Rob Schroeder

Robert Charles "Rob" Schroeder (11 May 1926 - 3 December 2011): American racing driver who competed in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, the 1962 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, representing the generation of American enthusiasts who dabbled in Formula One during the sport's early years in North America. Born in El Dorado, Arkansas, Schroeder competed primarily in American sports car racing and various national events throughout the 1950s and early 1960s. His Formula One opportunity came when he drove a Rob Walker Racing Team Lotus 24-Climax at the 1962 United States Grand Prix on 7 October 1962. Schroeder qualified for the race and finished tenth, seven laps behind winner Jim Clark, failing to score championship points.

While his World Championship performance was modest, Schroeder showed more competitiveness in non-championship events. One month after Watkins Glen, he competed in the non-championship Mexican Grand Prix on 4 November 1962, again driving the Walker Lotus 24, and achieved a respectable sixth-place finish, which marked the end of his Formula One career. Schroeder never returned to Grand Prix racing after 1962, focusing instead on American sports car competition where he felt more comfortable and competitive. He continued racing at various levels through the 1960s before eventually retiring from active competition.

Schroeder died on 3 December 2011 in Dallas, Texas, at age 85. His single World Championship appearance places him among the many American drivers of the era who competed sporadically in Formula One when the championship visited North America, typically renting or borrowing competitive machinery for one-off appearances. These drivers rarely had the resources or inclination to commit to full-season European campaigns but enjoyed testing themselves against the world's best when racing came to their home continent. Known for: Competing in the 1962 United States Grand Prix driving a Rob Walker Lotus, finishing tenth in his only World Championship race, achieving sixth place in the non-championship 1962 Mexican Grand Prix, and representing American drivers who made occasional F1 appearances at home races.