Hansi Bächtold

Hansi Bächtold (born 21 August 1956), is a retired Swiss sidecarcross rider and four times Sidecarcross World Champion, having won the competition from 1984 to 1987, together with his passenger Fritz Fuß. The duo became the first-ever combination to win the competition four times in a row, a feat later repeated by the Swiss team of Andreas Fuhrer and Adrian Käser and surpassed by Dutch rider Daniël Willemsen with six consecutive titles.

Apart from his four World Championship triumphs he has also won the Swiss national sidecarcross championship on five occasions, in 1979, 1981, 1984, 1986 and 1987.

Biography Hansi Bächtold made his sidecarcross debut in the Swiss championship in 1977 with passenger Wolf Kieser, coming sixth overall. They also raced in one event in the European Championship, the predecessor of the World Championship and scored a ninth place in the second race of the German Grand Prix. The main reason behind Bächtold's retirement was financial. He had to give up his job as a car mechanic to be able to race while not receiving any financial reward for racing.

Racing record

Sidecarcross World Championship The competition which was to become the Sidecarcross World Championship in 1980 originated as the FIM Cup in 1971 and was renamed to European championship in 1975. Hansi Bächtold's results in these competitions were: Season Passenger(s) Equipment Position Points Races Wins Second Third1977 Wolf KieserYamaha-Wasp 3222———1978 Hugo Jung Johan WengerYamaha-EML 14144—1—1979 Hugo Jung Yamaha-EML 105618—1—1980 Hugo Jung Yamaha-EML 2148164221981 Hugo Jung Yamaha-EML 75712——21982 Fritz Meyer Sies Hurkmans Fritz FußYamaha-EML 75612——41983 Fritz FußJumbo-EML67717—2—1984 Fritz FußJumbo-EML 1290225631985 Fritz FußJumbo-EML 129020121—1986 Fritz FußJumbo-EML 13892414121987 Fritz FußJumbo-EML 127722732 Overall 1977 - 19871,656167421715

Honours

World Championship Champions: (4) 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 Runners-up: (1) 1980

National Championships Swiss national championship: Champions: (5) 1979, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1987 Runners-up: (3) 1980, 1983, 1985