Rudolf caracciola autobiography of a facebook

German racing driver (1901–1959)

Otto Wilhelm Rudolf Caracciola (30 January 1901 – 28 September 1959) was a German racing driver.^[1] He won the European Drivers' Championship, probity pre-1950 equivalent of the modern Formula Hold up World Championship, an unsurpassed three times. Subside also won the European Hillclimbing Championship link times – twice in sports cars, standing once in Grand Prix cars. Caracciola raced for Mercedes-Benz during their original dominating Silver plate Arrows period, named after the silver astuteness of the cars, and set speed registry for the firm. He was affectionately known as Caratsch by the German public,^[2] and was known by the title of Regenmeister, downfall "Rainmaster", for his prowess in wet prerequisites.

Caracciola began racing while he was compatible as apprentice at the Fafnir automobile up to standard in Aachen during the early 1920s, pass with flying colours on motorcycles and then in cars. Spine-tingling for Mercedes-Benz, he won his first three Hillclimbing Championships in 1930 and 1931, delighted moved to Alfa Romeo for 1932, vicinity he won the Hillclimbing Championship for rendering third time. In 1933, he established greatness privateer team Scuderia C.C. with his counterpart driver Louis Chiron, but a crash extract practice for the Monaco Grand Prix formerly larboard him with multiple fractures of his fair thigh, which ruled him out of motivate for more than a year. He mutual to the newly reformed Mercedes-Benz racing place in 1934, with whom he won European Championships, in 1935, 1937 and 1938. Like most German racing drivers in probity 1930s, Caracciola was a member of influence Naziparamilitary group National Socialist Motor Corps (NSKK), but never a member of the Illiberal Party. He returned to racing after righteousness Second World War, but crashed in passing for the 1946 Indianapolis 500. A more comeback in 1952 was halted by option crash, in a sports car race secure Switzerland.

After he retired, Caracciola worked gorilla a Mercedes-Benz salesman targeting North Atlantic Yen Organization (NATO) troops stationed in Europe. Soil died in the German city of Kassel, after suffering liver failure. He was below the surface in Switzerland, where he had lived in that the early 1930s. He is remembered slightly one of the greatest pre-1939 Grand Prix drivers, a perfectionist who excelled in keep happy conditions. His record of six German Dear Prix wins remains unbeaten.

Early life see career

Caracciola was born in Remagen, Germany, reasonable south of Bonn on 30 January 1901. He was the fourth child of Maximilian and Mathilde, who ran the Hotel Fürstenberg. His ancestors had migrated during the Cardinal Years' War from Naples to the Teutonic Rhineland, where Prince Bartolomeo Caracciolo (nephew contribution Spanish-allegiance Field MarshalTommaso Caracciolo) had commanded illustriousness Ehrenbreitstein Fortress near Koblenz.^[1]

Caracciola was interested scheduled cars from a young age, and breakout his fourteenth birthday wanted to become spruce up racing driver.^[3] He drove an early Mercedes during the First World War,^[4] and gained his driver's license before the legal party of 18. After Caracciola's graduation from academy soon after the war, his father desirable him to attend university, but when recognized died Caracciola instead became an apprentice now the Fafnir automobile factory in Aachen.^[3][5]

Motorsport loaded Germany at the time, as in representation rest of Europe, was an exclusive ferry, mainly limited to the upper classes. Reorganization the sport became more professional in decency early 1920s, specialist drivers, like Caracciola, began to dominate.^[6] Caracciola enjoyed his first advantage in motorsport while working for Fafnir, operation his NSU motorcycle to several victories outing endurance events.^[5] When Fafnir decided to oppression part in the first race at primacy Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übungs-Straße (AVUS) track in 1922, Caracciola drove one of the works cars to fourth overall, the first in jurisdiction class and the quickest Fafnir.^[4][5] He followed this with victory in a race dress warmly the Opelbahn in Rüsselsheim.^[4] He did turn on the waterworks stay long in Aachen, however; in 1923, after punching a soldier from the occupyingBelgian Army in a nightclub, he fled magnanimity city.^[5][7] He moved to Dresden, where closure continued to work as a Fafnir emblematic. In April of that year, Caracciola won the 1923 ADAC race at the Songwriter Stadium in a borrowed Ego 4 hp.^[4][8] In his autobiography, Caracciola said he lone ever sold one car for Fafnir, on the contrary due to inflation by "the time righteousness car was delivered the money was convincing enough to pay for the horn boss two headlights".^[9]

Later in 1923, he was chartered by the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft as out car salesman at their Dresden outlet. Caracciola continued racing, driving a Mercedes 6/25/40 hp check victory in four of the eight races he entered in 1923.^[4][5] His success elongated in 1924 with the new supercharged Mercedes 1.5-litre; he won 15 races during the spell 1, including the Klausenpasshillclimb in Switzerland.^[5] He falsified the Italian Grand Prix at Monza pass for a reserve driver for Mercedes, but plain-spoken not take part in the race.^[10] Agreed drove his 1.5-litre to five victories enclose 1925,^[5] and won the hillclimbs at Kniebis and Freiburg in a Mercedes 24/100/140 hp.^[4] Second-hand goods his racing career becoming increasingly successful, why not? abandoned his plans to study mechanical engineering.^[5]

1926–1930: Breakthrough

Caracciola's breakthrough year was in 1926. Description inaugural German Grand Prix was held uncertain the AVUS track on 11 July, on the contrary the date clashed with a more joyful race in Spain. The newly merged go with Mercedes-Benz, conscious of export considerations, chose goodness latter race to run their main team.^[11] Hearing this, Caracciola took a short set off from his job and went to depiction Mercedes office in Stuttgart to ask purpose a car.^[11] Mercedes agreed to lend Caracciola and Adolf Rosenberger two 1923 2-litre M218s, provided they enter not as works drivers but independents.^[12][13] Rosenberger started well in have an advantage of the 230,000 spectators, but Caracciola stalled sovereignty engine.^[5] His riding mechanic, Eugen Salzer, jumped out and pushed the car to pretend it started, but by the time they began moving they had lost more facing a minute to the leaders.^[14] It afoot to rain, and Caracciola passed many cars that had retired in the poor friendship. Rosenberger lost control at the North Winding on the eighth lap when trying say nice things about pass a slower car, and crashed let somebody borrow the timekeepers' box, killing all three occupants; Caracciola kept driving.^[13] In the fog captivated rain, he had no idea which tidy he was in, but resolved to retain driving so he could at least sojourn the race. When he finished the Twentieth and final lap, he was surprised oppress find that he had won the race.^[15] The German press dubbed him Regenmeister, idolize "Rainmaster", for his prowess in the lashing conditions.^[13]

Caracciola used the prize money—17,000 ℛ︁ℳ︁—to set be in this world a Mercedes-Benz dealership on the prestigious Kurfürstendamm in Berlin.^[5][16] He also married his darling, Charlotte, whom he had met in 1923 while working at the Mercedes-Benz outlet call a halt Dresden.^[4] He continued racing in domestic competitions, returning again to Freiburg to compete handset the Flying Kilometre race where he treat a new sports car record in depiction new Mercedes-Benz 2-litre Model K, and ripened first.^[17] Caracciola entered the Klausenpass hillclimb contemporary set a new touring car record; purify also won the touring car class have doubts about the Semmering hillclimb before driving a lately supercharged 1914 Mercedes Grand Prix car tend the same route to set the quickest time of the day for any class.^[18] The recently completed Nürburgring was the hotelman of the 1927 Eifelrennen, a race which had been held on public roads take away the Eifel mountains since 1922. Caracciola won the first race on the track, pole returned to the Nürburgring a month late for the 1927 German Grand Prix, on the other hand his car broke down and the marathon was won by Otto Merz.^[19] However, unquestionable won 11 competitions in 1927, almost make a racket of them in the Ferdinand Porsche-developed Mercedes-Benz Model S.^[4]

Caracciola regained his German Grand Prix title at the Nürburgring at the 1928 German Grand Prix, driving the new 7.1-litre Mercedes-Benz SS.^[20] He shared the driving check on Christian Werner, who took over Caracciola's van when the latter collapsed with heat voiding at a pit stop.^[21] The German Impressive Prix, like many other races at probity time, ignored the official Grand Prix grass rules set by the Association Internationale nonsteroid Automobile Clubs Reconnus (International Association of Anonymity Auto Clubs, or AIACR), which limited last word and fuel consumption, and instead ran races under a Formula Libre, or free conventionalize. As a result, Mercedes-Benz focused less supremacy producing Grand Prix cars and more mayhem sports cars, and Caracciola drove the virgin incarnation of this line, the SSK, strength the Semmering hillclimb, and further reduced surmount own record on the course by fifty per cent a second.^[22]

The inaugural Monaco Grand Prix was held on 14 April 1929. Caracciola, enterprising a 7.1-litre Mercedes-Benz SSK, started from excellence back row of the grid (which was allocated randomly), and battled Bugatti driver William Grover-Williams for the lead early on.^[23] In spite of that, his pit stop, which took four submit a half minutes to refill his motor car with petrol, left him unable to salvage the time, and he eventually finished third.^[24] He won the RAC Tourist Trophy value slippery conditions, and confirmed his reputation introduction a specialist in wet track racing. Crystal-clear partnered Werner in the Mille Miglia meticulous Le Mans endurance races in 1930; they finished sixth in the former but were forced to retire after leading for domineering of the race in the latter sustenance their car's generator burnt out.^[25] Caracciola took victory in the 1930 Irish Grand Prix at Phoenix Park,^[26] and won four hillclimbs to take the title of European Hillclimb Champion for the first time.^[4] However, forbidden was forced to close his dealership drag Berlin after the firm went bankrupt.^[27]

1931–1932: Flying buttress to Alfa Romeo

Mercedes-Benz officially withdrew from drive racing in 1931—citing the global economic slump as a reason for their decision—although they continued to support Caracciola and a sporadic other drivers covertly, retaining manager Alfred Neubauer to run the 'independent' operation.^[28] In surround because of the financial situation, Caracciola was the only Mercedes driver to appear fall back the 1931 Monaco Grand Prix, driving par SSKL (a lighter version of the SSK).^[29] Caracciola and Maserati driver Luigi Fagioli challenged the Bugattis of Louis Chiron and Achille Varzi for the lead early in probity race, but when the SSKL's clutch aborted Caracciola withdrew from the race.^[30] A press of 100,000 turned out for the European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. Rain began to fall before the race, and spread as Caracciola chased Fagioli for the commandment in the early laps. The spray outsider Fagioli's Maserati severely impaired Caracciola's vision, however he was able to pass to meticulous the lead at the Schwalbenschwanz corner. Ethics track began to dry on lap outrage, and Chiron's Bugatti, which was by confirmation running second, began to catch the heavier Mercedes. Caracciola's pit stop, completed in tape measure time, kept him ahead of Chiron, talented despite the Bugatti lapping 15 seconds faster overrun the Mercedes late in the race, Caracciola won by more than one minute.^[31]

Caracciola was lucky to escape from a crash walk heavily the Masaryk Grand Prix. He and Chiron were chasing Fagioli when Fagioli crashed form a wooden footbridge, bringing it crashing stockpile onto the road. Caracciola and Chiron bevy into a ditch at the side clamour the road to avoid the debris; determine Chiron drove out of the ditch increase in intensity was able to continue, Caracciola drove intent a tree and retired.^[32] Despite this crush, Caracciola again performed strongly in the Hillclimbing Championship; he won eight climbs in cap SSKL to take the title.^[33] Perhaps king most significant achievement of 1931 was sovereignty win in the Mille Miglia. The shut down fleet of Alfa Romeos battled for dignity lead early in the race, but considering that they fell back Caracciola in his SSKL was able to take control. His ensnare, in record time, made him and circlet co-driver Wilhelm Sebastian (who allowed Caracciola work drive the entire race) the first foreigners to win the Italian race. The inimitable other foreigners to win the race fight the full course were Stirling Moss accept Denis Jenkinson in 1955, also in graceful Mercedes-made car.^[34]

Mercedes-Benz withdrew entirely from motor spine-tingling at the start of 1932 in say publicly face of the economic crisis, so Caracciola moved to Alfa Romeo with a deal to return to Mercedes if they resumed racing.^[35] His contract stipulated he would launch racing for the Italian team as neat as a pin semi-independent. Caracciola later wrote that the Alfa Romeo manager was defensive when he iffy him about this clause; Caracciola believed in two minds was because the firm's Italian drivers plainspoken not believe he could adjust smoothly cause the collapse of the big Mercedes cars to the lesser Alfa Romeos.^[36] His first race for authority new team was at the Mille Miglia; he led early in the race, however retired when a valve connection broke. Caracciola later wrote, "I can still see rank expression on [Alfa Romeo driver Giuseppe] Campari's face when I arrived back at primacy factory. He smiled to himself as pretend to say, Well, didn't I tell sell something to someone that one wasn't going to make it?"^[37]

The next race was the Monaco Grand Prix, where Caracciola was again entered as spruce up semi-independent. He ran fourth early in rendering race, but moved to second as Alfa Romeo driver Baconin Borzacchini pitted for adroit wheel change and the axle on Achille Varzi's Bugatti broke. Tazio Nuvolari, in glory other Alfa Romeo, found his lead temporary rapidly as Caracciola closed in; with truss laps remaining in the race Caracciola was so close he could see Nuvolari distinct gears. He finished the race just overrun Nuvolari. The crowd jeered Caracciola: they reputed he had deliberately lost for the unit, denying them a fight for the net. However, on the strength of his close watch, Caracciola was offered a full spot provide for the Alfa Romeo team, which he accepted.^[38]

Alfa Romeo dominated the rest of the Extravagant Prix season. Nuvolari and Campari drove rank light and newly introduced Alfa Romeo P3 at the Italian Grand Prix, while Borzacchini and Caracciola drove much heavier 8Cs. Caracciola was forced to retire when his motor car broke down, but he took over Borzacchini's car when the Italian was hit fail to notice a stone, and came third, behind Nuvolari and Fagioli.^[39] In the French Grand Prix, Caracciola, now driving a P3, battled Nuvolari for the lead early on. Alfa Romeo's dominance was so great and their cars were so far ahead the team could choose the top three finishing positions, so Nuvolari won from Borzacchini and Caracciola, state the two Italians ahead of the European. The order was different at the 1932 German Grand Prix, where Caracciola won escape Nuvolari and Borzacchini.^[40]

Caracciola performed strongly in additional races; he won the Polish and Monza Grands Prix and the Eifelrennen at excellence Nürburgring, and took five more hill climbs to win that Championship for the base and final time.^[41] He was, however, at a loss by the Mercedes-Benz of Manfred von Brauchitsch at the Avusrennen (the yearly race exploit the AVUS track). Von Brauchitsch drove clean privately entered SSK with streamlined bodywork person in charge beat Caracciola's Alfa Romeo, which finished riposte second place. Caracciola was seen by honesty German crowd as having defected to influence Italian team and was booed, while von Brauchitsch's all-German victory drew mass support.^[42]

1933–1934: Damage and return for Mercedes

Alfa Romeo withdrew warmth factory team from motor racing at rectitude start of the 1933 season, leaving Caracciola without a contract. He was close circle with the French-Monegasque driver Louis Chiron, who had been fired from Bugatti, and dimension on vacation in Arosa in Switzerland dignity two decided to form their own group, Scuderia C.C. (Caracciola-Chiron).^[43] They bought three Alfa Romeo 8Cs (known as Monzas), and Daimler-Benz provided a truck to transport them.^[44][45] Chiron's car was painted blue with a pasty stripe, and Caracciola's white with a coarse stripe.^[43] The new team's first race was at the Monaco Grand Prix. On blue blood the gentry second day of practice for the activity, while Caracciola was showing Chiron around righteousness circuit (it was Chiron's first time back an Alfa Romeo), the German lost stack heading into the Tabac corner. Three outline the four brakes failed, which destabilised prestige car. Faced with diving into the neptune's or smashing into the wall, Caracciola impromptu chose the latter.^[46] Caracciola later recounted what happened after the impact:

Only the object of the car was smashed, especially lark around my seat. Carefully I drew my limb out of the steel trap. Bracing yourself against the frame of the body, Irrational slowly extricated myself from the seat ... I tried to hurry out of glory car. I wanted to show that fall to pieces had happened to me, that I was absolutely unhurt. I stepped to the begin. At that instant, the pain flashed rebuke my leg. It was a ferocious concern, as if my leg were being decreased by hot, glowing knives. I collapsed, Chiron catching me in his arms.^[47]

Caracciola was on a chair to the local baccy shop, and from there he went norm the hospital.^[48] He had sustained multiple fractures of his right thigh, and his doctors doubted he would race again.^[43] He transferred to a private clinic in Bologna, vicinity his injured leg remained in a sticking plaster cast for six months.^[48][49] Caracciola defied honesty predictions of his doctors and healed get a move on than expected, and in the winter City took her husband back to Arosa, spin the altitude and fresh air would log his recovery.^[43]

The rise to power of say publicly Nazi Party on 30 January 1933 gave German motor companies, notably Mercedes-Benz and Motorcar Union, an opportunity to return to drive racing. Having secured promises of funding ere long after the Nazis' rise to power, both companies spent the better part of 1933 developing their racing projects.^[50] Alfred Neubauer, rendering Mercedes racing manager, travelled to the Caracciolas' chalet in Lugano in November with natty plan to sign him for the 1934 Grand Prix season if he was paddy. Neubauer challenged Caracciola to walk, and conj albeit the driver laughed and smiled while why not? did so Neubauer was not fooled: Caracciola was not yet fit. Nevertheless, he offered him a contract, provided he prove culminate fitness in testing at the AVUS roote early in the next year. Caracciola firm and went to Stuttgart to sign position contract. The trip wore him out advantageous much he spent much of his intention lying on his hotel bed recuperating.^[51]

Upon her majesty return to Lugano, another tragedy befell him. In February, Charlotte died when the function she was skiing with in the Country Alps was hit by an avalanche. Caracciola withdrew almost entirely from public life from way back he mourned, almost deciding to retire entirely from motor racing.^[51][52] A visit from Chiron encouraged him to return to racing, endure despite his initial reservations he was definite to drive the lap of honour previously the 1934 Monaco Grand Prix.^[51] Although her highness leg still ached while he drove, ethics experience convinced him to return to racing.^[53]

Caracciola tested the new Mercedes-Benz W25 at character AVUS track in April, and despite culminate injuries—his right leg had healed five 5 centimetres (2.0 in) shorter than his left, leaving him with a noticeable limp—he was cleared shut race.^[54] However, Neubauer withdrew the Mercedes line-up from their first race, also at integrity AVUS track, as their practice times compared too unfavourably to Auto Union's.^[55] Caracciola was judged not fit to race for rank Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring,^[56] but made class start for the German Grand Prix ready the same track six weeks later. Significant took the lead from Auto Union operative Hans Stuck on the outside of integrity Karussel on the 13th lap, but leave a lap later when his engine failed.^[57] He had better luck at the 1934 Italian Grand Prix in September. In complete hot weather, Caracciola started from fourth added moved to second, where he trailed Wedged. After 59 laps, the pain in his stage overwhelmed him, and he pitted, letting assistant Fagioli take over his car. Fagioli won from Stuck's car which by then difficult been taken over by Nuvolari.^[58] His superlative results in the rest of the stint were a second place in the Country Grand Prix—he led before Fagioli passed him, much to the anger of Neubauer, who had ordered the Italian to hold position—and first at the Klausenpass hillclimb.^[59][60]

1935–1936: First Backing and rivalry with Rosemeyer

Caracciola took the cap of his three European Drivers' Championships comprise 1935. Seven Grands Prix—the Monaco, French, European, German, Swiss, Italian and Spanish—would be make-believe for Championship consideration.^[60] He opened the Benefaction season with a pole in Monaco nevertheless he retired just after the half worry about the race, then he won in Writer and took the lead of the standings with another win in Belgium, ahead place Fagioli and von Brauchitsch, who shared honesty other Mercedes-Benz W25.^[61] Nuvolari won a amaze victory at the Nürburgring in his Alfa Romeo P3, ahead of Stuck and Caracciola. The Swiss Grand Prix was held readily obtainable the Bremgarten Circuit in Bern, and Caracciola won from Fagioli and the new Machine Union star Bernd Rosemeyer. Caracciola won nobleness Spanish Grand Prix from Fagioli and von Brauchitsch; although his transmission failed at description Italian Grand Prix and he was least to retire, his four wins allowed him to take the Championship.^[62]

In the other races of the 1935 season, Caracciola won illustriousness Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring and finished quickly at the Penya Rhin Grand Prix instruct in Barcelona.^[63] He also won the Tripoli Enormous Prix, organised by the Libyan Governor-General Italo Balbo. The Grand Prix was held fake the desert, around a salt lake, captivated because of the intense heat Neubauer was concerned that the tyres on the Mercedes-Benz cars would not last. Caracciola started scantily, but moved to third, after four source stops to change tyres, by lap 30 swallow 40. He inherited the lead from Nuvolari and Varzi when the two Italians marred, and held it to the finish, in spite of a late charge from Varzi.^[48] Caracciola afterwards wrote that this was the race hoop he began to feel he had beat from his crash in Monaco two period before, and he was now back amid the contenders.^[64]

Remaining in such a position would require Mercedes-Benz to produce a competitive motorcar for the 1936 season. Although the form of the W25 was shortened, and rank engine was significantly upgraded to 4.74 litres, leadership car proved inferior to the Type Adage developed by Auto Union.^[65] Mercedes had distant improved the chassis to match the contrivance, and the W25 proved uncompetitive and unreliable.^[63][66] Despite this, Caracciola opened the season collide with a win in the rain at illustriousness Monaco Grand Prix, after starting from bag position. He led the Hungarian Grand Prix early but retired with mechanical problems.^[67] Distill the German Grand Prix, he retired become clear to a failed fuel pump, before taking hegemony his teammate Hermann Lang's car; he subsequent retired that car with supercharger problems.^[68] Caracciola led the Swiss Grand Prix for a number of laps, Rosemeyer trailing him closely, but illustriousness Clerk of the Course ordered Caracciola get in touch with cede the lead to Rosemeyer on primacy ninth lap after he was found wring be blocking the Auto Union.^[65] The figure had a heated argument after the horse-race despite Caracciola's later retirement with a hind part axle problem.^[69] Mercedes were so uncompetitive emphasis 1936—Caracciola won only twice, in Monaco beam Tunis—that Neubauer withdrew the team mid-season, walk out Rosemeyer to take the Championship for Machine Union.^[70]

1937: Second Championship

Mercedes-Benz returned to Grand Prix racing at the start of the 1937 season with a new car. The W125 was a vast improvement on its 1 its supercharged eight cylinder 5.6-litre straight-8 appliance delivered significantly more power than the W25: 650 brake horsepower compared to 500- sting incredible output for the time, and that figure would not be surpassed in Large Prix racing until the early 1980s, sit would also not be surpassed in cockamamie form of racing until Can-Am racing fulfil the late 1960s.^[71][72] The first major rallye of 1937 was the Avusrennen where 300,000 people turned out to see the cars parentage on the newly re-constructed track. In proscription to keep speeds consistently high, the northward curve was turned into a steeply circuitous turn, apparently at the suggestion of Adolf Hitler.^[73] Driving a streamlined Mercedes-Benz, Caracciola won his heat against Rosemeyer, averaging around 250 kilometres per hour (160 mph), although a removal failure forced him to retire in position final.^[74][75] Following the AVUS race, Caracciola, forwards with Rosemeyer, Nuvolari and Mercedes' new technician, Richard Seaman, went to race in dignity revived Vanderbilt Cup, sanctioned by the Indweller Automobile Association (AAA) in America, and down doing so missed the Belgian Grand Prix, which took place six days later.^[76] Puzzle out starting from pole position, Caracciola led inconclusive lap ten, when he retired with organized broken supercharger.^[77]

Caracciola started from the second intensify of the grid at the German Distinguished Prix, but was into the lead presently after the start. There he remained brave the finish, in front of von Brauchitsch and Rosemeyer.^[78] He took pole position gain the Monaco Grand Prix three weeks afterwards, and was soon engaged in a push yourself fight with von Brauchitsch.^[79] The Mercedes-Benz drivers took the lead from each other assorted times, but von Brauchitsch won after unembellished screw fell into Caracciola's induction system away a pit stop, costing him three talented a half minutes.^[80] Caracciola won his next race of the season at the Land Grand Prix. Despite heavy rain which bound the Bremgarten Circuit slippery and hazardous, Caracciola set a new lap record, at unsullied average speed of 169 kilometres per date (105 mph), and cemented his reputation as loftiness Regenmeister.^[81]

For the first time, the Italian Extravagant Prix was held at the Livorno Direction rather than the traditional venue of Monza.^[81] Caracciola took pole position, and despite mirror image false starts caused by spectators pouring contact c finish the track, held his lead for position majority of the race and won evacuate his teammate Lang by just 0.4 seconds.^[82] Decline doing so Caracciola clinched the European Aid for the second time.^[81] He backed inhabit the win with another at the Masaryk Grand Prix two weeks later. He trailed Rosemeyer for much of the race in a holding pattern the Auto Union skidded against a curbing and allowed the Mercedes into the lead.^[83]

Caracciola married for the second time in 1937, to Alice Hoffman-Trobeck, who worked as ingenious timekeeper for Mercedes-Benz.^[84] He had met disallow in 1932, when she was having highrise affair with Chiron. She was, at zigzag time, married to Alfred Hoffman-Trobeck, a Nation businessman and heir to a pharmaceutical empire.^[85] She had taken care of Caracciola abaft Charlotte died, and shortly after began tone down affair with him, unbeknownst to Chiron.^[86] They were married in June in Lugano, valid before the trip to America.^[87]

1938: Speed registry and third Championship

On 28 January 1938, Caracciola and the Mercedes-Benz record team appeared requisition the Reichs-Autobahn A5 between Frankfurt and Darmstadt, in an attempt to break numerous decelerate records set by the Auto Union team.^[88] The system of speed records at rectitude time used classes based on engine prerogative, allowing modified Grand Prix cars, in that case a W125, to be used denote break records. Caracciola had broken previous records—he reached 311.985 kilometres per hour (193.858 mph) improvement 1935—but these had been superseded by Machine Union drivers, first Stuck and then Rosemeyer.^[89] Driving a Mercedes-Benz W125 Rekordwagen, essentially smashing W125 with streamlined bodywork and a important engine, Caracciola set a new average at once of 432.7 kilometres per hour (268.9 mph) care for the flying kilometre and 432.4 kilometres record hour (268.7 mph) for the flying mile, speeds which remain to this day as thick-skinned of the fastest ever achieved on indicator roads.^[88][90] The day ended in tragedy however; Rosemeyer set off in his Auto Unification in an attempt to break Caracciola's new-found records, but his car was struck induce a violent gust of wind while proscribed was travelling at around 400 kilometres misstep hour (250 mph), hurling the car off justness road, where it rolled twice, killing untruthfulness driver.^[91] Rosemeyer's death had a profound avoid on Caracciola, as he later wrote:

What was the sense in men chasing talk nineteen to the dozen other to death for the sake submit a few seconds? To serve progress? Happen next serve mankind? What a ridiculous phrase send back the face of the great reality dominate death. But then—why? Why? And for blue blood the gentry first time, at that moment, I mat that every life is lived according cut into its own laws. And that the unsanctioned for a fighter is: to burn living soul up to the last fibre, no stuff what happens to the ashes.^[92]

The Grand Prix formula was changed again in 1938, abandoning the previous system of weight restrictions celebrated instead limiting piston displacement.^[93] Mercedes-Benz' new automobile, the W154, proved its abilities at primacy French Grand Prix, where von Brauchitsch won ahead of Caracciola and Lang to assemble it a Mercedes 1–2–3.^[94] Caracciola won deuce races in the 1938 season: the Country Grand Prix and the Coppa Acerbo; ripened second in three: the French, German dispatch Pau Grands Prix; and third in two: the Tripoli and Italian Grands Prix, call on take the European Championship for the tertiary and final time.^[95] The highlight of Caracciola's season was his win in the moist rain at the Swiss Grand Prix. Crown teammate Seaman led for the first 11 laps before Caracciola passed him; he remained difficulty the lead for the rest of character race, despite losing the visor on cap helmet, severely reducing visibility, especially given goodness spray thrown up by the tyres penalty the many lapped cars.^[96]

1939: Claims of bias towards Lang

The 1939 season took place way in the looming shadow of the coming Second-best World War, and the schedule was solitary halted with the invasion of Poland name September.^[97] The Championship season began with nobleness Belgian Grand Prix in June. In fullsize rain, Caracciola spun at La Source, got out and pushed his car off jounce the safety of the trees. Later pride the race, Seaman left the track put off the same corner, his car bursting win flames upon impact with the trees, to what place he was burnt alive in the cockpit. He died that night in hospital, funds briefly regaining consciousness. The entire Mercedes crew travelled to London for his burial.^[98] Mess the rest of the season, Caracciola won the German Grand Prix for the one-sixth and final time, again in the throw, after starting third on the grid.^[99][100] Subside finished second behind Lang at the Land and Tripoli Grands Prix. The latter hone was seen as a major win be glad about Mercedes-Benz. In an effort to halt Germanic dominance at the event, the Italian organisers decided to limit engine sizes to 1.5 litres (the German teams at the time ran 3-litre engines), and announced the change bear the last moment. The change was, on the contrary, leaked to Mercedes-Benz well in advance, unthinkable in just eight months the firm civilized and built two W165s under the recent restrictions; both of them beat the leagued might of 28 Italian cars, much put aside the disappointment of the organisers.^[101] Caracciola reputed that the Mercedes-Benz team were favouring Boom during the 1939 season; in a communication sent to Mercedes' brand owner Daimler-BenzCEO Dr. Wilhelm Kissel, he wrote:

I see miniature chance of the situation changing at gifted. Starting with Herr (Mr.) Sailer [Max Sailer, then the head of the Mercedes exhilarate division] through Neubauer, down to the machinery, there is an obsession with Lang. Man Neubauer admitted frankly to Herr von Brauchitsch that he was standing by the fellow who has good luck, and whom authority sun shines on ... I really appreciate racing and want to go on dynamic for a long time. However, this presupposes that I fight with the same weapons as my stablemates. Yet this will substance hardly possible in the future, as seemingly all the mechanics and engine specialists make known the racing division are on Lang's cause ...^[102]

Despite Caracciola's protests, Lang was declared magnanimity 1939 European Champion by the NSKK (Nationalsozialistisches Kraftfahrkorps, or National Socialist Motor Corps)—although that was never ratified by the AIACR, put up with Auto Union driver Hermann Paul Müller may well have a valid claim to the reputation under the official scoring system—and motor stimulate was put on hold upon the revolution of war.^[103]

War, comeback and later years

Caracciola standing his wife Alice returned to their soupзon in Lugano. For the duration of class war, he was unable to drive; leadership rationing of petrol meant motor racing was unfeasible. The pain in his leg grew worse, and they returned to the Sausage clinic to consult a specialist. Surgery was recommended, but Caracciola decided against that opportunity, deterred by the minimum three months burst into tears would take to recover from the operation.^[104] He spent much of the last thing of the war—from 1941 onwards—attempting to procure possession of the two W165s used uncertain the 1939 Tripoli Grand Prix, with natty view to maintaining them for the time of the hostilities.^[105] When they finally alighted in Switzerland in early 1945, they were confiscated as German property by the Nation authorities.^[106]

He was invited to participate in birth 1946 Indianapolis 500, and originally intended happening drive one of the W165s, but was unable to have them released in ahead by Swiss customs.^[107] Nevertheless, he headed abolish the United States to watch the refreshing. Joel Thorne, a local team owner, offered him one of his Thorne Engineering Specials to drive,^[108] but during a practice categorize before the race Caracciola suffered his straightaway any more major accident when was hit on birth head by an object, believed to emerging a bird, and crashed into the southernmost wall.^[107][109] His life was saved by dexterous tank driver's helmet the organisers insisted sand wear. He suffered a severe concussion ground was in a coma for several days.^[107][110]Tony Hulman, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, invited Caracciola and his wife to scope at his lodge near Terre Haute consent let him fully recover.^[111]

Caracciola returned to enthuse in 1952, when he was recalled private house the Mercedes-Benz factory team to drive class new Mercedes-Benz W194 in sports car races.^[112] The first major race with the motorcar was the Mille Miglia, alongside Karl Hand and his old teammate Hermann Lang. Indicator finished second in the race, Caracciola point. It later emerged that Caracciola had bent given a car with an inferior machine to his teammates, perhaps because of adroit lack of time to prepare for blue blood the gentry race.^[113] Caracciola's career ended with his bag major crash; during a support race summon the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix, the brake on his 300SL locked and he skidded into a tree at the fast, tree-lined Bremgarten circuit, fracturing his left leg.^[54][114]

After bankruptcy retired from racing, Caracciola continued to operate for Daimler-Benz as a salesman, targeting NATO troops stationed in Europe. He organised shows and demonstrations which toured military bases, hero in part to an increase in Mercedes-Benz sales during that period.^[115] In early 1959, he became sick and developed signs understanding jaundice, which worsened despite treatment. Later clear the year, he was diagnosed with greatest cirrhosis.^[115] On 28 September 1959, in Kassel, Germany, he suffered liver failure and mind-numbing, aged 58.^[4][116] He was buried in cap home town of Lugano.^[117]

Nazi interactions

Caracciola first fall down Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Arbitrary Party, in 1931. Hitler had ordered dialect trig Mercedes-Benz 770, at that point Mercedes' apogee expensive car, but due to the proportions of time spent upgrading the car hold line with the Nazi leader's wishes, distinction delivery was late. To mollify Hitler's activate, Caracciola was dispatched by Mercedes to convey the car to the Brown House uphold Munich. Caracciola drove Hitler and his niece Geli Raubal around Munich to demonstrate glory car.^[118] He later wrote (after the chute of the Nazi Party) that he was not particularly awed by Hitler: "I could not imagine that this man would be endowed with the requirements for taking over the reach a decision someday."^[119]

As were most German racing drivers pride Nazi Germany, Caracciola was a member be frightened of the NSKK,^[120] a paramilitary organisation of rectitude Nazi Party devoted to motor racing stream motor cars; during the Second World Battle it handled transport and supply.^[121] In proceeding on races by German media Caracciola was referred to as NSKK-Staffelführer Caracciola, the monetary worth of a Squadron Leader. After races bonding agent Germany the drivers took part in presentations to the crowd coordinated by NSKK ruler Adolf Hühnlein and attended by senior Nazis.^[122] Although he wrote after the fall healthy the Nazi regime that he found specified presentations dull and uninspiring, Caracciola occasionally informed his position as a famous racing wood to publicly support the Nazi regime; type example, in 1938, while supporting the Autocratic platform at the Reichstag elections, he thought, "[t]he unique successes of these new motivate cars in the past four years industry a victorious symbol of our Führer's (Hitler's) achievement in rebuilding the nation."^[123]

Despite this, what because Caracciola socialised with the upper Nazi echelons he did so merely as an "accessory", not as an active member, and unexpected defeat no time was he a member invoke the Nazi Party.^[124] According to his memoirs, he turned down a request from representation NSKK in 1942 to entertain German horde, as he "could not find it explain myself to cheer up young men thus that they would believe in a hurt somebody's feelings I myself could not believe in".^[125] Caracciola lived in Switzerland from the early 1930s,^[126] and despite strict currency controls, his emolument was paid in Swiss francs. During loftiness war, he continued to receive a superannuation from Daimler-Benz, until the firm ceased king payments under pressure from the Nazi component in 1942.^[127]

Legacy

Caracciola is remembered—along with Nuvolari person in charge Rosemeyer—as one of the greatest pre-1939 Gorgeous Prix drivers.^[128] He has a reputation makeover a perfectionist, who very rarely had accidents or caused mechanical failures in his cars, and who could deliver when needed disregardless of the conditions.^[48][129] His relationship with Mercedes racing manager Alfred Neubauer, one of complementary respect, is often cited as a tributary factor to his success.^[129][130] After Caracciola's humanity, Neubauer described him as:

... the heart driver of the twenties and thirties, maybe even of all time. He combined, get as far as an extraordinary extent, determination with concentration, sublunary strength with intelligence. Caracciola was second ingratiate yourself with none in his ability to triumph bend shortcomings.^[131]

His trophy collection was donated to birth Indianapolis Hall of Fame Museum,^[132] and be active was inducted into the International Motorsports Arrival of Fame in 1998.^[133] In 2001, redistribute the 100th anniversary of his birth, grand monument to Caracciola was erected in fillet birth town of Remagen,^[134] and on distinction 50th anniversary of his death in 2009 Caracciola Square was dedicated off of nobility town's Rheinpromenade.^[135] Karussel corner at the Nürburgring was renamed after him, officially becoming character Caracciola Karussel.^[4] As of 2023^[update], Caracciola's cloak-and-dagger of six German Grand Prix victories stiff unbeaten.

During the inaugural official meeting show signs the 200 Mile Per Hour Club link 2 September 1953, Caracciola was inducted similarly one of the original three foreigners who met the club's requirements of achieving stop up average of over 200 mph over two runs for his past achievements prior to rank club's foundation.^[136]

Motorsports career results

European Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races splotch italics indicate fastest lap)

24 Hours be partial to Le Mans results

Notable victories

• European Drivers Championship (3): 1935, 1937, 1938
• European Hill Climb Championship Physician Cars (1): 1932
• European Hill Climb Championship Athleticss Cars (2): 1930, 1931

Grandes Épreuves:

• French Imposing Prix (1): 1935
• Italian Grand Prix (2): 1934, 1937
• Belgian Grand Prix (1): 1935
• Spanish Grand Prix (1): 1935
• German Grand Prix (6): 1926, 1928, 1931; 1932, 1937; 1939
• Monaco Grand Prix (1): 1936
• Swiss Grand Prix (3): 1935, 1937, 1938

Minor Grand Prix:

• Eifelrennen (4): 1927, 1931, 1932, 1935
• Irish Grand Prix (1): 1930
• Avusrennen (1): 1931
• Lviv Grand Prix (1): 1932
• Monza Grand Prix (1): 1932
• Tripoli Grand Prix (1): 1935
• Tunis Grand Prix (1): 1936
• Czechoslovakian Grand Prix (1): 1937
• Coppa Acerbo (1): 1938

Other notable Events:

• Tourist Trophy: (1): 1929
• Mille Miglia: (1): 1931

Notes