Stefan Johansson

Stefan Johansson is a racing driver Swedish born the September 8th 1956 with Växjö (Sweden). He disputed in particular the championship of the world of Formule 1 of 1983 to 1991, registers 88 points and signed 12 podiums.

Biography

Beginnings

Initiated as of its more young age with the joys of the Karting by his/her father who was itself an old driver, Stefan Johansson begins the single-seater in 1975, in the championship of Sweden of Formule Ford. It then passes in the championship of Sweden of Formule 3 before joining into 1979 the rows of the British championship, which it gains the following year at the wheel of a car of the stable Project Four of Ron Dennis. At the beginning of year, it carries out even a first appearance in Formule 1, within the dying woman stable Shadow, who makes it possible to him to dispute two races in exchange of a budgetary contribution. But the offer of Shadow proves to be a poisoned gift since both in Brazil and in Argentina, he does not manage to qualify himself.

In 1981, Johansson reaches the championship of Europe of Formule 2. On the Lola-Binder of Alan Docking Racing, the Swede makes beautiful impression by gaining two races and by finishing fourth of the championship. That is worth to him to be recruited for the following season by the Spirit team, responsible for the development of the new whole V6 Honda Turbo. At the wheel of a very powerful single-seater, Johansson shines but is often victim of the unreliability of the Japanese block.

Spirit, Tyrrell, Toleman

For the season 1983, to the insistent request for Honda, Spirit assembles in Formule 1, and Johansson is logically of the adventure. The beginnings of Spirit-Honda F1 (actually F2 modified) take place at the semi-season and hardly allow Johansson to shine. He comforts himself in Endurance by gaining at the end of the year the 1 000 km of Monza on a Porsche 956 in company of the French pilot Bob Wollek.

At the conclusion of the season 1983, Honda gives up Spirit to join Williams, and Johansson is not preserved. He starts a reconversion in Endurance (where he gains at the beginning of the 1984 12 hours of Sebring) but F1 does not forget it completely: during the summer, it is called by Tyrrell to replace Martin Brundle wounded, then in Monza, it replaces Ayrton Senna (punctually put at foot to have announced its transfer at Lotus) at Toleman, before taking the place Johnny Cecotto, wounded. In Italy, it signs convincing a fourth place which enables him to be preserved at Toleman for the following year.

Three seasons in the leading bunch

The transfer of Johansson at Toleman falls to water when, at the beginning of 1985, the British team is forced with the inactivity, GoodYear refusing to provide him tires. Released of his contract, Johansson disputes the first GP of the season in Brazil at Tyrrell, before receiving the most beautiful proposal for a his career: Ferrari has just dismissed Arnoux, and called upon him to replace it. Dominated by his fellow-member Michele Alboreto, Johansson initially pains to convince demanding the tifosi of his talent, before carrying out a service of big class in Imola, where only a gasoline breakdown for the arrival deprives it of the victory. Its performances grow louder and louder throughout the year (with two 2nd consecutive places in Canada and the United States), but, just like Alboreto, it is victim at the semi-season of the sudden fall of form of Scuderia.

In 1986, this fall of the shape of Ferrari is confirmed, and Johansson can make better only obtain some places of honor. Its performance level, equivalent to that of Michele Alboreto, does not escape however its former owner Ron Dennis who calls upon him to replace Keke Rosberg at McLaren. But at the sides of the double champion of the world title Alain Prost, and although it obtains some podiums and the sixth final place with the championship, Johansson shows its limits quickly. Also, at the end of the season, Dennis does not make a feeling and does not let pass the occasion to replace it by Senna.

Return in bottom of grid

For 1988, Johansson finds refuge at Ligier, for one disastrous season. By giving the feeling quickly to lower the arms, the Swede will not do anything to prevent the rout of the Bleus . Again, it is in Sport-Prototypes that it is comforted, since it gains the 1.000 km of Spa over a Sauber - Mercedes

In 1989, Johansson is engaged by the new arrival in F1, Onyx. Because of the youth of the team, the season is delicate. But the ORE-1 posts an interesting potential that Johansson exploits with talent. At the end of the season, in Portugal, with admittedly a bit of success, it takes down even what will remain the last podium of its career.

Johansson begins the season 1990 at Onyx, but at the end of only two races, he is dismissed by the new owner Peter Monteverdi, and is replaced by Gregor Foitek (compatriot of Monteverdi and wire of its associate…). He is then engaged by Mazda to dispute the 24 Hours of Mans at the wheel of the famous proto with rotary engine.

At the beginning of 1991, Johansson finds F1 when it is recruited by the small French team AGS, but is quickly replaced. A few weeks later, it is called by Footwork to replace Alex Caffi, wounded. Its interim ends with the GP of the United Kingdom, which will remain that of its last appearance in F1.

The exile in the United States

From 1992 to 1996, Stefan Johansson starts again his career with the the United States in the championship CART within the Bettenhausen team. It is 3rd of its first race with Détroit and repetition in Vancouver, which enables him to take down the honorary title of better beginning from the year ( Rookie off the year ). But its results will never take off, and, very affected by the fatal accident of Jeff Krosnoff in which it was implied it the championship at the conclusion of the season 1996 gives up.

There remains however very implied in the American automobile sport since he founds in Indy Lights the stable Johansson Motorsport (in which in particular Scott Dixon will appear, and of which he will become also the manager).

In 1997, it turns over punctually to Europe and at the wheel of a prototype Porsche - Joest, it gains the 24 Hours of Mans, associated with Michele Alboreto and Tom Kristensen.

In 2000, it takes part in the series ALMS. In 3 seasons, it signs 10 podiums, but there still no victory. It takes down however the title in ELMS (transitory European version of the ALMS) in 2001 on the Audi R8

In 2003, Johansson launches a new stable, TEAM Johansson, this time in CART. In spite of a victory (of Ryan Hunter-Reay), the stable must cease its activity, for lack of budget, after only one season.

Stefan Johansson takes part today in the Grand Prix Masters with other old drivers of Formule 1.

Career in F1

Note: In 1984, when Johansson controlled for Tyrrell, the stable was under the blow of a disqualification for cheating, but still authorized to run while waiting for the verdict of the Court of Call of the TRUSTED. Before the GP of Italy, the disqualification was confirmed and the presence of Tyrrell for the whole of the championship 1984 striped of the official statistics.

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