Wednesday 30th January 1901

Born on this day, Rudolf Caracciola, legendary German driver who became famous overnight, when he in 1926 as a privateer, won the first German Grand Prix, raced in horrendous conditions. He was equally at home in Grands Prix, the Mille Miglia, or Land Speed Record attempts driving for the Mercedes team. He died at the age of 58 in 1959. According to the legendary Mercedes team manager Alfred Neubauer, with who he had a long and close relationship, ” … of all the great drivers I have known – Nuvolari, Rosemeyer, Lang, Moss or Fangio – Caracciola was the greatest of them all.”