27 Facts About Vern Schuppan

Vernon John Schuppan was born on 19 March 1943 and is an Australian former motor racing driver.

In 1974 Vern Schuppan went to Team Ensign, debuting again in the Belgian Grand Prix where he finished in 15th position.

Vern Schuppan was disqualified in both Sweden and the Netherlands; in Sweden because he started illegally from 26th place on the grid and in the Netherlands for receiving a tyre change outside of the pits.

Vern Schuppan retired in Germany on lap four because of gearbox problems.

In 1977 Vern Schuppan raced for Surtees, finishing 12th in Britain and a career best seventh in Germany.

Vern Schuppan finished 16th in Austria, but failed to qualify for his final Formula One race in the Netherlands.

Vern Schuppan has had a very successful sports car career, winning the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans for Porsche's official factory team with Al Holbert and Hurley Haywood in a Rothmans Porsche 956.

Vern Schuppan finished second at Le Mans in 1977 driving a Mirage GR8-Renault turbo with French F1 driver Jean-Pierre Jarier, and second in 1982 in a Rothmans Porsche 956 with Jochen Mass.

Vern Schuppan finished third in 1975 with Jean-Pierre Jaussaud in a Mirage GR8-Ford Cosworth DFV.

Vern Schuppan finished sixth at the 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans driving with Jarier and fellow Australian, 1980 World Champion Alan Jones making his Le Mans debut, in a Kremer Racing Porsche 956B after the factory backed Rothmans team boycotted the event over the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's new fuel restriction rules.

Vern Schuppan then pitted for Schuppan to run the car to the flag.

Vern Schuppan got in only one and a half laps before the car broke a conrod with just 90 minutes left to run.

Vern Schuppan had a number of other podium finishes in the World Sports Car Championship, including second in the 1973 and 1982 Spa 1000 km, third in the 1983 and 1984 Fuji 1000 km and third in the 1985 Selangor 800 km race.

Vern Schuppan placed third in the All Japan Sports Prototype Championship in 1984,1985 and 1986.

Vern Schuppan won the 1974 and 1976 Macau Grand Prix races, dominating the 1974 race, winning by four laps.

Vern Schuppan won the 1971 British Formula Atlantic Championship and the Singapore Grand Prix in 1973.

Vern Schuppan was second in 1972 and second in the Malaysian Grand Prix in 1972.

Vern Schuppan placed second in the 1976 Australian Grand Prix at Sandown Park in Melbourne driving an Elfin MR8 Chevrolet, only half a second behind winner John Goss in a Matich A53-Repco Holden.

Vern Schuppan was runner up in the 1978 Rothmans International Series, driving an Elfin MR8-Chevrolet for fellow South Australian Garrie Cooper, the owner and founder of Elfin Sports Cars and his factory run Ansett Team Elfin.

Vern Schuppan drove for the Holden Dealer Team in 1981, partnering John Harvey in a Holden VC Commodore to 4th place in the Hang Ten 400 after starting the race, but never got to drive the car at Bathurst after a broken front wheel sent Harvey into the guardrail and retirement on lap 37.

Allan Moffat and Vern Schuppan started on pole and were leading the 1976 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 when their XB Falcon GT Hardtop retired with engine failure in lap 87.

Later a road going evolution of the Porsche 962 called the Vern Schuppan 962CR was developed, using different bodywork than the 962R.

Failure of payment for two of the cars shipped to Japan coupled with the high cost of the car's construction and worldwide economic recession, forced Vern Schuppan to declare bankruptcy.

In May 2006, Vern Schuppan was elected into the Club International des Anciens Pilotes de Grand Prix F1, an eminent organisation based in Monaco.

Vern Schuppan played an important role in bringing Formula One to the city of Adelaide in his home state of South Australia.

However, the Premier of South Australia, John Bannon, asked Vern Schuppan to come and take a look at Adelaide.

Vern Schuppan is a regular supporter of the Targa Adelaide tarmac rally.