Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips

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Wolfgang von Trips
Formula One Career
Nationality	German
Active years	1956 - 1961
Team(s)	Ferrari, Porsche, Cooper
Grands Prix	29
Championships	0
Wins	2
Podium finishes	6
Pole positions	1
Fastest laps	0
First Grand Prix	1956 British Grand Prix
First win	1961 Dutch Grand Prix
Last win	1961 British Grand Prix
Last Grand Prix	1961 Italian Grand Prix

Wolfgang Graf Alexander Berghe von Trips [[1]] (born May 4, 1928 in Kerpen-Horrem, Germany- died September 10, 1961) was a Formula One driver. He participated in 29 Grands Prix, debuting on September 2, 1956. He won two races, secured one pole position, achieved six podia, and scored a total of 56 championship points.

After the war, von Trips inspired millions of Germans. 10 September 1961 would have been the culmination of his career, as a third place would have been sufficient to secure the World Driving Championship that year. It did not work out that way. On lap to at Monza, his Ferrari collided with Jim Clark's Lotus. His car became airborne and crashed into a side barrier, fatally throwing von Trips from the car, and killing fifteen spectators.

Von Trips would have been the first German to win the championship. Instead, he helped lay the foundation for another German to become the most successful Formula One driver ever. In the year of his accident, von Trips established a go-kart race track in Kerpen, Germany. The track was later leased by Rolf Schumacher, whose son Michael made his first laps there.

Wolfgang von Trips would not have been spared from his fate. On the same day, he was scheduled to fly with an ex-classmate to the USA. The plane crashed over Scotland.

[edit] Complete Formula One results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Team	WDC	Points
1957	Ferrari	ARG 6	MON Ret	INDY	FRA	GBR	GER	PES	ITA 3				Ferrari	14th	4
1958	Ferrari	ARG	MON Ret	NED	INDY	BEL	FRA 3	GBR Ret	GER 4	POR 5	ITA Ret	MOR	Ferrari	11th	9
1959	Porsche	MON Ret	INDY	NED	FRA	GBR	GER	POR	ITA	USA 6			Ferrari	-	0
1960	Ferrari	ARG 5	MON 8	INDY	NED 5	BEL Ret	FRA 11	GBR 6	POR 4	ITA 5	USA 9		Cooper	7th	10
1961	Ferrari	MON 4	NED 1	BEL 2	FRA Ret	GBR 1	GER 2	ITA Ret	USA				Ferrari	2nd	33