Karl Hoppe (racing driver)

Dutch TT 1970 : Hoppe (No. 3) in the 500 cc race on Münch - URS ahead of Giacomo Agostini (No. 1), John Williams (No. 40) and Paul Smart (No. 13)

Karl Hoppe (born January 5, 1923 in Diekholzen ; † August 3, 1987 ) was a German motorcycle racer .

Life

Hoppe had been active as a privateer in the German motorcycle road championship since the 1950s . At Blaupunkt and Bosch he was a works council and he also volunteered for his community in Diekholzen, where he was local councilor and mayor . The tabloid press liked to refer to him as “the fastest mayor in Germany”.

In addition, Hoppe was often at the start in the motorcycle world championship . There he achieved his first World Championship points in 1968 at the Grand Prix of the GDR on the Sachsenring with fifth place in the 350 cm³ class. In the 500 cc class he finished in 1969 at the German Grand Prix at the Hockenheimring behind the Italian Giacomo Agostini ( MV Agusta ) on a Métisse - URS .

Karl Hoppe received the Silver Laurel Leaf from Federal President Gustav Heinemann in 1971 .

statistics

title

• 1958 - German 350 cm³ champion on AJS
• 1961 - German 350 cm³ champion on AJS
• 1965 - German 350cc champion on AJS
• 1965 - German 500cc champion on Matchless
• 1966 - German 350 cm³ champion on AJS
• 1966 - German 500cc champion on Matchless
• 1969 - German 500cc champion on Matchless
• 1970 - German 350cc champion on a Yamaha

In the motorcycle world championship

• 1968 - 14th in the 350 cm³ class on Aermacchi
• 1969 - 20th in the 350cc class on a Yamaha
• 1969 - 18th in the 500 cm³ class on Métisse - URS
• 1970 - 13th in the 350cc class on a Yamaha
• 1970 - 21st in the 500 cm³ class on Münch -URS

Web links

• Karl Hoppe on the official website of the Motorcycle World Championship (English).
• In memory of Karl Hoppe
• The mad mayor - memories of Karl Hoppe at motorsportstatistik.com

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Short biography of the Feldberg race