17 Facts About Steve Soper

Steven Soper was born on 27 September 1951 and is a British racing driver.

Steve Soper raced in major sports car and touring car categories in the 1980s and 1990s.

Steve Soper was Japanese Touring Car Champion in 1995, and won the 24 Hours Nurburgring in 1987, the 24 Hours of Spa in 1992 and 1995 and the Guia Race in 1997.

Steve Soper achieved many of his successes through his longest association, with BMW, and is widely regarded as one of the best Touring car racers of all time.

Across just over two decades Soper won three major races: the 24 Hours Nurburgring in 1987, the 24 Hours of Spa in 1995 and the Guia Race in 1997.

Steve Soper was successful in one make series, notably winning the inaugural MG Metro Challenge in 1981.

Steve Soper made his British Saloon Car Championship debut in 1982 in an Austin Metro.

Steve Soper's talent was spotted by Tom Walkinshaw and he joined TWR in 1983.

Steve Soper won the championship in his first season with the works Austin Rover team but rival Frank Sytner protested the TWR team and his Rover Vitesse was later deemed illegal due to an issue with the engine installation.

Steve Soper later joined Eggenberger Motorsport and finished as runner-up in the series in 1988 in a Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth, enjoying many on-track battles with Andy Rouse in the process.

Steve Soper challenged for the title in 1991, finishing 4th and in 1993, finishing as runner up behind teammate Joachim Winkelhock for BMW.

Steve Soper had led the championship for most of the season but a run of bad luck towards the end of the year damaged his title challenge.

Steve Soper raced in the German Super Tourenwagen Cup in 1996, challenging for the title until an incident late in the season with his team mate ended his championship chances.

Steve Soper finished fifth driving a Ford Sierra for Eggenberger Motorsport in the one-off World Touring Car Championship in 1987 run under Group A regulations.

That year, he won the Bathurst 1000, but was later disqualified for a technical infringement Steve Soper was offered a works drive for BMW, and competed in the night European, Japanese and German Touring Car Championships.

Steve Soper finished 6th in a thin field and was advised to retire on medical grounds after a heavy crash in the final round.

In 2005, Steve Soper was ranked as the greatest touring car driver ever by a panel of experts in Motor Sport Magazine.