Walt Hansgen is a racing driver from United States who last raced in Formula 1 for Lotus-Climax. Hansgen has recorded 0 wins and 0 podiums from 4 starts.[1]
A Racer Rating of 5,099 ranks Hansgen 1046th of 40,105 indexed drivers, on an Elo scale where the strongest reach the high 8,000s. It is built from every indexed race in the driver's file, decayed for time since their last race.
| 1964-10-04 | Watkins Glen International | P5 | +130 |
| Rating won | Race | Series | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| +130 | Watkins Glen International 1964 | Formula 1 | P5 |
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Podiums | DNFs | Poles | Points | Pos | Gain/Loss | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | ▸Formula 1 | Lotus-Climax | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | P12 | +130 | 5,099 |
| 1963 | ▸Formula 1 | Team Lotus | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | P13 | −181 | 4,995 |
| 1961 | ▸Formula 1 | Cooper-Climax | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | P12 | +3,789 | 5,139 |
| Rival | Rating | Raced | Ahead | Behind | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇬🇧 Jim Clark | 6,518 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25% |
| 🇦🇺 Jack Brabham | 6,163 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25% |
| 🇳🇿 Bruce McLaren | 6,143 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25% |
| 🇬🇧 Graham Hill | 6,130 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| 🇬🇧 John Surtees | 5,958 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25% |
| 🇺🇸 Dan Gurney | 5,945 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25% |
| 🇺🇸 Hap Sharp | 5,933 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25% |
| 🇬🇧 Innes Ireland | 5,823 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 75% |
| 🇸🇪 Jo Bonnier | 5,614 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25% |
| 🇺🇸 Richie Ginther | 6,413 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| 🇮🇹 Lorenzo BandiniHigher-rated | 6,318 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 33% |
| # | Driver | Series | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,036 | 🇧🇪 David Saelens | International Formula 3000 | 5,103 |
| 1,037 | 🇫🇷 Romain Dumas | WEC | 5,103 |
| 1,038 | 🇺🇸 Daniel Dye | ARCA Menards Series | 5,102 |
| 1,039 | 🇮🇹 Gino Munaron | Formula 1 | 5,102 |
| 1,040 | 🇦🇺 Joey Mawson | S5000 | 5,102 |
| 1,041 | 🇺🇸 Jordan Taylor | IMSA WeatherTech | 5,102 |
| 1,042 | 🇺🇸 Daniel Hemric | NASCAR Truck | 5,101 |
| 1,043 | 🇬🇧 Martin Donnelly | BTCC | 5,101 |
| 1,044 | 🇬🇧 Mark Shaw | International Formula 3000 | 5,100 |
| 1,045 | 🇯🇵 Björn Wirdheim | Super GT | 5,099 |
| 1,046 | 🇺🇸 Walt Hansgen | Formula 1 | 5,099 |
| 1,047 | 🇺🇸 Buddy Lazier | IndyCar | 5,098 |
| 1,048 | 🇬🇧 Jamie Davies | FIA GT Championship | 5,098 |
| 1,049 | 🇺🇸 John Pew | IMSA WeatherTech | 5,098 |
| 1,050 | 🇬🇧 David Hunt | International Formula 3000 | 5,096 |
| 1,051 | 🇵🇱 Tymek Kucharczyk | Indy NXT | 5,096 |
| 1,052 | 🇷🇺 Artem Markelov | Formula 2 | 5,095 |
| 1,053 | 🇺🇸 Matthew Brabham | Trans-Am | 5,095 |
| 1,054 | 🇯🇵 Hiroki Yoshida | Super GT | 5,094 |
| 1,055 | 🇬🇧 Richard Dean | FIA GT Championship | 5,092 |
| 1,056 | 🇺🇸 Ty Dillon | NASCAR Cup Series | 5,092 |
Walt Hansgen was an established professional who competed primarily as a road racing driver before entering Formula 1 late in his career. His rating of 6,019 places him among elite professionals; drivers at this level win races in the strongest fields and typically hold full-time seats at the top. Hansgen's four Formula 1 starts between 1961 and 1964 came for Lotus-Climax, a team that fielded world-class talent including Stirling Moss. Though he did not score a podium finish in the championship, he demonstrated competence against the front-running drivers of the era. He finished ahead of Jim Clark, the two-time Formula 1 champion, on one occasion; he also beat Mike Hailwood and Trevor Taylor, both established professionals of considerable standing.[1]
Hansgen's average finishing position of fifth across his classified starts reflects consistency against a field that included some of the strongest drivers of the early 1960s. His approach to racing spanned multiple disciplines, with his road racing background providing the foundation for his move into Grand Prix competition at age 41. The brevity of his Formula 1 campaign and his lack of podium finishes do not diminish the calibre of competition he encountered; racing at the top level against champions and multiple-time winners positions him squarely in the elite professional band regardless.[2]