Karl Wendlinger: 30 years since career-defining Monaco GP

30 years ago, Karl Wendlinger’s Formula 1 career was just beginning to rise after a strong start to 1994 with Sauber.

But that all changed in first practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, when the Austrian lost control of his car as he approached the Nouvelle chicane and crashed into the barriers.

After a long recovery to regain racing fitness, Wendlinger returned a year later at the Spanish Grand Prix. He wasn’t the same driver though, and at the end of 1995, his time in F1 was up.

Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Karl talks in great detail about the crash; why he still doesn’t know the cause, how it affected him physically and mentally, what motivated him to race again, and how he processed leaving the sport.

Plus, Karl remembers coming through the Mercedes junior programme with Michael Schumacher and the warm welcome Ayrton Senna gave him when he first arrived on the grid.

This episode is sponsored by: 

Shopify: sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beyondthegrid

Indochino: go to Indochino.com today and use code GRID to get 10% off any purchase of $399 or more.