🇩🇪 Rolf Stommelen

Rolf Stommelen was an established professional who raced Formula 1 as a solo driver across eight seasons from 1970 to 1978, competing in a single-class international championship that mixed amateur and professional entrants. He drove primarily for Brabham, one of the grid's established teams whose roster included the elite professional Nelson Piquet.[1]

Stommelen started 54 times in Formula 1 and finished outside the points in all but one race, a podium finish that stands as his sole top-three result in the series. His final season was 1978, when he finished 17th in the championship standings across the rounds run that year. Throughout his Formula 1 career he raced regularly against Ronnie Peterson, an established professional with whom he was closely matched, and Emerson Fittipaldi, a two-time Formula 1 champion whom Stommelen usually finished behind. He beat the three-time champion Jackie Stewart once and the elite professional Carlos Reutemann twice in head-to-head meetings.[2]

Beyond his indexed Formula 1 record, Stommelen's endurance racing credentials included four victories at the 24 Hours of Daytona driving Porsches, achievements that established him as a significant competitor in sportscar racing alongside his single-seater career.