Tom Kristensen Danish racing driver Date of Birth: 07.07.1967 Country: Denmark

1. Tom Kristensen: The King of Le Mans
2. Formula and Touring Car Racing
3. Endurance Racing Achievements
4. DTM and Injury
5. Continued Endurance Success

Tom Kristensen: The King of Le Mans

Tom Kristensen, the legendary Danish racing driver, began his career in 1984 with karting championships. In the early '90s, he raced in Japan, competing in Formula 3 and touring car events. Kristensen achieved significant success, securing second place in the JTCC in 1992 and 1994, and winning the Japanese Formula 3 championship in 1993.

Formula and Touring Car Racing

Kristensen's experience in single-seaters included two seasons in Formula 3000 (1996-1997), finishing sixth overall both times. He became a test driver for the Tyrrell Formula 1 team in 1998 before its dissolution. Kristensen also competed in the German Super Touring Car Championship (STW) in 1999, finishing third overall, and later participated in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) in 2000, placing seventh.

Endurance Racing Achievements

Kristensen's greatest triumphs came in endurance racing. In 1997, he co-drove to victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Michele Alboreto and Stefan Johansson in a Porsche-powered WSC95 prototype for Joest Racing. In 2000, driving for Audi, Kristensen won Le Mans again, and he repeated this feat an astonishing five consecutive times, driving different cars with various co-drivers. In 2008, Kristensen achieved his eighth victory in the diesel-powered Audi R10.

DTM and Injury

In 2004, Kristensen joined Audi's factory team in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) championship. Despite securing four wins, he was unable to rise above third place overall in the standings. In 2007, at the season-opening race in Hockenheim, Kristensen was involved in a severe accident that forced him to withdraw from competition until Le Mans.

Continued Endurance Success

2009 marked Kristensen's final season in DTM, but he continued to excel in endurance racing. His remarkable achievements at the 24 Hours of Le Mans cemented his status as one of the greatest endurance drivers of all time.