driver, currently involved in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for MANN-FILTER HTP Motorsport.