Toto Wolff: "I got an offer to race in F1"

  • Published on 10 Jan 2017 11:50
  • comments 6
  • By: Fergal Walsh

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has revealed that he was offered an F1 seat after he won the Nurburgring 24-hour race in 1994. "After I won the Nurburgring 24-hour race in 1994 I got an offer to race in Formula 1," Wolff told F1i.

"At the time, one of my sponsors also happened to support Karl Wendlinger in F1, and when Karl was seriously injured in Monaco, that asked me if I would be interested in taking over his sport at Sauber."

"I was already fully aware however that I would not be successful in F1, and I was also a bit too tall and a bit too heavy! The odds were against me enjoying a good career in F1, or even elsewhere as a racing driver. I told them it would be a waste of money. That's when I decided not to pursue my dream of becoming a professional race driver. It was in May 1994."

He won in his category, that's why. There a large number of divisions based on engine displacements, narrow range of specs, etc. Quite a lot of variety.

  • 1
  • Jan 10 2017 - 14:04

Replies (6)

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  • I had no idea Wolff had raced in 24h races. Pretty cool.

    • + 0
    • Jan 10 2017 - 12:34
  • bremgarten

    Posts: 38

    Wolff says, "...I won the Nurburgring 24-hour race in 1994."

    There is something strange here because the winners of the 24 hours of the Nurburgring of that year are listed as, Wlazic, Katthöfer and Rosterg - driving a BMW M3.

    • + 0
    • Jan 10 2017 - 13:20
    • He won in his category, that's why. There a large number of divisions based on engine displacements, narrow range of specs, etc. Quite a lot of variety.

      • + 1
      • Jan 10 2017 - 14:04
    • Wolfgang

      Posts: 313

      Wolff won his class there. He didn´t win the overall 24h race.

      • + 0
      • Jan 10 2017 - 14:08
  • bremgarten

    Posts: 38

    To WOLFGANG & MCLARENFAN

    Thanks for clearing that on up.

    • + 1
    • Jan 10 2017 - 22:07

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