Harald Ertl

Ertl was a journalist/racer who competed in Formula Vee, Super Vee and F3 in Germany in the early seventies before moving on to the European touring car series, with victory in the 1973 Tourist Trophy with Derek Bell in a BMW the highlight.

He raised the finance to race in Formula 1 on and off for Hesketh between 1975 and 1977 and Ensign in 1978 but was never quite able to make the points - although he was desperately unlucky to lose sixth place at Hockenheim in 1978 when his engine failed - and was rarely more than a midfield runner in F2 during the same period. He had one more GP drive for ATS in 1980, but by then he was established as a leading light in the German G5 championship in BMW and Ford Capri turbos. A charming and popular figure around the circuits, Harald was killed in a light aeroplane crash in 1982 in which his wife and son were seriously injured.