Walter Zeller

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Walter Zeller 1979 in a BMW

Walter Zeller (born September 11, 1927 in Ebersberg ; † February 4, 1995 ) was a German motorcycle racer .

Zeller's vice world championship in 1956 in the 500 cm³ class of the motorcycle world championship is still the best placement for a German in the “premier class” of motorcycle racing. In addition to Schorsch Meier , Walter Zeller is considered to be the only racing driver who completely mastered the BMW RS 54 of the post-war years.

Life

Walter Zeller was born on September 11, 1927, the fourth child of Alfred and Anna Zeller. After attending secondary school , which he completed with a secondary school leaving certificate, he completed a two-year training course in his parents' company. From 1946 Zeller attended the engineering school in Munich. From 1957 to 1975 he ran his parents' business, the Annahütte steelworks in Hammerau .

Walter Zeller died of heart failure on February 4, 1995 at the age of 67 .

Career

Walter Zeller started as a driver with a BMW ID in 1947 and was able to celebrate his first successes as early as 1948. In 1949 he became a licensed driver and straight away German runner-up in the 500 cc class. After finishing third overall in 1950, Zeller won his first German 500 cc championship in 1951. 1954 and 1955 followed the title number two and three.

In the 1956 season , Zeller achieved the greatest success of his career by winning the runner-up world championship in the 500 cm³ class. With fourth place at the Isle of Man TT , second places in Belgium and the Dutch TT in the Netherlands and sixth place at the Nations Grand Prix in Monza , he secured second place overall in the World Championship series behind John Surtees on MV Agusta .

In 1957 Zeller was third in the German Grand Prix at the Solitude and sixth in the Dutch TT in the 500 World Championship.

The death of his brother Kurt forced Walter Zeller to end his active career in 1957 and to take care of the family business. From 1977, accompanied by Gustl Lachermeier, his racing mechanic, and Rudi Mannetstetter, known as “Metzger Rudl”, he regularly took part in many veteran races at home and abroad.

Honors

The oldtimer club Feldkirchen e. V. from Feldkirchen, a district of Ainring in Upper Bavaria, where Zeller last lived, organizes a “Walter Zeller Memorial Rally” every second (odd) year on a Saturday in July. After the rally there will be a big classic car meeting in Feldkirchen on Sunday.

statistics

title

In the motorcycle world championship

season class motorcycle run Victories Podiums Points Result
1955 500 cc BMW 1 - 1 6th 7th
1956 500 cc BMW 4th - 2 16 2.
1957 500 cc BMW 2 - 2 8th 6th
total 7th - 5 30th

References

literature

  • Steffen Ottinger: International Six Day Trip 2012. The story since 1913 . HB-Werbung und Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Chemnitz 2012, ISBN 978-3-00-039566-6 , p. 35 ff .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Zeller, Walter
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German motorcycle racer
DATE OF BIRTH September 11, 1927
PLACE OF BIRTH Ebersberg
DATE OF DEATH February 4, 1995