“It’s the first time I have been back for more than 40 years,” he says, forcing out a smile. “I wanted to put a wreath of flowers and a Swiss flag at the spot – it gave me goose bumps. It brought back sad memories, not only of Jo but Jochen Rindt and Jim Clark too. When I go to the Red Bull Ring I make sure I see the monument of Jochen. At Hockenheim I see Jim’s, and now I have been able to remember Jo. I didn’t want to miss this opportunity.”
His memories of Clark are vivid. Kurt’s limited English (our interview is aided by Carlos, friend and interpreter) meant they couldn’t quite stretch to being friends, but being in the same paddock and on the same grids meant they got to know one another well.
“The night before he died at Hockenheim we were driving to a television studio in Mainz in my car. I sat in my Brabham and Jim had to push me onto the set; the interviewer asked me: ‘Is this your mechanic?’ I was very embarrassed and said: ‘No, no, he is twice world champion!’ It was a good joke, but probably not for Jimmy.
“Driving back I asked if he wanted to have a drink, and Jimmy said: ‘Well, you’re my driver. It’s up to you’.”
If proof was needed he pulls out from his wallet a crumpled but obviously cherished photo of them smiling with a jug of beer, his eyes reddening.
“On the way back to the hotel the car broke down and Jimmy couldn’t believe it, because it was a Mercedes! We got to a gas station and were looking for money; the owner didn’t believe Jim was a champion. He didn’t know who he was. In the end he agreed to make a deal for the oil and we made it back.
“When we finally arrived Jimmy said to me: ‘Good luck tomorrow. My car is not so fast.’ We still don’t know what happened that day.”