Christian Danner (born 4 April 1958 in Munich) is a former racing driver from Germany.

Career

Formula Two and Formula 3000

The son of car safety expert Max Danner, Danner started his motor racing career immediately after leaving school in 1977. After having raced in the Renault 5 cup Danner moved to the European Formula Two Championship for the 1981 season. During his years in Formula Two Danner was a constant frontrunner. He scored several podiums but failed to win a race. Danner also set the F2 lap record of the current configuration of the old Nürburgring. Danner moved to the Formula 3000 championship in 1985 which replaced the Formula Two championship. With four wins Danner became the inaugural Formula 3000 championship winner.

Formula One

1985 saw Danner also made his Formula One debut with Zakspeed. He made two starts but failed to finish any races due to mechanical failures. For 1986 he signed with minor Italian outfit Osella but struggled to make an impression with the car and its under powered Alfa Romeo engine. After failing to finish a race in the first six races, Danner moved to Arrows with their powerful BMW turbo engines and scored his first point at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Danner returned to Zakspeed in 1987. The car was both un-competitive and often unreliable and when Danner finished a race it was always outside the points. After having raced touring cars in 1988, Danner returned to Formula one in 1989 with Rial Racing. The car was highly uncompetitive and a fourth place due to a high attrition rate at the 1989 United States Grand Prix was the only highlight of the year. Danner was fired after the Portuguese Grand Prix after only qualifying for four races that year.

Touring cars

After his Formula one career Danner became a regular competitor in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft. He made his debut in 1988 after failing to find a ride in Formula one. Danner made an impressive start to his touring car career as he won both races at the Hockenheimring driving a BMW M3. After only making sporadic appearances in 1989 and 1990, Danner made a full-time return to the series in 1991. He had a disappointing season and only had one points scoring finish. In 1993 Danner had his best season. He scored six podium finishes and finished fifth in the points standings. He also won a race at the Non-Championship round in Donington Park. Danner returned to winning ways in 1995 when he won a race at the Norisring. Danner kept racing touring cars through 1997.

In 1991 he also started in one British Touring Car Championship race at Thruxton driving a BMW M3.

Other racing

Danner competed in Japanese Formula 3000 in 1990 driving for Leyton House's F3000 team. He scored 4 points and was ranked 14th. In the nineties Danner made several appearances in the Indy Car World Series. His best finish was a seventh place at Homestead Miami in 1995. He also took part in the now defunct series, Grand Prix Masters.

Media career

After his racing career Danner became an F1 commentator for the channel RTL in his native Germany.

Motorsports career results

Career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position 1980 German Racing Championship Cassani Racing 5 0 0 0 0 20 23rd 1981 European Formula Two March Racing 12 0 0 0 0 2 18th 24 Hours of Le Mans Helmut Marko RSM 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF 1982 European Formula Two March Racing 13 0 0 1 0 6 14th 1983 European Formula Two Onyx Racing 12 0 0 0 1 21 5th Formula Pacific Andrew Miedecke 8 0 1 1 3 46 7th 1984 European Formula Two BS Automotive 11 0 1 0 4 23 5th World Sportscar Championship Richard Lloyd Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC 1985 International Formula 3000 BS Automotive 11 4 2 4 7 51 1st Formula One West Zakspeed Racing 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC 24 Hours of Le Mans Kreepy Krauly Racing 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 22nd European Touring Car Championship Magnum Racing 3 0 0 0 0 0 NC 1986 Formula One Osella Squadra Corse 6 0 0 0 0 1 18th Barclay Arrows BMW 10 0 0 0 0 24 Hours of Le Mans Kouros Sauber Racing Team 1 0 0 0 0 N/A DNF 1987 Formula One West Zakspeed Racing 15 0 0 0 0 0 NC European Touring Car Championship Schnitzer Motorsport 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC 1988 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Alpina 22 2 ? 0 3 151 11th European Touring Car Championship Prodrive 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC 1989 Formula One Rial Racing 13 0 0 0 0 3 21st Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Linder Rennsport 6 0 ? 0 0 46 21st 1990 Japanese Formula 3000 Leyton House Racing 9 0 0 0 1 4 15th Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Schnitzer Rennsport 3 0 ? 0 0 0 NC 1991 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft MM-Diebels 15 0 ? 0 0 6 21st British Touring Car Championship Prodrive 1 0 0 0 0 8 18th 1992 PPG Indycar Series Euromotorsport 9 0 0 0 0 0 39th 1993 PPG Indycar Series Euromotorsport 3 0 0 0 0 2 31st Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Schübel Engineering 22 0 ? 2 6 161 5th FIA Touring Car Challenge 2 0 0 0 0 10 18th 1994 PPG Indycar Series Project Indy 3 0 0 0 0 2 30th Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Schübel Engineering 24 0 0 0 3 88 9th 1995 PPG Indycar Series Project Indy 2 0 0 0 0 6 25th Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Schübel Engineering 14 1 0 1 1 48 9th International Touring Car Championship 10 1 1 0 1 22 13th 1996 International Touring Car Championship TV Spielfilm Alfa Corse 26 0 2 0 2 48 15th 1997 Super Tourenwagen Cup JAS Engineering 20 0 0 0 0 37 29th PPG Indycar Series Dale Coyne Racing 3 0 0 0 0 1 31st 2001 Formula One Jaguar Racing Test driver 2002 V8Star Series JAG Racing Team 1 0 0 0 0 27 25th 2004 Mini Challenge Deutschland O2 can Race Team 1 1 0 0 1 30 24th 2005 Grand Prix Masters Team Unipart 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 7th Italian Formula 3000 Championship Durango 1 0 0 0 0 1 23rd 2006 Grand Prix Masters Team LUK 2 0 2 0 0 10 2nd Mini Challenge Deutschland Team MINI Deutschland 2 0 2 0 0 0 NC 2007 Formula One Super Aguri Test driver Mini Challenge Deutschland Team MINI Deutschland 2 0 1 0 0 29 27th 2008 Speedcar Series Phoenix Racing 2 0 0 0 0 0 20th 2017 GT4 European Series Northern Cup MOMO-Megatron Team Partrax 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC GT4 European Series Southern Cup 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC 2018 GT4 Central European Cup - Am Team GT 2 1 0 2 2 43 8th French GT4 Cup - Am 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC 2019 GT4 European Series - Am Team GT 2 1 0 0 2 43 7th ADAC GT4 Germany 4 0 0 0 0 0 NC

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 Pos. Pts 1980 Cassani Racing Team Ralt RT1 BMW THR HOC NÜR
DNS VAL PAU SIL ZOL MUG ZAN PER MIS HOC NC 0 1981 March Racing March 812 BMW SIL
10 HOC
9 THR
5 NÜR
10 VAL
Ret MUG
16 PAU
Ret PER
Ret SPA
Ret DON
14 MIS
Ret MAN
11 18th 2 1982 March Racing March 822 BMW SIL
Ret HOC
Ret THR
Ret NÜR
9 MUG
DNS VAL
13 PAU
Ret SPA
9 HOC
Ret DON
7 MAN
6 PER
5 MIS
4 14th 6 1983 Onyx Racing March 832 BMW SIL
3 THR
13 HOC
2 NÜR
3 VAL
10 PAU
5 JAR
9 DON
5 MIS
Ret PER
7 ZOL
4 MUG
10 5th 21 1984 BS Automotive March 842 BMW SIL
7 HOC
6 THR
2 VAL
3 MUG
3 PAU
4 HOC
Ret MIS
6 PER
Ret DON
3 BRH
10 5th 23

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos. 1981 Helmut Marko RSM Peter Oberndofer
Prince Leopold von Bayern BMW M1 GT 49 DNF DNF 1985 Kreepy Krauly Racing Graham Duxbury
Almo Coppelli March 85G-Porsche C1 270 22nd 17th 1986 Kouros Sauber Racing Team Henri Pescarolo
Dieter Quester Sauber C8-Mercedes C1 86 DNF DNF

Complete International Formula 3000 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 Pos. Pts 1985 BS Automotive March 85B Cosworth SIL
4 THR
6 EST
9 NÜR
C VAL
3 PAU
1 SPA
3 DIJ
1 PER
3 ÖST
16 ZAN
1 DON
1 1st 51

Complete Formula One World Championship results

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

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Pts 1985 West Zakspeed Racing Zakspeed 841 Zakspeed 1500/4 1.5 L4t BRA POR SMR MON CAN DET FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA BEL
Ret EUR
Ret RSA AUS NC 0 1986 Osella Squadra Corse Osella FA1G Alfa Romeo 890T 1.5 V8t BRA
Ret ESP
Ret SMR
Ret MON
DNQ CAN
Ret 18th 1 Osella FA1H BEL
Ret Barclay Arrows BMW Arrows A8 BMW M12/13 1.5 L4t DET
Ret FRA
11 GBR
Ret GER
Ret AUT
6 ITA
8 POR
11 MEX
9 AUS
Ret Arrows A9 HUN
Ret 1987 West Zakspeed Racing Zakspeed 861 Zakspeed 1500/4 1.5 L4t BRA
9 SMR
7 NC 0 Zakspeed 871 BEL
Ret MON
EX DET
8 FRA
Ret GBR
Ret GER
Ret HUN
Ret AUT
9 ITA
9 POR
Ret ESP
Ret MEX
Ret JPN
Ret AUS
7 1989 Rial Racing Rial ARC2 Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8 BRA
14 SMR
DNQ MON
DNQ MEX
12 USA
4 CAN
8 FRA
DNQ GBR
DNQ GER
DNQ HUN
DNQ BEL
DNQ ITA
DNQ POR
DNQ ESP JPN AUS 21st 3

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft results

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

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Pos. Pts 1988 Alpina BMW M3 ZOL
1
26 ZOL
2
8 HOC
1
1 HOC
2
1 NÜR
1
Ret NÜR
2
14 BRN
1
34 BRN
2
Ret AVU
1
11 AVU
2
Ret MFA
1
4 MFA
2
6 NÜR
1
9 NÜR
2
3 NOR
1
24 NOR
2
Ret WUN
1
24 WUN
2
26 SAL
1
C SAL
2
C HUN
1
11 HUN
2
13 HOC
1
12 HOC
2
7 11th 151 1989 Linder Rennsport BMW M3 ZOL
1
17 ZOL
2
4 HOC
1 HOC
2 NÜR
1 NÜR
2 MFA
1 MFA
2 AVU
1 AVU
2 NÜR
1 NÜR
2 NOR
1
22 NOR
2
8 HOC
1 HOC
2 DIE
1 DIE
2 NÜR
1 NÜR
2 HOC
1
13 HOC
2
7 21st 46 1990 Schnitzer Motorsport BMW M3 ZOL
1 ZOL
2 HOC
1 HOC
2 NÜR
1 NÜR
2 AVU
1 AVU
2 MFA
1 MFA
2 WUN
1 WUN
2 NÜR
1 NÜR
2 NOR
1
Ret NOR
2 DIE
1 DIE
2 NÜR
1 NÜR
2 HOC
1
18 HOC
2
14 NC 0 1991 MM-Diebels BMW M3 ZOL
1
23 ZOL
2
6 HOC
1
18 HOC
2
14 NÜR
1
16 NÜR
2
12 AVU
1
Ret AVU
2
DNS WUN
1
22 WUN
2
Ret NOR
1 NOR
2 DIE
1
DNS DIE
2
DNS NÜR
1
Ret NÜR
2
12 ALE
1
14 ALE
2
Ret HOC
1
29 HOC
2
19 BRN
1 BRN
2 DON
1 DON
2 21st 6 1993 Schübel Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti ZOL
1
2 ZOL
2
2 HOC
1
8 HOC
2
6 NÜR
1
6 NÜR
2
Ret WUN
1
4 WUN
2
5 NÜR
1
6 NÜR
2
2 NOR
1
3 NOR
2
3 DON
1
1 DON
2
2 DIE
1
7 DIE
2
Ret ALE
1
6 ALE
2
4 AVU
1
4 AVU
2
2 HOC
1
Ret HOC
2
5 5th 161 1994 Schübel Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti ZOL
1
10 ZOL
2
9 HOC
1
6 HOC
2
5 NÜR
1
2 NÜR
2
2 MUG
1
3 MUG
2
Ret NÜR
1
4 NÜR
2
8 NOR
1
Ret NOR
2
11 DON
1
9 DON
2
DSQ DIE
1
7 DIE
2
5 NÜR
1
Ret NÜR
2
DNS AVU
1
10 AVU
2
18 ALE
1
5 ALE
2
Ret HOC
1
10 HOC
2
6 9th 88 1995 Schübel Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti HOC
1
16 HOC
2
9 AVU
1
8 AVU
2
3 NOR
1
1 NOR
2
6 DIE
1
8 DIE
2
Ret NÜR
1
12 NÜR
2
14 ALE
1
7 ALE
2
4 HOC
1
15 HOC
2
16 9th 48

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

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

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 DC Pts 1991 BMW Team Finance BMW M3 SIL SNE DON THR
5 SIL BRH SIL DON
1 DON
2 OUL BRH
1 BRH
2 DON THR SIL 18th 8

Complete International Touring Car Championship results

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

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Pos. Pts 1995 Schübel Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti MUG
1
Ret MUG
2
12 HEL
1
1 HEL
2
13† DON
1
12 DON
2
9 EST
1
15 EST
2
DNS MAG
1
Ret MAG
2
13 13th 22 1996 TV Spielfilm Alfa Corse Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti HOC
1
13 HOC
2
Ret NÜR
1
9 NÜR
2
10 EST
1
12 EST
2
13 HEL
1
8 HEL
2
Ret NOR
1
Ret NOR
2
DNS DIE
1
15 DIE
2
Ret SIL
1
10 SIL
2
13 NÜR
1
18 NÜR
2
20 MAG
1
Ret MAG
2
DNS MUG
1
12 MUG
2
Ret HOC
1
7 HOC
2
6 INT
1
3 INT
2
Ret SUZ
1
2 SUZ
2
7 15th 48

Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup results

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

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pos. Pts 1997 JAS Engineering Alfa Romeo 155 TS HOC
1
17 HOC
2
23 ZOL
2
23 ZOL
2
23 NÜR
1
17 NÜR
2
Ret SAC
1
Ret SAC
2
Ret NOR
1
17 NOR
1
Ret WUN
1
18 WUN
2
Ret ZWE
1
24 ZWE
2
21 SAL
1
20 SAL
2
18 REG
1
20 REG
1
18 NÜR
1
23 NÜR
1
18 29th 37

Complete Japanese Formula 3000 Championship results

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

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 DC Points 1990 Leyton House Racing SUZ
13 FUJ
Ret MIN
9 SUZ
15 SUG
17 FUJ
Ret FUJ
10 SUZ
16 FUJ
3 SUZ 15th 4

American Open-Wheel racing results

PPG Indycar Series

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points 1992 Euromotorsport SRF PHX LBH INDY DET
18 POR MIL NHA TOR
16 MCH CLE
16 ROA
16 VAN
21 MDO
19 NAZ
13 LAG
20 39th 0 1993 Euromotorsport SRF PHX LBH INDY MIL DET POR CLE
25 TOR MCH NHA ROA
11 VAN MDO NAZ LAG
26 31st 2 1994 Project Indy SRF PHX LBH INDY MIL DET
12 POR CLE
Wth TOR MCH MDO NHA VAN ROA
12 NAZ LAG 30th 2 1995 Project Indy MIA
7 SRF PHX LBH NAZ INDY MIL DET
22 POR ROA TOR CLE MCH MDO NHA VAN LAG 25th 6 1997 Payton/Coyne MIA SRF LBH NAZ RIO GAT MIL DET
12 POR
27 CLE TOR MCH MDO ROA VAN
23 LAG FON 31st 1

Complete Grand Prix Masters results

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

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 2005 Team Unipart Delta Motorsport GPM Nicholson McLaren 3.5 V8 RSA
7 2006 Team LUK Delta Motorsport GPM Nicholson McLaren 3.5 V8 QAT
2 ITA
C GBR
3 MAL
C RSA
C