Tom Kristensen (racing driver)

Tom Kristensen
Tom Kristensen at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2014.
Nationality	Danish
Born	(1967-07-07) 7 July 1967 (age 49) Hobro, Denmark
WEC career
Debut season	2012
Current team	Audi Sport Team Joest
Car no.	1
Starts	16
Wins	6
Poles	4
Best finish	1st in 2013
Previous series
2004–2011 2001–2002 2000 1998–1999 1996–1997 1994–1995 1994–1995 1992–1993 1989, 1991	DTM American Le Mans Series BTCC German Supertouring International Formula 3000 Japanese Formula 3000 JTCC Japanese Formula Three German Formula Three
Championship titles
2013 2001 1993 1991	FIA World Endurance Championship American Le Mans Series Japanese Formula Three German Formula Three

Tom Kristensen (born 7 July 1967) is a former Danish professional racing driver. He holds the record for the most wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with nine, six of which were consecutive (from 2000 to 2005). In 1997, he won the race with the Joest Racing team, driving a Tom Walkinshaw Racing-designed and Porsche-powered WSC95, after being a late inclusion in the team following Davy Jones' accident that eventually ruled him out of the race. All of his wins since then have come driving an Audi prototype, except in 2003, when he drove a Bentley prototype. In both 1999 and 2007 Kristensen's team crashed out of comfortable leads in the closing hours of the race. He is considered by many to be the greatest driver ever to have raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, earning the nickname "Mr Le Mans". Elsewhere Kristensen also holds the record for most wins at the 12 Hours of Sebring with a total of six.

In August 2014, Kristensen was appointed Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog by the Queen of Denmark.

Kristensen was born in Hobro. His career began in 1984, winning several karting titles. He raced in Japan in the early 1990s, concurrently in Formula 3 and Touring Cars. He was German Formula 3 Champion in 1991, Japanese Formula 3 champion in 1993, and runner-up in the Japanese Touring Car Championship (JTCC) in 1992 and 1994. He was 6th in Formula 3000 in both 1996 and 1997, and test driver for Tyrrell in their final Formula One season in 1998, and for Michelin as they prepared their F1 tyres using an older Williams car in 2000. He was 3rd in the STW Cup in Germany in 1999, 7th in the British Touring Car Championship in 2000, and winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring in both those years.