Wolfgang von Trips

Wolfgang von Trips
Von Trips at the 1957 Argentine Grand Prix
Born	Wolfgang Alexander Albert Eduard Maximilian Reichsgraf Berghe von Trips (1928-05-04)4 May 1928 Cologne, Rhineland, Prussia, Weimar Republic
Died	10 September 1961(1961-09-10) (aged 33) Monza, Italy
Cause of death	Injuries sustained at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	West German
Active years	1956–1961
Teams	Ferrari, Porsche, Scuderia Centro Sud
Entries	29 (27 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	2
Podiums	6
Career points	56
Pole positions	1
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1956 German Grand Prix
First win	1961 Dutch Grand Prix
Last win	1961 British Grand Prix
Last entry	1961 Italian Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years	1956, 1958–1961
Teams	Porsche, Ferrari
Best finish	5th (1956)
Class wins	1 (1956)

Wolfgang Alexander Albert Eduard Maximilian Reichsgraf Berghe von Trips (German pronunciation: [ˈvɔlfɡaŋ fɔn tʁɪps] ^ⓘ; 4 May 1928 – 10 September 1961), also known as Wolfgang Graf Berghe von Trips,^[a] was a German racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1956 to 1961. Nicknamed "Taffy",^[b] von Trips was posthumously runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1961 with Ferrari, and won two Grands Prix across six seasons.

Born in Cologne and raised in Kerpen, von Trips was born into a noble Rhineland family as an aristocrat and count of the Free State of Prussia. After struggling with agriculture, von Trips moved into motor racing. He made his Formula One debut at the 1956 Italian Grand Prix with Ferrari, failing to qualify. Von Trips made further appearances for Ferrari in 1957 at the Argentine, Monaco and Italian Grands Prix, scoring his maiden podium at the latter. He made regular appearances with the team in 1958, taking another podium at the French Grand Prix. Von Trips made two appearances for Porsche in 1959 before returning to Ferrari at the season-ending United States Grand Prix, with whom he scored regular points finishes throughout his 1960 campaign, finishing seventh in the championship.

Whilst leading the 1961 World Drivers' Championship, having taken his maiden victories at the Dutch and British Grands Prix, von Trips died as a result of an accident during the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. After a collision with Jim Clark, von Trips lost control of his Ferrari 156, fatally wounding himself and 15 spectators as his car went airborne. Ferrari withdrew from the remaining United States Grand Prix—having already won the World Constructors' Championship—with teammate Phil Hill taking the title by one point to von Trips.

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