Stefan Johansson

Swedish racer who won Le Mans and scored 12 F1 podiums.

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Stefan Nils Edwin Johansson (born 8 September 1956) is a Swedish former racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One between 1980 and 1991. In endurance racing, Johansson won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1997 with Joest.

Quick Facts

Birth name: Stefan Nils Edwin Johansson
Born: 8 September 1956
Birthplace: Växjö, Sweden

Lore & Background

Born and raised in Växjö, Johansson began his career in kart racing, winning the Swedish Championship in 1973. After achieving multiple national titles in Formula Ford, Johansson progressed to British Formula Three, winning the championship in 1980. Johansson also made his Formula One debut that year—at the 1980 Argentine Grand Prix with Shadow—but did not qualify for either round he contested. Following multiple race wins in European Formula Two and podiums in the World Sportscar Championship, Johansson returned to Formula One in 1983 with Spirit.

After sporadic appearances for Tyrrell and Toleman in 1984, Johansson signed for Ferrari the following season, achieving his maiden podium finish in Canada. Retaining his seat for 1986, Johansson scored several podiums as he finished a career-best fifth in the World Drivers' Championship. Replaced by Gerhard Berger at Ferrari in 1987, Johansson moved to McLaren to partner Alain Prost; he scored five podiums on his way to sixth in the standings, but left for Ligier at the end of the season.

After a non-classified championship finish in 1988, Johansson moved to Onyx, scoring the team's only podium finish at the 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix. He was dropped by Onyx after the 1990 Brazilian Grand Prix, making further appearances for AGS and Footwork in 1991 before leaving Formula One, having achieved 12 podiums.

Reader's Guide

In addition to his ten seasons in Formula One, Johansson entered 15 editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1984 and 1997, taking three class wins amongst an overall win in 1997, driving the Porsche WSC-95 alongside Michele Alboreto and Tom Kristensen. He also competed in the IndyCar World Series from 1992 to 1996, both seasons of Grand Prix Masters, and the inaugural season of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Did You Know?

He won the British Formula Three Championship in 1980, driving for Ron Dennis' Project Four team.
Johansson's first Formula One race with Spirit was the non-championship 1983 Race of Champions.
He finished fourth in the 1984 Italian Grand Prix for Toleman.