Dieter Braun

Dieter Braun
Dieter Braun in 1975
NationalityGerman
Born (1943-02-02) 2 February 1943 (age 81)
Ulm, Germany
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years19681977
First race1968 125cc West German Grand Prix
Last race1976 350cc German Grand Prix
First win1969 125cc Yugoslavian Grand Prix
Last win1976 250cc Yugoslavian Grand Prix
Team(s)Suzuki, Yamaha
Championships125cc – 1970
250cc – 1973
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
112 14 49 0 9 904

Dieter Braun (born 2 February 1943) is a German former professional motorcycle road racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from 1968 to 1976. He won the 1970 FIM 125cc World Championship for Suzuki. In 1973, he rode a Yamaha TZ 250 to the 250 cc FIM world championship.[1]

Braun was born in Ulm, Bavaria. His victory at the 1970 Isle of Man TT was notable because he was one of only seven riders to have won an Isle of Man TT race in their first attempt.[2] Due to the circuit's 37.7 mile length, it usually takes competitors two or three attempts before they learn its nuances.

Braun (7) leads Cees van Dongen (29) and Kent Andersson (23) in the 1969 125cc Dutch TT

Braun is also known for an incident that occurred immediately after he won the East German Grand Prix in the 1971 season. As the West German national anthem was being played during the winner's ceremony, the East German crowd began singing the words to the anthem. The East German government reacted by making the following year's East German Grand Prix an invitation only race, and in 1973, the race was stricken from the Grand Prix calendar.[3]

He also raced in cars, entering five races with Team Warsteiner Eurorace in the 1975 European Formula Two Championship (effectively starting the race on four of that occasions).

Braun's career ended after a serious accident at the 1977 350cc Austrian Grand Prix at the Salzburgring.[4]

  1. ^ Dieter Braun career statistics at Archived 15 April 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Motogp.com. Retrieved on 25 December 2013.
  2. ^ Procter, Guy (2015), "Bitesize", Classic Bike, Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, ISSN 0142-890X
  3. ^ 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix (1st edition). Hazelton Publishing Ltd, 1999. ISBN 1-874557-83-7
  4. ^ Yamaha Classic Racing Team commit to TT Centenary celebrations. Isle of Man TT.com News (20 March 2007). Retrieved on 25 December 2013.