Timo Bernhard

Timo Bernhard(born 24 February 1981) is a former racing driver fromGermany.He was asports cardriver fromPorsche,but was seconded to Audi for selected events in 2009 and 2010. He is the ninth and most recent driver to complete the informaltriple crown of endurance racing.On 29 June 2018, he became the first person in 35 years to break the all-timeNürburgring Nordschleife lap record,set byStefan Bellofin 1983 with aPorsche 956,in a derestrictedPorsche 919 Evowith a time of 5:19.546.

Timo Bernhard
Bernhard in 2014
Nationality	German
Born	(1981-02-24)24 February 1981 Homburg,West Germany
Racing licence	FIA Platinum
24 Hours of Le Manscareer Years 2002–2003, 2005, 2009–2011, 2013–2018 Teams Porsche LMP Team#2 Porsche GT Team#94 The Racer's Group Peterson Motorsports/White Lightning Racing Audi Sport Team Joest Best finish 1st (2010,2017) Class wins 3 (2002,2010,2017)

Early career

Bernhard was born inHomburg, Saarland.He debuted in karting in 1991. He finished 5th at the CIK/FIA Junior World Championship and was crowned German junior champion. The next two years, Bernhard was 6th and 3rd at the German Karting Championship. In 1998 he moved to formula cars as he joinedFormula Ford,finishing 6th in both the German series and the Eurocup in 1998. In his last year in open-wheelers, 1999, Bernhard finished 3rd in the German Formula Ford.

Sports cars

For 2000, Bernhard drove inPorsche Supercupas a UPS Porsche Junior driver, finishing 3rd in the championship. In 2001, he made hisAmerican Le Mans Seriesdebut at the12 Hours of Sebring,where he finished 2nd in the GT class withRandy PobstandChristian Menzel,driving forAlex Job Racing.He also made four other ALMS starts, and won the Porsche Carrera Cup championship.

2002

In 2002 he began the season with a class win in the24 Hours of DaytonaforThe Racer's Group.He then finished second overall at the24 Hours Nürburgringdriving forAlzen Motorsport.The crowning achievement of the year was winning the GT class at the24 Hours of Le Mans,withKevin BucklerandLucas Luhr.He also finished 3rd in the Carrera Cup, and won his first ALMS race (withJörg Bergmeister) and finished 4th in the championship.

2003

Bernhard began the season by winning the24 Hours of Daytonaoutright in aPorsche 911 GT3-RS, driving with Buckler, Michael Schrom, and Bergmeister. Bernhard and Bergmeister won 3 ALMS races, includingPetit Le Mans,and finished second in the championship. He also finished 3rd at the Nürburgring 24 Hours.

2004

In 2004, Bernhard again partnered withJörg Bergmeisterin the ALMS. The duo took six wins from nine starts and won the GT class driver's championship. Their successes included class wins at Sebring and Petit Le Mans, both time joined bySascha Maassen.Bernhard also finished 4th overall and 2nd in class in theSpa 24 Hours.He finished on the podium at the Nürburgring 24 Hours for the 3rd straight year, finishing in third in aManthey RacingPorsche.

2005

Bernhard joinedRomain Dumasin the ALMS for 2005. They scored four class wins, and Bernhard won four poles, but finished second in the championship. Dumas also finished 2nd in the GT2 class at the24 Hours of Le Mans,driving withJörg BergmeisterandPatrick Long.

2006

In 2006, Bernhard moved toPenske Racingwho owned and captained by legendary ownerRoger Penskeand the newPorsche RS Spyderin the LMP2 class of the ALMS, again partnering Dumas. After a frustrating start to the season, Bernhard and Dumas took advantage of theAudi R10's absence from the series to take the overall win atMid-Ohio.This was the first overall win for an LMP2 class car, and the first win for an under-class car since 2003. Bernhard also won the LMP2 class atPetit Le Mans(withSascha MaassenandEmmanuel Collard), and took four class victories in total and finished 3rd in the championship. He also won the24 Hours Nürburgringoutright, partneringLucas Luhr,Marcel Tiemann,andMike Rockenfeller.

2009

Bernhard and Dumas moved toJoest Racing,in which he ran the newAudi R15 TDI.Along withAlexandre Prémat,the #3 car finished 17th in the2009 24 Hours of Le Mans.

2010

Along with Dumas and Rockenfeller, Bernhard took the overall win in the2010 24 Hours of Le Mans.This was the first win for either driver and set records throughout and after the race, including breaking the1971distance record of 5,335.313 km (3,315.210 mi); the car (#9) ran 397 laps and 5,410.713 km (3,362.061 mi). Bernhard's victory made him the eleventh driver to complete theTriple Crown in endurance racing,with Bernhard also winning not only the 2003 24 Hours of Daytona but also the2008 12 Hours of Sebringwith Penske (also with Dumas but also with Collard). Bernhard partneredKlaus Grafin the Muscle Milk TeamCytoSportPorsche RS Spyderto second place atRoad America,the seventh round of the2010ALMS season.

Racing achievements

Bernhard driving anAudi R15 TDIat the2009 24 Hours of Le Mans

• ALMSLMP2 class champion:2007,2008
• ALMSGT class champion:2004
• 24 Hours of Le MansGT class winner:2002
• 24 Hours of Le MansOverall winner:2010,2017
• 12 Hours of SebringGT class winner:2004
• 12 Hours of SebringOverall winner:2008
• Petit Le MansLMP2 class winner:2006
• Petit Le MansGT class winner:2003,2004
• 24 Hours of Daytonaoverall winner:2003
• 24 Hours of DaytonaGT class winner:2002,2003
• 24 Hours Nürburgringwinner: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
• Porsche Carrera Cup Germanychampion: 2001

Racing record

Career summary

Series/Event	Class	Years	Races	Wins	Podiums	Best season result
Open Wheel
Formula Ford 1800 Germany	1800	1999	8	0	4	3rd place (1999)
Endurance Racing
FIA World Endurance Championship	LMP1	2012-2017	33	12	23	Champion(2015,2017)
	LMGTE Pro	2013	3	0	1	21st (2012)
Intercontinental Le Mans Cup	LMP1	2011	7	0	3
Le Mans Series	LMP1	2010-2011	5	0	3	13th (2010)
Blancpain Endurance Series	GT3 Pro	2013	1	0	0	28th (2013)
American Le Mans Series	LMP	2006-2011	36	16	30	Champion(2007, 2008)
	GT	2002-2010	44	13	24	Champion(2004)
Grand American Rolex Series	DP	2005-2010	15	0	3	4th place (2010)
	GT	2002-2010	5	2	2	23rd place (2003)
VLN Endurance		2009-2012	3+		2	149th (2010)
24 Hours of Le Mans	LMP1	2009-2017	7	2	2	Winner(2010, 2017)
	GTE Pro	2013	1	0	1	2nd place (2013)
	GT	2002-2005	3	1	2	Winner(2002)
24 Hours of Nürburgring	SP7	2006-2013	6	6	6	Winner(2006-2010, 2013)
	A8	2003-2004	2	1	2	Winner(2003)
	A7	2002	1	1	1	Winner(2002)
GT
FIA GT Championship	GT2	2006	1	0	0
	NGT	2001-2005	2	0	1	13th place (2004)
United SportsCar Championship	GTD	2014	1	0	0	126th place (2014)
Porsche Supercup	GT3	2001-2002	14	1	8	3rd place (2002)
Porsche Carrera Cup Germany	GT3	1999-2003	27	6	8	Champion(2001)
Karting
Andrea Margutti Trophy	ICA	1996				18th place (1996)
Five Continents Cup	Junior A	1995				5th place (1995)
German Kart Championship		1996-1997				3rd place (1997)
German Junior Kart Championship		1995				Champion(1995)
Source:

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
2002	The Racer's Group	Kevin Buckler Lucas Luhr	Porsche 911 GT3-RS	GT	322	16th	1st
2003	The Racer's Group	Kevin Buckler Jörg Bergmeister	Porsche 911 GT3-RS	GT	304	20th	5th
2005	Petersen Motorsports White Lightning Racing	Jörg Bergmeister Patrick Long	Porsche 911 GT3-RSR	GT2	331	11th	2nd
2009	Audi Sport Team Joest	Romain Dumas Alexandre Prémat	Audi R15 TDI	LMP1	333	17th	13th
2010	Audi Sport North America	Romain Dumas Mike Rockenfeller	Audi R15 TDI plus	LMP1	397	1st	1st
2011	Audi Sport Team Joest	Romain Dumas Mike Rockenfeller	Audi R18 TDI	LMP1	116	DNF	DNF
2013	Porsche AG Team Manthey	Patrick Pilet Jörg Bergmeister	Porsche 911 RSR	GTE Pro	315	16th	2nd
2014	Porsche Team	Brendon Hartley Mark Webber	Porsche 919 Hybrid	LMP1-H	346	NC	NC
2015	Porsche Team	Brendon Hartley Mark Webber	Porsche 919 Hybrid	LMP1	394	2nd	2nd
2016	Porsche Team	Brendon Hartley Mark Webber	Porsche 919 Hybrid	LMP1	346	13th	5th
2017	Porsche LMP Team	Brendon Hartley Earl Bamber	Porsche 919 Hybrid	LMP1	367	1st	1st
2018	Porsche GT Team	Romain Dumas Sven Müller	Porsche 911 RSR	GTE Pro	92	DNF	DNF
Sources:

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

Year	Team		Class	Chassis Engine	Co-drivers		Results									Championship
							1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Points	Rank
2013		Porsche AG Team Manthey	LMGTE Pro	Porsche 911 RSR 4.0 L Flat-6		Jörg Bergmeister Patrick Pilet	SIL 7	SPA Ret	LMS 2	SÃO	COA	FUJ	SHA	BHR		42	12th
2014		Porsche Team	LMP1-H	Porsche 919 Hybrid 2.0 L Turbo V4 (Hybrid)		Mark Webber Brendon Hartley	SIL 3	SPA 12	LMS NC	COA 5	FUJ 3	SHA 6	BHR 3	SÃO Ret		64.5	9th
2015		Porsche Team	LMP1	Porsche 919 Hybrid 2.0 L Turbo V4 (Hybrid)		Mark Webber Brendon Hartley	SIL Ret	SPA 3	LMS 2	NÜR 1	COA 1	FUJ 1	SHA 1	BHR 5		166	1st
2016		Porsche Team	LMP1	Porsche 919 Hybrid 2.0 L Turbo V4 (Hybrid)		Mark Webber Brendon Hartley	SIL Ret	SPA 26	LMS 10	NÜR 1	MEX 1	COA 1	FUJ 3	SHA 1	BHR 3	134.5	4th
2017		Porsche LMP Team	LMP1	Porsche 919 Hybrid 2.0 L Turbo V4 (Hybrid)		Brendon Hartley Earl Bamber	SIL 2	SPA 3	LMS 1	NÜR 1	MEX 1	COA 1	FUJ 4	SHA 2	BHR 2	208	1st
Sources:

^*Season still in progress. (key) (Races inboldindicate pole position) (Races initalicsindicate fastest lap)

Complete WeatherTech SportsCar Championship results

Year	Entrant	Class	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	Rank	Points
2014	Park Place Motorsports	GTD	Porsche 911 GT America	Porsche4.0 L Flat-6	DAY 23†	SEB	LGA	BEL	WGL	MOS	IMS	ELK	VIR	AUS	ATL	126th	1
2018	Tequila Patrón ESM	P	Nissan Onroak DPi	Nissan VR38DETT3.8 LTurboV6	DAY	SEB	LBH	MDO	DET	WGL	MOS	ELK	LGA	PET 6		53rd	25
2019	Mazda Team Joest	DPi	Mazda RT24-P	MazdaMZ-2.0T 2.0 L TurboI4	DAY 11	SEB 11	LBH	MDO	DET	WGL 2	MOS	ELK	LGA	PET 6		15th	97
Source:

^†Bernhard did not complete sufficient laps in order to score full points.

External links

• Official website
• Timo Bernhardcareer summary at DriverDB