Franz Engstler

Franz Engstler ( born July 25, 1961 in Kempten ( Allgäu) ) is a German racing driver and team principal from Engstler Motorsport. It occurs since 2007 in the World Touring Car Championship ( WTCC).

He is a professional car salesman and operates an Alfa Romeo dealership.

Career

Beginnings in motorsport

Franz Engstler began his motorsport career in 1982 at hill climbs and 1983 runner-up of the European Hillclimb Championship. In the following two years he won the German Endurance Cup. From 1988 started Engstler in the German Formula 3 Championship and drove there in class B. After the runner-up in the first year, he managed the 1989 championship title in Class B. A year later he finished fourth.

1989-1999: DTM and STW

In 1989, Engstler first part in a round of the German Touring Car Championship. In 1991 he drove an Opel Omega for the Opel works team Irmscher. In 1993, he won on the Alfa Romeo 155 Cup Class 2 Until 1994 Engstler played in the German Touring Car Championship 73 races and collected 27 championship points.

From 1994 Engstler drove the newly formed Super Tourenwagen Cup, in which he took up to setting the racing series in 1999. At first, he started on a BMW 318i before it in 1996 founded his own team and now an Alfa Romeo drove 155. In 1998, he was on a Opel Vectra, which was used by Irmscher, go. The following year he went back an Alfa Romeo 155 his own team. However Engstler never got beyond midfield positions and could bring in more success.

2000-2007: ADAC Procar and Asian Touring Car Championship

As of 2000 Engstler took part in the German Touring Car Challenge in the BMW 320i. In the first year he was victorious in three races and won at the end of the season the championship. In 2001 he drove in the meantime as a works driver of a vehicle of this Alfa Romeo brand. In 2002, he was active for Schubert Motors. He finished third at the season finale, the "Guia Race" in Macao, and finished eleventh in the championship. Meanwhile, back driving for his own team, Engstler in 2003 to increase this performance and was second in Macau. He joined the German Touring Car Challenge from third on the championship course. In 2004, he won at a run now the " German Production Car Championship ," said series and reached the fifth championship course.

Then moved Engstler in the Asian Touring Car Championship, in which he could dominate the competition significantly. In 2005 and 2006 he won the championship both times and won a total of 21 races. 2006 Engstler was also in the last eight races of the former German Production Car Championship at the start, which is now " ADAC Procar Series, " sources said. There he achieved four wins and seventh championship course. In 2007, he was clearly superior to the competition and was the first time in seven years master of this racing series. From 15 races he won twelve. He also made ​​his debut in 2007 in the World Touring Car Championship ( WTCC) at the season finale in Macau.

Since 2008: WTCC

Since 2008 Engstler begins each race in the World Touring Car Championship. He also changed the vehicle and switched to a BMW 320si. In his first season he was runner up in the Independents' Trophy. In the overall classification, he finished 17th place. At the season finale in Macau, he was the best private driver and drove to sixth place, which he won his first three World Championship points. In 2009 Engstler ran back into the World Touring Car Championship. In the second round in Morocco, he was again the best private driver and took the seventh place two world championship points.

A curious incident had Franz Engstler in the second round in France. After he already went in the first round to sixth place and thus secured three World Cup points, he took over at the start of the second run the lead. Engstler had good chances for his first race win since overtaking at the Circuit de Pau is considered very difficult to him the Safety Car came early in the second round in the way. Immediately before Engstler came past the pit exit, leaving the network controlled by Philippe Cholet and Jean -Pierre Colas Safety Car unexpectedly and without statement, the pit lane. It also disregarded the pit exit line which must not be crossed to safety, and moved at slow speed right on the racing line. Engstler had no way to prevent the accident, as the pit exit was after a blind high-speed curve and collided with the safety car, which it turned out of the race.

In the second round at Oschersleben Engstler reached seventh place two championship points. At the end of the 2009 season, he finished with seven points Rank 16 and the World Championship and third in the Independents' Trophy for private drivers. 2010 Engstler experienced a mixed season with some setbacks. Only in the last three races of the season, he went three times in a row in the points and still made ​​ground in the Independents' Trophy well. Although he had only finished one race as best-placed privateer, he thus still reached second place in the Independents' Trophy. He also finished with five points 17th place in the overall standings.

As the 2011 season, the new 1.6 -liter turbocharged engine has been approved, also switched to the Engstler BMW 320 TC with such a drive. He was a regular in the points and managed to place third in the second race at Donington Park to be at this time the best overall result in the World Touring Car Championship. Two weeks later he succeeded shortly after his 50th birthday at his home race in Oschersleben, the biggest success of his career: Having started from pole position in the second run, he initially fell behind Norbert Michelisz took over after his mistake but again the leadership. This he then claimed before Alain Menu and Gabriele Tarquini and would not come near them. This Engstler not only achieved its first overall victory in the WTCC, but also the first victory of a BMW 320 TC. Engstler finished the season in eighth place in the overall standings and thus achieved its best ever overall placement. Internal team was defeated Kristian Poulsen, who was, however, remained without a win. In the Independents' Trophy Engstler took third place. 2012 Engstler completed another season in the WTCC. After the second race weekend he was with a fifth place as best result in ninth place in the championship.

Others

2005 and 2008 Engstler won the " BMW Sports Trophy ".

Career stations

  • 2006: Russian Touring Car Championship ( 15th place)
  • 2007: ADAC Procar Series (Master)
  • 2007: WTCC
  • 2008: WTCC ( 17th)
  • 2008: ETC Cup ( 6th place)
  • 2008: ADAC Procar Series (No. 9)
  • 2009: WTCC ( 16th place)
  • 2009: ETC Cup (2nd place)
  • 2010: WTCC ( 17th)
  • 2011: WTCC (8th place )
  • 2012: WTCC ( 12th place)
348627
de