Klaus Ludwig German racing driver, star of touring car racing Date of Birth: 05.05.1949 Country: Germany

1. Biography of Klaus Ludwig
2. Early Career
3. Success in Long-distance Racing
4. Championships in DTM
5. Later Career
6. Continued Racing Career and Other Endeavors
7. Notable Achievements

Biography of Klaus Ludwig

Klaus Ludwig, a German racing driver, was born on May 5, 1949, in Bonn. Unlike his fellow countrymen, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Rolf Stommelen, and Jochen Mass, he never competed in open-wheel racing, except for a few tests, and gained fame solely in touring car racing, earning him the nickname "King Klaus".

Early Career

Ludwig became a two-time DRM champion in 1979 and 1981, driving for different manufacturers. His first victory came in a Porsche 935, and in the same year, he achieved a sensational win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, overtaking powerful special prototypes in rainy conditions. In 1981, Ludwig won the DRM championship with a Ford Capri Turbo.

Success in Long-distance Racing

Following the change in regulations for the DRM series, Ludwig transitioned to long-distance racing. He competed for Joest Racing with a Porsche 956 under number 7 and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, in 1984 and 1985. However, after the deaths of Manfred Winkelhock and Stefan Bellof, Ludwig considered prototype racing too dangerous and returned to touring car racing.

Championships in DTM

In 1987, Ludwig made his debut in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) with Ford. He finished the season just one point behind the champion Roberto Ravaglia driving a BMW. Ludwig then joined the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) and won the title in his first attempt, driving for Ford. He repeated this achievement in 1992 and 1994 with Mercedes, becoming the most successful DTM driver until Bernd Schneider surpassed him in 2003.

Later Career

In 1995, Ludwig switched to Opel after leaving DTM. He returned to GT racing in 1997 and won the FIA GT Championship in 1998, partnering with Bernd Schneider in a Mercedes-CLK DTM. The following year, he competed at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring with a Dodge Viper for Zakspeed and claimed his third victory in this prestigious race. Ludwig made a comeback to DTM in 2000 but left again after one season, despite winning at Sachsenring. Throughout his DTM career, he participated in 217 races and achieved 36 victories, making him the second-most successful driver in the series.

Continued Racing Career and Other Endeavors

Ludwig continues to sporadically compete in various endurance races such as the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. In 2005, he narrowly missed winning the race once again, finishing second in a Porsche 996 with Christan Abt and the Alzen brothers, just one lap behind the winners. In 2008, Ludwig participated in the Malaysian round of the new SpeedCar series. Additionally, he provides commentary for DTM races on German television and works at the AMG Racing Academy, teaching the fundamentals of sports driving to owners of Mercedes SLR MacLaren supercars.

Notable Achievements

- 24 Hours of Le Mans victories: 1979, 1984, 1985
- 24 Hours of Nürburgring victories: 1982, 1987, 1999
- 12 Hours of Sebring victory: 1988
- DRM champion: 1979, 1981
- DTM champion: 1988, 1992, 1994
- FIA GT champion: 1998