Tom Kristensen: Part 2 – Sensational at Le Mans and beyond!
In part two of our detailed appreciation of Tom Kristensen we look at his career from 2000 onward and his astonishing run of Le Mans wins.
The Audi R8 was the dominant car type from 2000 through 2002 and after a one-year sabbatical again ruled the roost through to 2005. Tom Kristensen was central to this success. In 2000, Audi only contested three races and Tom won two of them, Sebring and Le Mans. Along with Frank Biela and Emmanuele Pirro, they presented a formidable squad.
In 2001 and 2002 Audi contested the entire American Le Mans Series. Kristensen started the season with victory at Texas, with Rinaldo “Dindo” Capello co-driving. The pair also won at the Donington Park and Jarama, which were rounds in both the American and European Le Mans Series. It was Le Mans victory number three for Tom in 2001, and the second consecutive for Kristensen, Biela, and Pirro. An ALMS win at Sears Point (with Capello) finished off their ultra-successful year.
The same trio took their third consecutive Le Mans 24 Hours win in 2002. In North America Kristensen won the ALMS drivers’ title with first place finishes at Road America, Trois-Rivieres, Mosport, and Petit Le Mans.
Tom remained loyal to the Volkswagen Group, while the works Audi squad went on sabbatical beginning in 2003. His partners at Le Mans again included Dindo Capello with Guy Smith completing the squad as Kristensen swapped German silver livery for British Racing Green and for the first time since 1930 the Bentley Boys won at Le Mans.
Kristensen did score two Audi R8 endurance wins in 2003, co-driving with Seiji Ara in the Team Goh private entry at the Spa 1000kms and at the inaugural LMS pilot race at Le Mans in November.
Tom continued with Team Goh in 2004. Running a limited schedule, the team won only once, at where else - Le Mans. The following season Tom only ran in two endurance races—and won both of them. Again with an Audi R8, but this time Champion Racing, Kristensen won his third Sebring 12 Hours and almost unimaginable sixth consecutive Le Mans 24 Hours.
The diesel era began in 2006 with the Audi R10. The works Audi teams were back and Kristensen raced a limited schedule with them each year through to 2009. Kristensen co-drive with Allan McNish and Capello at Sebring and Le Mans for each of those years.
Tom made it two consecutive Sebring 12 Hours victories in 2006 but ended the Le Mans winning streak with a third place. The tenure of the R10 ended with Kristensen’s eighth victory at Le Mans in 2008. It was perhaps the mightiest of his Le Mans wins as they fought off the clearly quicker Peugeots. A few months later the next model in the Audi family line, the R15 made its debut at Sebring, handing Kristensen his fourth victory in Florida.
The Intercontinental Le Mans Challenge, the precursor to the WEC, was held in 2010 and 2011. A second overall at Zhuhai was his best result.
The coupe bodied R18 was unveiled for 2012 as was the new World Endurance Championship. Kristensen, with McNish and Capello, won the opening round at Sebring. It was Tom’s fifth and final triumph in Florida. Six other podium positions fell to the Great Dane in the remainder of 2012.
In 2013, Kristensen, with Allan McNish and Loic Duval, won three races (including the new Circuit of the Americas round) and the drivers’ championship. It also marked Tom’s ninth and final Le Mans victories.
2014 has seen the end of the road for this endurance racing colossus. Even with fierce opposition from two other marques, Tom almost snared a tenth Le Mans win but had to settle for second with team mates Marc Gene and Lucas Di Grassi.
Words cannot convey so many varied and supreme results from such a brilliant career. So here are some quick stats to emphasise Tom Kristensen’s true greatness.
Thanks for the memories Tom. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement, cheers!
Key major International Sportscar Stats (since 1997)
Total starts (prior to Interlagos this weekend): 82
Total major sportscar victories: 27*
Le Mans wins: 9 (1997,2000,2001,2002,2003,2004,2005,2008 and 2013)
Sebring 12 Hours wins: 6 (1999,2000,2005,2006,2009 and 2012)
FIA WEC starts: 22
WEC victories: 3 (Silverstone 2013, COTA 2013 and Le Mans 2013)
Winning percentage, all wins/starts: 33%
As an added footnote—Kristensen’s 27 wins came in 17 different cars. Audi R8 chassis 602 was driven by Kristensen to eight victories, the most of any chassis. He raced in 35 different chassis during that period.
Sam Smith
Unless otherwise stated, photos courtesy of and with thanks to John Brooks
