Rolf Uhlig has passed away. He died on April 6, 2022, at the age of 83. With his passing, the German motorcycle racing community has lost an extraordinary advocate.
As the sports director of ADAC Sachsen e.V., Rolf Uhlig was a leading figure for many years. He knew how to leverage the power of the four letters behind his name like no one else. It is largely thanks to him that the German Grand Prix returned to the Sachsenring in 1998. The last one had previously taken place on the track in 1972. Under Uhlig’s influence, the Grand Prix at the historic racetrack grew into an empire. When the number of spectators exceeded the magic mark of 200,000 in 2003, Uhlig’s joy was written all over his face. He himself had once been an ace in off-road racing.
Wherever Rolf Uhlig went, he didn’t keep his feelings bottled up; instead, he addressed even the most sensitive topics head-on. He could speak off the cuff, and the ADAC Saxony always came out looking good. In fact, most of the young drivers made their way into the Grand Prix through this very channel. Steve Jenkner, Jarno Müller, Georg Fröhlich, and Dirk Heidolf all came from that circle. Uhlig would have loved to travel to every Grand Prix in the world to cheer on the guys in person. At the very least, he was there for many of them. The Saxon didn’t watch the clock to see when his workday was over. Rather, he was so energetic that the day could have had more hours for him.
The fact that he was able to chat with legends like Giacomo Agostini, Jim Redman, and Phil Read at the Sachsenring Classics made his twilight years all the more enjoyable. Rolf Uhlig was also a frequent sight at the IDM; even last year, he would occasionally show up in the paddock. He always wanted to know what was going on, where, and how. Now the former sports official will be missed at these events, but people will continue to speak of him.
We mourn the loss of Rolf Uhlig and honor his contributions.