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Jochen Neerpasch (born 23 March 1939) is a German former racecar driver and motorsports manager.

Career

His racing career began in the 1960s, first on Borgward touring car, then with the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans as a first major event. Racing a Porsche 907, he won the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona. After his third-place finish in Le Mans the same year, he retired from racing.

In the 1970s, he became a successful manager in the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft and the European Touring Car Championship. First he managed Ford, then he took the 1972 champion Hans-Joachim Stuck with him to BMW, to found the successful BMW M team and company.

In BMW, he also led the development of the mid-engined BMW M1, which he designed to take on Porsche in Group 5 racing. While the required 400 homologation cars were being assembled, to gain racing experience for the cars, he contacted March Engineering‘s head Max Mosley, who was a member of Formula One Constructors’ Association, and together they created a one-make racing series BMW M1 Procar Championship, that ran in 1979 and 1980.[1][2][3] Neerpasch himself later raced in a 2008 one-time revival of the Procar Championship, driving a M1 Procar designed by Andy Warhol.

In the 1980s, Neerpasch was in charge of Sauber–Mercedes sports car racing team, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1989. He also discovered and taught talents like Michael Schumacher, Karl Wendlinger, and Heinz-Harald Frentzen[citation needed].

Racing record

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1964 United States Briggs S. Cunningham New Zealand Chris Amon Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe GT
+3.0 		131 DSQ
(Outside assistance)
1965 France J. Simone
(private entrant) 		Switzerland Jo Siffert Maserati Tipo 65 P
5.0 		3 DNF
(Accident damage)
1966 United States Essex Wire Corporation Belgium Jacky Ickx Ford GT40 S
5.0 		154 DNF
(Engine)
1967 Germany Porsche System Engineering Germany Rolf Stommelen Porsche 910 kurzheck P
2.0 		351 6th 2nd
1968 Germany Porsche System Engineering West Germany Rolf Stommelen Porsche 908LH P
3.0 		325 3rd 2nd

Complete 24 Hours of Daytona results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1968 Germany Porsche System Engineering United Kingdom Vic Elford
Germany Rolf Stommelen
Switzerland Jo Siffert
Germany Hans Herrmann 		Porsche 907LH P 673 1st 1st

Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1968 Germany Porsche Automobile Company United Kingdom Vic Elford Porsche 907 P
3.0 		226 2nd 2nd

Complete Targa Florio results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1964 Germany Porsche System Engineering Germany Günther Klass Porsche 356B Carrera 2000 GS/GT GT
2.0 		10 7th 3rd
1967 Germany Porsche System Engineering United Kingdom Vic Elford Porsche 910 P
2.0 		10 3rd 2nd
1968 Germany Porsche System Engineering Germany Hans Herrmann Porsche 907 P
3.0 		10 4th 2nd

References

  1. ^ Boeriu, Horatiu (13 February 2025). “Jochen Neerpasch: The Godfather of BMW M – Untold Stories and Secrets”. BMW BLOG. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  2. ^ “BMW M1 Procar”. www.qv500.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  3. ^ Mills, James (27 December 2024). “How the BMW M1 Procar Championship Was Dreamed Up Over Beer and Whisky”. Hagerty UK. Retrieved 18 October 2025.