Obituary: Jochen Mass, racing driver

German racing driver Jochen Mass turned his back on a career in the merchant navy to ascend to the peak of motor sport. Mass drove in 105 F1 grands prix, winning the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix in a McLaren. Mass was on the podium a further eight times in a career which spanned from 1973 to 1980, with a brief comeback in 1982. That year Mass was involved in the crash in which Gilles Villeneuve was killed. After leaving F1, Mass established himself in long-distance sportscar racing with Porsche, and then Sauber-Mercedes. His victories included the 1989 Le Mans 24 Hours race. Mass then became a mentor to young drivers, including rising star Michael Schumacher, as well as a regular driver on the historic cars racing circuit. Mass died on May 4, aged 78. — APL/agencies