JOCHEN MASS: 1946-2025

Jochen Mass

RRDC President, Bobby Rahal, on remembering long-time RRDC member, former Formula 1 racing driver and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Jochen Mass who passed away on Sunday, May 4th, 2025.

“I am greatly saddened by the passing of my friend Jochen Mass. He was not just a distinguished driver but a gentlemen and true sportsman, who represented so well the sport we all love.

“He and I drove together to claim victory in the 1987 Sebring 12 Hours driving a Porsche 962C. And later that year, we combined to win the Champion Spark Plug Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio in a Porsche 962.

“The RRDC sends its sincere sympathies to Bettina Mass and their lovely family. And to say we’ve all lost a great friend is a monumental understatement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“RIP, my friend, and thank you for the memories.”

Jochen Mass Racing History

Mass was born on September 30, 1946 in Dorfen, Upper Bavaria.

His motor racing talents were first discovered in hill climbs where he performed so impressively that he was offered a contact by Ford in 1970 to race the factory-prepared Capris, winning the European touring car series in 1972.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The move into single-seaters came that year with his first races in Formula 3 and then his first Formula 2 victory in a works March at the Nürburgring, a circuit of 14 miles and 174 corners whose challenge he loved. For 1973 he raced for the works Surtees team in Formula 2 before graduating to Formula 1 with the same team for 1974 and collecting his only F1 victory the following year at the Spanish Grand Prix.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mass found his most success in sports cars. Between 1976 and 1987, he was a permanent member of the Porsche works team, racing cars such as the 935, 936, 956 and 962.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He started on the pole for the 24 Hour of Le Mans three times, once in 1978 with Martini Porsche 936 and back-to-back with Rothmans Porsche 962C in 1985 and 1986. Teamed with Vern Schuppan, he finished second at Le Mans in 1982. However, he wouldn’t win the storied event until he joined Sauber-Mercedes, winning in 1989 with Manuel Reuters and Stanley Dickens as his co-drivers.

Mass ended his racing career in 1992 with an impressive record:

• More than 400 races
• 105 Grand Prix starts
• 71 World Championship points
• Winner of the German Racing Championship
• European Touring Car Champion
• Porsche Cup winner
• German Sports Car Champion
• Le Mans winner with Sauber-Mercedes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We are very saddened by the news of his death. Jochen Mass was a driver with depth. One who could understand the car like few others”, says Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsports. “He had an excellent feel for technology and for everything that makes a team strong. We are losing a remarkable driver and a trusted companion who was with us for many years. His legacy extends well beyond his success – it lives in memories, in stories and in his way of thinking about motorsports. Our thoughts are with his family.”

 

 

 

 

 

RRDC Member Jim Busby Remembers Jochen Mass

Sept 29, 1985, the 500 km of the Glen. Jochen was my co-driver in the Porsche 962 B.F. Goodrich car and we were on the outside of the front row. Al Holbert and Derek Bell qualified on the pole and were on the inside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We took off and raced them the whole race long. And I don’t know where we passed them, but we did, and we won the race.

So Jochen says, “Come on, let’s go to the winner’s circle.” We go to the winner’s circle, and we get the medals on. And all of a sudden they change their mind and say, “Al Holbert won the race.”

I’m livid. But Jochen…he was the most mellow guy that ever lived…just smiled and said, “Well, that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Busby, Darin Brassfield, Jochen Mass, John Morton.

Jim Busby photo

And he says, “Buzz, calm down, man. There’ll be plenty more of these.”

We became very close and we remained great friends to the end. Some people think Jochen was a little conceited. But he was just a normal guy who was quiet.

I watched him go through every change in life, and he always came out smiling on the other side. And you couldn’t fluster the guy, and that’s one of the reasons he was such a great race car driver and one of the best co-drivers I ever had.

We saw each other constantly, often at historic events after our careers, and we remained dear friends to the end.

RRDC Member Bill Warner Remembers Jochen Mass

He was a really wonderful man. Great sense of humor, at times self-deprecating, always positive, though. He was a racing treasure.

First story:

He was asked to drive the McLaren he raced on the McLaren Team with James Hunt for the filming of “Rush.” When he went to the wardrobe lady to get his garb for the filming, she asked, “Who are you?” Of course he answered “Jochen Mass.”

“No”, she said. “That is who you are playing. Who are you really?”

To which he answered, “I am really Jochen Mass.”

I guess she got it.

 

 

 

 

 

Second Story:

Last year, Mercedes-Benz flew Jochen over to drive one of the W196s for a media demonstration at the Salinas Airport. But Mercedes-Benz would not pay for his room. Go figure, as I don’t understand it. In any event, I had a spare bed and he used that. It was a great weekend with my friend. We hit the Monterey Fish House, he came to the track (Laguna Seca) and just had fun like a couple of kids. It will be a time I will always remember.

In his retirement, David Hinton of HSR, had him come over and drive a Porsche 911 in the 24 Hour Heritage race. Now think of this, here is a man who won Le Mans and raced in Formula 1, mixing it up with the great unwashed. And he did it for the fun of doing it. I can’t imagine Lewis Hamilton doing anything even remotely similar. He was an enthusiast who loved racing and racing people and it showed. I will miss his smile and sense of humor.