Hubert Hahne

Hubert Hahne is a German retired racing driver who recorded five attempts in the Formula 1 World Championship's German Grand Prix but he was primarily touring car and Formula 2 racer, spending the most of his career as BMW factory driver.

His greatest achievement was a victory at Spa 24 Hours in 1966, together with Jacky Ickx in a BMW 2000TI. That year, he was also European touring car Division 3 champion. In single-seater racing, his best result was the second place in the 1969 European Formula 2 Championship.

Hubert Hahne spent the most of career as BMW driver

Third place in the inaugural ETCC season

Born in March 1935, Hubert Hahne started his racing career in the early 1960s, driving a BMW 700 S in national sports car races. In 1963, he also recorded few starts in BMW-powered Martini race car.

He scored several class victories in a BMW 700, finishing third in the inaugural season of the European Touring Car Championship.

Hubert Hahne and Jacky Ickx won 1966 Spa 24 Hours in a BMW

Second place at 1964 Spa 24 Hours, victory in 1966

In 1964, he was driving mostly BMW 1800 Ti in the ETCC, finishing fifth in the points. He was second overall at Spa 24 Hours, sharing a car with Rauno Aaltonen.

In 1965, the results were pretty disappointing and then, in 1966, Hahne reached the peak by winning the Division 3 title in the European Touring Car Championship and winning the greatest race, the Spa 24 Hours. His victorious car was a BMW 2002TI. His partner at Spa was Jacky Ickx.

Hahne and Ickx also recorded two starts in Trans-Am Series with Alan Mann Racing's Ford Cortina Lotus, scoring one podium.

Hubert Hahne made his F1 debut at 1966 German Grand Prix in Matra MS5 F2 car

Formula One debut at 1966 German Grand Prix

In 1966, Hahne also made his Formula One World Championship debut, participating in the German Grand Prix with Tyrrell's Matra MS5-BRM F2 car. F1 and F2 cars raced together in one race. Jack Brabham was the overall winner, Hahne finished ninth overall and second among F2 drivers, behind Jean-Pierre Beltoise.

That race was marked by an accident of British driver John Taylor. He was badly burned in a wreck on the opening lap, succumbing to injuries four weeks later.

Racing with Lola-BMW in 1967

In 1967, Hahne's main race car was BMW factory supported F2-spec Lola T100-BMW. He raced in the European Formula 2 Championship but also entered two Formula 1 Grand Prix events.

In the German Grand Prix at Nürburgring, a part of the World Championship, he retired after six laps. In the non-championship Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama, he retired with a broken engine after 33 laps.

Hahne's only touring car race in 1967 was the Spa 24 Hours. He and Jacky Ickx were defending last year's victory in the #1 Alan Mann Racing Ford Mustang. They started first on the grid but didn't finish the race.

Hubert Hahne's Lola-BMW in 1968

1968 – combining F1, F2 and ETCC

In 1968, Hahne returned to the European Touring Car Championship in a BMW 2002. Sharing a car with Dieter Quester and David Hobbs, he won Nurburgring 6 Hours. Quester was a champion that year, Hahne finished fourth.

In single-seater racing, Hahne continued to drive Lola-BMW in Formula 2 Championship and made a one-off appearance in the Formula 1 Championship. He finished tenth in the German Grand Prix, in the same lap as race winner Jackie Stewart.

Hubert Hahne in a BMW Formula 2 car

European Formula 2 vice-champion in 1969

In 1969, Hahne expanded his activities in the European Formula 2 Championship, spending a full season in BMW factory cars (Lola T102 or BMW 269), scoring one podium and finishing as a vice-champion, behind Matra's Johnny Servoz-Gavin.

In August 1969, Hahne came to F1 German Grand Prix but withdrew before the race after a fatal crash of his teammate Gerhard Mitter during practice.

In the 1969 ETCC season, Hahne and Dieter Quester won at Brands Hatch in a BMW 2002. At Spa 24 Hours, Hahne retired in a car which he was sharing with Dieter Basche.

Retiring from racing at the end of 1970

Hubert Hahne's last competitive season was in 1970. He spent it with BMW in the Formula 2 Championship, driving a BMW 269. He scored points just once, finishing 13th in the final classification.

In August 1970, Hahne made his last attempt in the Formula 1 German Grand Prix. He entered the event with his private March 701-Cosworth but failed to qualify for the race which took place at Hockenheim for the first time.

German racing legend Hubert Hahne