Stefan Bellof
| Born |
20 November 1957 Gießen, West Germany |
|---|---|
| Died | 1 September 1985 (aged 27) Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |
 German |
| Active years | 1984–1985 |
| Teams | Tyrrell |
| Entries | 22 (20 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 4 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1984 Brazilian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1985 Dutch Grand Prix |
Stefan Bellof (20 November 1957 – 1 September 1985) was a German racing driver, best known for setting the fastest lap ever on the Nordschleife configuration at the Nürburgring in 1983, driving a Porsche 956. He was the winner of the Drivers' Championship in the 1984 World Sportscar Championship, driving for the factory Rothmans Porsche team. He also competed with the Tyrrell Formula One team during 1984 and 1985. He was killed in an accident during the 1985 1000 km of Spa World Sportscar Championship race.
Born in Gießen, West Germany and following in his brother Georg's footsteps, Stefan Bellof made his karting début in 1973, competing in the Automobilclub von Deutschland's Federal Junior Cup, in which he ended up in fourth position. Several other top-five championship placings occurred during the next few years before Bellof claimed his first karting title, by winning the International Karting Championship of Luxembourg in 1976. In the same season, Bellof also finished thirteenth in the Karting World Championship in Hagen, Germany. Geörg won the German Karting Championship in 1978, while Stefan finished in eighth position in the same race, improving to third in 1979 and becoming German champion in 1980, while dovetailing a campaign in Formula Ford.
Bellof moved into Formula Ford at the tail end of the 1979 season, as a member of Walter Lechner's Racing School setup, making his bow at Hockenheim in November 1979, where he finished in second place. A full season in the 1600cc class beckoned in 1980, and Bellof became champion taking eight victories and nine podium placings from twelve races. He continued in the series in 1981, but was not as successful as his championship-winning season, taking five wins and also made a foray into the more powerful 2000cc class, but retired from both his starts in the Lion Trophy at Zolder and the 300 km meeting at the Nürburgring. Bellof also contested three VW Castrol Europa Pokal races, of which he won one.
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