Hans-Joachim Stuck

Hans-Joachim Stuck is a famous German racing driver who has competed in many racing series including Formula 1. Strietzel, which is Stuck’s nickname, recorded 74 starts in the F1 World Championship between 1974 and 1979, scoring two podiums.

In other racing disciplines, he is a two-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours (1986, 1987) and Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) champion in 1990.

Hans-Joachim Stuck

Young Hans-Joachim had a perfect teacher and perfect place to learn

Hans-Joachim Stuck was born on January 1, 1951, in Garmisch-Partenkrichen. In his father, the legendary driver Hans Stuck, young Hans-Joachim had a perfect driving instructor. Add to that a training ground such as Nurburgring, where he had his first race back in 1969, and one can say that conditions for growing a future champion were ideal. Already in 1970, at the age of 19, he won his first 24 hours race driving a BMW 2002TI.

His next big success was in 1972. He teamed up with Joachim Mass and in their Ford Capri RS2600, they won the 24 hours of Spa race. He also had great success in Germany and USA driving a BMW in 1974 and 1975.

Hans-Joachim Stuck, the winner of the 1975 12 Hours of Sebring

Successful Formula 2 career

Before entering Formula 1, he had a good time in Formula 2 in which he won five times, three of which at Hockenheim. In 1974, Hans-Joachim Stuck was the European Formula 2 championship runner-up with March Engineering, losing the title battle to the Frenchman Patrick Depailler.

Video : Stuck in Stefan Bellof's Porsche 956 at Nürburgring

The results in F1 weren't as good

In his F1 career, Stuck drove for four teams – March, Brabham, Shadow and ATS. One of the main reasons for his failure in Formula 1 was Stuck’s height, 194 cm, as he couldn’t fit well in the cars of the late ’70s that had the cockpit moved forward.

During his Formula One career, Hans-Joachim Stuck started 74 races but was never triumphant. His best results were achieved in 1977, when he finished third in the Austrian and German Grand Prix, driving Martini Racing's Brabham powered by an Alfa Romeo engine.

Hans-Joachim Stuck in Shadow, 1978 British Grand Prix

Strietzel scored the best results in endurance racing

Stuck continued racing in touring cars all over the world. Driving a Porsche 962, he was the winner at 24 Hours of Le Mansce twice in a row (1986, 1987). As he later said, that racecar was his favorite, as it was a perfect combination of power and downforce. Another stop in Stuck’s career was DTM where he won the title in 1990 with Audi, before returning to Porsche for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1998.

Stuck in Porsche 962 at 24 Hours of Le Mans

From the racing track to the president's chair

Stuck definitely retired from driving in 2011, after 24 Hours of Nurburgring in which, with his sons Ferdinand and Johannes, and with Dennis Rostek, he formed the Team Stuck and took 15th place. Since April 2012, Stuck is the President of German Motorsports Federation.

Hans-Joachim Stuck in the seat of Audi RS 5 DTM

Photos: racingblog.de, 24h-lemans.com, f1grandprixdriversclub.com, autoviva.com, motrface.com.