Zakspeed Racing

Erich Zakowski founded Zakspeed in 1968 with the ambition of competing in sports car racing. In the late 1970s, the team became the official Ford team in the German Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft (DRM) series, a predecessor of the current DTM.

During this period, Zakspeed constructed and entered an FIA Group 2 Escort and the Group 5 Capri, based on the MKIII production model. In the early 1980s, Zakspeed also prepared a Mustang for Ford USA's Special Vehicle Operations to race in the domestic IMSA Camel GT series. Zakspeed became notable for building their own chassis and engine, something only Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Renault did at that time. The engine was the basis for their Formula One entry from 1985 to 1988. The team also ran the Ford C100 Group C car in 1982 in conjunction with Ford Germany, evolving the chassis into the C1/4 and the C1/8, which won the German Interserie championship in 1984 with Klaus Niedzwiedz. In the 1990s, Zakspeed prepared Mercedes 190E and Opel Calibra cars for the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft and the short-lived ITC series. A related company, Nitec, built the NASCAR-like V8-powered tube frame prototype cars of the V8Star Series Championship.

Klaus Ludwig drove for the team during their successful DRM period, securing the championship in 1981. After a maiden season with Jonathan Palmer, the team hired the first Formula 3000 champion Christian Danner and ex-Tyrrell driver Martin Brundle. The team's best result (and only points finish) was Brundle's 5th place in the 1987 San Marino Grand Prix. Bernd Schneider, Piercarlo Ghinzani, and Aguri Suzuki drove for Zakspeed in their final Formula One season in 1989. Peter Zakowski himself also raced, and he had won the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2002. In Superleague Formula, Zakspeed managed cars for Borussia Dortmund and Beijing Guoan, with Davide Rigon driving the Beijing Guoan car to the overall title in 2008. Pedro Petiz drove for Sporting CP in 2009, securing a race win. Pedro Lamy drove for Zakspeed in the V8Star Series Championship, winning the title in 2003.

Zakspeed achieved success in the DRM series, winning the championship in 1981 with Klaus Ludwig. For their final season in Formula One in 1989, Zakspeed switched to Yamaha engines as turbos were banned. The Japanese engine was unreliable and drivers Bernd Schneider, Piercarlo Ghinzani and the rookie Aguri Suzuki struggled to pre-qualify the car. The team withdrew from Formula One at the end of the year. After withdrawing from F1, Zakspeed experienced a resurgence in sports car racing, winning the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 2001 and 2002. They also achieved success in the Superleague Formula series, winning the championship in 2008 with Beijing Guoan.