Way more profitable in touring vehicles, GTs and sportscars Zakspeed had a disappointing five-year spell in Grand Prix racing from 1985 to 1989, logging a single factors end.
After WW2 Zakowski’s household moved from Prussia and finally settled within the city of Niederzissen, not removed from the Nurburgring, the place he skilled as a mechanic and arrange his personal storage and finally racing crew.
From the beginning Zakspeed was carefully related to Ford, operating touring and GT vehicles in Germany and elsewhere. The organisation achieved big success within the DRM – a forerunner of the DTM – with its outlandish Capris, whereas additionally competing in IMSA with Mustangs.
Zakspeed’s Ford hyperlinks reached a peak in sportscar racing with the works Ford C100, which was presupposed to be the successor to the legendary GT40, with designer Len Bailey offering a direct hyperlink between the initiatives.
First seen on the 1981 Manufacturers Hatch 1000kms and later reworked by Tony Southgate, the automotive achieved little, regardless of being raced by modern F1 drivers Marc Surer and Manfred Winkelhock and Zakspeed common Klaus Ludwig.
After Ford ended its official involvement within the sportscar venture Zakspeed continued to run a growth of the automotive below its personal title.
The corporate took a distinct path when it entered F1 in 1985 with an bold venture that included its personal 1.5-litre turbo engine whereas persevering with to run with some success within the DTM.
Photograph by: Sutton Photos
Willi Weber, Michael Schumacher’s supervisor and Erich Zakowski, former Zakspeed Group Principal
Initially, the F1 crew ran a single entry for Jonathan Palmer, who was tormented by reliability points. After he was injured in a sportscar accident at Spa the Englishman was changed by Christian Danner late within the season.
In 1986 Palmer was joined by Dutchman Huub Rothengatter as Zakspeed expanded to 2 vehicles. Reliability continued to be an Achilles heel, and neither driver may higher an eighth place.
For 1987, Palmer was changed by Martin Brundle whereas Danner returned to drive the second automotive. By now the bundle was extra aggressive, helped by different smaller groups migrating to atmo engines because the transition from turbos started.
Brundle scored what could be the crew’s solely factors with fifth place in a excessive attrition race at Imola, and in addition completed seventh in Monaco.
There was a change of line-up for 1988 with German comingman Bernd Schneider joined by veteran Piercarlo Ghinzani. Most groups had already switched to atmo energy, and the now restricted Zakspeed turbo was uncompetitive, and the vehicles continuously did not qualify.
With turbos outlawed Zakspeed for 1989 Aguri Suzuki changed Ghinzani and got here with a provide of Yamaha atmo V8s. The crew had slipped into the pre-qualifying group, and over the entire season Suzuki by no means made the primary discipline, and Schneider did so solely twice. That poor efficiency led to a withdrawal from F1 on the finish of the season.
Subsequently, Zakowski handed the corporate reins to son Peter, a profitable racer in his personal proper, who continued to discipline Zakspeed entries in all kinds of championships.
Photograph by: Sutton Photos
Erich Zakowski, Zakspeed Group Principal and Martin Brundle