Georg "Schorsch" Meier

'Schorsch' Meier - St.Ninians Crossroads 1939 Senior TT - Isle of Man
Motorcycle Grand Prix Career
Nationality	Germany
Active years	1932 - 1953
Team(s)	Auto-Union, BMW
Grands Prix	N/A
Championships	N/A
Wins	7
Podium finishes	N/A
Pole positions	N/A
Fastest laps	N/A
First Grand Prix	500cc 1938 Eilenreiden Hanover
First Grand Prix win	500cc 1938 Belgium GP
Last Grand Prix win	500cc 1939 Belgium GP
Last Grand Prix	500cc 1939 Swedish GP

Georg "Schorsch" Meier ( 9 November 1910 Mühldorf am Inn, Bavaria, Germany - 19 February 1999 ) was a German motorcycle racer famous for being the first foreign winner of the prestigious Senior TT the Blue Riband race of the Isle of Man TT Races in 1939 riding for the factory BMW team and the first motor-cycle racer to lap a Grand Prix course at over 100mph.^[1] Grand Prix motorcycle racing refers to the premier category of motorcycle road racing, currently divided into three distinct classes: 125 cc, 250 cc and MotoGP (as of 2007, up to 800 cc). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... 1936 Auto Union Wanderer Auto Union was a joint venture of four German automobile manufacturers, established in 1932 in Zwickau, Saxony, during the Great Depression. ... BMW began as an aeroplane engine manufacturer. ... List of Grand Prix motorcycle racing FIM World Champions, from 1949 to 2006, in order of year and engine displacement. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... The geographic region and Free State of Bavaria (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... February 19 is the 50th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... // Classic Road Racing Road Racing on (temporary closed) public roads Motorcycle sport is a broad field that encompasses all sporting aspects of motorcycling. ... Joey Dunlop at the start of the 1992 Senior TT on his Honda RC30 The Senior TT is a motorcycle road race that takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival; an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. ... The Blue Riband is an award held by the ship with the record for a transatlantic crossing. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Biography

After leaving school at the age of 14 years, Georg Meier became an apprentice at a local motor-cycle repair shop in Mühldorf am Inn in Bavaria and became known as "Schorsch" (the Bavarian diminutive for Georg) Meier. After hearing that the Bavarian State Police were creating a motor-cycle section, at the age of 19 years, Georg Meier applied to join and was accepted in 1929. A trainee period of three years had to be completed before Georg Meier was able to transfer to the motor-cycle police section in 1932.^[2]

Racing Career

After becoming a member of the Bavarian Police Team, Georg Meier competed in 1000km endurance trials that where popular at the time and seen as good training for motor-cycle dispatch riders. In 1934, Georg Meier attracted attention of the German Army motor-cycle team after finishing a 1000 km enduro an hour ahead of schedule and also riding an unpopular 400cc single-cylinder BMW R4 with a pressed-steel frame and out-moded trailing-link front forks.^[3] With fellow competitors in the German Army team, Fritz Linhardt and Joseph Forstner they won so many enduro events that Georg Meier became known as "Der Gusseiserne Schorsch".^[4] (Ironman Georg). BMW began as an aeroplane engine manufacturer. ...

1937 International Six Day Trial

After many success at the 1000 km enduro events, Georg Meier was selected for the German Trophy Team for the 1937 International Six Day Trial to be held in Wales. Along with team-mates Jospeh Stelzer and Ludwig Wiggerl Kraus who competed in an 600cc BMW sidecar outfit, the German Trophy team now used 500cc flat-twin BMW motor-cycles. At the end of the six day trial the British and German Trophy teams where level on points. The event was to be decided on speed-test and the new Castle Donington race circuit. The British Trophy team had an advantage as they used 350cc machines and due to the handicap system the 500cc BMW motor-cycles had to complete an extra-lap to win the 1937 International Six Day Trial. Also, two of the British riders had extensive road-racing experience with Vic Brittain riding a Norton and George Rowley riding an AJS motor-cycle. Despite having no road racing experience, Georg Meier won the Donington speed-trial, but the German Trophy Team lost the event to Great Britain Team by 10 seconds on the handicap system. The German Team officials were impressed by Georg Meier's performance that they suggested to BMW that he should be given a trial for their race-team.^[5] This article is about the country. ... World Series by Renault at Donington Parks Melbourne Hairpin in 2005. ... // Norton may refer to: Norton, County Durham Norton, East Sussex Norton, Gloucestershire Norton, Halton Norton, Hertfordshire Norton, Isle of Wight Norton, Leicestershire Norton, Northamptonshire Norton, Nottinghamshire Norton, Ludlow, Shropshire Norton, Shrewsbury, Shropshire Norton, Dawley, Shropshire Norton, Suffolk Norton, Selsey, West Sussex Norton, Arundel, West Sussex Norton, Wiltshire Norton, Worcester, Worcestershire... AJS was the name used for cars and motorcycles made by the Wolverhampton, England company A. J. Stevens Ltd. ...

Racing for BMW Works Team 1937-1939

The works BMW motor-cycle team where looking for a replacement for Otto Ley who was about to retire from racing. At a race at Schleiz in 1937, Georg Meier was give the opportunity to try out one of the new supercharged BMW motor-cycles during practice. After a few laps, Georg Meier pulled into the pits and reputedly told the BMW racing manager that "Road Racing is far too dangerous for me."^[6] The BMW team where able to persuade Georg Meier to continue and finished the practice session with fourth fastest time, but did start the race as he was not official entered by the BMW works team. After replacing Otto Ley in the BMW motor-cycle team for the 1938 season, Georg Meier began 1938 by winning the Eilenreiden Race at Hanover, setting race and lap records after a poor start which had left him in last place".^[7] SCHLEIZ, a town of Germany, second capital of the principality of Reuss, Younger Line, situated in a fertile district on the river Wiesenthal, 20 m. ...

For the 1938 Isle of Man TT, Georg Meier is entered by the BMW team along with Jock West and Karl Gall. First the BMW team suffered a setback when Karl Gall was injured in an unofficial practice crash and was found in a ditch above the Gooseneck and was unable to race. On the startline for the 1938 Senior TT Race, one of the BMW mechanics changing a spark-plug stripped a cylinder thread on the engine of Georg Meier's BMW Type 255 Kompressor motor-cycle.^[8] Despite starting the 1938 Senior TT Race on one-cylinder, Georg Meier retired on lap 1 at the bottom of Bray Hill.^[9] The race was won Harold Daniell riding for Norton at an average race speed of 89.11 mph and Jock West riding the works supercharged BMW finished in 5th place at an average race speed of 85.92 mph. In 1938, Georg Meier went on to win the 500cc Belgium Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, the 500cc Dutch TT, the German Grand Prix at the Hohenstein-Ernstthal or Sachsenring course and the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. The 500cc 1938 Ulster Grand Prix was won by BMW team-mate Jock West and Georg Meier became the 1938 500cc European Motor-Cycle Champion.^[10] The 1937 Senior lap record of 90. ... Categories: Move to Wiktionary | Stub ... Joey Dunlop at the start of the 1992 Senior TT on his Honda RC30 The Senior TT is a motorcycle road race that takes place during the Isle of Man TT festival; an annual event at the end of May and beginning of June. ... Norton is a British motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1898. ... The route of the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as laid out for the Belgian Grand Prix The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the famous venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the SPA 24 Hours endurance race. ... The Dutch TT is a motorcycle roadracing event, traditionally held on the last Saturday of June at Assen in the Netherlands, as part of the MotoGP world championship. ... Hohenstein-Ernstthal is a town in the Chemnitzer Land rural district, Saxony, Germany. ... Sachsenring (German: Saxony ring) may mean: Sachsenring (circuit), a racing circuit. ... The Lambro River runs through Monza. ...

For the 1939 racing season, despite being an Sergeant-Instructor with the Miltary Police, Georg Meier continued racing for the factory BMW team during his periods of leave. Also for the 1939 season Georg Meier along with fellow motor-cycle racer Hermann Paul Müller drove as reserve drivers for the German Auto-Union Racing Team. During practice for the 1939 Isle of Man TT Race, Georg Meier's BMW team-mate, Kall Gall crashes at Ballaugh Bridge and later dies of his injuries and the effects of pneumonia in hospital.^[11] After considering to withdraw from the Isle of Man TT Races, the BMW management decided that Georg Meier and Jock West would compete in the 1939 Senior TT Race and Georg Meier led from start to finish winning at an average race speed of 89.38 mph and Jock West finished in second place.^[12] Hermann Paul Müller (born in Bielefeld, November 21, 1909 - died in Ingolstadt, December 30, 1975) was a famous German motorcycle driver (from 1929) and car racer (from 1937, at Auto Union). ... 1936 Auto Union Wanderer Auto Union was a joint venture of four German automobile manufacturers, established in 1932 in Zwickau, Saxony, during the Great Depression. ... 1939 was to be the last of ten TT victories for the 34 year old Stanley Woods. ... Pneumonia is an illness of the lungs and respiratory system in which the alveoli (microscopic air-filled sacs of the lung responsible for absorbing oxygen from the atmosphere) become inflamed and flooded with fluid. ...

1939 Senior Isle of Man TT (500cc)

16th June 1939 - 7 laps (264.11 miles) Mountain Course The late Joey Dunlop riding down from Kates Cottage towards Creg ny Baa. ...

Rank	Rider	Team	Speed	Time
1	Georg Meier	BMW	89.38 mph	2:57:19.0
2	Jock West	BMW	88.22	2:59:39.0
3	Freddie L Frith	Norton	87.96	3:00:11.0

Two weeks after becoming the first foreign winner of the prestigious Isle of Man Senior TT Race, Georg Meier won the 500cc 1939 Dutch TT at Assen. This was followed by a win at 500cc 1939 Belgium Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps and the first motor-cycle racer to lap a Grand Prix course at over 100mph.^[13] Despite missing the French Motor-Cycle Grand Prix, Georg Meier competes instead for Auto Union driving to 2nd place in Grand Prix De L'Automobile Club de France at Reims-Gueux. Returning to ride for the BMW motor-cycle for the Swedish Grand Prix, Georg Meier falls twice after chasing Dorino Serafini riding for Gilera and suffers a back-injury which stops him from racing for the rest of the 1939 racing season. With futher wins at the 500cc German, Ulster and Italian Grand Prix races, Dorino Sefafini wins the 500c class for the 1939 European Championship. Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... BMW began as an aeroplane engine manufacturer. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Norton 850 Commando Norton is a British motorcycle marque from Birmingham and founded in 1898. ... The Dutch TT is a motorcycle roadracing event, traditionally held on the last Saturday of June at Assen in the Netherlands, as part of the MotoGP world championship. ... Assen railway station Assen ( (help· info)) is a municipality and a city in the north eastern Netherlands, capital of the province of Drenthe. ... The route of the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as laid out for the Belgian Grand Prix The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the famous venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the SPA 24 Hours endurance race. ... The circuit of Reims-Gueux as it looked between 1926 and 1951. ... Dorino Serafini was a Formula One driver from Italy. ...

Auto Union Team 1939

1938 Auto-Union V12 type D saved from being cut up for scrap metal.

The 1939 Eifelrennen was the first race of the season for the Auto Union team. Along with fellow motor-cycle racer Hermann Paul Müller acted as reserve drivers for the Auto Union team. After qualifying for the 1939 Eifelrennen, Hans Stuck injured his foot playing skittle and the place was taken by Georg Meier, however did not start the race after a technical failure of the Auto Union Type D that he was driving. The 1939 Eifelrennen was won by Hermann Lang driving the Mercedes-Benz W154 after Tazio Nuvolari driving for Auto Union tried to run the race non-stop. For the 1939 Belgium Grand Prix, Georg Meier again deputised Hans Stuck in the Auto Union team. The race held in heavy rain and poor visibility was dominated by the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows of Dick Seaman and Hermann Lang. On lap 14, Georg Meier driving the Auto Union Type D was forced into a ditch by the privateer Adolphe Mandirola driving a Maserati 6CM at Blanchemont on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit and then retired. The 1939 Belgium Grand Prix was again won by Hermann Lang, but was domininated by the death of Dick Seaman in a crash at La Source hairpin. The 1939 French Grand Prix at Reims-Gueux was dominated by Auto Union after the retirement of the Mercedes-Benz drivers, after Rudolf Caracciola crashed on lap 1, on lap 17 an engine failure for von Brauchitsch and Hermann Lang on lap 36. The race was won by Hermann Paul Müller for Auto Union and Georg Meier finished in 2nd place after a pit-fire burnt his arm.^[14] Hermann Paul Müller (born in Bielefeld, November 21, 1909 - died in Ingolstadt, December 30, 1975) was a famous German motorcycle driver (from 1929) and car racer (from 1937, at Auto Union). ... Hans Stuck (sometimes called Hans Stuck von Villiez) (born December 27, 1900 - died February 9, 1978) was a German auto racing driver. ... Skittles is a centuries old European target sport, from which Ten-pin bowling and Candlepin bowling in the United States, and Five-pin bowling in Canada are descended. ... Hermann Lang (born April 6, 1909 – died October 19, 1987) was a German champion race car driver. ... Nuvolaris statue in front of PalaLottomatica in Rome. ... Silver Arrow – 1939 Grossglockner hillclimb Silver Arrows was the name given by the press to Germanys dominant Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Grand Prix motor racing cars between 1934 and 1939, and also later applied to the Mercedes-Benz Formula One and sports cars in 1954/55. ... The French Grand Prix is a Formula One race held as part of Fédération Internationale de lAutomobiles annual Formula One automobile racing championship season. ... The circuit of Reims-Gueux as it looked between 1926 and 1951. ... This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ... Rudolf Caracciola Rudolf Caracciola (b. ... Manfred von Brauchitsch (15 August 1905 - February 5, 2003) was a German auto racing driver who drove for Mercedes-Benz in the famous Silver Arrows of Grand Prix motor racing in the 1930s. ...

1939 Race Results Auto Union Type D

Detailed Nürburgring map showing both the Nordschleife and the new GP section. ... The route of the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps as laid out for the Belgian Grand Prix The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the famous venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the SPA 24 Hours endurance race. ... The circuit of Reims-Gueux as it looked between 1926 and 1951. ...

War Service

After the crash at the Swedish Grand Prix in August 1939, Georg Meier spent two months recovering from a serious back-injury. Due to the injury this led to Georg Meier being declared unfit for military service and spent the war as a motor-cycle instructor for the German Military Police and as a driver to Wilhelm Canaris head of the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service, from 1935 to 1944.^[15] Wilhelm Canaris Wilhelm Franz Canaris (January 1, 1887 – April 9, 1945) was a German admiral and head of the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service, from 1935 to 1944. ... The Abwehr was a German intelligence organization from 1921 to 1944. ... Military intelligence (abbreviated MI, int. ...

Post War Racing

Sources

External links

• TT database rider profile iomtt.com
• TT database TT results iomtt.com