World and European champions were honored in Romanshorn for their life's work in motorsport.
The "Wall of Fame" of motorsport was extended last Saturday at the Autobau Erlebniswelt in Romanshorn to include well-known Swiss world and European champions. Louis Christen as constructor and Rolf Biland and Markus Bösiger as drivers were honored for their extraordinary achievements and merits by the long-time FIA commissioner and current president of Auto Sport Switzerland, Paul Gutjahr. Without prior notice, Fredy Lienhard, the founder of the car manufacturer, was also presented with Switzerland's highest motorsport award.
Louis Christen, a designer from Rorschach, had already decided to build racing cars at the age of sixteen. As a trained mechanical draughtsman, he made his dream come true, driving the Formula Vau car himself and winning victories straight away. In 1973, he founded the company LCR (Louis Christen Racing), which has produced more than 800 motorcycles, sidecars and formula racing cars over the past 45 years, as well as prototypes such as the battery-powered "Stromboli" and an ultra-fast dragster. Over 40 world championship titles and countless victories by renowned racing drivers in automobile, motorcycle and sidecar racing have been achieved on LCR designs and vehicles.
Seven-time world champion
Rolf Biland, who comes from Seeland, won seven world championship titles in his sidecar career, won 81 GPs and finished in the top three at world championships 18 times. The Biland/Waltisperg team was known and acclaimed throughout Switzerland. They also rode on a sidecar from Louis Christen's design workshop. Biland's technical understanding, his driving skills and his absolute will to win characterized the extremely talented and successful tricycle motor sportsman.
European truck champion
Markus Bösiger also raced sidecars in the 90s. In 1995, he finished the World Championships in an excellent third place. Team Bösiger", which he founded and supported as an entrepreneur, won the world championship title twice at the end of the 1990s with riders Steve Webster and David James. However, Markus Bösiger celebrated his greatest successes in the noughties as a works driver in the truck races that are so popular in Europe. He became European champion once and European runner-up three times in this spectacular sport.
Fredy Lienhard received the Auto Sport Switzerland Award
As President of Auto Sport Switzerland, Paul Gutjahr caused a huge surprise at this event. He not only honored the three aforementioned motorsport athletes, but also presented the founder of Autobau Erlebniswelt, former racing driver, Daytona winner and entrepreneur Fredy Lienhard, with the highest Swiss motorsport award: the Auto Sport Schweiz Award. He deserves this honor for his extraordinary achievements as a motor sportsman, for his decades of support for young talent and for creating the Autobau as a meeting place for the Swiss motor sports world. Fredy Lienhard was visibly moved and very grateful to receive this special and unexpected honor.
