BEYOND THE GRID: Christian Danner on being the first F1 driver to be disqualified for dangerous driving – and how Ayrton Senna came to his defence

Despite being a hugely versatile racing driver who competed in Formula 3000, IndyCar, Sports Cars and Touring Cars, Christian Danner was unable to showcase his full potential in Formula 1 in the mid-to-late 1980s.

During an era characterised by poor reliability and pre-qualifying – that’s right, qualifying to get into qualifying! – Danner either failed to start many of the races he entered, or failed to finish them. But that certainly doesn’t mean he’s short of some fascinating tales from his time in the sport.

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Speaking to host Tom Clarkson on the latest episode of Beyond The Grid, Danner remembers becoming the first F1 driver to be disqualified for dangerous driving and how Ayrton Senna leapt to his defence.