Formula One Career
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! Nationality
| Swiss
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! Active years
| 1962 - 1971
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! Team(s)
| Lotus, Cooper, Brabham, March, BRM
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! Grands Prix
| 100
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! Championships
| 0
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! Wins
| 2
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! Podium finishes
| 6
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! Pole positions
| 2
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! Fastest laps
| 4
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! First Grand Prix
| 1962Monaco Grand Prix
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! First win
| 1968British Grand Prix
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! Last win
| 1971Austrian Grand Prix
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! Last Grand Prix
| 1971United States Grand Prix
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The son of a dairy owner initially made his name in racing on two wheels, powering his way to the Swiss 350cc motorcycle championship in 1959 before switching to four wheels with a Formula Junior Stanguellini. Affectionately known as "Seppi" to his family and close friends, Siffert graduated to Formula 1 as a privateer in 1962 with a four-cylinder Team Lotus-Coventry Climax, later driving under the Swiss Scuderia Filipinetti banner and in 1964 joined Rob Walker's private British Rob Walker Racing Team.
Later on, Siffert's driving displays in the Porsche 917 were legendary, earning him several major wins in Europe. In addition, Siffert was chosen by Porsche to help launch its CanAm development program, driving a Porsche 917PA spyder in 1969 and finishing fourth in the championship despite few entries.
In 1970 he teamed up with Brian Redman to drive a Porsche 908/3 to victory at the Targa Florio. That same year, Porsche bankrolled Siffert's seat in a works March Engineering F1 since the German company did not wish to lose one of their prize drivers to rival Ferrari. His association with March in F1 was disastrous, so he was delighted to join rival Porsche racer Pedro Rodriguez at BRM the following season.
Jo Siffert won the 1971 Austrian Grand Prix, but then was killed in an end-of-season non-championship F1 race at Brands Hatch, the scene of his first and greatest victory. The suspension of his BRM had been damaged in a lap 1 incident with Ronnie Peterson, and broke later. The BRM crashed and Siffert could not get out of the burning car.
This accident, led to a rapid overhaul of safety, both in-car and on circuit. In the subsequent RAC (Royal Automobile Club - the UK organising and regulatory representative of the FIA at the time) investigation, it was discovered that apart from non-fatal injuries, Siffert had been killed by oxgen starvation and smoke inhalation. None of the trackside fire extinguishers worked: and it was found impossible to reach the car and extract Siffert. On-Board fire extinguisers (using BCF: Bromochlorodiflluoromethane: an aircraft product) became mandatory and piped air for the drivers, direct into their helmet. Thus, perhaps one of the sad epitaphs of Seppi, was the focus on vehicle and driver safety in Formula One and lesser forumulae and far better fire retardant driving overalls.
His funeral in Switzerland was attended by 50000 people, and a Gulf-Porsche 917 of Team John Wyer accompanied the hearse.
In 2005, a very informative 90 minute-documentary about his life was made by director Men Lareida: Jo Siffert - live fast, die young[link] "DVD"[link].
