Edgar Barth

Wilfried Edgar Barth (26 January 1917 in Herold – 20 May 1965 in Ludwigsburg) was a German (East German until 1957, then West German) Formula One and sports car racing driver.[1]

Edgar Barth
Edgar Barth after winning the Formula 2 class at the 1957 German Grand Prix
Born(1917-01-26)26 January 1917
Died20 May 1965(1965-05-20) (aged 48)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality East German (1953)
West German (1957–1964)
Active years1953, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1964
TeamsEMW, Porsche, Rob Walker Racing Team
Entries7 entries (5 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1953 German Grand Prix
Last entry1964 German Grand Prix

Racing career

Barth was born in Herold. He began his career as a DKW motorcycle racer and later switched to BMW sportscars.[1] The East German factory of BMW would become the Eisenacher Motorenwerk (EMW) after the war, driving the factory team car in the East German Formula 2 Championship, which he won in both 1952 and 1953. He was allowed to participate in three events in the West in 1953, including his first appearance in the Formula One World Championship. He finished fifth in the non-championship Eifelrennen, but retired from the Avusrennen and the German Grand Prix.

In 1957, he emigrated to the West and drove sporadically for the works Porsche team in Formula One until 1961. He drove in the F2 sections at his home race in 1956 and 1957, finishing outside the points both times. He drove a Formula 1 car in the 1960 Italian Grand Prix, finishing seventh. He was entered into his home race in 1961 but was later withdrawn and was entered as a substitute at Monza that year. His final F1 appearance came at the 1964 German Grand Prix driving a Cooper-Climax for Rob Walker Racing, failing to make the flag.

Barth participated in the 500 kilometers of the Nurburgring, in 1960 in a BMW 700, finishing fifth.[2] Barth won the 1959, 1963 and 1964 European Mountain Championships (Hillclimb) for Porsche and also the 1959 Targa Florio.[1] Apart from Formula 2 races with Porsche 718, he also took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans on numerous occasions.

He began to suffer from cancer at the end of 1964, and succumbed to the disease in May 1965. His son Jürgen Barth became an engineer at Porsche and also went into motorsport, winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1977.

from left to right: Jean Behra, Fritz Huschke von Hanstein, Richard von Frankenberg and Edgar Barth

Career results

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 WDC Pts
1953 Rennkollektiv EMW EMW R2 EMW 6 2.0 L6 ARG 500 NED BEL FRA GBR GER
Ret		 SUI ITA NC 0
1957 Dr Ing F. Porsche KG Porsche RS550 (F2) Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4 ARG MON 500 FRA GBR GER
12		 PES ITA NC 0
1958 Dr Ing F. Porsche KG Porsche RSK (F2) Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4 ARG MON NED 500 BEL FRA GBR GER
6		 POR ITA MOR NC 0
1960 Dr Ing F. Porsche KG Porsche 718 Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4 ARG MON 500 NED BEL FRA GBR POR ITA
7		 USA NC 0
1961 Dr Ing F. Porsche KG Porsche 787 Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4 MON NED BEL FRA GBR GER
WD		 NC 0
Porsche System Engineering Porsche 718 ITA
PO		 USA
1964 R.R.C. Walker Racing Team Cooper T66 Climax FWMV 1.5 V8 MON NED BEL FRA GBR GER
Ret		 AUT ITA USA MEX NC 0
Source:[3]

References
  1. "Drivers: Edgar Barth". www.grandprix.com. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  2. "1960 Nurburgring 500 km". www.dlg.speedfreaks.org. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  3. "Edgar Barth – Involvement". statsf1.com. Retrieved 20 January 2019.

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