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Klaus Ludwig in 1975.

Klaus Ludwig (born 5 October 1949 in Bonn) is a German race driver.^[1]

Biography[link]

Unlike Hans-Joachim Stuck, Rolf Stommelen, Harald Ertl, Hans Heyer and Jochen Mass, he has never raced in single seaters (just doing a few test drives). He is called König Ludwig for his success with touring cars and in sports car racing.

Klaus Ludwig's 1981 Group 5 Zakspeed Ford Capri at the Auto & Technik Museum in Sinsheim, Germany

Ludwig drove the Roush-Zakspeed Ford Mustang Turbo during the 1981 and 1982 Camel GT race seasons.

In the 1970s, Ludwig drove for Ford in the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft, winning in 1979 with a Kremer-Porsche 935. With this car, based on the then 15 year old Porsche 911 road car design, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall in the wet, an unprecedented and never repeated win against the faster pure sports car racing prototypes.

In 1984 and 1985, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Joest Racing in their #7 Porsche 956. Considering Le Mans and sportcars too dangerous after the deaths of Manfred Winkelhock and Stefan Bellof, he was recruited for the 1987 World Touring Car Championship for Ford only to finish runner-up by a single point to BMW driver Roberto Ravaglia after a post-season disqualification. He then moved to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM), and became champion in 1988 in a Ford Sierra RS500. Ludwig also represented IMSA in the 1986 International Race of Champions, finishing 8th.

He repeated the success at Mercedes-Benz in 1992 and 1994, before moving back to sports cars racing for them in 1997 to become the 1998 FIA GT Champion. He retired when the series did not continue in the 1999 season.

He soon returned in June 1999, to win the 24 Hours Nürburgring on the Nordschleife for the third time driving a Zakspeed Viper.

When the DTM resumed as Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in 2000, he returned to the series, winning at the age of 50 years at the Sachsenring circuit, only to retire once again.

Ludwig returned as a "hobby pilot" to the Nürburgring Nordschleife when given the opportunity to drive a high power vehicle. The years 2004 and 2005 saw him enter the 24 Hours Nürburgring with Uwe Alzen on the Jürgen Alzen Porsche 996 GT2 Bi-Turbo. With a normally aspirated Porsche 997 GT3 of the Alzen brothers, Ludwig plus Christian Abt managed to beat the old distance record in the 2006 edition of the 24h, yet finished only second, 1 lap behind the winners.

Ludwig has also worked as a TV commentator on DTM races.

Racing record[link]

Complete European Formula Two Championship results[link]

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

Achievements[link]

• Winner 24 Hours of Le Mans: 1979, 1984, 1985
• Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft champion 1979, 1981
• Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft champion 1988, 1992, 1994
• FIA GT World Champion 1998

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Klaus Ludwig

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Armin Hahne (born September 10, 1955, in Moers, West Germany^[1]) is a German racing driver, best known for his exploits in touring car racing. The highpoint of his career was winning both the 1982 and 1983 Spa 24 Hours driving BMW's. Another highlight of his career was driving in the factory supported Tom Walkinshaw Racing run Jaguar Racing team racing the all conquering Jaguar XJS coupes. Hahne stayed with the team as they transitioned to Rover Vitesse. In 1991 he drove for one race in the British Touring Car Championship for BMW.

In recent years, Armin Hahne races mostly on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, finishing second overall in 2008 in the Adac 24 hours, driving a Porsche 911 GT3-MR entered by Manthey Racing.

In 2011, he wins the second round of the VLN race series, co-driving a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 entered by the Mamerow/Rowe Racing with Chris Mamerow.

Bathurst 1000[link]

Hahne's first start in the race was in 1984 when he partnered Englishman Jeff Allam in a Mobil Rover Racing Rover Vitesse to an easy Group A class win and an excellent 12th outright after starting 36th against much more powerful opposition. A brief return to the big Jags in 1985 saw Hahne team with Australian racer John Goss to win the 1985 James Hardie 1000^[2] after starting sixth. His next time at Bathurst was in 1987 for the World Touring Car Championship round in an ill-fated Maserati Biturbo with Australian Kevin Bartlett. A troubled race week saw them start 34th and retire after only 29 laps with a broken differential. 1988 saw him in a Mark Petch Racing Ford Sierra RS500 with New Zealand racer Robbie Francevic. Their strong charge finished on lap 103 due to overheating. That was Hahne's last race in the Bathurst 1000.

References[link]

Kurt Thiim (born August 3, 1958 in Vojens) is a Danish race car driver. After his karting career he raced for several years in single-seaters before moving to the DTM in 1986. He won the championship in his debut year and despite not winning a second title, he remained one of the series' top drivers for the next decade.

After the series was discontinued after 1996, he raced in several other touring car categories, including the German Supertouring Shampionship and the Danish Touring Car Championship, where he won a title in 2002.

External links[link]

• DTC profile

Mika Häkkinen

Mika Häkkinen in 2007
Born	(1968-09-28) 28 September 1968 (age 43)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Finnish
Active years	1991–2001
Teams	Lotus, McLaren
Races	165 (161 starts)
Championships	2 (1998, 1999)
Wins	20
Podiums	51
Career points	420
Pole positions	26
Fastest laps	25
First race	1991 United States Grand Prix
First win	1997 European Grand Prix
Last win	2001 United States Grand Prix
Last race	2001 Japanese Grand Prix

Mika Pauli Häkkinen ( pronunciation (help·info)) (born 28 September 1968 in Vantaa in the Helsinki metropolitan area) is a Finnish racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. Seven-time world champion and rival Michael Schumacher said Häkkinen is the man he respected the most during his Formula One career.^[1]

Personal and early life[link]

Mika Häkkinen was born in Helsingin maalaiskunta (now Vantaa), Finland on September 28, 1968 to Harri, a shortwave radio operator and part-time taxi driver, and Aila Häkkinen, who worked as a secretary. Häkkinen grew up with one sister, Nina, who ran a fan site for her brother until its closure in 1998.

Since 1991, Häkkinen has resided in Monte Carlo although he also has houses in France and Finland. On 18 May 2008, his newly completed mansion in France burned down after a light in one of his trophy cabinets short circuited. Nobody was injured in the conflagration, but his pet tortoise perished in the fire^[2] along with his collection of F1 trophies.^[3]

Häkkinen married Erja Honkanen in 1998. The couple have one son, Hugo Ronan (born 11 December 2000) and one daughter, Aina Julia (born 12 May 2005). The couple applied for divorce in 2008.^[4] Häkkinen's third child, daughter Ella, was born on 30 November 2010 to his girlfriend Marketa Remesova.^[5]

Racing career[link]

Pre-Formula One (until 1990)[link]

When Häkkinen was five years old, his parents hired a go-kart for him to take to a track near their home. On his first lap, Häkkinen was involved in an accident, escaping unhurt. Despite this crash, Häkkinen wished to continue racing and after persistently annoying his parents, the young Finn got his wish. His father bought Häkkinen his first go-kart, one that Henri Toivonen had previously competed with.^[6]

By 1986, Häkkinen had won five karting championships. 1982 World Champion Keke Rosberg helped Häkkinen by arranging him sponsorship that aided the Finn through the junior categories of open wheel racing. The "New Flying Finn" won three Scandinavian championships, then in 1988 the Opel Lotus Euroseries championship before winning the 1990 British Formula Three championship. During the late 1980s he was living in England and sharing a house with West Surrey Racing team mate Allan McNish.^[7] Häkkinen was close to winning the 1990 Macau Grand Prix but missed out due to a controversial accident with Michael Schumacher, which resulted in his promotion to Formula One with Team Lotus.

Formula One (1991–2001)[link]

Lotus (1991–1992)[link]

1991

Häkkinen driving for Lotus in his first F1 race, the 1991 United States Grand Prix

Häkkinen joined Lotus in 1991. He qualified 13th for his Grand Prix debut in Phoenix, and would also have finished the race in the same position but his car experienced an engine failure on lap 60. Häkkinen scored his first Grand Prix points two rounds later in Imola, where he finished fifth from 25th on the grid, three laps behind the race winner, Ayrton Senna. Häkkinen finished the season in equal 15th alongside Satoru Nakajima and Martin Brundle.

1992

Johnny Herbert joined Häkkinen for 1992. The Finn continued his form from 1991, with points scoring finishes in six Grands Prix, his best finishes being fourth places in France and Hungary. Häkkinen finished the season in eighth place in the Drivers' Championship, with almost six times as many points as during the previous season.

McLaren (1993–2001)[link]

1993[link]

In 1993, Häkkinen joined McLaren as test driver with a view to be promoted into the race team later on.^{[citation needed]} In Monaco he returned to racing with a guest drive in the Porsche Supercup race, an event he dominated. His hopes of stepping up to the race team were realised after Monza, when Michael Andretti left F1 after disappointing results. Häkkinen's McLaren race debut at Estoril was impressive. In his first outing for the team, he outqualified their star driver Ayrton Senna. Unfortunately, when pushing too hard through the final corner of the track during the race, he ran wide onto the dirty side of the kerb, launching the car towards the pit wall. At the time he was running in a point-scoring position. He went on to score a podium finish fifteen seconds behind his triple world champion team-mate during the next weekend at Suzuka, his first career podium.

1994[link]

Häkkinen driving his McLaren-Peugeot to third place at the 1994 British Grand Prix

With Senna departing to Williams for 1994, Häkkinen became the leading driver for McLaren with Martin Brundle as his teammate. McLaren had also switched from Ford engines to Peugeot. During the season, Häkkinen took six more podium finishes to add to his sole podium of 1993, including a second place in Belgium. The Finn finished the year fourth in the Drivers' Championship with a tally of 26 points.

1995[link]

Häkkinen driving for McLaren at the 1995 British Grand Prix.

1995 would be the start of a long relationship between Häkkinen's McLaren team and the German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz. A further two second places in Italy and Japan put the Finn's tally of podiums up to nine. Häkkinen missed the Pacific Grand Prix at Aida due to an appendix operation. But then, at the 1995 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide, he suffered a tyre failure at the early part of the first qualifying session, which resulted in him crashing heavily into the wall. He was critically injured in the crash (sustaining a skull fracture, internal bleeding and swallowing his tongue, of which the latter blocked his airway) and was saved only due to an emergency tracheotomy that was performed by the side of the track.^[8] This incident forged a strong bond between Häkkinen and team principal Ron Dennis, and also sent forth a new movement for extra safety in the sport. Luckily, Häkkinen recovered fully and was fit to race again in 1996, thus missing only one race.

1996[link]

The 1996 season saw McLaren improve; Mercedes-Benz were in their second season of supplying engines to the team and Häkkinen managed to return to the podium, although his first win still eluded him. That season saw David Coulthard join the team from Williams. At the Spa circuit he nearly registered his first win while using a one stop race strategy, until Jos Verstappen's accident allowed all other cars to pit under the safety car. Based on timing, Häkkinen would have won the race by over 10 seconds without this event. Häkkinen finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship, scoring a total of 31 points.

1997[link]

McLaren were confident of success in 1997. With the distinctive red and white colours of Marlboro replaced by the silver and black colours of West, the team returned to their winning ways. Coulthard took the first win for McLaren in over three seasons at the Australian Grand Prix. Through the year the McLarens began to regularly challenge the frontrunners, but it was Coulthard who finished higher in the championship. Häkkinen came close to an elusive breakthrough victory a number of times in 1997, not least at Silverstone, A1-Ring and Nürburgring. At Jerez he finally crossed the line first, although after teammate Coulthard had been asked to move over for him and title contender Jacques Villeneuve, nursing a damaged car, was asked by his team to consider letting him through.^{[citation needed]}

1998[link]

Häkkinen demonstrating his championship-winning McLaren MP4/13 in 2008

A winner at last, Häkkinen was confident of further success in 1998. With Adrian Newey, the renowned former Williams-Renault designer, on board at McLaren, Häkkinen found himself in the fastest car for early 1998 season.^{[citation needed]} He did not waste the opportunity, and opened up a significant lead in the Drivers' Championship. However, a combination of car problems, bad luck, and a resurgent Michael Schumacher saw the two drivers level on points with just two races to go. Häkkinen held his nerve, beating Schumacher in a straight fight at the Luxembourg Grand Prix and going on to win his 8th Grand Prix of the season in Japan, clinching the title whilst Schumacher stalled on the grid, and later retired with a punctured tyre.

1999[link]

Häkkinen won his second world title in 1999, a campaign which included a win at the Canadian Grand Prix (pictured).

His title defence in 1999 was tougher. With the McLaren not as reliable as the previous year, he lost out on a number of points early in the season, but by the time of Schumacher's leg-breaking crash at Silverstone, he had overtaken the German in the standings. Eddie Irvine now took on the mantle of Ferrari team leader and through reliability problems with the McLaren, and mistakes from Häkkinen, took the title battle down to the last race, again in Japan. Häkkinen had made several major errors at Imola and Monza, both times crashing out whilst in a strong lead, and some questioned whether he could handle the pressure of a title decider once more. In fact, the normally cool and composed Finn was overwhelmed by his error at Monza and broke down crying in front of the cameras after running away from his car to hide during the race.^[9] Come Japan however, he was back on top form and romped to a victory that secured him a second world championship, almost an entire lap ahead of title rival Irvine with Schumacher a close second.

2000[link]

Häkkinen at the 2000 United States Grand Prix

As a double World Champion, he had joined an elite group of drivers. For the 2000 season, he was eager to score a hat-trick of crowns, but after a season-long contest, finished 19 points behind Ferrari's Schumacher. At Spa however, he took a memorable victory, with a breathtaking simultaneous pass on Michael Schumacher and Ricardo Zonta in the Kemmel straight. At the next Grand Prix Schumacher took over the Championship lead, and went on to confirm his third world championship at the Japanese Grand Prix, the penultimate race of the season. Schumacher has described his championship fight with Häkkinen as the most satisfying of his career.

2001[link]

Häkkinen driving for McLaren at the 2001 Canadian Grand Prix

In 2001, he took part in what would prove to be his last season of Formula One, before he was replaced by his young compatriot and protégé Kimi Räikkönen. The MP4-16 was not as competitive and it was Coulthard who carried the threat to Schumacher for much of the season. Furthermore, Häkkinen suffered a sizeable crash due to a front suspension failure at the opening race in Australia at Melbourne, while running second. The accident seemed to have hindered his motivation considerably. There were days however when Häkkinen reminded people of his skills. In Spain he was in the lead on the last lap to record his fourth straight Spanish Grand Prix victory but he had a clutch failure and was forced to retire, just five corners away from victory. Häkkinen, stranded, was later fetched by Coulthard in the other McLaren, with Häkkinen sitting at the side of the car, back to the pit. It was a sad but memorable moment, reminding fans of the strong bonds between Coulthard and Häkkinen. At Silverstone he dominated the race to take his first victory of the year, whilst at Indianapolis he put in a stirring drive to take his last Grand Prix win. At the end of the season he left racing, initially for a sabbatical, but by mid-2002 this had become full-time retirement.^[10]

DTM (2005–2007)[link]

Mika Häkkinen in his 2006 Mercedes DTM-car at Stars and Cars 2006

During 2004 Häkkinen announced plans for a Grand Prix comeback and held talks with Williams for 2005. A deal was not reached and he instead made a race comeback in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), with Mercedes-Benz. It was a successful season, including one win at Spa.

For 2006 he again competed in the DTM championships with Mercedes, although it was a more difficult season, with a couple of second places his best results. Autosport magazine has speculated that Häkkinen's style of driving is not especially suited to a DTM car.^{[citation needed]}

At the 2006 Goodwood Festival Of Speed, Häkkinen drove the 2005 McLaren-Mercedes MP4-20. Many said that it was great once again to see Häkkinen in a McLaren, as he was the last driver (at that time) to win the World Championship in a McLaren.^[11]

Häkkinen would stay on at Mercedes for a third season in the series and, although this was tainted by some bad luck in places, 2007 was to be his most competitive. Regularly qualifying on the front row, he took two wins at Lausitz and Mugello on his way to 8th in the championship.

Mika Häkkinen announces the end of his DTM career (Stars and Cars 2007)

In July 2006, Häkkinen drove a McLaren MP4-20 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Possible return to F1 in 2004[link]

After Häkkinen's sabbatical year and subsequent retirement, rumours of his return were reported on several occasions. Häkkinen was linked to Williams during the 2004 season, because of Montoya going to McLaren-Mercedes following year.^[12]

At the end of the 2006 season there were further rumours regarding Häkkinen returning to the wheel of a McLaren-Mercedes for the 2007 season. Autosport magazine reported that Häkkinen had tested a McLaren simulator twice during November and discussed a possible comeback with the team. On November 24 McLaren announced that Lewis Hamilton would take the team's second seat in 2007,^[13] ending the speculation of a possible return to a Formula One drivers seat. However, it was reported that Häkkinen may still have participated in an advisory role, with Ron Dennis stating that "Mika can evaluate some of the things we are developing and bringing to the car."^[14] On Thursday, November 30, Häkkinen tested the 2006 McLaren-Mercedes MP4-21 for a full day at the Circuit de Catalunya, in Barcelona, Spain. He completed 79 laps of the circuit, but his fastest lap was three seconds off the pace of regular race drivers. McLaren said they were using his expertise to see how Formula One had evolved over the years since his retirement from Formula One at the 2001 Japanese Grand Prix, for possible developments which may have come out of this testing.

Häkkinen has also been named as the Responsible Drinking Ambassador for McLaren sponsor Johnnie Walker.^[15]

Häkkinen has a street named after him in the Australian city of Adelaide in which he suffered a near fatal accident.

2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup[link]

Team AMG China has entered a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup - 6 Hours of Zhuhai race, which will see Häkkinen make his ILMC debut in the GT3-based machine.^{[16][dated info]}

Retirement[link]

Häkkinen announced his retirement from competitive motorsport on Sunday, 4 November 2007.^[17] He was quoted as saying that the decision "was not an easy one," but added that "racing is still in my blood and this decision does not mean that this will prevent me from racing for pleasure."^[18]

In November 2008, Häkkinen announced that he will begin a new career in driver management.^[19]

Helmet[link]

Mika Hakkinen's helmet is white with a Dark Blue stripe, a Royal blue stripe and a Sky blue stripe in the middle, a blue circle on the top and his name written in the chin area of his helmet.

Racing record[link]

Career summary[link]

Complete Formula One results[link]

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