Lars Eje Elgh (born 15 June 1953)[1] is a Swedish racing driver and television reporter. He currently works as an expert commentator for Formula One in Sweden together with Janne Blomqvist. The two have worked together as Formula One commentators for a long time, first for TV4 and then for Viasat Motor when they took over the Formula One broadcasting in Sweden.

When he could get no further in Europe, Elgh tried his luck as a driver in Japan, racing both in Japanese Formula 2 / Formula 3000 and the Japanese Sports-Prototype Championship during its heyday in 1984–1988 and focusing on the latter from 1989, first with Team Schuppan Porsche 962, then with Tom's Toyota's 91CV/92CV.[2]

Career

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In the 1970s, Elgh tried the classical way through the single-seater formulas from the Formula Super Vee towards Formula One.[2] In the late 1970s he was regarded in Sweden as a great talent and was seen by Swedish motorsport journalists as a successor to the recently deceased Gunnar Nilsson and Ronnie Peterson.[3] He was managed in the 1970s and 1980s by former racing driver Torsten Palm.[3]

After the Formula Super Vee Elgh came to England to race in the 1977 British Formula 3 Championships. Because most Formula 1 teams had their factories in England and because of the large concentration of talented drivers the British championship was regarded a stepping stone to Formula 1. During the 1977 season the Swede raced for the Chevron Racing Team. He finished joint second in the BP Super Visco British F3 series and joint 5th in the Vandervell British F3 series.[3]

By 1978, Elgh had stepped up to Formula 2 and went to Fred Opert Racing team at the start. The first season was quite successful for a rookie. In Pau he was within second to Bruno Giacomelli and finished the races at Rouen-les-Essarts and Hockenheim in sixth. In the final standings of the championship he was 11th.[4]

In 1979, he moved to Tiga Race Cars, winning his first F2 race at Enna-Pergusa. However, his best year in the Formula 2 Championship was the 1981 season. The year before he went to MM Mampe Team and had a disastrous first season, finishing only one race, in 9th. In 1981 he won in Vallelunga and finished second at Thruxton (behind team-mate Roberto Guerrero) and at the Nordschleife of Nürburgring (behind Thierry Boutsen) and third at Spa. He took 3rd in the championship that year.[5][6][7][8]

Despite these successes and a test drive for McLaren he was not able to advance to the Formula 1 World Championship, so he sought new challenges in Asia. In the early 1980s many European racers changed the Japanese motorsport scene. Elgh successfully drove there in the Japanese Formula 2 and Formula 3000 Championships and in the Japanese Endurance and Sports-Prototype Championships.[9][10]

 
Elgh's Toyota 91C-V from 1991, being displayed FIA World Endurance Championship 2012 Rd.7 6 Hours of Fuji

In mid 80s Elgh began touring and sports car career. He was works driver with Dome Motorsport and drove 1984 European Touring Car Championship races for the Volvo team of his compatriot Robert Kvist. Together with Ulf Granberg he was second in the 500 km race at Mugello.[9][10]

By the end of his career in 1995 he was closely associated with Domes and the sports car team of Toyota for which he was engaged almost continuously. Elgh was regarded as a strong development driver and a loyal team player who was at Toyota also at times when success eluded the team. He won his first long-distance race in 1985 with partner Geoff Lees at the 500-km race at Suzuka, a round of All Japan Sports Prototype Championship in a Dome 84C. His last of four successes in the Japanese Sports Car Championship was the overall win in the 500-km race from Sugo in 1991, again with Lees as a partner, this time in the Toyota 91C-V.[9][10]

In 2006 he shared a Motortecnica MAN 4x4 truck with Paolo Barilla and Matteo Marzotto in the Dakar rally.

He also participated in the 2009 Dakar Rally where he was involved in a frightening crash. His Nissan Patrol GR Y61 fell down a 100-meter cliff and was completely destroyed, but Elgh and partner Paolo Barilla survived without any serious injuries.[11]

In recent years he has competed in the Monaco Historique GP, in 2012 in a 1977 F3 Chevron B38-Toyota, the same car as he drove in British F3 in 1977. He was back in 2016 behind the wheel of a 1971 March 711-Cosworth Formula 1 car.

Racing record

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Career highlights

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Season Series Position Car Team
1974 Formel Super Vau Gold Pokal[12] 15th Lola T252-Volkswagen
1974 Formel Super Vau GTX Championship[13] 21st Lola T252-Volkswagen
1975 Formel Super Vau Gold Pokal[14] 3rd Lola T320-Volkswagen
Lola T324-Volkswagen
1976 Swedish Formula Three Championship[15] 11th Viking TH 1A-Toyota Rotel Racing Team
1976 Formel Super Vau Gold Pokal 16th Lola-Volkswagen
1977 BARC British F3 Championship[3] 2nd Chevron B38-Toyota Chevron Racing Team
1977 BRDC British F3 Championship[3] 5th Chevron B38-Toyota Chevron Racing Team
1977 FIA European F3 Championship[3] 12th Chevron B40-Hart Fred Opert Racing
1978 Swedish Formula Three Championship 9th
1978 European Formula Two Championship 11th Chevron B42-Hart Fred Opert Racing
1978 FIA European F3 Championship[16] 20th Chevron B43-Toyota Chevron Racing Team
1978–79 New Zealand Formula Pacific Championship 4th March 782-Ford Dick Bennetts Racing
1979 European Formula Two Championship[5] 9th March 792-BMW Marlboro Team Tiga
1980 European Formula Two Championship[6] NC Maurer MM80-BMW MM Mampe Team
1981 European Formula Two Championship[7] 3rd Maurer MM81-BMW Maurer Motorsport
1981 Japanese Formula 2 Championship[7] 14th Maurer MM81-BMW Racing Mate Project Team
Team Equipe
1982 Japanese Formula 2 Championship[17] 14th March 802-BMW
AGS JH22-BMW
Tomei Jidousuya
Unico Racing
1983 Japanese Formula 2 Championship 9th March 832-BMW Team Le Mans
1983 All Japan Endurance Championship 14th Dome RC83-Ford Dome Motorsport
1984 Japanese Formula 2 Championship[18] 4th March 842-BMW Autobacs Racing Team with Uchida
1984 All Japan Endurance Championship 41st Dome RC83i-Ford
Dome 84C-Toyota
Dome Motorsport
1985 Japanese Formula 2 Championship 5th March 85J-Mugen Honda Speed Star Wheel Racing Team
1985 All Japan Endurance Championship 5th Dome 84C-Toyota
Dome 85C-Toyota
Dome Company
1985 Fuji Grand Champion Series[19] 4th MCS 6-BMW Speed Star Wheel Racing Team
1986 Japanese Formula 2 Championship 6th March 86J-Yamaha Speed Box Motor Sports
1986 All Japan Endurance Championship 20th Dome RD84C-Toyota
Dome 86C-Toyota
Dome Company
1987 Japanese Formula 3000 Championship 11th March 87B-Cosworth Team Kitamura
1987 All Japan Endurance Championship 14th Dome 87C-Toyota
Porsche 962C
Dome Company
Rothmans Porsche Team Schuppan
1987 Fuji Grand Champion Series[19] 15th MCS 7-Ford Sundai Spilit Team
1987 All Japan Touring Car Championship 8th Rover Vitesse
Toyota Supra Turbo
Sundai Spilit Team
TOM's Toyota
1988 Japanese Formula 3000 Championship NC Lola T88/50-Mugen Ogawa Sundai Spilit Team
1988 All Japan Endurance Championship 7th Porsche 962C Rothmans Porsche Team Schuppan
1988 Fuji Long Distance Series 5th Porsche 962C Rothmans Porsche Team Schuppan
1988 FIA World Endurance Championship 58th Porsche 962C Takefuji Team Schuppan
1988 Fuji Grand Champion Series[19] 10th R&D 88Q-Mazda Sundai Spilit Team
1989 All Japan Endurance Championship 5th Porsche 962C Omron Racing
1989 All Japan Grand Champion Series[19] 8th R&D 88Q-Mazda Sundai Spilit Team
1990 FIA World Endurance Championship NC Porsche 962C Team Davey
Brun Motorsport
Porsche Kremer Racing
1990 All Japan Endurance Championship 17th Porsche 962C Omron Racing
1991 FIA World Endurance Championship 47th Porsche 962C Courage Compétition
Porsche Kremer Racing
Team Salamin Primagaz
1991 All Japan Endurance Championship 12th Toyota 91C-V Toyota Team TOM'S
1992 All Japan Endurance Championship 15th Toyota 92C-V Kitz Racing Team with SARD
1992 IMSA Camel GTP Championship 17th Porsche 962 Team 0123

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

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

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos. Pts
1977 Fred Opert Racing Chevron B40 Hart SIL THR HOC NÜR VAL PAU MUG ROU NOG PER MIS EST
8
DON NC 0
1978 Fred Opert Racing Chevron B42 Hart THR
DNQ
HOC
DNQ
NÜR
9
PAU
2
MUG
13
VAL
DNQ
ROU
6
DON
Ret
NOG
13
PER
Ret
MIS
DNQ
HOC
6
11th 8
1979 Marlboro Team Tiga March 792 BMW SIL
Ret
HOC
DSQ
THR
Ret
NÜR
12
VAL
9
MUG
3
PAU
Ret
HOC
10
ZAN
6
PER
1
MIS
Ret
DON
5
9th 16
1980 MM Mampe Team Maurer MM80 BMW THR
Ret
HOC
Ret
NÜR
Ret
VAL
Ret
PAU SIL ZOL MUG ZAN PER MIS HOC
Ret
NC 0
1981 Maurer Motorsport Maurer MM81 BMW SIL
18
HOC
4
THR
2
NÜR
2
VAL
1
MUG
4
PAU
5
PER
5
SPA
3
DON
7
MIS
Ret
MAN
17
3rd 35
1982 Maurer Motorsport Maurer MM82 BMW SIL HOC THR NÜR
17
MUG VAL PAU SPA HOC DON NC 0
Horag Racing March 822 BMW MAN
Ret
PER MIS

24 Hours of Le Mans results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1982   March Racing   Jeff Wood
  Patrick Nève
March 82G-Chevrolet C 78 DNF DNF
1984   Uchida Dome Racing Team   Stanley Dickens Dome RC83-Ford Cosworth C1 - DNS DNS
1985   Dome Team   Geoff Lees
  Toshio Suzuki
Dome Team 85C-L-Toyota C1 141 DNF DNF
1986   Dome Co. Ltd.   Beppe Gabbiani
  Toshio Suzuki
Dome Team 86C-L-Toyota C1 296 NC NC
1987   Toyota Team TOM'S   Alan Jones
  Geoff Lees
Toyota 87C-L C1 19 DNF DNF
1988   Takefuji Schuppan Racing Team   Brian Redman
  Jean-Pierre Jarier
Porsche 962C C1 359 10th 10th
1989   Team Schuppan   Vern Schuppan
  Gary Brabham
Porsche 962C C1 321 13th 10th
1990   Team Schuppan   Thomas Danielsson
  Tomas Mezera
Porsche TS962 C1 326 15th 15th
1991   Team Salamin Primagaz
  Team Schuppan
  Roland Ratzenberger
  Will Hoy
Porsche 962C C2 202 DNF DNF
1992   Toyota Team TOM'S
  Kitz Racing Team with SARD
  Roland Ratzenberger
  Eddie Irvine
Toyota 92C-V C2 321 9th 2nd
1993   Nisso Trust Racing Team   George Fouché
  Steven Andskär
Toyota 93C-V C2 358 6th 2nd
Source:[20]

Daytona 24 Hours results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1992   Team 0123   Hurley Haywood
  Roland Ratzenberger
  Scott Brayton
Porsche 962 GTP 749 3rd 2nd
Source:[21]

References

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  1. ^ "Lars Eje Elgh". allabolag.se. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b Diepraam, Mattijs (21 May 2010). "Tom Kristensen, Gil de Ferran, Dario Franchitti and many others Missing out on F1". 8W. Autosport. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Örnerdal, Stefan (ed.). "Formula 3 1977 Race Index". Formula 2 Register. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  4. ^ Örnerdal, Stefan (ed.). "Formula 2 1978 Championship Tables". Formula 2 Register. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  5. ^ a b Örnerdal, Stefan (ed.). "Formula 2 1979 Race Index". Formula 2 Register. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  6. ^ a b Örnerdal, Stefan (ed.). "Formula 2 1980 Race Index". Formula 2 Register. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  7. ^ a b c Örnerdal, Stefan (ed.). "Formula 2 1981 Race Index". Formula 2 Register. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  8. ^ Örnerdal, Stefan (ed.). "Formula 2 1981 Championship Tables". Formula 2 Register. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  9. ^ a b c "All Results of Eje Elgh". Racing Sports Cars. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  10. ^ a b c Åberg, Andreas, ed. (10 May 2013). "The racing career of Eje Elgh – in detail". Driver Database. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  11. ^ Eje Elgh kraschade i rallyt Archived 30 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine Dagens Nyheter, 17 January 2009 (Retrieved 28 May 2010)
  12. ^ Galpin, Darren. "1974 Formel Super Vau Gold Pokal". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Team DAN. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  13. ^ Galpin, Darren. "1974 Formel Super Vau GTX Championship". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Team DAN. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  14. ^ Galpin, Darren. "1975 Formel Super Vau Gold Pokal". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Team DAN. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  15. ^ Örnerdal, Stefan (ed.). "Formula 3 1976 Race Index". Formula 2 Register. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  16. ^ Örnerdal, Stefan (ed.). "Formula 2 1978 Race Index". Formula 2 Register. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  17. ^ Örnerdal, Stefan (ed.). "Formula 2 1982 Race Index". Formula 2 Register. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  18. ^ Örnerdal, Stefan (ed.). "Formula 2 1984 Race Index". Formula 2 Register. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  19. ^ a b c d "Grand Champion Series – final positions and tables". Racing Cars Chassis Numbers & Database Races Results. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  20. ^ "All Results of Eje Elgh". racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  21. ^ "Daytona 24 Hours – (Race Results)". racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 13 June 2018.