Otto Leopold Stuppacher (3 March 1947 – 15 August 2001) was an Austrian racing driver from Vienna whose career took him from hill-climbs and sports cars to an eventful, if ultimately unsuccessful, attempt to break into Formula One.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Birthplace | Vienna, Austria |
| Born | 3 March 1947 |
| Died | 13 August 2001 |
| First Grand Prix | 1976 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last Grand Prix | 1976 United States Grand Prix |
| Years Active | 1976 |
| Current/Last Team | Privateer: ÖASC Racing Team Tyrrell |
Before reaching Grand Prix racing, Stuppacher built his experience in hill-climb competition and sports car events. In 1976, he stepped up to Formula One with the ÖASC Racing Team, driving a Tyrrell 007. He was entered for three World Championship Grands Prix that season, although his campaign began in frustrating fashion when both he and teammate Karl Oppitzhauser were refused permission to compete in the Austrian Grand Prix. Stuppacher attempted to gather support by organising a petition among the other teams, but the decision stood.
His appearance at the Italian Grand Prix produced one of the more unusual qualifying stories in Formula One history. Stuppacher initially failed to qualify by a substantial margin and, believing his weekend was over, left Monza and returned home. He was then unexpectedly promoted onto the starting grid after three faster cars had their qualifying times removed because of fuel irregularities. By the time the opportunity arose, however, Stuppacher was no longer at the circuit and could not return in time for the race. Following the withdrawals of Stuppacher, Arturo Merzario and Guy Edwards, the three previously demoted competitors were eventually allowed back into the event.
Stuppacher made two further attempts to qualify during the 1976 season, at the Canadian Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix East, but was unsuccessful on both occasions. At Watkins Glen, he finished qualifying more than 27 seconds slower than pole-sitter James Hunt. The enormous difference between the fastest and slowest official qualifying times has often been cited as the largest recorded gap of its kind in Formula One history.
Very little is known about Stuppacher’s racing activities after 1976, and he largely disappeared from public view. He remained an obscure figure in motorsport history until 2001, when he was found dead in his apartment in Vienna.
Family
Motorsport competition also ran through Stuppacher’s family, although in a very different form. His sister, Elisabeth Stuppacher, became a successful harness racer and was Austrian champion every year from 1993 through 2000. Their mother, Helene Musa, was also a well-known figure within Austrian harness racing circles.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 3 |
| Race Starts | 0 |
| Did Not Start | 1 |
| Best Race Start | – |
| Best Race Finish | – |
| Retirements | 0 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 2 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 3 |
| Reached Q3 | 0 |
| Q2 Eliminations | 0 |
| Q1 Eliminations | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 2 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Privateer: ÖASC Racing Team Tyrrell | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNQ/DNS | 0 | 0 | Not Classified |
