Rudi Fischer
{{short description|Swiss racing driver (1912–1976)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rudi Fischer
| image = Rudi Fischer at the 1951 Monza Grand Prix.jpg
| caption = Fischer in 1951
| birth_name = Rudolf Fischer
| birth_date = {{birth date|1912|4|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = Stuttgart, Württemberg, German Empire
| death_date = {{death date and age|1976|12|30|1912|4|19|df=y}}
| death_place = Lucerne, Switzerland
| module =
{{Infobox F1 driver|embed=yes
| nationality = {{flagicon|CHE}} Swiss
| Years = {{F1|1950}}–{{F1|1952}}
| Team(s) = Privateer SVA, privateer Ferrari
| Races = 8 (7 starts)
| Championships = 0
| Wins = 0
| Podiums = 2
| Points = 10
| Poles = 0
| Fastest laps = 0
| First race = 1950 Swiss Grand Prix
| Last race = 1952 Italian Grand Prix
}}}}
Rudolf "Rudi" Fischer (19 April 1912 – 30 December 1976) was a Swiss racing driver, who competed in Formula One at seven Grands Prix from {{F1|1951}} to {{F1|1952}}.{{efn|Fischer was also entered into the 1950 Swiss Grand Prix in a privateer SVA 1500, but did not complete a competitive session.}}
Fischer debuted in Formula One at the {{F1GP|1951|Swiss}} in {{F1|1951}}. He achieved two podium finishes, and scored a total of 10 championship points. He also participated in numerous non-championship Formula One and Formula Two races.
Career
Fischer finished third in a race which marked the reopening of the AVUS, a German motor racing circuit. It had been closed for a 14-year period and was damaged during World War II. A crowd of 350,000 watched Paul Greifzu of Suhl, Thuringia, win in a car he built himself. Fischer drove a Ferrari to third place over a distance of 207.5 kilometres. His time was 1 hour, 10 minutes, 27.5 seconds.350,000 See Reopening of Motor RaceWay In Berlin After an Interval of 14 Years, The New York Times, July 2, 1951, Page 31. In the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix, in Bern, Fischer finished second to Piero Taruffi; both drivers were in Ferraris.Swiss Auto Race to Taruffi, Los Angeles Times, May 19, 1952, Page 24.
Écurie Espadon/Scuderia Espadon
Fischer was the leader of the "Écurie Espadon",{{cite web |url=http://www.axos.nl/retrorace/temp/Scuderia-Espadon.doc |title=Presentation document Ecurie Espadon |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410120800/http://www.axos.nl/retrorace/temp/Scuderia-Espadon.doc |archivedate=10 April 2008 |accessdate=4 March 2016}} the entrant name for most of his racing career.
Écurie Espadon was composed of a group of Swiss amateur gentleman racers. The word "Écurie" was used at the beginning as most of the team's cars were French, generally Gordinis. Later the team's equipment changed to Ferraris and other Italian vehicles, thus the name of the team changed to use the equivalent Italian word "Scuderia".
The team was involved in several races all over Europe, as the presentation document described.{{cite web |url=http://forums.autosport.com/topic/31439-scuderia-espadon-and-its-background/ |title=Scuderia Espadon and its background |website=forums.autosport.com |accessdate=4 March 2016}}
The team was composed of:
- Rudolf Fischer: a successful restaurant owner.
- Rudolf Schoeller
- Peter Hirt: a wealthy businessman from Küssnacht, near Zürich, involved in precision tool manufacturing.
- Peter (Pierre) Staechelin from Basel.
- Max de Terra
- Paul Glauser
Racing record
=Post WWII Grandes Épreuves results=
(key)
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |
| Year
! Entrant ! Chassis ! Engine ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 |
|---|
| 1949
! Écurie Espadon ! Simca-Gordini 1.4 L4 | GBR | BEL | style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SUI | FRA | ITA |
| colspan=9|{{center|{{small|Source:{{cite web|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/drivers/rudolf-fischer|title=Rudolf Fischer – Biography|work=MotorSportMagazine|accessdate=January 7, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.oldracingcars.com/results/result.php?RaceID=CH49|title=Grosser Preis der Schweiz - Bremgarten, 3 Jul 1949|work=OldRacingCars|accessdate=January 7, 2019}}}}}} |
=Complete Formula One World Championship results=
(key)
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year ! Entrant ! Chassis ! Engine ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! {{Tooltip|WDC|World Drivers' Championship}} ! Pts |
| {{F1|1950}}
! Écurie Espadon | GBR | MON | 500 | SUI | BEL | FRA | ITA | ! NC ! 0 |
| {{F1|1951}}
! Écurie Espadon |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SUI | 500 | BEL | FRA | GBR |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| GER |style="background:#FFFFFF;"| ITA | ESP ! NC ! 0 |
| rowspan=2| 1952
!rowspan=2| Écurie Espadon |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SUI | 500 | BEL |style="background:#FFFFFF;"| FRA |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| GBR |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| GER | NED |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ITA !rowspan=2| 4th !rowspan=2| 10 |
| Ferrari 212
| | | |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| FRA | | | | |
|---|
| colspan="14"|{{center|{{small|Source:{{cite web|url=http://www.statsf1.com/en/rudi-fischer/engagement.aspx|title=Rudi Fischer - Involvement|work=StatsF1|accessdate=January 7, 2019}}}}}} |
{{smallsup|†}} Entered and practiced in his Ferrari 500, but engine failure meant that he reverted to the previous season's 212 model for the race.{{cite web|last= Diepraam |first= M |title= German F2 specials taking on Ferrari |url= http://www.forix.com/8w/d52.html |date= June 2001 |work= 8W |accessdate= 30 April 2008 }} Drive shared with Peter Hirt.
Notes
{{notelist}}