Alexander Wurz

Alexander Wurz (born the February 15th 1974 with Waidhofen, Austria) is a racing driver Austrian. Wurz begins in championship from the world from Formule 1 in 1997 within the stable Benetton and, of 2000 with 2006 is pilot-tester for the stables McLaren - Mercedes then Williams. It takes again the competition in 2007 within the Williams stable and announces his retirement of the discipline queen after the last but one GP of the season. In 69 departures in F1, Wurz registered 45 points, signed 1 better turn in race and is assembled to 3 recoveries on the podium. Its best classification in championship of the world is one 7th place with 16 points in 1998.

Biography

Beginning of career

Wire of the former champion of Europe of rallycross Franz Wurz (titrated in 1974, 1976 and 1982 on Audi), Alexander Wurz begins its sporting course by the bicycle BMX, discipline in which he is crowned world champion in 1986. In 1989, it makes its beginnings in automobile sport and becomes Austrian vice-champion of Karting as of its first season. It engages then in championship Middle East in 1990 where it finishes the season in the 4th place.

In 1991, Alex begins in Formule Ford in the championships Austrian and European. It is pointed out by finishing second in the two carried out competitions of face. The following season, it retente a similar bet while engaging in the championships German, Austrian and New Zealand: he becomes triple champion of the discipline. In 1993, extremely of its prize list, it reaches the championship of Austria of Formule 3 which it finishes in the second place. In 1994, Alex, in particular opposite with Ralf Schumacher and Norberto Fontana, again take down the title of vice-champion behind Müller.

The following season is less brilliant, Wurz does not sign any victory but its exploits of 1994 enable him to take down a wheel within Joest Racing, in championship ITC for the season 1996. It also disputes the 24 hours of Mans 1996 on a TWR Porsche - Joest WSC95 at the sides of Reuter Handbook and Davy Jones and, at 22 years, becomes the youngest winner of traditional mancelle. It also makes its first turns of wheels at the wheel of a single-seater of Formula 1 within the stable Benetton.

In 1997, he is the fellow-member of Bernd Schneider on a Mercedes CLK-GTR in championship WP TRUSTED. It takes down the victory at the time of the test of Donington, and goes up to two other recoveries on the podium. He becomes pilot tester of the stable Benetton - Renault and, in June 1997, when the pilot-holder Gerhard Berger falls ill, Flavio Briatore calls upon the young Austrian for a measuring rod of three races. While rising quickly on the level of competitiveness of sound coéquiper Jean Alesi and by finishing 3rd GP of Great Britain (only its third race in F1), it makes strong impression, which enables him to be established as from the season 1998.

Holder at Benetton

Alexander Wurz makes a success of a beginning of the season with the height of the hopes placed in him. At the wheel of Benetton B198, it is classified 4th Grands Prix of Brazil, of Argentina, of Spain, of Canada and Great Britain and finishes 5th French test. It signs the best turn in race in Argentina and is pointed out at the time of the test Monegasque by holding head with Michael Schumacher on behalf of the 3rd place (a collision will ruin the hopes of the two pilots). The second part of the season strongly contrasts with the good performances acquired until the GP of Great Britain. Benetton pain to follow the rate/rhythm of competition, Wurz is qualified only in medium of grid and does not register any more the least point with the championship. It finishes 7th championship of the world with 17 points, right in front of its fellow-member Giancarlo Fisichella (9th with 16 points) who has, him, twice succeeds in hanging the podium.

In 1999, the Benetton stable preserves its duet of young pilots and the news Benetton B199 is announced as the base of the return of Benetton to the foreground. Unfortunately the single-seater does not show with the height hopes and Alex tests great difficulties of making a success of his qualifications (it takes down only two 7th places on the grid like better performances). During all the season, Wurz struggles in medium of group and returns in the points only twice, in Monaco (where it is classified 6th) and at the time of its national GP (5th). Giancarlo Fisichella takes the ascending one within the stable by registering 13 points and by being classified 9th championship of the world whereas Alex points only with the 13th rank with 3 points. In spite of results in freefall, it preserves its bucket at Benetton for 2000.

The season 2000 is a true martyrdom for the Austrian hope. It takes down only two qualifications in signal 10, and registers points only on only one occasion, at the time of the chaotic GP of Italy where it takes down the 5th final place chanceusement. Under pressure, it multiplies the fixings and the exit ramps. Whereas Fisichella enters to five recoveries the points to hang the 6th place of the championships, Wurz is only classified 16th and loses its wheel at Benetton which engages the British hope Jenson Button for the season 2001.

Test pilot for McLaren

Without wheel at the conclusion of the season 2000, it finds refuge in October at McLaren - Mercedes, which makes of him its pilot tester, station which it occupies during five seasons in spite of many rumors of return to the competition in various teams of the medium of table.

In spring 2005, the wound of the titular pilot Juan Pablo Montoya enables him to carry out a short return in race, at the time of GP of San Marino. It has been qualified in honest a 7th place on the grid for its first race for five years and finishes the test in the fourth place at the conclusion of a solid race. It is finally classified 3rd on green carpet a few days later following the disqualification of the BAR, recovering the place of Jenson Button. It thus signs its second podium in the discipline queen, more than eight years after its first.

Return missed to the competition with Williams

In 2006, it leaves McLaren to join the team Williams, in the capacity of pilot-tester and third pilot during the free tests of Friday. , Frank Williams, satisfied with the work of development carried out, decides to establish it with dimensions Nico Rosberg for 2007. Alexander Wurz thus joins again with the competition in 2007 at the wheel of Williams FW29. Quickly the amateurs of F1 note its difficulties in qualifications (its best result of the year will be one 11th place on the grid) and its difficulty of holding the rate/rhythm of its young fellow-member who qualifies himself regularly in the ten first. Handicapped by bad qualifications, it struggles in the soft belly of the group and sorrow to point out itself. However, at the time of the GP of the Canada, he has managed to avoid the many accidents to finish 3rd and thus offer its first podium to Williams for two years. It misses reiterating its exploit with the Nurburgring where, benefitting from piégeuses weather conditions, it takes down a méritoire 4th place.

Williams then decides not to align it as a holder for the season 2008 and to confine it at the post of tester. October 8th, 2007, Wurz announces officially that it gives up Formula 1 with immediate effect and that it will thus not dispute the last sleeve of the championship to the Brésil. Williams then replaces it by Kazuki Nakajima.

Results in championship of the world of F1

Beginnings in F1 : 1997 - Grand Prix of Canada ( Result: Abandonment - Transmission, 35e turn )
Departures in GP : 69
traversed Turns : 3.471
traversed km : 16.816
Abandonments : 23
registered Points : 45
In the points : 13
Podiums obtained : 3
Better turn in race : 1

Anecdote

Alexander Wurz, by fetishism, controlled a long time with two slippers of race of different colors. It gave up this originality at the time of its passage at McLaren.

Prize list

Victorious of the 24 hours of Mans 1996 on Joest-Porsche.

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