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Jochen Mass - the most successful German F1 driver of the seventies

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Created on May 22, 2025

Reading time 15min

Written by:

Daniel Reinhard und Hartmut Lehbrink

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

16

Daniel Reinhard

16

Jochen Mass vor McLaren-Teamkollege James Hunt beim GP Monaco 1976

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Jochen Mass in jungen Jahren

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Jochen Mass in den Siebzigerjahren

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Jochen Mass im McLaren M23 im Jahr 1975

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Jochen Mass im McLaren M23

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Jochen Mass im Gespräch mit Jody Scheckter

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Jochen Mass mit Jacky Ickx im Porsche 936 in Le Mans 1977

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Jochen Mass fuhr den Warsteiner Arrows in den Jahren 1979/1980

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Jochen Mass in der Arrows „die Cigarre“ oder auch „der Bomber" genannt, beim GP Oesterreich in Zeltweg 1979

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Jochen Mass im Porsche 956

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Jochen Mass mit Jacky Ickx im Porsche 956 beim 1000km Rennen von Monza 1984

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Jochen Mass im Sauber-Mercedes C9

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Jochen Mass als strahlender Sieger des 1000km Rennens auf dem Nürburgring im Sauber C9 1989

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Jochen Mass im Gespräch mit Bernie Ecclestone, Niki Lauda schaut zu

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Jochen Mass macht das Victory-Zeichen

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Jochen Mass mit Tochter Sydne an der Ennstal-Classic

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Summary

Jochen Mass was a successful racing driver who was able to drive at the front in F1 monopostos as well as in sports and touring cars. His second love was seafaring. The likeable German died on May 4, 2025 at the age of 78. A look back at his career as a racing driver.

This article contains the following chapters

From mechanic to racing driver
From amateur to professional
From touring car to monoposto
And yet the longing for the ship
Deprived of success
Accidents and misunderstandings
From Formula 1 to the sports car
No regrets
Transition to the historic racing cars

Estimated reading time: 15min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Jochen Mass (September 30, 1946 to May 4, 2025) from Mannheim was one of three German Formula 1 racing drivers in the 1970s. Rolf Stommelen, Hans Joachim Stuck and Jochen Mass battled together for championship points in the premier class. Mass was the most successful of them all in the end. Unfortunately, Jochen's engine stopped for good at the age of 78. Jochen Mass initially loved the water more than the asphalt, so he attended the Bremervörde Seamen's School and became a ship's boy in the merchant navy. He obtained his driver's license in record time at the Hamburg Seamen's School in the mid-1960s. Five half driving lessons were the absolute minimum to get his license; he didn't need any more as he already had experience with his mother's Beetle. After almost three years at sea, the end came for him in the navy after he was unable to join the German navy on the sail training ship because the waiting list was too long. So he started an apprenticeship as a banker, but: "Getting off the ship and into a bank was an absurdity. That couldn't work."

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