Pierre Kaffer
Pierre Kaffer ( born November 7, 1976 in Bad Neuenahr -Ahrweiler ) is a German racing driver.
- 2.1 Individual results in the DTM
- 2.2 Le Mans results
Life
Beginnings in motorsport
Pierre Kaffer served an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic. 1990 Kaffer started with karting and rose in 1994 in the German Formula Ford and won this championship in 1995 and joined the European Championship in 2nd place from. In 1996 he moved to Formula Opel and won there, too, to the Cup of Nations. From 1997 to 2001 he drove in the German Formula 3 Championship and won 12 races in the Formula 3 DM, took eight pole positions and was the first round of the Formula 3 World Final 2000 in Macau win. Lack sponsorship realized Kaffer the step up to Formula 3000 does not, although the success in the previous series spoke for him.
Porsche Cups
Therefore, he moved in 2002 in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany and was the first Championship race in Hockenheim, after pole position and a start- to-finish victory to show his driver sian talent. At the end of the season he was third. In 2003 he drove next to the Formula 3 World Final and the Carrera Cup especially his first season in the Porsche Supercup where he could produce two overall victories at the end of the year. Kaffir closed this also heavily occupied championship from the third. As a reward for his performance in the 2003 season, he received two test sessions in the American Champ Car series for team owner Bobby Rahal, who in 2004 offered Kaffer a cockpit.
Audi works driver
Kaffir refused and moved as a works driver for Audi Sport. His greatest successes in motorsport in 2004 were victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 1000- km race at the Nurburgring in the Audi R8. In the same year he also drove the 24 Hours of Le Mans on the side of Frank Biela and Allan McNish, where he had to go alone to an end after only a few hours after a serious accident the Scotsman McNish, the race with Frank Biela. 2006 Pierre Kaffer was nominated as reserve driver for the 24 Hours of Le Mans from Audi, but did not play.
In 2005, he was active for Audi Sport Team Joest in the DTM in 2006, he played for Audi Sport Team Phoenix his second DTM season in which he drove a car from last year, as in 2005. His best DTM result achieved Kaffer in the second round of the 2005 DTM season, when he finished fifth on the Euro Speedway Lausitz.
Sport car
2007 ended Kaffer his commitment to Audi and starts again in the Porsche Carrera Cup together with Christoph Langen for Schnabl Engineering.
In 2008 he was, together with Armin Hahne and Christian Haarmann and Jochen Krumbach at the Porsche 996 GT3 - MR of the Manthey Racing team two placed in the overall standings in the 24 -hour race at the Nürburgring- Nordschleife. Furthermore, it was 2008 in the 24- hour race at Le Mans in the GT2 podium with his teammate Pierre Ehret and Lars -Erik Nielsen. Overall, he was able to bring his driving skills in the Grand-Am, ALMS and LMS. After a successful test in the Japanese Super GT championship, he also received an invitation for a race as a guest, but had to cancel because of conflicting schedules.
In 2009, Pierre Kaffer started for the Ferrari factory team Risi Competizione with Jaime Melo in the American Le Mans Series on a Ferrari F430 GTC. The team was for the 12 - hour race at Sebring, he also supports 24 Hours of Le Mans and the American Le Mans Petit Mika Salo, who also won the driver trio. The ALMS season ended for Kaffer on a second place in the GT2. In the LMS he started in 2009 for the Hankook Farnbacher team as last year renews on a Ferrari F430 and the first pole position for the team was able to secure at the Nürburgring. For the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, he was obliged a race of Audi for this and finished the race together with Christian Abt, Lucas Luhr and Jean -François Hemroulle as the best Audi team in second place overall.
In 2010 Pierre Kaffer won the International GT Open series on a Ferrari F430 GTC along with Alvaro Barba. Used was the vehicle by the Italian AF Corse team. In addition, Pierre started in the Le Mans Series for English CRS team on a Ferrari F430 GTC. For Risi Competizione he also participated in the American Le Mans Series at the two long distance classic Sebring and Petit Le Mans. He was also reported in the 24- hour race at Le Mans at risk. The season opener at Sebring, he was able to complete along with Jaime Melo and Gianmaria Bruni class victory in the GT2. This Kaffer has completed the championship race with three participations always successful.
Since the 2011 season, he moves back to a sport prototypes in the LMP2 category for the Argentine Pecom Racing Team. In the 2011 season, the team used a Lola Judd LMP2 prototypes in the European Le Mans Series. Start of the season Pierre drove in Le Castellet at No. 2 for the AF Corse team denied the Pierre 12.Stunden of Sebring and the 12 -hour race in Road Atlanta, together with Giancarlo Fisichella and Gianmaria Bruni on Ferrari F458. The race at Road Atlanta, he won with his teammates. In the 2012 season the Pecom Racing Team had each reported a vehicle in the European Le Mans Series and FIA WEC. The FIA WEC World Sports Car Championship 2012 was newly founded Pierre with his teammates to finish in 3rd place in the LMP2 class. With, inter alia, a world championship race win in Bahrain, a 3rd place finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a 2nd place at the World Cup race in Sao Paulo, the team with the Oreca LMP2 could celebrate some successes. In the 24 hour race at the Nürburgring, Pierre drove a Mercedes SLS in 3rd place in the overall standings. In the 2013 season, Pierre has been able to win the World Championship race in Spa Francorchamps, a 2nd place in the World Cup race in Austin and 2x can drive a 3rd place at the World Cup races in Silverstone and Sao Paulo.
Statistics
Individual results in the DTM
Le Mans results
Personal
Pierre Kaffer lives since 2004 in Sale Stone Lake Constance.