| Steve Soper | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth Date: | 1951 9, df=yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality: |  British | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Steven Soper (born 27 September 1951) is a British racing driver.
He raced in major sports car and touring car categories in the 1980s and 1990s. He was Japanese Touring Car Champion in 1995, and also won the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 1987, the 24 Hours of Spa in 1995 and the Guia Race in 1997. He achieved many of his successes through his longest association, with BMW.
Across just over two decades Soper won three major races: the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 1987, the 24 Hours of Spa in 1995 and the Guia Race in 1997.Soper had been successful in one make series, before making his British Saloon Car Championship debut in 1982 in an Austin Metro.[1] His talent was spotted by Tom Walkinshaw and he joined TWR in 1983. He won the championship in his first season with the works Austin Rover team but rival Frank Sytner protested the TWR team and his Rover Vitesse was later deemed illegal due to an issue with the engine installation. TWR was disqualified and the title was awarded to Andy Rouse.[2] He later joined Eggenberger Motorsport and finished as runner-up in the series in 1988 in a Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth, enjoying many on-track battles with Andy Rouse in the process.[3]
Soper challenged for the title in 1991, finishing 4th and in 1993, finishing as runner up behind teammate Joachim Winkelhock for BMW. Soper had led the championship for most of the season but a run of bad luck towards the end of the year damaged his title challenge. During the season finale of the 1992 championship, Soper was involved in the infamous collision with John Cleland, which cost Cleland the title and famously led him to label Soper 'an animal'.[4] 1995 saw Soper race in the Japanese Super Touring championship for Schnitzer BMW, winning the championship outright that year.
Soper raced in the German Super Tourenwagen Cup in 1996, challenging for the title until an incident late in the season with his team mate ended his championship chances. He finished second overall to Emanuele Pirro. In 1997 he came second in the FIA GT Championship. Soper finished fifth driving a Ford Sierra for Eggenberger Motorsport in the one-off World Touring Car Championship in 1987 run under Group A regulations. That year, he won the Bathurst 1000, but was later disqualified for a technical infringement[5] Soper was offered a works drive for BMW, and competed in the night European, Japanese and German Touring Car Championships.[6] During the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans, he expressed dislike of the 24-hour classic race, established in the early 20th century.
By 2000, Soper fell out of favour with Gerhard Berger, who was in charge of BMW's motorsport operations and retired from racing as he was solely interested in racing BMWs and acquired a BMW dealership in Lincoln.[7] For 2001, he reluctantly made a surprise return to the British Touring Car Championship with Peugeot. The car's build rendered it less successful than the Vauxhall Astra. He finished 6th in a thin field and was advised to retire on medical grounds after a heavy crash in the final round.
In 2013, Soper, who had earned the nickname "Soperman" (with final syllable stress to sound like "superman") from his fans during his career, announced plans, on medical clearance, to race.[8]
In 2005, Soper was ranked as the greatest touring car driver ever by a panel of experts in Motor Sport Magazine.[9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] In 2024, Autosport ranked him as the greatest BTCC driver to not have won the title.[15]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position – 1973–1990 in class) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap – 1 point awarded ?–1989 in class)
† Events with 2 races staged for the different classes.
‡ Endurance driver.
Source:[16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | DC | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Eggenberger Motorsport | Ford Sierra XR4Ti | MNZ Ret | DON Ret | HOC 3 | MIS Ret | AND | BRN Ret | ZEL Ret | NUR Ret | SPA 7 | SIL Ret | NOG 4 | ZOL 11 | JAR Ret | EST 1 | 30th | 69 | |
| 1987 | Ford Texaco Racing Team | Ford Sierra RS Cosworth | DON | EST 2† | AND | ZOL 1† | ZEL | IMO | NOG | NC | 0 | ||||||||
| 1988 | Ford Texaco Racing Team | Ford Sierra RS500 | MNZ 1 | DON Ret | EST 1 | JAR 1 | DIJ 1 | VAL Ret | NUR 1 | SPA 4 | ZOL Ret | SIL 2 | NOG 1 | 2nd | 290 |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Ford Texaco Racing Team | Ford Sierra RS Cosworth | MNZ DSQ | JAR ovr:5 cls:6 | DIJ ovr:3 cls:1 | NUR Ret | SPA Ret | 5th | 193 | ||||||
| Ford Sierra RS500 | BNO ovr:2 cls:2 | SIL ovr:13 cls:5 | BAT DSQ | CLD ovr:1 cls:1 | WEL ovr:3 cls:2 | FJI ovr:5 cls:3 |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | DC | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Ford Grab Motorsport | Ford Sierra XR4Ti | HOC | ZOL | NÜR | AVU | MFA | NOR | NÜR | WUN | DIE | SAL | 27th | 16 | |||||||||||||||
| 1988 | Ford Ringhausen Motorsport | Ford Sierra RS500 | ZOL 1 | ZOL 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | BRN 1 | BRN 2 | AVU 1 | AVU 2 | MFA 1 | MFA 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | NOR 1 | NOR 2 | WUN 1 | WUN 2 | SAL 1 | SAL 2 | HUN 1 | HUN 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | 24th | 36 | |
| 1989 | BMW M Team Zakspeed | BMW M3 Evo | ZOL 1 | ZOL 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | MFA 1 | MFA 2 | AVU 1 | AVU 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | NOR 1 | NOR 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | DIE 1 | DIE 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | 5th | 233 | |||
| 1990 | BMW M Team Bigazzi | BMW M3 Sport Evo | ZOL 1 | ZOL 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | AVU 1 | AVU 2 | MFA 1 | MFA 2 | WUN 1 | WUN 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | NOR 1 | NOR 2 | DIE 1 | DIE 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | 4th | 152 | |||
| 1991 | BMW M Team Bigazzi | BMW M3 Sport Evo | ZOL 1 | ZOL 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | AVU 1 | AVU 2 | WUN 1 | WUN 2 | NOR 1 | NOR 2 | DIE 1 | DIE 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | ALE 1 | ALE 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | BRN 1 | BRN 2 | DON 1 | DON 2 | 5th | 133 | |
| 1992 | BMW M Team Bigazzi | BMW M3 Sport Evo | ZOL 1 | ZOL 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | WUN 1 | WUN 2 | AVU 1 | AVU 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | NOR 1 | NOR 2 | BRN 1 | BRN 2 | DIE 1 | DIE 2 | ALE 1 | ALE 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | 9th | 109 |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | DC | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Miedecke Motorsport | Ford Sierra RS500 | BAT Ret | WEL NC | PUK 1† | FUJ | NC | 0 | |||||||||
| 1994 | BMW Team Schnitzer | BMW 318i | FUJ 1 | FUJ 2 | MAC 1 | MAC 2 | SEN 1 | SEN 2 | WEL 1 | WEL 2 | CLD 1 | CLD 2 | CHE 1 | CHE 2 | 3rd | ? |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Bigazzi M Team | BMW M3 Sport Evolution | A1 | MNZ 1 2 | MNZ 2 4 | VAR 1 | VAR 2 | PER 1 | MAG 1 | MAG 2 | VAL 1 | VAL 2 | MIS 1 | MIS 2 | MIS 1 | MIS 2 | IMO 1 3 | IMO 2 2 | VAR 1 | VAR 2 | MNZ 1 Ret | MNZ 2 6 | 13th | 58 | ||
| 1992 | CiBiEmme Engineering | BMW M3 Sport Evolution | S1 | MNZ 1 3 | MNZ 2 9 | MAG 1 | MAG 2 | MUG 1 | MUG 2 | BIN 1 | BIN 2 | VAL 1 | VAL 2 | IMO 1 | IMO 2 | MIS 1 | MIS 2 | PER 1 | PER 2 | VAR 1 | VAR 2 | MNZ 1 | MNZ 2 | 16th | 14 | |
| 1996 | Scuderia Bigazzi | BMW 320i | MUG 1 | MAG 2 | MNZ 1 | MNZ 2 | BIN 1 | BIN 2 | MIS 2 | IMO 1 | IMO 2 | PER 1 | PER 1 | PER 2 | VAR 1 | VAR 2 | VAL 1 8 | VAL 2 2 | 14th | 18 |
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | DC | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | BMW Team Schnitzer | BMW 318i | AUT 1 | AUT 2 | SUG 1 | SUG 2 | TOK 1 | TOK 2 | SUZ 1 | SUZ 2 | MIN 1 | MIN 2 | AID 1 | AID 2 | TSU 1 | TSU 2 | SEN 1 | SEN 2 | FUJ 1 | FUJ 2 | 3rd | 132 | |
| 1995 | BMW Team Schnitzer | BMW 318i | FUJ 1 | FUJ 2 | SUG 1 | SUG 2 | TOK 1 | TOK 2 | SUZ 1 | SUZ 2 | MIN 1 | MIN 2 | AID 1 | AID 2 | SEN 1 | SEN 2 | FUJ 1 | FUJ 2 | 1st | 124 |
Source:[23]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pos | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | BMW Team Schnitzer | BMW 318is | ZOL 1 | ZOL 2 | SPA 1 | SPA 2 | ÖST 1 | ÖST 2 | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | SAL 1 11 | SAL 2 7 | AVU 1 22 | AVU 2 20 | NÜR 1 3 | NÜR 2 4 | 21st | 90 | |||||
| 1996 | BMW Team Bigazzi | BMW 320i | ZOL 1 7 | ZOL 2 4 | ASS 1 1 | ASS 2 3 | HOC 1 6 | HOC 2 3 | SAC 1 5 | SAC 2 2 | WUN 1 1 | WUN 2 3 | ZWE 1 3 | ZWE 2 2 | SAL 1 1 | SAL 2 2 | AVU 1 Ret | AVU 2 6 | NÜR 1 13 | NÜR 2 Ret | 2nd | 491 | |||
| 1997 | Isert BMW-Team | BMW 320i | HOC 1 | HOC 2 | ZOL 1 | ZOL 2 | NÜR 1 | NÜR 2 | SAC 1 | SAC 2 | NOR 1 | NOR 2 | WUN 1 | WUN 2 | ZWE 1 | ZWE 2 | SAL 1 | SAL 2 | REG 1 | REG 2 | NÜR 1 16 | NÜR 2 12 | 30th | 23 |
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Mobil Rover Racing |  Ron Dickson | Rover Vitesse | Group A | 116 | 29th | 8th | |
| 1987 | Ford Texaco Racing Team |  Pierre Dieudonné | Ford Sierra RS500 | 1 | 161 | DSQ | DSQ | |
| 1988 | Miedecke Motorsport | Andrew Miedecke | Ford Sierra RS500 | A | 102 | DNF | DNF | |
| 1993 | Benson & Hedges Racing | Tony Longhurst | BMW M3 Evolution | A | 79 | DNF | DNF |
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 |  Mazdaspeed | Jeff Allam James Weaver | Mazda 717C | C Jr. | 267 | 18th | 2nd | |
| 1996 |  Team Bigazzi Team BMW Motorsport |  Jacques Laffite Marc Duez | McLaren F1 GTR | GT1 | 318 | 11th | 9th | |
| 1997 | Team BMW Motorsport BMW Team Schnitzer |  JJ Lehto Nelson Piquet | McLaren F1 GTR | GT1 | 236 | DNF | DNF | |
| 1998 | Team BMW Motorsport | Hans-Joachim Stuck Tom Kristensen | BMW V12 LM | LMP1 | 60 | DNF | DNF | |
| 1999 | Price+Bscher | Thomas Bscher Bill Auberlen | BMW V12 LM | LMP | 345 | 5th | 4th |
| Year | Team | Car | Class | Heat 1 | Heat 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Watson’s Team Schnitzer | BMW 318i | FIA Class 2 | - | - | DNF |
| 1994 | San Miguel Team Schnitzer | BMW 318is | FIA Class 2 | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd |
| 1995 | BMW Team Schnitzer | BMW 318is | FIA Class 2 | 5th | 2nd | 2nd |
| 1996 | BMW Team Bigazzi | BMW 320i | FIA Class 2 | DNF | 1st | 12th |
| 1997 | BMW Team Bigazzi | BMW 320i | FIA Class 2 | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| 1998 | BMW Team Schnitzer | BMW 320i | FIA Class 2 | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| 2001 | WK Longman Racing | Peugeot 306 | Super Production | 3rd | DNF | - |
