Bruno Spengler
| Bruno Spengler | |
|---|---|
 At the Nürburgring in 2006, as a DTM driver. | |
| Nationality |
 Canadian |
| Born |
August 23, 1983 Schiltigheim (France) |
| 2014 DTM | |
| Debut season | 2005 |
| Current team | BMW Team Schnitzer |
| Car no. | 1 |
| Starts | 84 |
| Wins | 13 |
| Poles | 14 |
| Fastest laps | 14 |
| Best finish | 1st in 2012 |
| Previous series | |
| 2003-04 2001-02 |
Formula 3 Euro Series Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 |
| Championship titles | |
| 2012 | Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters |
Bruno Spengler (born August 23, 1983 in Schiltigheim, Bas-Rhin) is a French-born Canadian BMW factory racing driver, nicknamed 'The Secret Canadian'. He won the 2012 DTM Drivers' Championship.[1]
Career
Early career
Spengler was born near Strasbourg, France but moved with his parents to Saint-Hippolyte, Quebec, Canada, when he was 3.[2][3] He went to school in Canada but continued to go back to France where he started competing in kart racing in 1995.[2] Spengler continued karting in both France and Canada and then moved on to competing in the French Formula Renault.[2] Eventually this led to him being signed by Mercedes-Benz motorsport and in 2003 he was racing for ASM in the Formula Three Euroseries.[2]
DTM
Since 2005 he has driven a Mercedes in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in Germany. In 2005 he ran with Persson Motorsport and he convinced AMG directors to have an official car in 2006. That year he finished the 2006 season second behind his team mate and five times champion Bernd Schneider.[4] He completed the 2007 season campaign once again in second place, this time behind Audi driver Mattias Ekström, despite Audi's mass pull-out in Barcelona.[5]
In August 2007 he was mentioned in a possible move to the new Prodrive F1 team for 2008, and possibly for a drive with McLaren.[6] Spengler was a leading candidate for an F1 driver's seat based on his performances and also it was thought to help drive up interest in North America for Formula 1.[2] With Prodrive gone and Heikki Kovalainen signed for McLaren, this did not happen for 2008. While leading the DTM in points during the 2010 season, Spengler's name was again brought up as a possible candidate to drive in F1. Norbert Haug Mercedes motorsports director commented that if Spengler were to win the DTM championship he would earn a ride in F1.[3] However, he lost the championship in the last few races to Paul di Resta who went on to drive for Force India in the next F1 season.
In the 2012 season, Spengler quit Mercedes and joined BMW Team Schnitzer for the latter's return to DTM.[7] Spengler had a strong season, coming into the last race at the Hockenheimring three points behind leader and Mercedes driver Gary Paffett. He overtook Paffett at the start and held on to win the race. With this victory, his fourth of the season, Spengler took the Driver's Championship by four points and helped Team Schnitzer to the Teams' Championship and BMW to the Manufacturers' Championship.[8]
Racing record
Complete DTM 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 | Pos. | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Persson Motorsport | AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2004 | HOC1 12 |
LAU1 15† |
SPA Ret |
BRN 11 |
OSC 16 |
NOR 13† |
NÜR 15 |
ZAN 9 |
LAU2 6 |
IST 8 |
HOC2 8 |
16th | 5 |
| 2006 | HWA Team | AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2006 | HOC1 9 |
LAU 5 |
OSC 2 |
BRH 7 |
NOR 1 |
NÜR 1 |
ZAN 4 |
CAT 5 |
BUG 1 |
HOC2 1 |
2nd | 63 | |
| 2007 | HWA Team | AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2007 | HOC1 14 |
OSC Ret |
LAU 3 |
BRH 5 |
NOR 1 |
MUG 4 |
ZAN 5 |
NÜR 2 |
CAT 2 |
HOC2 4 |
2nd | 47 | |
| 2008 | HWA Team | AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2008 | HOC1 4 |
OSC 3 |
MUG 9 |
LAU 6 |
NOR 2 |
ZAN 5 |
NÜR 7 |
BRH 6 |
CAT Ret |
BUG 7 |
HOC2 4 |
5th | 38 |
| 2009 | HWA Team | AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2009 | HOC1 Ret |
LAU 2 |
NOR 2 |
ZAN 5 |
OSC 6 |
NÜR 6 |
BRH 6 |
CAT 5 |
DIJ 3 |
HOC2 7 |
4th | 41 | |
| 2010 | HWA Team | AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2009 | HOC1 2 |
VAL 2 |
LAU 1 |
NOR 3 |
NÜR 1 |
ZAN 7 |
BRH 2 |
OSC 2 |
HOC2 Ret |
ADR 3 |
SHA 13 |
3rd | 66 |
| 2011 | HWA Team | AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse 2009 | HOC1 1 |
ZAN 2 |
SPL 4 |
LAU 3 |
NOR 1 |
NÜR 2 |
BRH 7 |
OSC 13† |
VAL 7 |
HOC2 9 |
3rd | 51 | |
| 2012 | BMW Team Schnitzer | BMW M3 DTM | HOC1 Ret |
LAU 1 |
BRH 2 |
SPL Ret |
NOR 3 |
NÜR 1 |
ZAN 6 |
OSC 1 |
VAL 6 |
HOC2 1 |
1st | 149 | |
| 2013 | BMW Team Schnitzer | BMW M3 DTM | HOC1 5 |
BRH 2 |
SPL 1 |
LAU 7 |
NOR 6 |
MOS 19 |
NÜR 14 |
OSC 21† |
ZAN 20 |
HOC2 3 |
3rd | 82 |
* Season in progress.
- † — Retired, but was classified as he completed 90% of the winner's race distance.
References
- ↑ http://www.dtm.com/en/News/Bruno-Spengler-claims-DTM-championship-crown-with-victory-2012.html
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "The case for Bruno Spengler". F1 News. November 6, 2007. Retrieved 2010-08-13.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Jeff Pappone (November 9, 2010). "Spengler now closer to his Formula One dream". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2010-08-13.
- ↑ http://racing.auto123.com/en/racing/news/index,view.spy?artid=72368
- ↑ http://www.maximummotorsport.co.uk/2007/09/23/dtm-barcelona-scandal-as-audi-withdraw/
- ↑ http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19837.html
- ↑ "Bruno Spengler to drive for BMW in the DTM from 2012". Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (ITR e.V.). 26 October 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
- ↑ Johan Meissner (October 21, 2012). ""Sensational" triple title for BMW and Bruno Spengler". Touring Car Times. Retrieved 2012-10-21.
External links
- Official site
- The Flying Frenchmen Rumours and news about Bruno Spengler and other Canadian drivers
- DTM.com
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Martin Tomczyk |
DTM Champion 2012 |
Succeeded by Mike Rockenfeller |
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