Killed in the Italian Grand Prix whilst on the verge of the World Championship title. German nobleman, a gentleman of the old school and incredibly popular, he was particulary good in sportscars. von Trips started racing in 1951 in motorcycles before moving into sportscar racing. He initially raced for Mercedes before moving to Porsche in 1956, where he took class wins at Sebring, the Nurburgring 1000kms and the Le Mans 24 Hours. This earnt him a drive with Ferrari which he kept until his death. As well as his two Grand Prix wins, von Trips also won the 1961 Targa Florio in a season that, barring the tragic end, was an incredibly successful season for the German.

Biography last updated 6 Mar 2016