28/4/1931 - 1/1/2019
Record updated 30-Sep-21
Between 1955 and 1971, Karl Foitek entered numerous international races and won the Swiss championship four times, twice in racing cars, once in sports cars and once in GTs.
Karl left school in 1945 and started working as a mechanic in his Uncle's garage. In 1951 he moved to Zurich working for the Jaguar importer, Emil Frey AG .
He started racing in 1956 with an Austin-Healey and also started his own business preparing and tuning Alfa-Romeos. In 1957 he switched to a Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce, winning the Schauinsland-Bergrennen.
In 1962, Foitek and his wife Sonja opened a dealership, Garage Foitek, in Zurich on the Brauerstraße, initially selling Alfa Romeo, Jaguar and Lotus cars but later on added Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati to their lineup. Together they raised five children, a daughter and four sons. By the end of the Eighties, his three sons Reto, Frank and Gregor were taking an active role in the company. In 2004, the Foitek Garage was sold but, in 2008, the brothers opened Foitek Automobile AG in Altendorf.
He continued racing Alfas exclusively until 1963 when he raced a Ferrari 250 GTO in the 1000 km Nürburgring. He also raced a Lotus 23.
In 1964 he raced Lotus Elans taking a number of class and outright wins between then and 1967.
He raced a Porsche 910 in Endurance racing in 1968 and a Lola T210 in 1970 and 1971 taking a win at Bremgarten.
He retired from racing in 1971 however his involvement continued through his eldest son Gregor who also raced, making it into F1 in 1989 and 1990.
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