Jochen Mass has died at the age of 78, after suffering complications related to a stroke that he suffered in February.
Mass was a classic motorsport all-rounder and whilst many will look to his history in Formula One as the barometer of his long career, his successes in touring cars and sports cars perhaps define better his qualities as a driver.
His 105 Formula one starts with five different teams from 1973-1982 yielded eight podium finishes including a win at the accident-shortened 1975 Spanish Grand Prix.
He was runner up too in the 1973 Formula 2 Championship.
In touring cars, his greatest achievement was a win in the Spa 24 Hours in 1972. Driving with Hans Stuck in a Ford Capri RS 2600 the pair established the all-time distance record for the event with an astounding 4498 km on the old circuit. By comparison, since the race became a GT-only event in 2001, the 4000 km barrier has only been beaten three times, all three by the GT1-spec Maserati MC12s.
It was in sports cars though that Mass had his greatest successes – no fewer than 25 World Sportscar Championship race wins from 1975-1990, assisting Porsche and Sauber Mercedes to Teams’ and Manufacturers’ World Championship.
He was runner up himself twice in the Drivers’ Championship (in 1984 and 1989), and third overall in both 1983 and 1990.
Aside from that there was a 1985 Championship win in the DRM and a win at Sebring in 1987, both in Porsches.
His greatest racing achievement though came late in his professional career, on his tenth (of a total of 12) appearance at Le Mans he took victory in 1989 alongside Manuel Reuter snd Stanley Dickens in the Sauber Mercedes C9.
He already had a second in class and second overall finish to his name with Porsche.
His relationship with Mercedes-Benz continued until the end. He served as an ambassador exhibiting its historic race cars around the world with his voice familiar to millions through TV commentary duties for F1 and other major events too.
Our sincerest condolences to Jochen’s family and racing friends.
Pics copyright and courtesy Porsche/ Racingsportscars, Paul Kooyman and Graham L Smith.
