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The fast life of Manfred Jantke - slowed down from 376 km/h to 7 km/h

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Created on May 2, 2020

Reading time 21min

Written by:

Thomas Suter

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Jantke

Archiv Jantke (Foto Julius Weitmann)

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Jantke

Archiv Jantke (Foto Julius Weitmann)

Den Sponsor Rothmans holte Manfred Jantke an Bord

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Manfred Jantke in seinem Zimmer voller Erinnerungen an die Vergangeneit

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Manfred Jantke organisierte auch Tennisturniere für Porsche

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Nicht immer lief alles rund, wie dieser verbogene Pleuel zeigt

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Manfred Jantke im Formel Vau auf dem Norisring von einigen Jahren

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Manfred Jantke war auch mit dem Käfer unterwegs

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In der Fussgängerzone am Bodensee gilt 7 km/h

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Manfred Jantke im Drift im BMW 1500 für Aufnahmen im Magazin von auto motor und sport. Das Foto machte Julius Weitmann

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Manfred Jantke in seiner Formel-V Zeit in den Jahren 1968/1969

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Manfred Jantke gewinnt Formel-V Rhein-Pokal Rennen in Hockenheim 1969

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Prominenter Besuch - Jantke mit dem Dirigenten Herbert von Karajan im Schalensitz

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Prominenter Besuch - von links nach rechts - Dr. Ernst Fuhrmann (Vorstand Porsche AG), Manfred Jantke, Helmut Bott (Technik-Vorstand Porsche AG), Herbert von Karajan (Dirigent) und Helmut Klauser (Porsche Ingenieur)

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Manfred Jantke bei der Präsentation des Porsche Carrera RS im Jahr 1972

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Manfred Jantke mit Georg Bohlender (Dunlop-Pressechef) in den frühen 70`er Jahren

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IAA Frankfurt 1973 - von links nach rechts - Manfred Jantke, Jackie Stewart, Huschke von Hanstein, Mike Kranefuss und Jochen Mass

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Manfred Jantke im Dreiliter-Ford Capri Tourenwagen im Jahr 1973

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Jochen Neerpasch mit Manfred Jantke im Jahr 1973

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Testfahrten mit dem 911 Turbo - von links nach rechts - Helmuth Bott (Vorstand Technik der Porsche AG), Manfred Jantke und Paul Frère 1973

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Manfred Jantke mit dem CanAm Porsche 917/30

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In der Sponsoren-Bekleidung - Manfred Jantke mit Jochen Mass (liegend)

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Manfred Jantke mit Porsche Team in (Boss-) Schale im Jahr 1976

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Manfred Jantke mit Porsche Team in Temkleidung im Jahr 1976

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Nach dem Le-Mans-Sieg von 1976 - Manfred Jantke mit den Siegern Lennep und Ickx

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Als es noch einfach ging - Vereinbarung, dass das Le Mans Preisgeld unter die Fahrer verteilt wird

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Manfred Jantke mit dem ganzen Preisgeld von Le Mans 1977

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Manfred Jantke (links) mit Bob Wollek (rechts)

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Bei Porsche - von links nach rechts - Manfred Jantke, Mitarbeiter von Graf Rossi, Graf Gregorio Rossi di Montelera (Inhaber und Chef von Martini&Rossi)

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Manfred Jantke (ganz rechts im Bild) wird mit Tracy Austin Zweiter hinter Anne Overton und John Hafner beim Pro-Executive Tennis-Doppel in Mission Hills/California im Jahr 1978

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Widmung von Ivan Lendl für Manfred Jantke

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Danny Ongais mit Indy Porsche im Jahr 1980

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Ivan Lendl (Tennisstar) schiebt Manfred Jantke im verkehrt-Lenker Kart

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Manfred Jantke fuhr auch mal im schnellen Zweierbob mit

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Manfred Jantke und Peter W. Schutz mit dem Porsche 956 Gruppe C Modell im Jahr 1981

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Jubel in der Porsche-Box beim dreifach-Sieg in Le Mans im Jahr 1982

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Manfred Jantke (Moderator) gratuliert Siegerin Martina Navratilova beim Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Filderstadt von 1982

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Manfred Jantke mit Stefan Bellof um das Jahr 1983 herum

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Manfred Jantke mit Ickx bei der Paris-Dakar im Jahr 1984

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Porsche-Einsatz Paris-Dakar im Jahr 1984

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Manfred Jantke mit Werksfahrer Jochen Mass

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Manfred Jantke mit den den drei Andrettis in Le Mans 1988 (vlnr. Mario, Michael und John)

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Manfred Jantke mit Jacky Ickx und Gattin

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Summary

Manfred Jantke could have become a racing driver and would probably have been successful, as he had no lack of basic speed. But he opted for a career as a motoring journalist and race director, contributing not only to the success of "auto motor und sport", but also to that of Porsche. This portrait tells the exciting story of Manfred Jantke and shows the stages of his life in many pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

Secondary school teacher as a goal
Jantke and the fast drift angles
Pioneer in Formula Vee
Jantke and the great white wall
Co-savior of the 911
Special friendships and enmities
Jantke and the racing drivers
Jantke and Le Mans
Jantke and Formula 1
Jantke and big names
Jantke and his own cars
Jantke today and racing
Jantke's family and the war

Estimated reading time: 21min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The car becomes lighter and lighter, more unstable. Downforce as in today's racing cars is still a foreign concept - it is difficult to keep the track at all, to be on the safe side a line in the middle of the road is chosen and the temptation to use the entire width of the road is resisted... The Porsche 936 thunders along the "Ligne Droite des Hunaudières" in Le Mans at 376 km/h, a straight six kilometers long and not yet disfigured by chicanes. Behind the wheel is not six-time Le Mans winner and Porsche works driver Jacky Ickx, but Porsche race director Manfred Jantke. "It was an extraordinary feeling to drive this race car at this high speed - the respect for the racing drivers who drive 24 hours at the limit cannot be great enough," is Jantke's summary after this hellish ride.

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