Walter Grubmüller
Encyclopedia
Karting
Beginning his karting career in his native Austria in 2000, Grubmüller did not move up into the major international series until 2002, with an appearance at the South Garda Winter Cup. Competing in the ICA JuniorIntercontinental A
KF2, is a kart racing class for top drivers aged 15 and up.This class used to be called Intercontinental A and has changed since January 2007 when CIK-FIA decided to replace the 100 cc water-cooled two-stroke engines with 125 cc Touch-and-Go water-cooled two-stroke engines . Chassis and...
class in 2003, Grubmüller finished seventh in the European Championship, and finished tied 24th with Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
's Samuel Curridor, in the Italian Open Masters
Italian Open Masters
The Italian Open Masters is a kart racing series based in Italy.-Formula A/KF1:-Intercontinental A/KF2:-Intercontinental A Junior/KF3:-Intercontinental C/KZ2:-External links:*...
. Grubmüller continued at the ICA Junior level in 2004, combining a karting campaign with appearances in the Formula Renault Monza series. He moved to MGM Racing to drive one of their Birel
Birel
Birel S.p.A. of Lissone started building karts in the late 1950s after many years as a bicycle manufacturer.They have had numerous world champions over the years including Mike Wilson and Gianluca Beggio....
karts, finishing eighth in the Andrea Margutti Trophy, and third behind Philipp Eng
Philipp Eng
-Karting:Eng started karting in 2003, by competing in Intercontinental A Junior karts, competing in the Andrea Margutti Trophy and the Italian Open Masters. Eng finished 18th in the Margutti Trophy, leading home Marco Wittmann, while he finished 30th in the Italian Open Masters. Eng continued at...
and Marco Wittmann in the Italian Open Masters.
Formula Renault
Grubmüller entered four races of the Formula RenaultFormula Renault
Formula Renault is a class of formula racing founded in 1971. It is popular in Europe and other countries. Regarded as an entry-level series to motor racing, it is a respected series where drivers can learn advanced racecraft before moving on to Formula Three, World Series by Renault, GP2 or...
Monza series in 2004, for 1600cc-specification cars. He amassed eight points over those races, while competing for the BVM Minardi team. Moving to Jenzer Motorsport for 2005, Grubmüller competed in the Eurocup
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 is a Formula Renault 2.0 championship with a presence of many Formula Renault championships drivers. It serves as a support series to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series as part of the World Series by Renault....
and Italian
Italian Formula Renault Championship
Formula Renault 2.0 Italia is a Formula Renault 2.0 racing series that is based in Italy. The series races mostly on Italian races but it has regular races at Belgium's Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and in Spain....
championships before competing in the Italian winter series later in the season. He failed to score any points in the pan-European series, with a best finish of 13th at Estoril
Autódromo do Estoril
The Autódromo do Estoril is a race course in Portugal, owned by state-run holding management company Parpública. Its length is . It was the home of the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix from 1984 to 1996....
. He scored three points in the main Italian series, and added twelve in the Winter Series. His best result of the season came in the four-race Winter Series, with fourth at Adria
Adria International Raceway
Adria International Raceway is a motorsport race track near Adria in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. It is a permanent road course, and is in length...
. Grubmüller stayed with Jenzer into 2006, and continued in both the pan-European and Italian championships. Results slowly improved, despite not scoring any points before he completed a mid-season move to Twincam Motorsport. A fifth and an eighth first time out at Donington Park
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
were his only points-scoring finishes as he finished 19th in the championship. He also finished 20th in the Italian championship, with a best result of sixth at Hockenheim
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...
.
Formula Three
After three Asian Formula ThreeAsian Formula Three Championship
The Asian Formula Three Championship was a single-seater racing series based in South East Asia. It is one of a number of national and international Formula Three championships that form part of an established "career ladder" below Formula One. It was sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the...
races in 2006 and four races in Australian Formula Three
Australian Formula 3
The Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship is a motor racing championship for FIA Formula Three racing cars and is now the official Australian Drivers' Championship. Growing out of Australian Formula 2 racing into a series for the first time in 1999, it has grown into the premier Australian...
in early 2007, Grubmüller moved to British Formula Three for the 2007 season
2007 British Formula Three season
The 2007 British Formula Three season was the 57th British Formula Three Championship season. It commenced on April 9, 2007 and ended on September 30 after twenty two races, with Estonian driver Marko Asmer crowned champion.-Teams and drivers:-Calendar:...
. His father Walter had bought into the Hitech Racing
Hitech Racing
Hitech Racing is a British motor racing team. It was founded in 2002 by Dennis Rushen and David Hayle. The team started racing in the British Formula Three Championship in 2003.-Formula Three:...
team, and installed his son as one of the drivers alongside Marko Asmer
Marko Asmer
Marko Asmer is an Estonian racing driver, whose career in single seater junior formula is notable for his British Formula Three Championship title in 2007. Asmer is also the first Estonian to test a Formula One car, having tested for the Williams BMW team in 2003 after just half a season of car...
. Grubmüller finished only four of the races in the points, while Asmer won eleven races to lift the series title. In the international races, Grubmüller finished 18th at the Macau Grand Prix
Macau Grand Prix
The Macau Grand Prix is a motor-racing event held annually in Macau, one of China's Special Administrative Regions. It is known for being the only street circuit racing event in which both car and motorcycle races are held...
, while he failed to finish at the Masters of Formula 3
Masters of Formula 3
The Masters of Formula 3 is a Formula Three race held annually, usually at the Circuit Park Zandvoort in the Netherlands. Due to noise restrictions in the Zandvoort area, the 2007 and 2008 races were held in the Belgian circuit of Zolder...
event at Zolder
Zolder
The Circuit Zolder, also known as Circuit Terlaemen, is an undulating motorsport race track in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium.Built in 1963, Zolder hosted the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix on 10 separate occasions in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1980 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix. The F1 circus...
. At the end of the season, Grubmüller competed in three more Asian F3 races for Aran Racing, achieving two podiums for a ninth place championship finish.
Asmer left the team so Grubmüller had a new team-mate for the 2008 campaign
2008 British Formula Three season
The 2008 British Formula Three season was the 58th British Formula Three Championship season. It began on 24 March 2008 at Oulton Park's Easter Monday meeting and ended on 12 October at Donington Park after 22 rounds in four different countries. Jay Bridger sealed the National Class championship at...
. Max Chilton
Max Chilton
Max Alexander Chilton is a British racing driver who currently races for Carlin in the GP2 Series. He attended Ardingly College, West Sussex from 1999 to 2008...
joined the Austrian, and once again Grubmüller was outpaced by his team-mate. His consistency did improve over the course of the season but failed to crack the podium as his best finish was fourth, coming at the 1000 km of Monza-supporting rounds, and finished fourteenth in the championship. He was edged out by just a single point by John Martin
John Martin (racing driver)
John Martin is an Australian championship winning open-wheel motor racing driver. Martin has been racing in European based open-wheel series since 2006. In that time Martin has had a wide experience of open-wheel racing having driven in various national and international series driving Formula...
at the final round at Donington. He impressed in Macau, finishing as top Hitech driver in eighth beating both Chilton and Roberto Merhi
Roberto Merhi
Roberto Merhi Muntan is a Spanish auto racing driver.- Career :-Formula Renault:In 2007, Merhi mainly competed in Italian Formula Renault and the Formula Renault Eurocup, finishing 4th and 18th respectively. In 2008 he competed in the West European Series, where he was runner-up, and he finished...
, who joined the team for a one-off drive.
2009
2009 British Formula Three season
The 2009 British Formula Three season was the 59th British Formula Three Championship season. It began on 13 April at Oulton Park's Easter Monday meeting and ended on 20 September at Brands Hatch after 20 rounds in four different countries...
saw a great change in Grubmüller's results, and became a surprise championship contender. Hitech had originally planned to run just Grubmüller in the series, but Sam Abay was signed up in the run up to the opening round. Sadly for Hitech, Abay could not acquire a work permit for the UK, and had to return to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Grubmüller achieved his first two podiums in Formula Three at that first round, at Oulton Park
Oulton Park
Oulton Park Circuit is a motor racing track in the small village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is about from Winsford, from Chester city centre, from Northwich and from Warrington with a nearby rail connection along the Mid-Cheshire Line. It occupies much of the area which was...
. Before the second round, Renger van der Zande
Renger van der Zande
Renger van der Zande is a Dutch racecar driver. He is the son of the 1978 National Dutch Rallycross Champion with VW Golf 1600 Ronald van der Zande.-Career:...
was signed up to drive a second Hitech car, in order to help Grubmüller. He took his first win at Hockenhim, before adding a second win at Donington. However, Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo
Daniel Ricciardo is an Australian racing driver currently competing in Formula 1 for Hispania Racing. He won the British Formula Three Championship in 2009.-Formula Ford and Formula BMW:...
had a significant enough lead to claim the title with a round to spare in the Algarve
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
The Autódromo Internacional do Algarve commonly referred to as Portimao Circuit is a race circuit located in Portimão, Portugal. With a total cost of €195 million , the project includes a karting track, technology park, five-star hotel, sports complex and apartments.Construction was finished in...
. Van der Zande had also moved ahead of Grubmüller in the standings, but with van der Zande returning to the Formula Three Euroseries
Formula Three Euroseries
The Formula 3 Euro Series is a European-based junior single seater formula for Formula Three chassis that was launched in 2003 as a merger of the French Formula Three Championship and German Formula Three Championship...
to compete for Motopark Academy in Barcelona
Circuit de Catalunya
The Circuit de Catalunya is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit.-History:...
, Grubmüller had the chance to seal the runner-up spot, at the final round at Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch
Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...
which was being held on the same weekend. Grubmüller did so with two fifth places, allowing him to overhaul his team-mate by ten points.
Formula Renault 3.5 Series
Towards the end of 2008, Grubmüller tested a Formula Renault 3.5 Series car for the first time with leading BritishGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
team P1 Motorsport
P1 Motorsport
P1 Motorsport is a British racing team based in Norfolk, England. They currently compete in the World Series by Renault.-British Formula Three:...
at the Paul Ricard
Circuit Paul Ricard
The Paul Ricard Circuit is a motorsport race track built at Le Castellet, near Marseille, France, in 1969 with finance from the eccentric drinks magnate Paul Ricard, who created what essentially became Pernod Ricard...
circuit in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The relationship continued in 2009 when Grubmüller tested for the team again at Motorland Aragón
Ciudad del Motor de Aragón
The Ciudad del Motor de Aragón, also known as Motorland Aragón, is a race circuit located near Alcañiz, Spain.The circuit has been designed by well-known German architect Hermann Tilke in conjunction with the British architectural firm Foster + Partners...
and Barcelona and in January 2010, it was announced that he would drive for the team in the 2010 season, racing alongside fellow rookie Jan Charouz
Jan Charouz
Jan Charouz is a Czech motor racing driver. He won the 2009 Le Mans Series season and 2006 F3000 International Masters season, as well as taking fourth place in the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans...
. Once again, Grubmüller's father bought into his son's team, investing during the winter period.
Career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Formula Renault Monza | BVM Minardi Junior | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 23rd |
| 2005 | Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 2005 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season The 2005 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season was the fifteenth Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season. The season began at Zolder on April 30 and finished at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza on October 22, after sixteen races. Kamui Kobayashi was crowned series champion.-Driver... |
Jenzer Motorsport Jenzer Motorsport Jenzer Motorsport is an auto racing team based in Switzerland.- Series results :GP3 Series D.C. = Drivers' Championship position, T.C. = Teams' Championship position.... |
16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| Italian Formula Renault 2.0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 27th | ||
| Italian Formula Renault 2.0 Winter Series | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 11th | ||
| 2006 | Asian Formula Three Asian Formula Three Championship The Asian Formula Three Championship was a single-seater racing series based in South East Asia. It is one of a number of national and international Formula Three championships that form part of an established "career ladder" below Formula One. It was sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the... |
JA Motorsport | 3 | 0 | 0 | ? | 0 | 0 | NC |
| Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 2006 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season The 2006 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season was the sixteenth Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season. The season began at Zolder on April 29 and finished at the Circuit de Catalunya on October 29, after fourteen rounds... |
Jenzer Motorsport Jenzer Motorsport Jenzer Motorsport is an auto racing team based in Switzerland.- Series results :GP3 Series D.C. = Drivers' Championship position, T.C. = Teams' Championship position.... |
7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 19th | |
| Twincam Motorsport | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Italian Formula Renault 2.0 | Jenzer Motorsport Jenzer Motorsport Jenzer Motorsport is an auto racing team based in Switzerland.- Series results :GP3 Series D.C. = Drivers' Championship position, T.C. = Teams' Championship position.... |
12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 20th | |
| 2007 | British Formula Three 2007 British Formula Three season The 2007 British Formula Three season was the 57th British Formula Three Championship season. It commenced on April 9, 2007 and ended on September 30 after twenty two races, with Estonian driver Marko Asmer crowned champion.-Teams and drivers:-Calendar:... |
Hitech Racing Hitech Racing Hitech Racing is a British motor racing team. It was founded in 2002 by Dennis Rushen and David Hayle. The team started racing in the British Formula Three Championship in 2003.-Formula Three:... |
20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 16th |
| Masters of Formula 3 2007 Masters of Formula 3 The 2007 Zandvoort Masters of Formula 3 @ Zolder was the seventeenth Masters of Formula 3 race held at Zolder on August 5, 2007. It was won by Nico Hülkenberg, for ASM Formule 3.-Drivers and teams:-Even numbers:-Odd numbers:-Group A:-Group B:... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | NC | ||
| Macau Grand Prix Macau Grand Prix The Macau Grand Prix is a motor-racing event held annually in Macau, one of China's Special Administrative Regions. It is known for being the only street circuit racing event in which both car and motorcycle races are held... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 18th | ||
| Australian Drivers' Championship 2007 Australian Drivers' Championship The 2007 Australian Drivers' Championship was a motor racing title for drivers of Formula 3 racing cars, with the winner awarded the 2007 CAMS Gold Star. The title, which was the 51st Australian Drivers' Championship, was awarded to the winner of the 2007 Australian Formula 3 Championship... |
Astuti Motorsport | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 13th | |
| Asian Formula Three Asian Formula Three Championship The Asian Formula Three Championship was a single-seater racing series based in South East Asia. It is one of a number of national and international Formula Three championships that form part of an established "career ladder" below Formula One. It was sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the... |
Aran Racing | 3 | 0 | 0 | ? | 2 | 26 | 9th | |
| 2008 | British Formula Three 2008 British Formula Three season The 2008 British Formula Three season was the 58th British Formula Three Championship season. It began on 24 March 2008 at Oulton Park's Easter Monday meeting and ended on 12 October at Donington Park after 22 rounds in four different countries. Jay Bridger sealed the National Class championship at... |
Hitech Racing Hitech Racing Hitech Racing is a British motor racing team. It was founded in 2002 by Dennis Rushen and David Hayle. The team started racing in the British Formula Three Championship in 2003.-Formula Three:... |
22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 14th |
| Macau Grand Prix Macau Grand Prix The Macau Grand Prix is a motor-racing event held annually in Macau, one of China's Special Administrative Regions. It is known for being the only street circuit racing event in which both car and motorcycle races are held... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 8th | ||
| 2009 | British Formula Three 2009 British Formula Three season The 2009 British Formula Three season was the 59th British Formula Three Championship season. It began on 13 April at Oulton Park's Easter Monday meeting and ended on 20 September at Brands Hatch after 20 rounds in four different countries... |
Hitech Racing Hitech Racing Hitech Racing is a British motor racing team. It was founded in 2002 by Dennis Rushen and David Hayle. The team started racing in the British Formula Three Championship in 2003.-Formula Three:... |
20 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 188 | 2nd |
| Masters of Formula 3 2009 Masters of Formula 3 The 2009 Tango Masters of Formula 3 was the nineteenth Masters of Formula 3 race held at Circuit Park Zandvoort on June 14, 2009. The race returned to Zandvoort after a two-year stay at Zolder. It was won by Masters debutant Valtteri Bottas, for ART Grand Prix.-Drivers and teams:-Odd numbers:-Even... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 14th | ||
| Formula Three Sudamericana 2009 Formula Three Sudamericana season The 2009 Formula Three Sudamericana season was the 23rd Formula Three Sudamericana season. It began on June 6, 2009 in Brasília and ended on November 22 in Curitiba. Brazilian driver Leonardo Cordeiro won the title.-Drivers and teams:... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | NC† | ||
| 2010 | Formula Renault 3.5 Series | P1 Motorsport P1 Motorsport P1 Motorsport is a British racing team based in Norfolk, England. They currently compete in the World Series by Renault.-British Formula Three:... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4* | 13th* |
- * Season in progress.
† - As Grubmüller was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.