Frank Biela

Lore & Background

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, 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, Biela 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, he was entered in various European touring car series such as the French Supertouring Championship in 1993 driving the Audi 80 (in which he won the championship) 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.

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.

For 1996, Audi entered 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. Biela comfortably won the title, finishing every single race and being classified in the top ten in all but two races. He also capped the 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 1997. With his Audi badly handicapped, Biela initially struggled. The weight penalty was halved at the midpoint of the season, and results improved to the point where Biela finished second overall to eventual champion Alain Menu.

Reader's Guide

Frank Biela is a German racing driver known for his success in touring cars and sportscars, primarily with Audi. Key achievements include winning the 1991 DTM, 1993 French Supertouring Championship, 1995 Touring Car World Cup race, 1996 BTCC, 1996 Macau Guia Race, five 24 Hours of Le Mans wins (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007), and four 12 Hours of Sebring wins (2000, 2003, 2004, 2007). He also won the ALMS LMP900 title in 2003 and LMP1 title in 2005.