Our new ‘Racing Rarities’ puzzle: A true all-rounder of the 1960s

Mostly drawn from the archives of our photo partners XPB and Grand Prix Photo, every week from Tuesday we present a little piece of motorsport history. Tell us who you can recognise (Example: Jo Siffert, Monza, 1970) and have a go at guessing – there’s nothing to be won. Send your answer to: mathias.brunner@speedweek.com. The closing date for entries is midnight on Sunday of the current week.

Entry is free of charge. The competition is open to anyone aged 18 or over. Employees of the participating companies are excluded. The decision is final.

Any data submitted as part of the quiz will be used solely for the purposes of running the competition and will not be passed on to third parties. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.

Here’s a clue for the new puzzle: he was one of the great all-round racing drivers of the 1960s.

Our clue for the last task was: This driver competed under a famous name. Pictured is Rikky von Opel, the only Formula 1 driver to compete for the Principality of Liechtenstein, in his Brabham-Ford at Zandvoort in 1974; behind him is Clay Regazzoni in his Ferrari.

Topic of the week

From major doubts to a major spectacle: why GP fans have reason to be delighted

Before the start of the season, critical voices dominated, but the World Championship rounds so far have shown that the rule changes are delivering exactly what was hoped for: excitement right up to the final lap.

Vanessa Georgoulas

Read more

TV program

Live

Spa: FP1

FIA Formula One World Championship

17.07.2026 - 13:15

Rikky von Opel mit seinem Brabham in Zandvoort 1974, hinten Clay Regazzoni

Foto: Grand Prix Photo

Frederick “Rikky” von Opel – great-grandson of company founder Adam Opel – was born in New York, but held a Liechtenstein passport and remains to this day the only Formula 1 driver from that small country. He began his racing career under the pseudonym Antonio Bronco, but by the time he had proved his driving ability by winning the British Formula 3 Championship in 1972, Bronco had long since been retired and replaced by his real name.

In 1972, on his way to the title, von Opel beat none other than Tony Brise, who years later was regarded as a future Grand Prix winner and who, together with Graham Hill, lost his life in a plane crash in 1975.

Von Opel and his fortune backed the Formula 1 project of former racing driver Morris (Mo) Nunn, who entered Grand Prix racing with him in 1973. Von Opel and Nunn put up a valiant fight with the MN01 (N173) model; the N174 (or MN02) was built for 1974, but following a disastrously poor practice session in Argentina, von Opel left the team abruptly.

Opinions on the Ensign N173 were divided. The rather simple design, with its low front end and cockpit surround that rose high up, gave a rather clunky impression. This was further emphasised by the tall, long air intake and the massive rear wing. A dark “British Racing Green” with yellow trim stripes, on the other hand, looked really smart. The great thing was that the cars of the 1970s all looked strikingly different. However, the team never managed to finish higher than 13th in England.

Nunn remained with Ensign in Formula 1 until 1982; he later sold his shares in the team to Teddy Yip and moved to the USA. There, as race engineer to Emerson Fittipaldi (Patrick Racing) as well as Alex Zanardi and Juan Pablo Montoya (Chip Ganassi Racing), Nunn won one CART title after another.

And what of Opel? In 1974, he replaced Richard Robarts (who had run out of money) in the Brabham works team. Driving for Opel, he finished ninth in both Sweden and the Netherlands (his best Formula 1 results); after failing to qualify in France, he hung up his helmet at the age of 26. His seat went to the talented Carlos Pace from Brazil.

Almost nothing is known about Opel’s later life. He lived in the USA for a while and is said to be living in Thailand today as a Buddhist monk. The only link to his past – a post office box.