Steve Soper

Last updated

Steve Soper
Fina McLaren F1 GTR.jpg
Soper driving a McLaren F1 GTR at Donington Park, England in 1997.
Nationality Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British
Born (1951-09-27) 27 September 1951 (age 73)
BTCC record
Teams Austin Rover, TWR, Ford, BMW,
Peugeot Sport UK
Drivers'
championships 		0
Wins14
Podium finishes–
Poles–
Fastest laps–
Debut season 1982
First win 1983 (Overall)
Best championship position2nd
Final season (2001) position6th (93 points)

Steven Soper (born 27 September 1951) is a British racing driver.

Contents

He raced in major sports car and touring car categories in the 1980s and 1990s. He was Japanese Touring Car Champion in 1995, and also won the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 1987, the 24 Hours of Spa in 1992 and 1995 and the Guia Race in 1997. He achieved many of his successes through his longest association, with BMW, and is widely regarded as one of the best Touring car racers of all time.

Career

Across just over two decades Soper won three major races: the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 1987, the 24 Hours of Spa in 1995 and the Guia Race in 1997.

Soper driving for BMW at Donington Park during the 1993 TOCA Shootout. Steve Soper - BMW 318i locks up under braking for the Esses at the 1993 TOCA Shootout, Donington (50094300812).jpg
Soper driving for BMW at Donington Park during the 1993 TOCA Shootout.

Soper had been successful in one make series, before making his British Saloon Car Championship debut in 1982 in an Austin Metro. [1] His talent was spotted by Tom Walkinshaw and he joined TWR in 1983. He won the championship in his first season with the works Austin Rover team but rival Frank Sytner protested the TWR team and his Rover Vitesse was later deemed illegal due to an issue with the engine installation. TWR was disqualified and the title was awarded to Andy Rouse. [2] He later joined Eggenberger Motorsport and finished as runner-up in the series in 1988 in a Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth, enjoying many on-track battles with Andy Rouse in the process. [3]

Soper driving for Peugeot during the 2001 British Touring Car Championship season. BTCC 2001 Steve Soper.jpg
Soper driving for Peugeot during the 2001 British Touring Car Championship season.

Soper challenged for the title in 1991, finishing 4th and in 1993, finishing as runner up behind teammate Joachim Winkelhock for BMW. Soper had led the championship for most of the season but a run of bad luck towards the end of the year damaged his title challenge. During the season finale of the 1992 championship, Soper was involved in the infamous collision with John Cleland, which cost Cleland the title and famously led him to label Soper 'an animal'. [4] 1995 saw Soper race in the Japanese Super Touring championship for Schnitzer BMW, winning the championship outright that year.

Soper raced in the German Super Tourenwagen Cup in 1996, challenging for the title until an incident late in the season with his team mate ended his championship chances. He finished second overall to Emanuele Pirro. In 1997 he came second in the FIA GT Championship. Soper finished fifth driving a Ford Sierra for Eggenberger Motorsport in the one-off World Touring Car Championship in 1987 run under Group A regulations. That year, he won the Bathurst 1000, but was later disqualified for a technical infringement [5] Soper was offered a works drive for BMW, and competed in the night European, Japanese and German Touring Car Championships. [6] During the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans, he expressed dislike of the 24-hour classic race, established in the early 20th century.

By 2000, Soper fell out of favour with Gerhard Berger, who was in charge of BMW's motorsport operations and retired from racing as he was solely interested in racing BMWs and acquired a BMW dealership in Lincoln. [7] For 2001, he reluctantly made a surprise return to the British Touring Car Championship with Peugeot. The car's build rendered it less successful than the Vauxhall Astra. He finished 6th in a thin field and was advised to retire on medical grounds after a heavy crash in the final round.

In 2013, Soper, who had earned the nickname "Soperman" (with final syllable stress to sound like "superman") from his fans during his career, announced plans, on medical clearance, to race. [8]

In 2005, Soper was ranked as the greatest touring car driver ever by a panel of experts in Motor Sport Magazine . [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] In 2024, Autosport ranked him as the greatest BTCC driver to not have won the title. [15]

Racing record

Complete British Saloon / Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position – 1973–1990 in class) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap – 1 point awarded ?–1989 in class)

YearTeamCarClass1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526DCPtsClass
1982 Team Sanyo Racing with Esso Austin Metro 1300 HLS A SIL
?		 MAL
Ret†		 OUL
6†		 THR
12		 THR
Ret		 SIL
Ret		 DON
10		 BRH
?		 DON
9		 BRH
6		 SIL
14		3rd652nd
1983 Team Sanyo Racing with Esso Rover Vitesse A SIL
1		 OUL
3		 THR
7		 BRH
1		 THR SIL
1		 DON
Ret		 SIL
1		 DON
1		 BRH
2		 SIL
2		DSQ68DSQ
1984 Team Sanyo Racing with Esso Rover Vitesse A DON
2		 SIL OUL THR THR
1		 SIL SNE BRH BRH DON SIL NC0NC
1985 Roger Dowson Engineering MG Metro Turbo B SIL
Ret		 OUL THR DON THR SIL DON SIL SNE BRH BRH SIL NC0NC
1988 Eggenberger Motorsport Ford Sierra RS500 A SIL OUL
DNA		 THR
1		 DON THR SIL SIL BRH
2		 SNE BRH BIR
C		 DON
2		 SIL 15th216th
1989 BMW Team Finance BMW M3 B OUL SIL THR DON
11‡		 THR SIL SIL BRH SNE BRH BIR DON SIL 43rd410th
1991 BMW Team Finance BMW M3 SIL
18		 SNE DON
1		 THR SIL BRH SIL
1		 DON
1
2		 DON
2
Ret		 OUL
3		 BRH
1
6		 BRH
2
Ret		 DON THR
1		 SIL 4th96
1992 M Team Shell Racing
with Listerine 		BMW 318is SIL THR
5		 OUL
8		 SNE BRH
3		 DON
1
17		 DON
2
3		 SIL KNO
1
4		 KNO
2
6		 PEM
2		 BRH
1
Ret		 BRH
2
5		 DON
2		 SIL
Ret		6th77
1993 BMW Motorsport Team BMW 318i SIL
1		 DON
3		 SNE
1		 DON
3		 OUL
Ret		 BRH
1
4		 BRH
2
1		 PEM
3		 SIL
Ret		 KNO
1
12		 KNO
2
8		 OUL
2		 BRH
3		 THR
6		 DON
1
Ret		 DON
2
5		 SIL
5		2nd150
1994 BMW Motorsport
Team Schnitzer 		BMW 318i THR
4		 BRH
1
10		 BRH
2
6		 SNE
8		 SIL
1 		SIL
2 		OUL
4		 DON
1 		DON
2 		BRH
1
4		 BRH
2
14		 SIL KNO
1
3		 KNO
2
1		 OUL BRH
1
5		 BRH
2
4		 SIL
1
22		 SIL
2
5		 DON
1
12		 DON
2
Ret		7th102
2001 Peugeot Sport UK Peugeot 406 Coupé T BRH
1
7†		 BRH
2
4*		 THR
1
Ret		 THR
2
Ret		 OUL
1
16		 OUL
2
Ret		 SIL
1
11		 SIL
2
6		 MON
1
4		 MON
2
Ret		 DON
1
6		 DON
2
5*		 KNO
1
Ret		 KNO
2
4*		 SNE
1
20		 SNE
2
4		 CRO
1
12		 CRO
2
Ret		 OUL
1
Ret		 OUL
2
Ret*		 SIL
1
20		 SIL
2
8		 DON
1
20		 DON
2
Ret		 BRH
1
Ret		 BRH
2
DNS		6th93
  1. ^ – Race was stopped due to heavy rain. No points were awarded.

† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.

‡ Endurance driver.

Complete European Touring Car Championship results

Source: [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314DCPoints
1986 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Eggenberger Motorsport Ford Sierra XR4Ti MNZ
Ret		 DON
Ret		 HOC
3		 MIS
Ret		 AND BRN
Ret		 ZEL
Ret		 NUR
Ret		 SPA
7		 SIL
Ret		 NOG
4		 ZOL
11		 JAR
Ret		 EST
1		30th69
1987 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Ford Texaco Racing Team Ford Sierra RS Cosworth DON EST
2†		 AND ZOL
1†		 ZEL IMO NOG NC0
1988 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Ford Texaco Racing Team Ford Sierra RS500 MNZ
1		 DON
Ret		 EST
1		 JAR
1		 DIJ
1		 VAL
Ret		 NUR
1		 SPA
4		 ZOL
Ret		 SIL
2		 NOG
1		2nd290

† Not eligible for points.

Complete World Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCar1234567891011DCPoints
1987 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Ford Texaco Racing Team Ford Sierra RS Cosworth MNZ
DSQ		 JAR
ovr:5
cls:6		 DIJ
ovr:3
cls:1		 NUR
Ret		 SPA
Ret		5th193
Ford Sierra RS500 BNO
ovr:2
cls:2		 SIL
ovr:13
cls:5		 BAT
DSQ		 CLD
ovr:1
cls:1		 WEL
ovr:3
cls:2		 FJI
ovr:5
cls:3

* Overall race position shown. Registered WTCC points paying position may differ.

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCar123456789101112131415161718192021222324DCPts
1987 Ford Grab Motorsport Ford Sierra XR4Ti HOC ZOL NÜR AVU MFA NOR NÜR WUN DIE SAL
3		27th16
1988 Ford Ringhausen Motorsport Ford Sierra RS500 ZOL
1 		ZOL
2 		HOC
1 		HOC
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		BRN
1 		BRN
2 		AVU
1 		AVU
2 		MFA
1 		MFA
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		NOR
1
Ret		 NOR
2
25		 WUN
1
2		 WUN
2
2		 SAL
1 		SAL
2 		HUN
1 		HUN
2 		HOC
1 		HOC
2 		24th36
1989 BMW M Team Zakspeed BMW M3 Evo ZOL
1
3		 ZOL
2
18		 HOC
1
2		 HOC
2
Ret		 NÜR
1
1		 NÜR
2
1		 MFA
1
4		 MFA
2
4		 AVU
1
2		 AVU
2
4		 NÜR
1
5		 NÜR
2
6		 NOR
1
10		 NOR
2
Ret		 HOC
1
16		 HOC
2
Ret		 DIE
1
4		 DIE
2
13		 NÜR
1
5		 NÜR
2
2		 HOC
1
16		 HOC
2
22		5th233
1990 BMW M Team Bigazzi BMW M3 Sport Evo ZOL
1
2		 ZOL
2
Ret		 HOC
1
2		 HOC
2
Ret		 NÜR
1
1		 NÜR
2
1		 AVU
1
14		 AVU
2
8		 MFA
1
4		 MFA
2
2		 WUN
1
4		 WUN
2
8		 NÜR
1
3		 NÜR
2
Ret		 NOR
1
11		 NOR
2
10		 DIE
1
8		 DIE
2
20		 NÜR
1
10		 NÜR
2
2		 HOC
1
6		 HOC
2
8		4th152
1991 BMW M Team Bigazzi BMW M3 Sport Evo ZOL
1
5		 ZOL
2
15		 HOC
1
1		 HOC
2
1		 NÜR
1
Ret		 NÜR
2
16		 AVU
1
5		 AVU
2
4		 WUN
1
20		 WUN
2
6		 NOR
1
9		 NOR
2
4		 DIE
1
2		 DIE
2
1		 NÜR
1
5		 NÜR
2
14		 ALE
1
6		 ALE
2
16		 HOC
1
Ret		 HOC
2
29		 BRN
1
2		 BRN
2
1		 DON
1
2		 DON
2
2		5th133
1992 BMW M Team Bigazzi BMW M3 Sport Evo ZOL
1
4		 ZOL
2
13		 NÜR
1
Ret		 NÜR
2
7		 WUN
1
24		 WUN
2
Ret		 AVU
1
1		 AVU
2
9		 HOC
1
4		 HOC
2
5		 NÜR
1
6		 NÜR
2
8		 NOR
1
4		 NOR
2
1		 BRN
1
Ret		 BRN
2
Ret		 DIE
1
Ret		 DIE
2
7		 ALE
1
5		 ALE
2
7		 NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		HOC
1
NC		 HOC
2
Ret		9th109

Complete Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCar123456789101112DCPoints
1988 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Miedecke Motorsport Ford Sierra RS500 BAT
Ret		 WEL
NC		 PUK
1†		 FUJ NC0
1994 Flag of Germany.svg BMW Team Schnitzer BMW 318i FUJ
1
Ret		 FUJ
2
7		 MAC
1
2		 MAC
2
2		 SEN
1
C		 SEN
2
C		 WEL
1
4		 WEL
2
Ret		 CLD
1
C		 CLD
2
C		 CHE
1
C		 CHE
2
C		3rd ?

† Not eligible for points.

Complete Italian Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCarClass1234567891011121314151617181920Pos.Pts
1990Bigazzi M Team BMW M3 Sport Evolution A1 MNZ
1
2		 MNZ
2
4		 VAR
1 		VAR
2 		PER
2 		PER
1 		MAG
1 		MAG
2 		VAL
1 		VAL
2 		MIS
1 		MIS
2 		MIS
1 		MIS
2 		IMO
1
3		 IMO
2
2		 VAR
1 		VAR
2 		MNZ
1
Ret		 MNZ
2
6		13th58
1992 CiBiEmme Engineering BMW M3 Sport Evolution S1 MNZ
1
3		 MNZ
2
9		 MAG
1 		MAG
2 		MUG
1 		MUG
2 		BIN
1 		BIN
2 		VAL
1 		VAL
2 		IMO
1 		IMO
2 		MIS
1 		MIS
2 		PER
1 		PER
2 		VAR
1 		VAR
2 		MNZ
1 		MNZ
2 		16th14
1996 Scuderia Bigazzi BMW 320i MUG
1 		MUG
2 		MAG
1 		MAG
2 		MNZ
1 		MNZ
2 		BIN
1 		BIN
2 		MIS
1 		MIS
2 		IMO
1 		IMO
2 		PER
1 		PER
2 		PER
1 		PER
2 		VAR
1 		VAR
2 		VAL
1
8		 VAL
2
2		14th18

Complete Japanese Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCar123456789101112131415161718DCPts
1994 BMW Team Schnitzer BMW 318i AUT
1
Ret		 AUT
2
7		 SUG
1
3		 SUG
2
1		 TOK
1
6		 TOK
2
9		 SUZ
1
2		 SUZ
2
2		 MIN
1
1		 MIN
2
1		 AID
1
9		 AID
2
3		 TSU
1
Ret		 TSU
2
DNS		 SEN
1
1		 SEN
2
1		 FUJ
1
Ret		 FUJ
2
7		3rd132
1995 BMW Team Schnitzer BMW 318i FUJ
1
10		 FUJ
2
5		 SUG
1
4		 SUG
2
4		 TOK
1
3		 TOK
2
3		 SUZ
1
2		 SUZ
2
1		 MIN
1
9		 MIN
2
2		 AID
1
3		 AID
2
9		 SEN
1
3		 SEN
2
1		 FUJ
1
1		 FUJ
2
2		1st124

Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup results

Source: [23]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314151617181920PosPts
1995 BMW Team Schnitzer BMW 318is ZOL
1 		ZOL
2 		SPA
1 		SPA
2 		ÖST
1 		ÖST
2 		HOC
1 		HOC
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		SAL
1
11		 SAL
2
7		 AVU
1
22		 AVU
2
20		 NÜR
1
3		 NÜR
2
4		21st90
1996 BMW Team Bigazzi BMW 320i ZOL
1
7		 ZOL
2
4		 ASS
1
1		 ASS
2
3		 HOC
1
6		 HOC
2
3		 SAC
1
5		 SAC
2
2		 WUN
1
1		 WUN
2
3		 ZWE
1
3		 ZWE
2
2		 SAL
1
1		 SAL
2
2		 AVU
1
Ret		 AVU
2
6		 NÜR
1
13		 NÜR
2
Ret		2nd491
1997 Isert BMW-Team BMW 320i HOC
1 		HOC
2 		ZOL
1 		ZOL
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		SAC
1 		SAC
2 		NOR
1 		NOR
2 		WUN
1 		WUN
2 		ZWE
1 		ZWE
2 		SAL
1 		SAL
2 		REG
1 		REG
2 		NÜR
1
16		 NÜR
2
12		30th23

Complete Bathurst 1000 results

YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLapsPos.Class
Pos.
1984 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mobil Rover Racing Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ron Dickson Rover Vitesse Group A11629th8th
1987* Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Ford Texaco Racing Team Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Pierre Dieudonné Ford Sierra RS500 1161DSQDSQ
1988 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Miedecke Motorsport Flag of Australia (converted).svg Andrew Miedecke Ford Sierra RS500 A102DNFDNF
1993 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Benson & Hedges Racing Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tony Longhurst BMW M3 Evolution A79DNFDNF

* 1987 finished 1st on the road but later disqualified.

24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLapsPos.Class
Pos.
1983 Flag of Japan.svg Mazdaspeed Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jeff Allam
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg James Weaver 		Mazda 717C C Jr.26718th2nd
1996 Flag of Italy.svg Team Bigazzi
Flag of Germany.svg Team BMW Motorsport 		Flag of France.svg Jacques Laffite
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Marc Duez 		McLaren F1 GTR GT131811th9th
1997 Flag of Germany.svg Team BMW Motorsport
Flag of Germany.svg BMW Team Schnitzer 		Flag of Finland.svg JJ Lehto
Flag of Brazil.svg Nelson Piquet 		McLaren F1 GTR GT1236DNFDNF
1998 Flag of Germany.svg Team BMW Motorsport Flag of Germany.svg Hans-Joachim Stuck
Flag of Denmark.svg Tom Kristensen 		BMW V12 LM LMP160DNFDNF
1999 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Price+Bscher Flag of Germany.svg Thomas Bscher
Flag of the United States.svg Bill Auberlen 		BMW V12 LM LMP3455th4th

Macau Grand Prix Guia Race results

YearTeamCarClassHeat 1Heat 2Pos.
1993 Flag of Germany.svg Watson’s Team Schnitzer BMW 318i FIA Class 2 --DNF
1994 Flag of Germany.svg San Miguel Team Schnitzer BMW 318is FIA Class 2 2nd2nd2nd
1995 Flag of Germany.svg BMW Team Schnitzer BMW 318is FIA Class 2 5th2nd2nd
1996 Flag of Italy.svg BMW Team Bigazzi BMW 320i FIA Class 2 DNF1st12th
1997 Flag of Italy.svg BMW Team Bigazzi BMW 320i FIA Class 2 1st1st1st
1998 Flag of Germany.svg BMW Team Schnitzer BMW 320i FIA Class 2 1st1st1st
2001 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg WK Longman RacingPeugeot 306Super Production3rdDNF-

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References

  1. ↑ "Steve Soper". historicracing.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2015.
  2. ↑ "Trimoco RAC British Saloon Car Championship". History of Touring Car Racing 1952-1993.
  3. ↑ "Up Close and Personal with A 'group A' Great". 20 July 2012.
  4. ↑ Taylor, Simon (February 2014). "Lunch With... Steve Soper". Motorsport.
  5. ↑ Dowling, Joshua (18 May 2010). "Niedzwiedz: 'sorry' for cheating Bathurst 1987".
  6. ↑ "BMW Motorsport : DTM : DTM History". www.bmw-motorsport.com. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Exclusive Interview with Steve Soper". BTCCCrazy. 17 December 2010.
  8. ↑ "BTCC legend to return to track". 22 May 2013.
  9. ↑ Davies, Steve (22 May 2013). "Touring car legend Steve Soper returns to racing". Transmission. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  10. ↑ "Top 20 tin-top drivers". Motor Sport Magazine. 4 April 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  11. ↑ "Motor Sport Magazine February 2005 – Page 46".
  12. ↑ "Motor Sport Magazine February 2005 – Page 47".
  13. ↑ "Motor Sport Magazine February 2005 – Page 48".
  14. ↑ "Motor Sport Magazine February 2005 – Page 49".
  15. ↑ "Top 10: Ranking the greatest BTCC drivers not to be champion". www.autosport.com. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  16. ↑ "1985 European Touring Car Championship: Round 7". touringcarracing.net. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  17. ↑ "1985 European Touring Car Championship: Round 9". touringcarracing.net. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  18. ↑ "1985 European Touring Car Championship: Round 14". touringcarracing.net. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  19. ↑ "1986 European Touring Car Championship final standings". touringcarracing.net. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  20. ↑ "1987 European Touring Car Championship: Round 2". touringcarracing.net. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  21. ↑ "1987 European Touring Car Championship: Round 5". touringcarracing.net. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  22. ↑ "1988 European Touring Car Championship: Round 8". touringcarracing.net. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  23. ↑ "German Super Touring Car Championship 1994: Schedule and Standings". motorsport-archive.com. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Japanese Touring Car Championship
Champion
1995		Succeeded by
Preceded by Guia Race winner
1997		Succeeded by
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