Adolf Brudes

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Adolf Brudes von Breslau (15 October 1899 – 5 November 1986) was a Formula One driver from Germany and a member of German nobility. He started racing motorcycles in 1919. As an owner of a BMW and Auto Union dealership in Breslau, he had the opportunities to go racing, which he did from 1928 onwards, initially in hillclimbs. After World War II wiped out his business, he moved to Berlin and for a while became a mechanic, wherever he could find jobs. However he soon was back racing, and he continued until 1968, in hillclimbs (a career of 49 years). He participated in one World Championship Grand Prix, the 1952 Großer Preis von Deutschland, but scored no championship points.<ref name=Galpin>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races.

Pre-war career

Adolf was born in Kotulin, near Breslau. Today, Breslau is known as Wrocław, and is in Poland. Back in 1899, it was part of the German Reich.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He began his racing career on two wheels as early as 1919. Between 1924 and 1927, he was the master mechanic and works rider for motorcycle manufacturer Victoria. In 1925, the company added a Root blower to their 2-cylinder ohv 597cc flat engine. A year later, Brudes set a Land Speed Record of 102½ mph (165 km/h), riding one of these bikes.<ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Adolf wished to race at a higher level, and with that in mind, he started racing cars alongside the bikes in 1928. He purchased a Bugatti Type 37A with which he went hillclimbing mostly in Poland, taking a number of overall and class victories.<ref name="auto"/> Meanwhile, he established a BMW and Auto Union dealership in Breslau.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="conceptcarz.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> By 1934, he had added a Bugatti Type 35B and a MG C-type to his stable, and it was with the MG, he scored a class victory in the 1934 Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

1936 saw Adolf take part on an Auto Union driver evaluation test, but the driver when to another driver. Not to be put off by this set back, he acquired a BMW 328. After some excellent results, he earns himself place in their works squad of the 1938 Spa 24 Hours race. Partnered by Paul Heinemann, the finish fourth overall, second in class.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Also would also go on to record a podium finish in the 1940 Mille Miglia. The race ran over a shortened course, under the title of Gran Premio Bescia delle Mille Miglia. Brudes was paired with Ralph Röese in a BMW 328 spider, finished third.<ref name="conceptcarz.com"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Post-war career

With the outbreak, naturally racing stopped. Once the war ended, Brudes' situation was much changed and by 1945, he had lost everything. His family were forced to move to Sedlitz, a small town in east of Germany where his brothers lived. After numerous odd jobs, he moved to Berlin looking for work. He found work at the BMW dealer in Halensee, when he was introduced to an American officer who was interested in racing, Alexander Orley. Brudes was employed to prepared BMW coupés for Orley to race.<ref name="conceptcarz.com"/><ref name="autosport.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

When Brudes resuming his own racing career, it was driving one of Orley's BMW Orley Speciale, based upon the Vertias-Meteor. It was in this car, he took part in his only World Championship Grand Prix, 1952 Großer Preis von Deutschland. His race latest only 5 laps behind him retired with engine problems.<ref name="conceptcarz.com"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A few years earlier, he received an invitation from August Momberger to drive the new Borgward sports cars, in a number of record attempts. In October 1953, in a very streamlined 1500cc sports car with lightweight twin tube chassis, he set a number of speed and endurance records at L'autodrome de Linas-Monthlhéry.<ref name="autosport.com"/> During the season of 1953, he was finally given a contract by Borgward and became an official works driver. When the team took their steps into international motorsport, Brudes was amongst the squad of drivers. Their first event was the 24 Heures du Mans, with a trio of Borgward-Hansa 1500 Rennsport Coupés. Brudes's car would run out of fuel just after three hours of racing.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He would continue to race until 1968, when he made his last competitive appearance on the Taunus Hillclimb, where in an Alfa Romeo Giulia, he finished third in class.

Racing record

Career highlights

Season	Series	Position	Team	Car
1928	Lückendorf Hillclimb <ref name="autosport.com"/>	1st		BMW Motorrad
1929	Grand Prix Polski <ref name="autosport.com"/>	1st		BMW Motorrad
1930	Isergebirgsrennen Hillclimb <ref name="autosport.com"/>	1st		Bugatti Type 37A
	Riesengebrige Hillclimb <ref name="autosport.com"/>	1st		Bugatti Type 37A
	ADAC Eifelrennen<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	3rd	A. Brudes	Bugatti Type 37A
1931	Isergebirgsrennen Hillclimb <ref name="autosport.com"/>	1st		Bugatti Type 37A
1935	Hochwaldstrasse (Bad Salxbrunn) <ref name="autosport.com"/>	1st		Bugatti Type 35B
1937	Riesengebrige Hillclimb <ref name="autosport.com"/>	1st		BMW 328
	Hohensyburger Hillclimb <ref name="autosport.com"/>	1st		BMW 328
	Großer Bergpreis v. Deutchsland Schauinsland <ref name="autosport.com"/>	2nd		BMW 328
1940	Gran Premio Bescia delle Mille Miglia <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	3rd	BMW Werke	BMW 328 spider
1949	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1st	SAG Awtowelo, Werk BMW Eisenach	BMW Intertyp
1953	Internationales ADAC-Eifel-Rennen Nürburgring [S1.5] <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2nd	Borgward	Borgward Hansa 1500 RS
	Internationales ADAC-1000 km Rennen Weltmeisterschaftslauf Nürburgring <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	3rd	Borgward GmbH	Borgward Hansa 1500 RS

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	WDC	Points
1952	Adolf Brudes	Veritas RS	BMW Straight-6	SUI	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER Template:Small	NED	ITA	NC	0

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
1953	Template:Flagicon Borgward GmbH	Template:Flagicon Hans-Hugo Hartmann	Borgward Hansa 1500 RS	S1.5	29	DNF Out of fuel

Complete Mille Miglia results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
1940	Template:Flagicon BMW Werke	Template:Flagicon Ralph Röese	BMW 328 spider	2.0	3rd	2nd

Complete 24 Hours of Spa results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
1938	Template:Flagicon BMW Werke	Template:Flagicon Paul Heinemann	BMW 328	2.0	180	4th	2nd

Complete Carrera Panamericana results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
1953	Template:Flagicon Adolf Brudes		Borgward Hansa 1500 RS	S1.6	DNF Accident
1954	Template:Flagicon Carl Borgward	Template:Flagicon Erick Bock	Borgward Isabella	TE1.9	74th	6th

External links

• Adolf Brudes World Championship Career at ESPN F1