after racing motorcycles during the late 1940s kurt moved into car racing with a formula three cooper 500 which he raced regularly 1950s with a number of wins and good finishes. he also competed in a few formula junior and formula two races before he finally moved into formula one, failing to qualify wolfgang seidel's lotus 18 at the non-championship 1962 pau grand prix before retiring the same car from the solitude grand prix that year with engine failure. the first appearance of his borgward-engined lotus was delayed through problems preparing the engine, and kuhnke missed four races he had entered in the second half of 1962. this engine was an old sports car unit, equipped with twin cams and direct fuel injection.