(Motorsport-Total.com) – Fritz Enzinger is a name that many Formula 1 fans from the Netflix generation might not be familiar with. Today, the Austrian from Oberwölz in Styria is retired. But the 69-year-old looks back on an illustrious career. And the extent of his influence on international motorsport is proven by the mere fact that he was found in the top ranks of the renowned specialist magazine Autosport’s “Motorsport Power List” for years.
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Enzinger knows racing from all perspectives. After his studies, he joined BMW in 1981 as a chassis engineer, where he moved to the motorsport department five years later. He stayed there for a quarter of a century. The Styrian cultivates what he likes. He held leading positions in various programs. Touring cars, sports cars, Formula 1 – purchasing, logistics, sponsoring, networking. He thoroughly understood how motorsport works. Technically, politically, and in competition.
Next Wednesday, Enzinger will be the star guest at the monthly members’ regulars’ table on the Formel1.de YouTube channel. The evening begins at 7 PM with a live interview conducted by editor-in-chief Christian Nimmervoll. Two Austrians who know each other: Enzinger and the story of Porsche’s entry into Formula 1 with Red Bull, which fell through at the very last moment, are an exciting chapter in Nimmervoll’s book “Grand Prix Storys – Behind the Scenes of Formula 1”. (ADVERTISEMENT: Order the Formula 1 book “Grand Prix Storys” online now!)
Enzinger worked behind the scenes of Formula 1 for many years. At BMW, where he experienced funny anecdotes with the dazzling driver personalities Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya. But his greatest successes as a motorsport manager he celebrated in Le Mans: in 2011, he was commissioned by Porsche to set up the LMP1 program – and in 2015, the traditional brand (with Nico Hülkenberg at the wheel, by the way) achieved its first victory under Enzinger’s leadership.
In December 2022, Enzinger was retired by Porsche – fittingly, as part of the “Night of Champions”. A rare goosebump moment on a big stage. Because Enzinger was a motorsport maker who always operated more from the background and was rarely accessible to a broad public. This was already the case during his Formula 1 time at BMW, where he pulled the strings in team management in the wake of Mario Theissen and Gerhard Berger; and later also at Porsche.
Enzinger led the German sports car manufacturer to three overall victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and eight world championship titles in endurance racing. As head of the LMP1 program, he built one of the most successful motorsport programs of recent times practically from scratch. And, by the way, he had Andreas Seidl as a helper, who would later make a career in Formula 1.
Formula 1 Regulars’ Table: What is it?
On Wednesday evening, Enzinger will be a guest from 7 PM at the monthly members’ regulars’ table on the Formel1.de YouTube channel. There, he will not only answer questions from channel members but also share anecdotes from his time in motorsport and possibly tell how he even got to know legends like “Beatle” George Harrison personally. (€3.99/month: Become a member now!)
Before him, prominent figures such as Ralf Schumacher, former Haas team principal Günther Steiner, Racing Bulls CEO Peter Bayer, or former Grand Prix drivers Alexander Wurz and Nick Heidfeld were also guests at our regulars’ table, as was the legendary Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug.
The previous regulars’ tables (since December 2021) have always lasted between three and seven hours. Once the prominent guest has left the livestream, there’s still the opportunity to discuss Formula 1 among like-minded people or to ask our team questions and talk shop about what’s currently a topic in the premier class.
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Participate or just watch: Both are possible!
Our channel members can participate in the July regulars’ table (Start: Wednesday, 7:00 PM) themselves. Either passively as viewers of the livestream, or actively with text messages via live chat. Or even directly face-to-face with a webcam or smart device.
¿pbvin|0|0||0|1||https://www.youtube.com/live/oPOV6b6yuxo¿As many users as possible will have the opportunity to ask our guest questions personally. Ideally, in a relaxed, informal setting, with a glass of beer or wine in hand – just like you know it from a regulars’ table in a pub.
Info: How to dial into the meeting
Information on how to dial in will be available shortly before the event starts in the “Membership” tab on the Formel1.de YouTube channel. If you are not yet a member but would like to become one now, you can do so via this link.
Channel members who have no desire to actively participate in the discussion but are interested in what is being discussed and how, can watch the livestream from 7:00 PM on the Formel1.de YouTube channel, or of course, after the regulars’ table ends, on demand as a video (full length also only for members).
Archive: Previous regulars’ tables as video
New members also have the opportunity, of course, to watch all previous members’ regulars’ tables in replay. Here are the videos:
12/2021: Ernst Hausleitner, Bernd Mayländer, Sascha Roos, Alexander Wurz
01/2022: Marc Surer (former Formula 1 driver, TV expert)
02/2022: Edi Nikolic (Motorsport Manager)
03/2022: Alexander Bodo (CEO PACETEQ)
04/2022: Bernd Mayländer (Safety Car Driver)
05/2022: Bradley Lord (Mercedes Head of Communications)
06/2022: Ralf Schumacher (former Formula 1 driver, Sky expert)
07/2022: Norbert Haug (former Mercedes Motorsport Director)
08/2022: Christian Nimmervoll, Stefan Ehlen, Norman Fischer (Editors)
09/2022: Günther Steiner (Haas Team Principal)
10/2022: Timo Glock (Sky expert)
11/2022: Christian Klien (ServusTV expert)
01/2023: Marc Surer (former Formula 1 driver, TV expert)
02/2023: Alexander Bodo (CEO PACETEQ)
03/2023: Paddy Lowe (former Mercedes Technical Director)
04/2023: Ralf Schumacher (former Formula 1 driver, Sky expert)
05/2023: Beat Zehnder (Alfa Romeo Team Manager)
06/2023: Peter Sauber (former Formula 1 Team Owner)
07/2023: Jost Capito (former Formula 1 Team Principal)
08/2023: Philipp Brändle (former Mercedes Aerodynamicist)
09/2023: Jost Capito (former Formula 1 Team Principal)
10/2023: Corinna Kamper (former racing driver)
11/2023: Nick Heidfeld (former Formula 1 driver and founder of Formel G)
12/2023: Alexander Wurz (former Formula 1 driver and Chairman of the GPDA)
01/2024: Hermann Tilke (Race Track Designer)
02/2024: Alexander Bodo (CEO PACETEQ)
03/2024: Peter Bayer (CEO Racing Bulls)
04/2024: Rudolf Ratzenberger (Father of Roland Ratzenberger)
05/2024: Günther Steiner (former Formula 1 Team Principal)
06/2024: Marc Surer (former Formula 1 driver, TV expert)
07/2024: Peter Bürger (CEO Point-Racing)
08/2024: Carrie Schreiner (Racing driver in the F1 Academy)
09/2024: Roger Benoit (Reporter legend)
10/2024: Ralf Schumacher (former Formula 1 driver, Sky expert)
11/2024: Karl Wendlinger (former Formula 1 driver)
12/2024: Bradley Lord (Team Representative and Head of Communications Mercedes)
01/2025: Niels Junker (Commercial Director Allengra)
02/2025: Mario Theissen (former BMW Motorsport Director)
03/2025: Mario Peiker (Managing Director Hart Consult International)
04/2025: Tim Tramnitz (Racing driver)
05/2025: Niels Wittich (former Formula 1 Race Director)
06/2025: Philipp Brändle (former Mercedes Aerodynamicist)
07/2025: Britta Roeske (Media Relations Sebastian Vettel)
08/2025: Wolfgang Wilhelm (Motorsport Photographer)
09/2025: Ralf Schumacher (former Formula 1 driver, Sky expert)
10/2025: Lea Frentzen (Influencer & Daughter of Heinz-Harald Frentzen)
12/2025: Timo Glock (former Formula 1 driver, Sky expert)
12/2025: Ehlen, Fischer, Hermann, Zimmermann (Editors)
01/2026: Formula 1 Quiz with Norman Fischer and Stefan Ehlen (Editors)
04/2026: David Varnholt (Motorsport Engineer)
05/2026: Christian Nimmervoll, (Editor-in-Chief Motorsport Network Germany)
07/2026: Fritz Enzinger, (former Motorsport Manager)
The members’ regulars’ table is exclusively reserved for members of the Formel1.de YouTube channel. A membership (cancellable at any time) costs (unchanged for years despite inflation) 3.99 Euros per month – approximately the price of a small beer. In return, you get (among other benefits) the regulars’ table once a month and the opportunity to ask questions in the live chat during our livestreams on race weekends.
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