Jo Gartner, a forgotten talent
Jo Gartner was born in Vienna on January 24, 1954, and had to build his career step by step, with few means at his disposal. After years of apprenticeship he managed to make a name for himself in the minor categories, winning a few races in Formula 2. He combined natural speed with a solid technical background, the result of his training as a car mechanic. He was not on the level of compatriot Niki Lauda, but he certainly did not lack talent and courage.
His path into motorsports began in the summer of 1972, when he introduced himself to Kurt Bergmann, the owner of a team engaged in building single-seaters for Formula Vee and Super Car. After gaining experience on established projects, Gartner went so far as to independently redesign some Kaimann models, demonstrating skills rare for such a young driver.
With determination he managed to climb the formula categories up to Formula 1. In 1984 Osella offered him the opportunity to race half of the World Championship alongside Piercarlo Ghinzani. It was an important chance, although the team struggled to even field a single car. In some races Gartner’s single-seater was not even officially entered, a circumstance that would have prevented the awarding of any points, one of the many regulatory loopholes of the time.
Despite the difficulties, Gartner participated in eight Grand Prix qualifying each time. He often stayed close to Ghinzani, a more established driver, sometimes managing to get ahead of him. In an era marked by the precarious reliability of turbo engines, the numerous retirements partly compensated for the Osella’s lack of competitiveness.
The high point came at Monza. Taking advantage of an exceptional series of dropouts, Gartner found himself in the final stages in sixth position, with his teammate fourth. When Ghinzani ran out of fuel, Jo also risked the same fate, but managed to cross the finish line by a whisker. He finished fifth, ahead of Gerhard Berger, a direct rival for a place at Arrows in 1985. An extraordinary result, but one that did not yield points precisely because of the registration issue.
In the end it was Berger who got the Formula 1 seat. Gartner thus veered toward endurance racing, where he immediately knew how to make a name for himself. In 1985 he took an excellent fourth place at the 24 Hours of Spa in the World Sportscar Championship. The following year came his first major success with victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, followed by third place in Miami in the IMSA championship, which he finished heroically on three wheels.
On June 1, 1986 he started the 24 Hours of Le Mans among the favorites. At 2 a.m., however, a mechanical failure caused the Porsche 962 to lose control on the Hunaudières straight at over 260 mph. The car struck the guard rail violently and ended its race against a telephone pole, catching fire. Jo Gartner died on impact.
Thus went a driver loved by all, remembered for talent, a smile and a career built with tenacity against all odds.
