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Frank Biela
Frank Biela 2006 EMS.jpg
Biela in 2006
Nationality German
Born (1964-08-02) 2 August 1964 (age 60)
Neuss, West Germany
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years 1999–2008
Teams Audi Sport Joest, Audi Sport UK, Champion Racing
Best finish 1st (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007)
Class wins 5 (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007)

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.

Career

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.

1996AudiQuattroA4
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.

Audi R10 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. 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.

Honors and awards

His greatest achievements include winning:

  • 1991 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft German Touring Car Championship with an Audi V8 (he has also finished 2nd and 3rd in DTM)
  • 1993 French Touring Car Championship
  • 1995 short-lived Touring Car World Cup one-off race
  • 1996 British Touring Car Championship (finishing as runner-up the year after)
  • 1996 Macau Grand Prix Guia Race
  • 2000, 2003, 2004 and 2007 12 Hours of Sebring
  • 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006 and 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans
  • 2001 and 2005 Petit Le Mans
  • 2003 American Le Mans Series LMP900 Drivers' Championship
  • 2005 American Le Mans Series LMP1 Drivers' Championship
  • In a 2005 poll conducted by Motorsport Magazine, Biela was voted 19th best touring car driver ever.
Hall of fame Le Mans-winners 2002
Frank Biela in the Walk of fame at Le Mans- Winners 2002


Racing record

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft/Masters results

(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:
  • † — 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

(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:

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

(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:

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

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

Complete 12 Hours of Sebring results

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

Complete Porsche Supercup results

(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‡

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

Complete Bathurst 1000 results

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

* Super Touring race

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Frank Biela para niños

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