Fabian Baas

Lambert's Bay, South Africa

**Fabian "Dutch" Baas** is a South African racing driver. He formerly raced in Formula One before a career-ending accident during qualifying for the 1988 British Grand Prix.

## Racing Career

Baas started his career in Europe in the Karting World Championship aged 10. With mixed results, his best result was 4th in the championship in 1974. He moved on to single-seater Formula Vee in 1976 with mixed success. In 1979 he progressed to the All-Japanese Formula 2 Championship driving for Hero's Racing, with his best finish being fourth in the 1981 season. In 1982 he moved to European Formula Two for a season. He had to abandon his racing career due to lack of funding, but he retrained as a construction worker for several years.

## Formula One

After years in construction, Fabian looked to return to racing and gave the minnow Minardi team an offer of 150,000 Rand to drive for their team. He became the first South African since Eddie Brunette to race in Formula One and raced alongside Austrian driver Lukas Schmidt.

Baas debuted in a lonely 14th in Brazil. His next race at Imola was much better and he took his first points and at the time Minardi's best ever finish in Formula One by finishing 4th. Monaco was a race to forget for Fabian, after a puncture forced him to pit and emerge in 19th. His good form returned at Canada with a fifth place finish. He struggled through the rest of the '86 season as Minardi couldn't afford to keep developing the car.

Minardi struggled in 1987, falling from sixth in the constructors in 1986 to 11th in 1987. Minardi could only score seven points during the season, all courtesy of Schmidt. Fabian finished last in the driver's championship, with his best finish being 12th in France. Following the '87 season Baas left Minardi to join Tyrrell.

Fabian's season got off to a bad start in Brazil when he collided with the March of Émilie Levesque on his outlap after Levesque spun, forcing Baas to start from the back of the grid. He managed to qualify 14th in Imola with his teammate Young qualifying 15th. A mistake by Baas's pitcrew caused Baas to be fitted with medium tyres instead of softs. Baas struggled to get temperature into the tyres and eventually finished 12th. Baas had a decent race in Monaco, picking up 8th place but had to miss the Canadian Grand Prix due to illness. Baas's race the United States GP got off to a great start and he was running in 7th until lap nine when he span at turn six. Moments later, he span at the *Carousel*, almost colliding with the Zakspeed of Eduardo Marques. Fabian was sat behind the Arrows car of Strömberg until they both pitted. Strömberg came out and went on to finish ahead due to a miscommunication between the Tyrrell pit crew and Baas. Near the end of qualifying for the British Grand Prix, Fabian crashed heavily at Woodcote corner. He was transported to Northampton General Hospital where he received treatment for a broken neck among other injuries. Fabian eventually recovered from his injuries but would never drive in Formula One again.

## Post Formula One

After Baas's accident, in which he suffered a career-ending injury with damage to his spine, he was confined to a wheelchair. He took part in several handcycling events.

## Personal Life

Fabian was born to a working class family in Lambert's Bay. His father was a fisherman and his mother worked in a car dealership.