Hans Klenk (28 October 1919, in Künzelsau – 24 March 2009, in Vellberg) was a racing driver from Germany.
He participated in one World Championship Grand Prix on 3 August 1952 and did not score any championship points. Info from Wiki
Bio by Stephen Latham
Hans Klenk first raced in a self-built ‘Eigenbau’Special) but he bought a Veritas Meteor from Karl Kling. From this he entered German F2 races and finished fifth in the Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring and fourth at the Grenzlandring.
The 1952 World Championship was run to F2 rules and this allowed him the opportunity to race his Veritas in the German Grand Prix, where he finished eleventh.
Alongside this, in national events, he was second at the Grenzlandring and Avus.
It was with Mercedes-Benz that he enjoyed his greatest success, partnering Karl Kling to victory in 1952’s Carrera Panamericana, a 1923-mile road race through Mexico. This was despite an incident during the race when their car struck a vulture, which shattered the windscreen and knocked Hans unconscious.
In the Mille Miglia, their 300SL Coupe was leading comfortably when the field reached Rome but a delay from a jammed wheel during a tyre-change, and then failing brakes, saw them finish second. They also raced at Le Mans though retired in the ninth hour.
In the following year he finished second in a Veritas in the Avusrennen but he broke his thigh and knee when testing a Mercedes 300SL at the Nürburgring in the summer.
Hans was forced to quit racing and went on to run a car preparation business in Stuttgart into the 1970s before retiring to live in Vellberg.
Hans Klenk – German F2 specials taking on Ferrari – from
Gallery F1