Ernst Loof

Ernst Loof (4 July 1907 in Neindorf near Oschersleben – 3 March 1956 in Bonn) was an automotive engineer and racing driver from Germany. He contributed to the design of the BMW 328 sports car in the late 1930s.

Biography In 1935, a rumour circulated after the 1935 Coppa Acerbo race implied that Achille Varzi was dissatisfied with the handling of the Auto Union and that he had been replaced on the Auto Union team by Loof, at the time a motorcycle racer. This rumour turned out to not be true and Loof never entered a race for Auto Union.

Loof participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, the German Grand Prix held on 2 August 1953. He retired with fuel pump failure after two metres of racing, which remains the record for the shortest Formula One career.

Loof was also a motorcycle racer and designer, and scored numerous successes in pre-war years for Imperia of Bad Godesberg and for BMW. He later became one of the founders of the Veritas company, successful in Formula Two with the Meteor racer in the immediate post-war period. The company also built sports cars, mostly BMW-engined, as well as the Panhard-engined Dyna-Veritas cabriolets.

Loof was the head designer of the Veritas car he drove in this race. The company had already gone bankrupt by this time, and its assets were purchased by BMW. He was hired by BMW in styling and body engineering and worked there until he retired due to illness.

Loof died in 1956 of a brain tumour.

Complete World Championship results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 WDC Points 1953 Ernst Loof Veritas RS Veritas Straight-6 ARG 500 NED BEL FRA GBR GER SUI ITA NC 0