Christian Danner


Christian Josef Danner 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 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

In, Danner made his Formula One debut with Zakspeed. He made two starts but failed to finish any races due to mechanical failures. For, 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. 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 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, Danner 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 four 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

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Complete International Formula 3000 results

Complete Formula One World Championship results

Complete Japanese Formula 3000 Championship results

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft results

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

Complete International Touring Car Championship results

Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup results

American Open-Wheel racing results

PPG Indycar Series

YearTeamNo.1234567891011121314151617RankPointsRef
1992Euromotorsport50SRFPHXLBHINDYDET
18		PORMILNHATOR
16		MCHCLE
16		ROA
16		VAN
21		MDO
19		NAZ
13		LAG
20		39th0
1993Euromotorsport50SRFPHXLBHINDYMILDETPORCLE
25		TORMCHNHAROA
11		VANMDONAZLAG
26		31st2
1994Project Indy64SRFPHXLBHINDYMILDET
12		PORCLE
TORMCHMDONHAVANROA
12		NAZLAG30th2
1995Project Indy64MIA
7		SRFPHXLBHNAZINDYMILDET
22		PORROATORCLEMCHMDONHAVANLAG25th6
1997Payton/Coyne34MIASRFLBHNAZRIOGATMILDET
12		POR
27		CLETORMCHMDOROAVAN
23		LAGFON31st1

Complete Grand Prix Masters results

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