World Championships / Sidecar

Death of Klaus Enders

German Sidecar driver Klaus Enders, six-time FIM Sidecar Grand Prix World Champion between 1967 and 1974, passed away on 20 January 2019, at the age of 82, following a long illness.

From left to right - Ralf Engelhardt & Klaus Enders in 1972- © FIM Archive From left to right - Ralf Engelhardt & Klaus Enders in 1972- © FIM Archive
© Photos FIM Archive - 1972 passenger Ralf Engelhardt & Driver Klaus Enders © Photos FIM Archive - 1972 passenger Ralf Engelhardt & Driver Klaus Enders
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Born on 2 May 1937 in Wetzlar, Germany, he started his racing career in 1960, in the 500cc solo as well as in the Sidecar class. In 1963 he was German Junior champion in the 500cc class, and in 1964 while fighting for the German 500cc Championship title he crashed in the last race on the Avus circuit. He then decided to go Sidecar racing. With passenger Reinhold Manischeff, he clinched his first World Championship points with a fourth place at Spa-Francorchamps. 

Then he was fourth again at the TT with Ralf Engelhardt as passenger. 1967 was the first year of success for the team, with five wins and a first title. In 1969 Enders/Engelhardt took their second title by winning a fight against Helmut Fath at the last race in Northern Ireland. At the end of the 1970 season, after a third World crown with five race wins (two of them with passenger Wolfgang Kallauch), he decided to retire and to go car racing, but less than a year later he was back to Sidecar racing and, with his usual passenger Ralf Engelhardt, won three more World Championships (72 to 74 inclusive). He clinched altogether 27 Grand Prix wins in his career. 

The FIM community, led by President Jorge Viegas, extends its sincere condolences to Klaus Enders’ family and friends.

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