Despite being a hugely versatile racing driver, who competed in Formula 3000, IndyCar, Sports Cars, Touring Cars, Christian Danner was unable to showcase his full potential in Formula 1 in the mid-late 1980s.

During an era characterised by poor reliability and pre-qualifying, he either failed to start many of the races he entered, or he failed to finish them. But that certainly doesn’t mean he’s short of some fascinating tales from his time in the sport.

Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Christian remembers becoming the first F1 driver to be disqualified for dangerous driving and how Ayrton Senna leapt to his defence. He also talks about the opposition he faced from the media back home in Germany, why Zakspeed teammate Martin Brundle kept him on his toes , how he climbed from P26 on the grid to a career-best finish of P4 at the US Grand Prix in 1989, and much more.

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Christian Danner: how Senna came to his defence in Monaco 55:41 Share

F1: Beyond The Grid

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Christian Danner: how Senna came to his defence in Monaco