Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen to be celebrated at FOS!

It’s 20 years since the Danish hero won the French classic for the first time – on his La Sarthe debut aboard the Tom Walkinshaw Racing-designed, Joest Racing-run Porsche WSC95 he shared with Michele Alboreto and Stefan Johansson – and he went on to win it on eight further occasions – seven times for Audi and once for sister marque Bentley.

‘TK’s remarkable tally of victories at Le Mans was boosted by a winning run that began in 2000, the first year of his long association with Audi. He took a hat-trick with Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro in the R8 between 2000 and 2002, gave Bentley its first win since 1930 in 2003 and then returned to Audi to equal Jacky Ickx’s record of six victories in 2004. He then eclipsed the great Belgian’s marker – that had stood since 1982 – in 2005, again in the R8. Win number eight came in the R10 diesel prototype in 2008 and his ninth and final scalp coming in 2013, this time in the R18.   

“It’s going to be great to look back on my fantastic experiences at Le Mans,” Kristensen says. “And the Festival of Speed is the best place to do it; it’s the ultimate history lesson for motorheads!

“It’s a double celebration really,” Kristensen reveals, “because I’m going to be 50 a few days after the event. Now that I’m retired from international competition, I’ll be able to relax and really enjoy it. When you’re still racing, thinking about the next throttle trace or apex speed, there’s not as much time to turn off from the real job. I’ve been four times, or thereabouts, and I can see how much it has grown. It’s the best place for fans to see their heroes and their favourite cars in one perfect setting.”

Many of Kristensen’s best-known Le Mans racers will be driven up the hillclimb course, by Tom himself or some of his team-mates, during the weekend. Audi has confirmed it will bring a selection of its dominant LMP1 prototypes, while the glorious British Racing Green Bentley Speed 8 GTP car of 2003 will also be there. BMW has pledged its 1999 V12 LMR, raced by TK in 1999. Le Mans victory slipped from his grasp that year, but he did take the V12 machine to his first  – of six – wins in the Sebring 12 Hours earlier that season.

“I can’t wait to see some my old cars again – I will feel quite nostalgic about it,” Kristensen says. And I’ll be so pleased to see some of my team-mates again. I had 11 winning team-mates at Le Mans, all of whom did a great job. I can remember them all, of course: Michele Alboreto, Stefan Johansson, Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela, Dindo Capello, Guy Smith, Seiji Ara, JJ Lehto, Marco Werner, Allan McNish and Loic Duval. It’s obvious, I know, but I couldn’t have done it without them.

“I’m going to be reminded wherever I look how lucky I was during 18 incredible years at the world’s greatest race!” 

Kristensen’s Le Mans 24 Hours wins

1997 – TWR Porsche WSC95 (Michele Alboreto/Stefan Johansson)

2000 – Joest Audi R8 (Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro)

2001 – Joest Audi R8 (Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro)

2002 – Joest Audi R8 (Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro)

2003 – Bentley Speed 8 (Rinaldo Capello/Guy Smith)

2004 – Team Goh Audi R8 (Seiji Ara/Rinaldo Capello)

2005 – Champion Racing Audi R8 (JJ Lehto/Marco Werner)

2008 – Joest Audi R10 TDi (Rinaldo Capello/Allan McNish)

2013 – Joest Audi R18 e-tron quattro (Loic Duval/Allan McNish)

Photographs courtesy of LAT Images