Helmut Koinigg

Template:Short description {{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters | check | ignoreblank = y | unknown = Template:Main other | preview = Page using Template:Infobox F1 driver with unknown parameter "_VALUE_" | embed | child | subbox | name | Name | image | Image | image_size | upright | image_upright | alt | caption | birth_name | birth_date | birth_place | death_date | death_place | relations | relatives | nationality | Nationality | years | Years | teams | Teams | Team(s) | team | Team | engines | Engines | current_team | current team | Current team | 2025 Team | 2026 Team | car_number | car number | Car number | races | Races | championships | Championships | wins | Wins | podiums | Podiums | points | Points | poles | Poles | fastest_laps | fastest laps | Fastest laps | first_race | first race | First race | first_win | first win | First win | last_win | last win | Last win | last_race | last race | Last race | last_position | last position | Last position | last_season | last season | Last season | bf1_years | bf1 years | BF1 Years | bf1_races | bf1 races | BF1 Races | bf1_championships | bf1 championships | BF1 Championships | bf1_wins | bf1 wins | BF1 Wins | bf1_podiums | bf1 podiums | BF1 Podiums | bf1_points | bf1 points | BF1 Points | bf1_poles | bf1 poles | BF1 Poles | bf1_fastest_laps | bf1 fastest laps | BF1 Fastest laps | signature | signature_size | signature alt | signature_alt | website | module | module1 | module2 | module3 | module4 | module5 | record template1 | record template2 | record template3 | record template4 | record template5 | career template1 | career template2 | career template3 | career template4 | career template5 | updated | Updated }} Helmut Koinigg (3 November 1948 – 6 October 1974) was an Austrian racing driver who died in a crash in the 1974 United States Grand Prix, in his second Grand Prix start.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Racing career

Koinigg was born in Vienna. Like several other Formula One drivers, Koinigg's first racing car was a Mini Cooper, which he had purchased from Niki Lauda. He raced in touring cars, Formula Vee and Formula Ford before a period in sports car racing. He subsequently found the finance to buy a seat with Scuderia Finotto driving their Brabham at his home Grand Prix in 1974, and although he failed to qualify, this led to a contract with Surtees for the last two races of the season.

After a good showing at the 1974 Canadian Grand Prix, Koinigg was beginning to establish himself as a good prospect for 1975. But running near the back in the US Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, Koinigg's car suffered a suspension failure at turn 7, pitching it head-on into the Armco barrier. The speed at which Koinigg crashed was relatively low, and was likely to have escaped the accident uninjured. However, as with a number of other circuits at that time, the Armco was insecurely installed and the bottom portion of it buckled as the vehicle struck it. The car passed underneath the top portion, which remained intact. Koinigg was decapitated on impact. He was 25 years old. Koinigg's accident was reminiscent of the death of Formula One driver François Cevert on the other side of the circuit in turns 2-4 the previous year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Complete Formula One results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	WDC	Points
1974	Scuderia Finotto	Brabham BT42	Cosworth V8	ARG	BRA	RSA	ESP	BEL	MON	SWE	NED	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT Template:Small	ITA			NC	0
	Team Surtees	Surtees TS16															CAN Template:Small	USA Template:Small
Template:Small {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
1973	Template:Flagicon Ford Motorenwerke Deutschland	Template:Flagicon Gerry Birrell Template:Flagicon Jean Vinatier	Ford Capri LV	TS 3.0	152	DNF	DNF
1974	Template:Flagicon Martini Racing Porsche System	Template:Flagicon Manfred Schurti	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR Turbo	S 3.0	87	DNF	DNF

Notes

1. ^{{#if:| }} Sources including oldracingcars.com and grandprix.com spell this person's first name as "Helmut", other sources including formula1.com, driverdb.com and motorsportmagazine.com spell it as "Helmuth".

External links

• Koinigg's profile at www.grandprix.com

Template:Austria-sport-bio-stub Template:Europe-autoracing-bio-stub Template:F1-bio-stub