Helmuth Koinigg

Former F1 driver
Name = Helmuth Koinigg
Nationality = flagicon|Austria Austrian
Years = F1|1974
Team(s) = Scuderia Finotto, Surtees
Races = 3 (2 starts)
Championships = 0
Wins = 0
Podiums = 0
Poles = 0
Fastest laps = 0
Points = 0
First race = 1974 Austrian Grand Prix
First win =
Last win =
Last race = 1974 United States Grand Prix

Helmuth Koinigg (November 3, 1948 – October 6, 1974) was an Austrian racing driver who died in a crash in the 1974 United States Grand Prix, only his second Grand Prix start.cite news
first = Michael
last = Katz
authorlink =
author = Michael Katz
coauthors =
title = Driver Is Killed as Fittipaldi Wins Title at Watkins Glen
url = http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50D17F9355E1A7493C5A9178BD95F408785F9
format = PDF, "fee required"
work = New York Times
publisher =
pages =
page = 45
date = 1974-10-07
accessdate = 2008-07-04
language =
quote = ]

Koinigg was born in Vienna. He raced in touring cars, Formula Vee and Formula Ford before a period in sports car racing. He subsequently found the finance to buy a seat with Scuderia Finotto driving their Brabham at his home grand prix in 1974, and although he failed to qualify, this led to a contract with Surtees for the last two races of the season.

After a good showing at the 1974 Canadian Grand Prix, Koinigg was beginning to establish himself as a good prospect for 1975. But running near the back in the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, disaster struck when, approaching the braking zone for the seventh turnCref|a, a suspension failure on his Surtees-Ford sent it crashing head-on into the outer armco. The speed at which Koinigg crashed was relatively minor, and he ought to have escaped the scene uninjured. Unfortunately, as with a number of other circuits at that time, the armco barrier was insecurely installed and the bottom portion of it buckled as the vehicle struck it. The car passed underneath the top portion, which remained intact, decapitating the luckless driver and killing him instantly.

Complete Formula One results

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Notes

References

External links

* [http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-koihel.html Koinigg's profile at www.grandprix.com]