Tom Kristensen (born 7 July 1967) is a Danish racing driver. He has won many championships in auto racing but his most famous achievement is being the only person to win the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans eight times, six of which were consecutive (from 2000–2005). In 1997, he won the race with the Joest Racing team, driving a Tom Walkinshaw Racing-designed and Porsche-powered WSC95, after being a late inclusion in the team following Davy Jones' accident that eventually ruled him out of the race. All of his wins since then have come driving an Audi prototype, except in 2003, when he drove a Bentley prototype. In both 1999 and 2007 Kristensen's team crashed out of a comfortable lead in the closing hours of the race.
Career[]
Tom was born in Hobro. His career began in 1984, winning several karting titles. He raced in Japan in the early 1990s, concurrently in Formula 3 and Touring Cars. He was German Formula 3 Champion in 1991, Japanese Formula 3 champion in 1993, and runner-up in the Japanese Touring Car Championship (JTCC) in 1992 and 1994. He was 6th in Formula 3000 in both 1996 and 1997, and test driver for Tyrrell in their final Formula One season in 1998, and for Michelin as they prepared their F1 tyres using an older Williams car in 2000. He was 3rd in the STW Cup in Germany in 1999, 7th in the British Touring Car Championship in 2000, and winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring in both those years.
Kristensen driving for Audi (Abt) at the Hockenheimring in the 2008 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters season.
On 22 April 2007, Kristensen was involved in an accident while racing on the Hockenheimring race course in Hockenheim, Germany.[1] The crash resulted in a long break from training for Kristensen, and his participation in the 2007 Le Mans race was in jeopardy. However, Kristensen recuperated quickly, and was cleared by the Le Mans doctors to start the race. It was reported that a new type of collar may have prevented him suffering a broken neck in the crash.[2]
24 Hours of Le Mans[]
In 2000, 2001, and 2002 he won the 24 Hours at Le Mans race with the powerful Audi R8 along with Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro, becoming the first three drivers since Jacky Ickx in 1977 to win the race on three straight occasions. In 2003, he won the race with Bentley. In 2004, he equaled Ickx's record of six Le Mans victories in Team Goh's Audi R8. 2005 saw Kristensen win a seventh time with an American R8 entry, making him the most successful driver at the Le Mans 24 hour race. The 2006 race saw Kristensen finishing in third place in the new diesel-powered Audi R10. Kristensen didn't finish the 2007 race following Rinaldo Capello's crash while the car was leading the race by four laps. Kristensen returned in 2008 to claim an eighth victory and extend the record for most wins.[3]
Racing record[]
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results[]
Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results[]
Kristensen driving the Audi R15 TDI which led him to a fifth win at Sebring.
| Year | Result | Team | Car | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 | Team BMW Motorsport / Schnitzer Motorsport | BMW V12 LMR | LMP |
| 2000 | 1 | Audi Sport Team Joest | Audi R8 | LMP900 |
| 2001 | 2 | Audi Sport Team Joest | Audi R8 | LMP900 |
| 2002 | 5 | Audi Sport Team Joest | Audi R8 | LMP900 |
| 2003 | 4 | Team Bentley | Bentley Speed 8 | LMGTP |
| 2004 | DNP | |||
| 2005 | 1 | ADT Champion Racing | Audi R8 | LMP1 |
| 2006 | 1 | Audi Sport Team Joest | Audi R10 | LMP1 |
| 2007 | 4 | Audi Sport North America | Audi R10 | LMP1 |
| 2008 | 3 | Audi Sport North America | Audi R10 | LMP1 |
| 2009 | 1 | Audi Sport Team Joest | Audi R15 TDI | LMP1 |
| 2011 | 4 | Audi Sport Team Joest | Audi R15 TDI plus | LMP1 |
| 2012 | 1 | Audi Sport Team Joest | Audi R18 TDI | LMP1 |
Complete Petit Le Mans results[]
| Year | Result | Team | Car | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2 | Audi Sport North America | Audi R8 | LMP |
| 2001 | Ret | Audi Sport North America | Audi R8 | LMP900 |
| 2002 | 1 | Audi Sport North America | Audi R8 | LMP900 |
| 2010 | 3 | Audi Sport Team Joest | Audi R15 TDI plus | LMP1 |
| 2011 | DNF | Audi Sport Team Joest | Audi R18 | LMP1 |
Complete International Formula 3000 results[]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Edenbridge Racing | NÜR 4 |
PAU Ret |
PER |
HOC 5 |
SIL 2 |
SPA 3 |
MAG |
EST |
MUG 4 |
HOC Ret |
7th | 18 |
| 1997 | Auto Sport Racing | SIL 1 |
PAU 2 |
HEL Ret |
NÜR 3 |
PER Ret |
HOC Ret |
A1R 6 |
SPA Ret |
MUG EX |
JER Ret |
6th | 19 |
Complete Japanese Formula 3000 results[]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Navi Connection Racing | SUZ 8 |
FUJ 9 |
MIN 9 |
SUZ 6 |
SUG 11 |
FUJ 9 |
SUZ 6 |
FUJ Ret |
FUJ 12 |
SUZ 4 |
9th | 5 |
| 1995 | Team Cerumo | SUZ 4 |
MIN 1 |
SUZ 2 |
SUG Ret |
FUJ 4 |
TOK 3 |
FUJ Ret |
SUZ 5 |
3rd | 29 |
Complete British Touring Car Championship results[]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position - 1 point awarded all races) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap - 1 point awarded all races) (* signifies that driver lead feature races for at least one lap - 1 point awarded)
| Year | Team | Car | Class | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | Pos | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Redstone Team Honda | Honda Accord | Touring | BRH 1 7 |
BRH 2 Ret |
DON 1 5 |
DON 2 6 |
THR 1 9 |
THR 2 Ret |
KNO 1 5 |
KNO 2 Ret |
OUL 1 3 |
OUL 2 1* |
SIL 1 3 |
SIL 2 6* |
CRO 1 4 |
CRO 2 9 |
SNE 1 2 |
SNE 2 Ret |
DON 1 10 |
DON 2 Ret |
BRH 1 2 |
BRH 2 8 |
OUL 1 8 |
OUL 2 Ret |
SIL 1 1 |
SIL 2 1* |
7th | 143 |
Complete DTM results[]
(key)
| Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2004 | HOC1 4 |
EST 4 |
ADR 10 |
LAU 10 |
NOR 6 |
SHA1 Ret |
NÜR 5 |
OSC 1 |
ZAN 6 |
BRN 2 |
HOC2 4 |
4th | 43 |
| 2005 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2005 | HOC1 Ret |
LAU1 2 |
SPA 3 |
BRN 2 |
OSC 5 |
NOR 7 |
NÜR 2 |
ZAN 4 |
LAU2 3 |
IST 5 |
HOC2 4 |
3rd | 56 |
| 2006 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2006 | HOC1 2 |
LAU 2 |
OSC 1 |
BRH Ret |
NOR 5 |
NÜR 5 |
ZAN 1 |
CAT 9 |
BUG 3 |
HOC2 3 |
3rd | 56 | |
| 2007 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2007 | HOC1 Ret |
OSC |
LAU |
BRH |
NOR 5 |
MUG 8 |
ZAN 18 |
NÜR 8 |
CAT 9 |
HOC2 6 |
14th | 9 | |
| 2008 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2008 | HOC1 3 |
OSC Ret |
MUG 3 |
LAU 16 |
NOR 7 |
ZAN 3 |
NÜR Ret |
BRH 7 |
CAT 13 |
BUG 8 |
HOC2 5 |
8th | 27 |
| 2009 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2009 | HOC1 1 |
LAU 12 |
NOR 8 |
ZAN 8 |
OSC 8 |
NÜR Ret |
BRH Ret |
CAT 2 |
DIJ 18 |
HOC2 15 |
8th | 21 | |
| 2011 | Abt Sportsline | Audi A4 DTM 2009 | HOC1 |
ZAN |
SPL |
LAU 7 |
NOR |
NÜR |
BRH |
OSC |
VAL |
HOC2 |
15th | 2 |
1 - A non-championship one-off race was held in 2004 at the streets of Shanghai, China.
Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results[]
| Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Audi Sport Team Joest | LMP1 | Audi R18 e-tron quattro | Audi TDI 3.7L Turbo V6 (Hybrid Diesel) |
M | SEB ovr:1 cls:1 |
SPA ovr:3 cls:3 |
LMN ovr:2 cls:2 |
SIL ovr:3 cls:3 |
SÃO ovr:3 cls:3 |
BHR ovr:2 cls:2 |
FUJ ovr:3 cls:3 |
SHA ovr:2 cls:2 |
2nd | 159 |
Notes[]
- ↑ http://politiken.dk/sport/article288794.ece Template:Da icon
- ↑ http://politiken.dk/sport/article288849.ece Template:Da icon
- ↑ "Audi edges Peugeot in classic Le Mans 24 Hours duel". MaximumMotorsport.co.uk. 2008. http://www.maximummotorsport.co.uk/2008/06/15/audi-edges-peugeot-in-classic-le-mans-24-hours-duel/. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tom Kristensen |
| Preceded by: Michael Schumacher |
German Formula Three champion 1991 |
Succeeded by: Pedro Lamy |
| Preceded by: Anthony Reid |
All-Japan Formula Three Champion 1993 |
Succeeded by: Michael Krumm |
| Preceded by: Manuel Reuter Davy Jones Alexander Wurz |
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1997 with: Michele Alboreto Stefan Johansson |
Succeeded by: Laurent Aïello Allan McNish Stéphane Ortelli |
| Preceded by: Pierluigi Martini Yannick Dalmas Joachim Winkelhock |
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2000, 2001, and 2002 with: Frank Biela Emanuele Pirro |
Succeeded by: Tom Kristensen Rinaldo Capello Guy Smith |
| Preceded by: Emanuele Pirro |
American Le Mans Series champion 2002 |
Succeeded by: Frank Biela Marco Werner |
| Preceded by: Frank Biela Tom Kristensen Emanuele Pirro |
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2003 with: Rinaldo Capello Guy Smith |
Succeeded by: Seiji Ara Tom Kristensen Rinaldo Capello |
| Preceded by: Tom Kristensen Rinaldo Capello Guy Smith |
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2004 with: Seiji Ara Rinaldo Capello |
Succeeded by: J.J. Lehto Marco Werner Tom Kristensen |
| Preceded by: Seiji Ara Tom Kristensen Rinaldo Capello |
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2005 with: J.J. Lehto Marco Werner |
Succeeded by: Frank Biela Emanuele Pirro Marco Werner |
| Preceded by: Jean Alesi Sébastien Loeb |
Race of Champions Nations' Cup 2005 with: Mattias Ekström |
Succeeded by: Marcus Grönholm Heikki Kovalainen |
| Preceded by: Frank Biela Emanuele Pirro Marco Werner |
Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2008 with: Rinaldo Capello Allan McNish |
Succeeded by: David Brabham Marc Gené Alexander Wurz |
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This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Tom Kristensen. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Autopedia, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License. |