Frank Biela

Frank Biela was an Audi driver for the best part of two decades during which time he won the Le Mans 24 Hours five times. He is also a decorated saloon car driver who won the national saloon car championship in three countries and was declared 1995 World Champion.

Single-seater career

His career began in Formula Ford 1600 during 1984 when he finished fourth in the EFDA Euroseries. Also fourth in his national FF2000 a year later, he graduated to Formula 3 in 1987 driving Kees van der Grint’s Reynard 873-Volkswagen. He moved to Josef Kaufmann Racing for a second season in German F3 and twice won with a Martini MK55-Volkswagen – when Reynard and Dallara chassis were more fashionable – to clinch third in the championship.

Touring car legend

He also made his DTM debut in 1987 and his Grab Racing Ford Sierra XR4Ti won at Avus. Another two seasons with the team were followed by a single campaign (1990) in Jochen Mass’s Mercedes-Benz 190E during which victory on the Nürburgring Nordschleife was the highlight.

Biela joined Audi for 1991 and scored a double victory at the Hockenheim finale to clinch the DTM title with an AZR Audi V8 Quattro. The marque withdrew from German touring cars and the new champion was a nomad for the rest of the decade – representing Audi (and winning) in national touring car series throughout Europe. There was tragedy as well as success, for Biela was unwittingly involved in the 1995 Avus accident that claimed the life of Englishman Kieth O’dor.

Biela’s 1995 season culminated in victory in the touring car World Cup when his Audi A4 Quattro beat the best saloon car drivers of the year in a one-off event at Paul Ricard. Added to German, French and British titles, Biela has a near-perfect record in saloons.

Sports cars with Audi

That reputation was soon enhanced in Audi’s all-conquering sports car team. He drove the winning Audi R8 at Le Mans for three years in a row (2000 to 2002) and finally won the 2003 American Le Mans Series title with co-driver Marco Werner after years of coming close.

Further ALMS success has included another title in 2005, four victories in the Sebring 12 Hours and two at Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans. Biela left Audi’s at the end of 2008 having contributed to another two victories in the greatest sports car race of them all – the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Five times a winner in that race, Frank Biela’s contribution may be overshadowed by team-mate Tom Kristensen’s record-breaking career at Le Mans but he remains one of the most successful drivers in its long history.