Jo Vonlanthen

38
Jo Vonlanthen bigraphy, stories - Swiss racing driver

Jo Vonlanthen : biography

May 31, 1942 –

Joseph Vonlanthen (born 31 May 1942 in St. Ursen) is a former racing driver from Switzerland. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, on 17 August 1975, driving a Williams. He retired with engine failure, scoring no championship points.

Vonlanthen started in Formula Vee, before progressing to Formula Three, where he won the Swiss Formula 3 Championship. He found things a little tougher in Formula Two, but managed to secure a seat with Ensign for a non-Championship Formula One race in 1975. He then drove twice for Frank Williams, firstly in the non-championship Swiss Grand Prix, where he finished 14th, then his one World Championship start in the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix. Vonlanthen can be considered lucky to have started this race, as he was only allowed to start when Wilson Fittipaldi suffered an injury in practice which prevented him from taking his place on the grid.

He subsequently returned to Formula 2 before disappearing from the sport’s higher levels.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 WDC Points
1975 Frank Williams Racing Cars Williams FW03 Cosworth V8 ARG BRA RSA ESP MON BEL SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUTRet ITA USA NC 0

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

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

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Pos Pts
1973 Jo Vonlanthen Racing Team GRD 273 Ford BDA MALRet HOCDNQ THRDNA NÜR18 PAU KIN NIV HOCRet ROU MNZRet MANRet KARRet PERRet SAL8 NORRet ALBDNA VAL3 20th 4
1974 Jo Vonlanthen Racing Team March 742 BMW M12 BARDNS HOCRet PAU SALNC HOCRet MUG17 KAR10 PER9 HOC7 VAL11 NC 0
1975 Brissago Blauband Racing March 742 BMW M12 EST2 16th 6
March 752 THR9 HOCDNQ HOC8 SAL9 ROURet MUGDNS PERDNA SILDNA ZOL NOG VAL
March 722 NÜRDNS PAU
1976 Jo Vonlanthen Racing Team March 752 BMW M12 HOCRet THR HOCRet ROU MUGDNQ PER EST NOG HOC13 NC 0
Team Zirugo VALDNA SAL PAU
1977 Racing Motor Service March 752 BMW M12 SIL THR HOCDNA NÜR VAL PAU MUG ROU NOG PER MIS EST DON NC 0