Wikipedia

Frank Biela

Frank Stanley Biela (born 2 August 1964) is a German auto racing driver, mainly competing in touring cars and sportscar racing. He has raced exclusively in cars manufactured by the Audi marque since 1990.

Frank Biela
Biela in 2006
NationalityGerman
Born (1964-08-02) 2 August 1964 (age 60)
Neuss, West Germany
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years1999–2008
TeamsAudi Sport Joest, Audi Sport UK, Champion Racing
Best finish1st (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007)
Class wins5 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007)

Career

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Biela started his career in 1983 in karting before joining the Ford Youngster Team programme in 1987 alongside Manuel Reuter and Bernd Schneider. He drove for the team in Formula Ford and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (the German touring car championship), where he won the race at AVUS in 1987. Biela continued to compete in the DTM in 1988, and also raced a limited season in German Formula Three, scoring two wins.

In 1990, he moved to Audi, winning the DTM race at the Nürburgring and the DTM championship in 1991 before Audi left the DTM in mid-season of 1992. Biela stayed with the company, and with the rise of the two-litre Class 2 (Super Touring) rules in other series across Europe, he was entered in various European touring car series over the following few seasons such as the French Supertouring Championship in 1993 driving the Audi 80 (in which he won the championship in) entered by Audi into the championship pairing alongside Marc Sourd. Since his French Supertouring Championship victory in 1993, he is the only standing non-French driver to win it. In 1995, he won the Touring Car World Cup race at Paul Ricard in the new Audi A4, which quickly became one of the dominant touring cars of the mid-1990s.

Biela also competed in the Super Tourenwagen Cup in his native Germany during 1994 and 1995; however his home championship would bring only frustration as in both years he dominated the first half of the season, only for late-season misfortunes to derail his title challenge, losing him the crown to BMW drivers Johnny Cecotto and Joachim Winkelhock respectively. During the AVUS Berlin race in September 1995, Biela's Audi struck Kieth O'dor's already accident-stranded Nissan Primera squarely on the driver's side, fatally injuring O'dor, who died later that day in a Berlin hospital.

 
Biela's Audi A4 of the BTCC.

For 1996, Audi decided to enter a works team of two A4s in the BTCC. Biela was selected to lead the team; alongside team-mate John Bintcliffe, the new Audi team dominated the competition. Biela comfortably won the title, finishing every single race and being classified in the top ten in all but two races (an 11th-place finish and a disqualification). He also capped an astonishing season by taking first place in the Guia Race of Macau.

Because of the Audis' dominance in 1996, the BTCC organisers imposed a heavy ballast weight "penalty" on all four-wheel-drive cars for the 1997 season. With his Audi badly handicapped by the penalty, Biela initially struggled to make a serious impact. The weight penalty was halved at the midpoint of the season, and results immediately improved to the point where Biela finished second overall to eventual champion Alain Menu. Biela then left Britain to return to the German Super Tourenwagen Cup for 1998, but was largely ineffective. He finished a lowly 14th in the final standings as the A4 (in a new two-wheel-drive racing configuration) became outclassed by rival manufacturers.[1]

 
Biela driving an Audi R10 in the 2006 Le Mans 24 Hours.

In 1999, Biela abandoned touring cars in favour of joining the Audi R8 sports car project, racing under the Audi Sport Team Joest name. It was a good match, and Biela excelled in sportscar racing over the next few seasons, winning several classic events at the wheel of the R8 as well as three ALMS races. The highlight of Biela's time with the R8 team was three successive victories (2000-2002) in the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside Emanuele Pirro and Tom Kristensen. Audi began to scale back support for the R8 programme after the 2002 season. After winning the ALMS series in 2003, Biela returned to the revamped German touring car series, driving an Audi for Joest Racing (the team which had run Biela's R8 for his three Le Mans wins); the season was not a success.

Biela continued to race an R8 at Le Mans each year with mixed results. In 2003, he missed the pit lane after just 15 laps and ran out of fuel.[2] He finished 5th and 3rd in 2004 and 2005, respectively. In December 2005 he participated in the first runs of the new Audi R10 diesel sportscar, the R8's successor. Driving an R10 (again for Team Joest) in the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans, alongside Pirro and new team-mate Marco Werner, Biela took his fourth victory to date in the classic race. He repeated the victory with the same car and team in 2007.[3]

Honors and awards

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His greatest achievements include winning:

 
Frank Biela in the Walk of fame at Le Mans- Winners 2002

Racing record

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Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft/Masters results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 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
1987 Wolf Racing Ford Sierra XR4 TI HOC
12 		ZOL
18 		NÜR
6 		AVU
1 		MFA
5 		NOR
Ret 		NÜR WUN
DNS 		DIE
15 		SAL 14th 59
1988 Team Hein Gericke Ford Grab Motorsport Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth ZOL
1 		ZOL
2 		HOC
1 		HOC
2 		NÜR
1
11 		NÜR
2
7 		BRN
1
10 		BRN
2
4 		AVU
1 		AVU
2 		MFA
1
Ret 		MFA
2
17 		NÜR
1
7 		NÜR
2
Ret 		NOR
1 		NOR
2 		WUN
1
3 		WUN
2
3 		SAL
1 		SAL
2 		HUN
1
12 		HUN
2
7 		HOC
1
13 		HOC
2
9 		16th 25
1989 Ford-Grab Motorsport GmbH Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth ZOL
1
19 		ZOL
2
Ret 		HOC
1
13 		HOC
2
10 		NÜR
1
16 		NÜR
2
Ret 		MFA
1
14 		MFA
2
7 		AVU
1
Ret 		AVU
2
16 		NÜR
1
Ret 		NÜR
2
DNS 		NOR
1
14 		NOR
2
10 		HOC
1
7 		HOC
2
2 		DIE
1
10 		DIE
2
6 		NÜR
1
Ret 		NÜR
2
Ret 		HOC
1
2 		HOC
2
6 		13th 135
1990 MS-Jet-Racing Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo ZOL
1
10 		ZOL
2
5 		HOC
1
11 		HOC
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
7 		NÜR
2
5 		AVU
1
20 		AVU
2
Ret 		MFA
1
3 		MFA
2
3 		WUN
1
11 		WUN
2
9 		NÜR
1
4 		NÜR
2
1 		NOR
1
16 		NOR
2
9 		DIE
1
10 		DIE
2
15 		NÜR
1
20 		NÜR
2
Ret 		HOC
1
27 		HOC
2
DNS 		10th 80
1991 Audi Zentrum Reutlingen Audi V8 Quattro Evo ZOL
1
15 		ZOL
2
3 		HOC
1
19 		HOC
2
3 		NÜR
1
6 		NÜR
2
7 		AVU
1
2 		AVU
2
1 		WUN
1
5 		WUN
2
4 		NOR
1
5 		NOR
2
11 		DIE
1
4 		DIE
2
6 		NÜR
1
8 		NÜR
2
11 		ALE
1
1 		ALE
2
DSQ 		HOC
1
1 		HOC
2
1 		BRN
1
11 		BRN
2
7 		DON
1
1 		DON
2
1 		1st 174
1992 Audi Zentrum Reutlingen Audi V8 Quattro Evo ZOL
1
3 		ZOL
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
1 		NÜR
2
18 		WUN
1
DSQ 		WUN
2
DSQ 		AVU
1
Ret 		AVU
2
8 		HOC
1
21 		HOC
2
14 		NÜR
1
14 		NÜR
2
15 		NOR
1 		NOR
2 		BRN
1 		BRN
2 		DIE
1 		DIE
2 		ALE
1 		ALE
2 		NÜR
1 		NÜR
2 		HOC
1 		HOC
2 		15th 35
2004 Audi Sport Team Joest Audi A4 DTM 2004 HOC
16 		EST
15 		ADR
Ret 		LAU
12 		NOR
11 		SHA
13‡ 		NÜR
Ret 		OSC
13 		ZAN
9 		BRN
14 		HOC
11 		17th 0
2007 Abt Sportsline Audi A4 DTM 2007 HOC OSC
18† 		LAU BRH NOR MUG ZAN NÜR CAT HOC 23rd 0
Sources:[5][6]
  • † — Retired, but was classified as he completed 90% of the winner's race distance.
  • ‡ A non-championship one-off race was held in 2004 at the streets of Shanghai, China.

Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pos. Pts
1994 Racing Organisation Course Audi 80 Quattro Competition AVU
1 		WUN
1 		ZOL
2 		ZAN
1 		ÖST
10 		SAL
15 		SPA
4 		NÜR
3 		2nd 98
1995 Racing Organisation Course Audi A4 Quattro ZOL
1
1 		ZOL
2
1 		SPA
1
3 		SPA
2
Ret 		ÖST
1
2 		ÖST
2
1 		HOC
1
1 		HOC
2
1 		NÜR
1
3 		NÜR
2
3 		SAL
1
17 		SAL
2
10 		AVU
1
7 		AVU
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
Ret 		NÜR
2
5 		3rd 391
1998 Abt Sportsline Team Audi Audi A4 HOC
1
13 		HOC
2
Ret 		NÜR
1
14 		NÜR
2
12 		SAC
1
Ret 		SAC
2
11 		NOR
1
20 		NOR
2
Ret 		REG
1
10 		REG
2
5 		WUN
1
8 		WUN
2
Ret 		ZWE
1
13 		ZWE
2
11 		SAL
1
14 		SAL
2
9 		OSC
1
11 		OSC
2
8 		NÜR
1
6 		NÜR
2
11 		14th 242
Source:[6]

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position - 1 point awarded all races) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Pos Pts
1996 Audi Sport UK Audi A4 quattro DON
1
1 		DON
2
1 		BRH
1
1 		BRH
2
4 		THR
1
1 		THR
2
3 		SIL
1
11 		SIL
2
1 		OUL
1
2 		OUL
2
2 		SNE
1
2 		SNE
2
DSQ 		BRH
1
2 		BRH
2
8 		SIL
1
3 		SIL
2
2 		KNO
1
1 		KNO
2
2 		OUL
1
2 		OUL
2
1 		THR
1
2 		THR
2
3 		DON
1
4 		DON
2
3 		BRH
1
4 		BRH
2
1 		1st 289
1997 Audi Sport UK Audi A4 quattro DON
1
Ret 		DON
2
3 		SIL
1
7 		SIL
2
Ret 		THR
1
1 		THR
2
Ret 		BRH
1
9 		BRH
2
6 		OUL
1
3 		OUL
2
Ret 		DON
1
1 		DON
2
3 		CRO
1
4 		CRO
2
17 		KNO
1
2 		KNO
2
1 		SNE
1
3 		SNE
2
9 		THR
1
2 		THR
2
1 		BRH
1
1 		BRH
2
5 		SIL
1
8 		SIL
2
15 		2nd 171
Sources:[5][6]

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1999   Audi Sport Team Joest   Didier Theys
  Emanuele Pirro 		Audi R8R LMP 360 3rd 3rd
2000   Audi Sport Team Joest   Tom Kristensen
  Emanuele Pirro 		Audi R8 LMP900 368 1st 1st
2001   Audi Sport Team Joest   Tom Kristensen
  Emanuele Pirro 		Audi R8 LMP900 321 1st 1st
2002   Audi Sport Team Joest   Tom Kristensen
  Emanuele Pirro 		Audi R8 LMP900 375 1st 1st
2003   Audi Sport UK
  Arena Motorsport 		  Perry McCarthy
  Mika Salo 		Audi R8 LMP900 28 DNF DNF
2004   Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx   Allan McNish
  Pierre Kaffer 		Audi R8 LMP1 350 5th 5th
2005   ADT Champion Racing   Allan McNish
  Emanuele Pirro 		Audi R8 LMP1 364 3rd 3rd
2006   Audi Sport Team Joest   Marco Werner
  Emanuele Pirro 		Audi R10 TDI LMP1 380 1st 1st
2007   Audi Sport North America   Marco Werner
  Emanuele Pirro 		Audi R10 TDI LMP1 369 1st 1st
2008   Audi Sport North America   Marco Werner
  Emanuele Pirro 		Audi R10 TDI LMP1 367 6th 6th
Sources:[5][7]

Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1999   Audi Sport Team Joest   Perry McCarthy
  Emanuele Pirro 		Audi R8R LMP 304 5th 5th
2000   Audi Sport North America   Emanuele Pirro
  Tom Kristensen 		Audi R8 LMP 360 1st 1st
2001   Audi Sport North America   Emanuele Pirro
  Tom Kristensen 		Audi R8 LMP900 370 2nd 2nd
2002   Audi Sport North America   Emanuele Pirro
  Tom Kristensen 		Audi R8 LMP900 327 5th 5th
2003   Infineon Team Joest   Marco Werner
  Philipp Peter 		Audi R8 LMP900 367 1st 1st
2004   Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx   Allan McNish
  Pierre Kaffer 		Audi R8 LMP1 350 1st 1st
2005   ADT Champion Racing   Emanuele Pirro
  Allan McNish 		Audi R8 LMP1 361 2nd 2nd
2006   Audi Sport North America   Marco Werner
  Emanuele Pirro 		Audi R10 TDI LMP1 117 DNF DNF
2007   Audi Sport North America   Marco Werner
  Emanuele Pirro 		Audi R10 TDI LMP1 364 1st 1st
Source:[8]

Complete Porsche Supercup results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points Ref
2007 Porsche AG BHR BHR ESP MON FRA GBR GER
18 		HUN TUR BEL ITA NC‡ 0‡ [9]

‡ Not eligible for points due to being a guest driver.

Complete Bathurst 1000 results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos. 		Ref
1989   Allan Moffat Enterprises   Klaus Niedzwiedz Ford Sierra RS500 A 161 2nd 2nd [10]
1990   Allan Moffat Enterprises   Klaus Niedzwiedz
  Pierre Dieudonné 		Ford Sierra RS500 1 151 10th 10th [11]
1997*   ORIX Audi Sport Australia   Brad Jones Audi A4 Quattro 161 2nd 2nd [12]

* Super Touring race

References

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  1. ^ "Frank Biela - Racing Profile | Motor Sport Magazine Database". Archived from the original on 5 November 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  2. ^ "Le Mans 2003". Channel 4. 18 June 2003. Archived from the original on 6 May 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2007.
  3. ^ "Frank Biela: Out of gas". Lemans.org.
  4. ^ "Top 20 tin-top drivers". Motorsportmagazine.com. 4 April 2016.
  5. ^ a b c "Frank Biela Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "Frank Biela race results". TouringCars.net. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Franck Biela". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  8. ^ "Complete Archive of Frank Biela". Racing Sports Cars. pp. 2, 3. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Porsche Supercup – Season 2007: Results". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  10. ^ de Jong, Frank. "Tooheys 1000 Bathurst 1989". History of Touring Car Racing 1952–1993. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  11. ^ de Jong, Frank. "Tooheys 1000 Bathurst 1990". History of Touring Car Racing 1952–1993. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  12. ^ "1997 AMP Bathurst 1000 – Australian Racing Drivers Club". Natsoft. Archived from the original on 30 August 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Frank Biela.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Autosport
National Racing Driver of the Year
1996 		Succeeded by
Sporting positions
Preceded by German Touring Car Champion
1991 		Succeeded by
Preceded by French Touring Car Champion
1993 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of the FIA World Touring Car Cup
1995 		Succeeded by
none
Preceded by British Touring Car Champion
1996 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Guia Race winner
1996 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
2000 with:
Tom Kristensen
Emanuele Pirro 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
2001 with:
Tom Kristensen
Emanuele Pirro 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
2002 with:
Tom Kristensen
Emanuele Pirro 		Succeeded by
Preceded by American Le Mans Series champion
2003
with Marco Werner 		Succeeded by
Preceded by American Le Mans Series champion
2005
with Emanuele Pirro 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
2006 with:
Emanuele Pirro
Marco Werner 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
2007 with:
Emanuele Pirro
Marco Werner 		Succeeded by
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