# Marc Surer

Marc Surer (born 18 September 1951) is a Swiss former racing driver and broadcaster, who competed in Formula One from 1979 to 1986.
Born in Arisdorf, Surer began kart racing aged 20. He moved to Germany in 1974 to compete in Formula Vee, as motor racing was banned in Switzerland following the 1955 Le Mans disaster. After finishing runner-up in the 1976 German Formula Three Championship, Surer progressed to European Formula Two, winning the title in 1979 with the BMW Junior Team. Making his Formula One debut at the Italian Grand Prix that year with Ensign, Surer signed for ATS in 1980. He participated in 88 Formula One Grands Prix, scoring 17 championship points.

## Racing career

Surer started his career in karting in 1972. Due to the racing ban established in Switzerland after the 1955 Le Mans disaster, he moved to Germany in 1974, where he finished second in the local Formula Vee Championship. In 1976, he switched to European Formula 3, where he was noticed by Jochen Neerpasch, who hired him as a member of the BMW Junior Team alongside Eddie Cheever and Manfred Winkelhock. In 1978, he finished second in the Formula 2 Championship, eventually winning the series the following year in a works March-BMW.
Surer's debut in Formula 1 took place at the end of 1979 and was somewhat troubled. He broke his legs in qualifying at the South African Grand Prix in an ATS at Kyalami in 1980 and again racing there in 1981 for Ensign. He recovered to give Ensign their best result with a 4th-place finish at the 1981 Brazilian Grand Prix, also setting the fastest lap of the race. He later drove for Theodore before establishing himself at Arrows for a couple of seasons, until BMW's support earned him a seat at Brabham for 1985. Surer returned to Arrows in 1986 but eventually retired from Formula One halfway through the season due to a serious accident at the 1986 ADAC Hessen-Rallye in his Ford RS200 that severely injured him and killed his co-driver and friend Michel Wyder. BMW retained him as a driver, coach and later director of motorsport activities. In 1994 and 1995, Surer, alongside Johnny Cecotto and Jo Winkelhock, won the German Super Touring Car Championship.
In 1996, Surer began working as a television commentator at all Formula 1 events for Sky Sport (Germany) (formerly known as DF1 and Premiere) next to the lead commentator Jacques Schulz. After Schulz's withdrawal prior to the 2013 season, he has remained as a commentator alongside Sascha Roos.

## Formula One all-time ranking

In 2016, in an academic paper that reported a mathematical modeling study that assessed the relative influence of driver and machine, Surer was ranked the 17th best Formula One driver of all time.

## Personal life

Surer has been married twice to former Playboy models, first to Playmate Jolanda Egger, and then to Christina Surer between 1997 and 2000. On 3 December 2011 he married his longtime partner Silvia Renée Arias.

## Racing record
### Career summary

| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
| 1975 | Formula Vee | | ? | 0 | ? | ? | ? | 24 | 6th |
| 1976 | European Formula Three | KWS Autotechnik Team | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 5th |
| 1976 | German Formula Three | KWS Autotechnik Team | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 77 | 2nd |
| 1976 | Italian Formula Three | KWS Autotechnik Team | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1976 | Challenge de Formule Renault Europe | | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 0 | ? |
| 1977 | Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft | BMW Junior Team | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 82 | 5th |
| 1977 | European Formula Two | Hohmann Auto Technik | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 13th |
| 1977 | European Formula Two | March Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 13th |
| 1978 | European Formula Two | Polifac BMW Junior Team | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 48 | 2nd |
| 1978 | Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft | BMW Schweiz | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 21st |
| 1978 | Japanese Formula Two | | 1 | 1 | 0 | ? | 1 | 0 | NC |
| 1978 | World Sportscar Championship | Artos Francy Sauber PP AG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1978 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | Artos Francy Sauber PP AG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | NC |
| 1979 | European Formula Two | Polifac BMW Junior Team | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 38 | 1st |
| 1979 | BMW M1 Procar Championship | BMW Schweiz | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 11th |
| 1979 | Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft | | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 43rd |
| 1979 | Formula One | Team Ensign | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1980 | Formula One | Team ATS | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1980 | BMW M1 Procar Championship | Sauber Motorsport | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 37 | 8th |
| 1981 | Formula One | Theodore Racing Team | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 16th |
| 1981 | Formula One | Ensign Racing | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 16th |
| 1981 | World Sportscar Championship | Würth-Lubrifilm Team Sauber | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26.5 | 89th |
| 1981 | European Formula Two | Marcus Hotz Racing | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1981 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | Würth-Lubrifilm Team Sauber | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
| 1981 | IMSA GT Championship | | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 12 | 36th |
| 1982 | Formula One | Arrows Racing Team | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 21st |
| 1982 | World Sportscar Championship | Ford Germany w/ Zakspeed | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 55th |
| 1982 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | Ford Germany w/ Zakspeed | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
| 1983 | Formula One | Arrows Racing Team | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 15th |
| 1984 | Formula One | Barclay Nordica Arrows BMW | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20th |
| 1984 | World Sportscar Championship | Porsche Kremer Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 53rd |
| 1985 | Formula One | Motor Racing Developments Ltd. | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 13th |
| 1985 | World Sportscar Championship | Porsche Kremer Racing | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 45 | 9th |
| 1986 | Formula One | Barclay Arrows BMW | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1986 | European Touring Car Championship | Juma Team | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ? |
| 2005 | Porsche Supercup | Porsche AG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† |
| 2010 | Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† |
| 2012 | Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† |
$^†$ As Surer was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

### Complete European Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Pos. | Pts |
| 1976 | Hohmann Racing | Chevron B35 | BMW | HOC | THR | VLL | SAL | PAU | HOC | ROU | MUG | PER | EST | NOG | HOC DNQ | | NC | 0 |
| 1977 | Hohmann Auto Technik | March 762 | BMW | SIL 9 | THR 7 | HOC Ret | NÜR | VLL 7 | PAU | MUG 5 | ROU Ret | NOG 7 | PER | MIS | EST | | 13th | 5 |
| 1977 | March Engineering | March 772P | BMW | | | | | | | | | | | | | DON 4 | 13th | 5 |
| 1978 | Polifac BMW Junior Team | March 782 | BMW | THR 2 | HOC 2 | NÜR 4 | PAU 3 | MUG 2 | VLL 9 | ROU 3 | DON 3 | NOG 2 | PER Ret | MIS 2 | HOC 2 | | 2nd | 51 |
| 1979 | Polifac BMW Junior Team | March 792 | BMW | SIL DNS | HOC Ret | THR 9 | NÜR 1 | VLL 1 | MUG Ret | PAU 3 | HOC 5 | ZAN 3 | PER Ret | MIS 3 | DON 2 | | 1st | 38 |
| 1981 | Marcus Hotz Racing | March 812 | BMW | SIL | HOC Ret | THR 12 | NÜR | VLL | MUG | PAU | PER | SPA | DON | MIS | MAN | | NC | 0 |

### Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | WDC | Points |
| 1979 | Team Ensign | Ensign N179 | Cosworth V8 | ARG | BRA | RSA | USW | ESP | BEL | MON | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA DNQ | CAN DNQ | USA Ret | | NC | 0 |
| 1980 | Team ATS | ATS D3 | Cosworth V8 | ARG Ret | BRA 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1980 | Team ATS | ATS D4 | Cosworth V8 | | | RSA DNS | USW | BEL | MON | FRA Ret | GBR Ret | GER 12 | AUT 12 | NED 10 | ITA Ret | CAN DNQ | USA 8 | | | | NC | 0 |
| 1981 | Ensign Racing | Ensign N180B | Cosworth V8 | USW Ret | BRA 4 | ARG Ret | SMR 9 | BEL 11 | MON 6 | ESP | | | | | | | | | | 16th | 4 |
| 1981 | Theodore Racing Team | Theodore TY01 | Cosworth V8 | | | | | | | | FRA 12 | GBR 11 | GER 14 | AUT Ret | NED 8 | ITA DNQ | CAN 9 | CPL Ret | | 16th | 4 |
| 1982 | Arrows Racing Team | Arrows A4 | Cosworth V8 | RSA | BRA | USW | SMR | BEL 7 | MON 9 | DET 8 | CAN 5 | NED 10 | GBR Ret | FRA 13 | GER 6 | AUT Ret | | ITA Ret | | 21st | 3 |
| 1982 | Arrows Racing Team | Arrows A5 | Cosworth V8 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | SUI 15 | | CPL 7 | 21st | 3 |
| 1983 | Arrows Racing Team | Arrows A6 | Cosworth V8 | BRA 6 | USW 5 | FRA 10 | SMR 6 | MON Ret | BEL 11 | DET 11 | CAN Ret | GBR 17 | GER 7 | AUT Ret | NED 8 | ITA 10 | EUR Ret | RSA 8 | | 15th | 4 |
| 1984 | Barclay Nordica Arrows BMW | Arrows A6 | Cosworth V8 | BRA 7 | RSA 9 | BEL 8 | | FRA Ret | MON DNQ | CAN Ret | DET Ret | | | | | | | | | 20th | 1 |
| 1984 | Barclay Nordica Arrows BMW | Arrows A7 | BMW Str-4 t/c | | | | SMR Ret | | | | | DAL Ret | GBR 11 | GER Ret | AUT 6 | NED Ret | ITA Ret | EUR Ret | POR Ret | 20th | 1 |
| 1985 | Motor Racing Developments Ltd. | Brabham BT54 | BMW Str-4 t/c | BRA | POR | SMR | MON | CAN 15 | DET 8 | FRA 8 | GBR 6 | GER Ret | AUT 6 | NED 10 | ITA 4 | BEL 8 | EUR Ret | RSA Ret | AUS Ret | 13th | 5 |
| 1986 | Barclay Arrows BMW | Arrows A8 | BMW Str-4 t/c | BRA Ret | ESP Ret | SMR 9 | MON 9 | BEL 9 | CAN | DET | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | AUT | ITA | POR | MEX | AUS | NC | 0 |

### Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 1978 | Artos Francy Sauber PP AG | Eugen Straehl Harry Blumer | Sauber C 5 | S 2.0 | 257 | NC | NC |
| 1981 | Würth-Lubrifilm Team Sauber | David Deacon Dieter Quester | BMW M1 | Gr.5 | 207 | DNF | DNF |
| 1982 | Ford Germany Zakspeed | Klaus Ludwig Manfred Winkelhock | Ford C100 | C | 67 | DNF | DNF |

## Sources

* Profile at www.grandprix.com