At the Red Bull Ring Classics From 7 to 9 June, motorsport history will be brought back to life. Of course, one of Austria’s greatest racing legends cannot be missing: Dieter Quester. He has been involved in motor racing since the mid-1960s, driving Formula 2, Formula 1 and touring cars. In the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, he took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as in the US endurance races in Daytona, Sebring and in the DTM. As part of a press event for the Red Bull Ring Classics, Motorsport-Magazin.com the opportunity for an interview with the young-at-heart racing driver.
Pensioner? Dieter Quester doesn’t know the word!
Mr Quester, without meaning to offend you, but you are now 85 years old, but you still can’t give up driving, can you?
Dieter Quester: I didn’t hear the 85. I’m at an event this weekend, the so-called Gaisberg race, a historic event. And the organizers are throwing us dinner together. But I’ve forbidden anyone who comes there to congratulate me, because I just don’t need to.
Normally you could say that you are slowly reaching retirement age, but that is not an option for you?
Dieter Quester: No, that is not an option. I only know the term pensioner from somewhere else.
But there is a race in it – a racer, so to speak.
Dieter Quester: That’s true (laughs), that’s right. No, I still really enjoy sitting in a racing car and at least as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t depend on my age, but my passion is still so great that I like to step on the gas in a historic car.
The unbroken passion of a racing legend: Accelerating is no problem for me!
But what fascinates you so much about automobiles and driving?
Dieter Quester: Well, that’s a question you should have asked me 50 years ago.
I didn’t exist then, otherwise I would have asked the question, of course.
Dieter Quester: (Laughs). Well, when you’ve been involved in racing for as long as I have – and that’s 65 years now – you can’t get rid of the aura and the passion and that’s just a part of my life.
You always keep your finger on the pulse of the times, so I’m particularly interested in what you think of the automobile industry or modern automobiles. I think you prefer driving the older models, don’t you?
Dieter Quester: Well, it’s like this, of course I prefer to drive a comfortable, modern vehicle on the road. I’ll probably have to drive a vehicle built in 1937 this weekend that has very hard suspension and no roof. I really hope it stays dry. But I think these are vehicles that you really have to pull yourself together if you want to get something nice out of them.
Yes, that’s the interesting question. I don’t want to say that you’re getting on in years, but as I said, you are already of advanced age. How much do you personally push yourself to the limit when you’re sitting in a car like that?
Dieter Quester: It’s still no problem for me to get into a racing car, accelerate on the Red Bull Ring, and drive around a corner as fast as I can. So yes, I don’t see any problems for myself, even though I’m already at an advanced age.
So you have to look after the cars rather than you?
Dieter Quester: That’s smarter. Because these vehicles represent a corresponding value and of course the thought always comes up: just don’t have an accident, which of course can always happen. But yes, it is what it is. When I’m at the ring, I’ll put my foot on the gas.
I seem to remember that there was a legends parade when the Red Bull Ring was back on the Formula 1 calendar for the first time. I’ve heard that you always have to be the most careful there to make sure nothing gets broken.
Dieter Quester: I wouldn’t say that I was the one I had to watch out for the most. But it’s true that people say: If Quester puts his foot on the gas, anything can happen.
Between friendship and competition: memories of the Trio Infernale
Things often happened off the track in the good old days. You mentioned the “Trio Infernale” earlier. Who was actually the worst of the trio?
Dieter Quester: That was definitely Poldi [Leopold Prinz von Bayern; Anm. d. Red.]but I must say, the Striezel Stuck [Hans-Joachim Stuck; Anm. d. Red.]me and Poldi – we could shake hands. We were all three real rascals.
Who was the fastest of you?
Dieter Quester: I drove against everyone. Striezel drove a few races with me at BMW. So we rarely drove against each other. That was in Le Mans, when I drove the Porsche 356 or the Porsche 962, which Striezel also drove for Porsche, and I dropped out after 60 or 70 laps. So it wasn’t a match.
But with Dr. Helmut Marko in the Ford Capri RS?
Dieter Quester: Yes, that was in Zandvoort. I was driving a BMW Coupé and he was driving a Capri. And yes, it was very close. I was ahead, I think, by four seconds or something.
Was it the car or the driver?
Dieter Quester: I wouldn’t dare say that in this case, but I have had a good car. But he didn’t have a bad one with the Capri either!
Great, thank you very much.
Dieter Quester: With pleasure.
Motorsport fans will have another opportunity to hear more about Dieter Quester’s motorsport career, historic motorsport and insider stories of the Trio Infernales at the Red Bull Ring Classics on the weekend of June 7th to 9th. On Saturday and Sunday there will be a joint legends talk by Dieter Quester and his old friend and rival Leopold Prince of Bavaria. Tickets for the event are available for presale here.