Jochen Mass: Le Mans and F1 race winner dies age 78 as family confirms cause of death
A Le Mans winner who also took part in more than 100 F1 Grand Prix has died age 78, his family has announced.
Jochen Mass, who won the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix for McLaren, died on Sunday, May 4. The German driver, who also raced for the likes of Arrows, ATS and March, competed in 114 races over the course of his career, scoring eight podium finishes.
According to his family, Mass died due to complications from a stroke he suffered in February. Their statement said: “Today we mourn the loss of a husband, father, grandfather and a racing legend. He lived life to the fullest and loved sharing it with all of you.
“He is racing with all his friends again.”
Mass was involved in the tragic accident that killed Gilles Villeneuve during qualifying for the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. The two collided after a miscommunication at high speed, with fatal consequences for the Ferrari driver.
Following his F1 career, Mass played a key role in nurturing young talent, serving as a mentor and coach for Mercedes’ junior drivers. He worked with Michael Schumacher before the German broke into Formula 1 as a youngster, getting his debut with Jordan at Spa in 1991.
Beyond the F1 paddock, Mass enjoyed a hugely successful sportscar career, claiming 32 world championship race wins with Alfa Romeo, Porsche, and Sauber-Mercedes. In 1989, he won the Le Mans 24 Hours with Sauber.
From 1993 to 1997, he also brought his insights to fans as a co-commentator on German TV network RTL. He also made a cameo appearance in the 2013 movie Rush, playing himself - and could frequently be seen at Goodwood Festival of Speed.