Klaus Benno Niedzwiedz (born February 24, 1951, in Dortmund, West Germany) is a former professional race driver and motoring journalist.
Driver
Niedzwiedz's greatest success came in the 1980s as a driver for Ford.
Niedzwiedz rose to prominence when driving a Ford Capri for Zakspeed in the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft. The turbocharged 1.4 L engine from the Zakspeed Ford Capri was later enlarged for the 1.7 L "Super Capri". With this 500+ hp car, Niedzwiedz established in 1982 the "eternal lap record" for Group 5 touring car racing at the old 22.8 km Nürburgring with 7:08.59, just ten seconds slower than the F1 record of 6:58.60 set by Niki Lauda in 1975 (see: Nürburgring lap times).
During the 1982 season, Niedzwiedz also drove in the World Endurance Championship for Zakspeed, in a Ford C100. The Zakspeed-prepared Group C machine was run by the works Ford Germany team with Klaus Ludwig, Manfred Winkelhock and Marc Surer at the wheel, but the car was a midfielder at best, although Jonathan Palmer and Desiré Wilson scored a fourth place overall the 1,000 km of Brands Hatch in 1982. Ford Germany retracted their support and one car was sold to privateers, while the other chassis was evolved by Zakspeed into the C1/4 and the C1/8, making few appearances in international racing, but becoming a front-runner in the German Interserie, where it won the European championship in 1984 with Niedzwiedz.
In 1982 and 1987, Niedzwiedz was the winner at the 24 Hours Nürburgring, in both events with Klaus Ludwig. Driving an Eggenberger Motorsport Ford Sierra he was runner-up in the World Touring Car Championship of 1987 and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft of 1989.
Between 1987 and 1996, Niedzwiedz drove six times in the Bathurst 1000. After driving for Eggenberger Motorsport in 1987, he drove Eggenberger built Sierra RS500s for Allan Moffat Racing in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992. He returned one last time in 1996 to drive a Ford Falcon EB, again for Allan Moffat.
Niedzwiedz also drove for Allan Moffat Racing at the 1989 Fuji 500Fuji Inter-tec 500 km Touring Car Racing.net and 1990 Sandown 500.
In 1998, Miedzwiedz won the privateer title in the ADAC German Supertouring car championship (Super Tourenwagen Cup) with an Opel Vectra.
In 2003, Miedzwiedz won a VLN race with Porsche 911 GT3 at the Nürburgring.
Other events: 1981 24 Hours of Le Mans 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans 1988 24 Hours of Le Mans
Journalist Since 1984, Niedzwiedz has worked as a journalist and television host in Germany, starting with moderation of Sat.1 magazine Treibstoff. Since 1997, he moderates n-tv Motor.
Tamiya Model A 1/24 scale model of the 1979 Ford Capri Zakspeed (model 24014) is represented as the D&W Klaus Niedzwiedz car, and is complete with Niedzwiedz in team uniform.
Racing record
Career summary Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position 1977 Challenge de Formule Renault Europe ? ? ? ? ? 0 NC 1978 FIA European Formula 3 Championship Team Eufra Europe Formel Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC 1979 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft Zakspeed 1 0 0 0 0 10 23rd European Touring Car Championship 12 ? ? ? ? 65 12th World Sportscar Championship 1 0 0 0 0 0 No drivers' Championship. 1980 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft Zakspeed 13 2 1 0 7 129 5th 1981 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft Zakspeed 13 1 0 1 5 88 9th World Sportscar Championship Liqui Moly Zakspeed 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC Joest Racing 1 0 0 0 0 1982 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft Zakspeed 10 2 1 1 6 106 3rd World Sportscar Championship Ford Motor Company 3 0 0 0 0 0 NC Interserie Zakspeed 2 0 1 0 1 15 16th 1983 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft Zakspeed 6 1 0 0 3 52 3rd World Sportscar Championship Jägermeister Ford Zakspeed Team 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC Interserie Zakspeed 2 0 0 1 1 0 NC 1984 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft ? ? ? ? ? 21 12th World Sportscar Championship GWB Ford Zakspeed Team 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC Interserie 6 4 3 4 5 95 1st 1985 Deutschen Produktionswagen Meisterschaft Ford Rennsport HWRT 4 1 0 1 2 29 18th World Sportscar Championship John Fitzpatrick Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC Porsche Kremer Racing 1 0 0 0 0 British Saloon Car Championship Radiopaging 1 0 0 0 1 4 26th 1986 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Ford Rennsport HWRT 9 1 4 2 2 83 6th World Sportscar Championship Porsche Kremer Racing 1 0 0 0 0 28 17th Richard Lloyd Racing 3 0 0 1 1 1987 World Touring Car Championship Eggenberger Motorsport 10 4 7 4 5 268 2nd European Touring Car Championship 2 1 0 0 2 0 NC Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Wolf Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC 1988 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Ringshausen ABR Motorsport 14 0 0 2 3 115 17th European Touring Car Championship Eggenberger Motorsport 9 3 4 3 6 204 8th Asia-Pacific Touring Car Championship Allan Moffat Enterprises 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC Trampio Object-T 1 1 0 0 1 1989 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Ford Motorsport Eggenberger 22 4 2 2 9 274 2nd 1990 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Opel Team Irmscher 18 0 0 0 0 10 22nd Japanese Touring Car Championship Allan Moffat Enterprises 1 0 0 0 1 24 40th Australian Endurance Championship 2 0 1 0 0 1 41st 1991 Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft Opel Team Eggenberger 24 0 0 0 0 0 NC 1993 ADAC GT Cup Wolf Racing 8 0 0 0 0 12 12th 1994 ADAC GT Cup Mamerow 8 0 0 0 4 90 3rd 1995 Super Tourenwagen Cup Honda Team Linder 16 0 0 0 1 145 13th FIA Touring Car World Cup 2 0 0 0 0 22 7th 1996 Super Tourenwagen Cup Honda Team Linder 16 0 0 0 1 269 8th 1997 Super Tourenwagen Cup AUGROS MIG Austria 20 0 0 0 0 103 21st 1998 Super Tourenwagen Cup Auto Dienst Bemani Team 20 0 0 0 0 156 17th 2002 24 Hours of Nürburgring - N311??1N/A1st 2005 24 Hours of Nürburgring - A6 Sport Auto11??1N/A1st 2006 SEAT León Supercopa VIP SEAT Deutschland 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP6 Sport Auto10??0N/A7th 2008 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP Cup Daniela Schmid10000N/A? 2009 24 Hours of Nürburgring - AT Volkswagen Motorsport11??1N/A1st 2010 Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup N/A 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC† 24 Hours of Nürburgring - AT Volkswagen Motorsport11001N/A1st 2011 Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup N/A 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC† 24 Hours of Nürburgring - AT Volkswagen Motorsport11??1N/A1st 2012 Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup N/A 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC† 2013 Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup N/A 2 0 0 0 0 0 NC† 2014 24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP3T mathilda racing - Team pistenkids10??0N/ADNF 2016 24 Hours of Nürburgring - TCR mathilda racing - Team pistenkids10??0N/ADNF † As Niedzwiedz was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points. Footnotes
Complete World Sportscar Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pts 1979 Zakspeed Racing Gr.5 Ford Capri Turbo Ford 1.4 L4t DAY MUG DIJ SIL NÜR PER GLN BRH VALNo drivers' Championship. 1981 Liqui Moly Zakspeed Gr.5 Ford Capri Turbo Ford 1.7 L4t DAY SEB MUG MNZ RSD SIL NÜR NC 0 Joest Racing S+2.0 Porsche 908/80 Porsche 911/78 2.1 F6t LMS PER DAY GLN SPA MOS ROA BRH 1982 Ford Motor Company C Ford C100 Cosworth DFL 4.0 V8 MNZ SIL NÜR LMS SPA MUG FUJ BRH NC 0 1983 Jägermeister Ford Zakspeed Team C Zakspeed C1 Ford 1.8 L4t MNZ SIL NÜR LMS SPA FUJ KYA NC 0 1984 GWB Ford Zakspeed Team C1 Zakspeed C1 Cosworth DFL 3.3 V8 MNZ SIL LMS NÜR BRH MOS SPA IMO FUJ KYA SAN NC 0 1985 John Fitzpatrick Racing C1 Porsche 956 Porsche Type 935/76 2.6 F6t MUG MNZ SIL LMS NC 0 Porsche Kremer Racing HOC MOS SPA BRH FUJ SHA 1986 Porsche Kremer Racing C1 Porsche 962C Porsche Type 935/76 2.6 F6t MNZ 17th 28 Richard Lloyd Racing Porsche 956 GTi SIL LMS NOR BRH JER Porsche Type 935/79 2.8 F6t NÜR SPA FUJ 1988 Team Sauber Mercedes C1 Sauber C9 Mercedes-Benz M117 5.0 V8t JER JAR MNZ SIL LMS BRN BRH NÜR SPA FUJ SAN NC 0 Footnotes
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1981 Joest Racing Reinhold Joest Dale Whittington Porsche 908/80 S+2.0 80 DNF DNF 1982 Ford Germany Manfred Winkelhock Ford C100 C 71 DNF DNF 1988 Team Sauber Mercedes Kenny Acheson Sauber C9-Mercedes C1 - DNS DNS
Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft 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 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Pts 1985 Ford Rennsport HWRT Ford Sierra XR4 TI ZOL WUN AVU MFA ERD ERD DIE DIE ZOL SIE NÜR 18th 29 1986 Ford Rennsport HWRT Ford Sierra XR4 TI ZOL HOC NÜR AVU MFA WUN NÜR ZOL NÜR 6th 83 1987 Wolf Racing Ford Sierra XR4 TI HOC ZOL NÜR AVU MFA NOR NÜR WUN DIE SAL NC 0 1988 Ringshausen ABR Motorsport Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth ZOL1 ZOL2 HOC1 HOC2 NÜR1 NÜR2 BRN1 BRN2 AVU1 AVU2 MFA1 MFA2 NÜR1 NÜR2 NOR1 NOR2 WUN1 WUN2 SAL1 SAL2 HUN1 HUN2 HOC1 HOC2 17th 115 1989 Ford Motorsport Eggenberger Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth ZOL1 ZOL2 HOC1 HOC2 NÜR1 NÜR2 MFA1 MFA2 AVU1 AVU2 NÜR1 NÜR2 NOR1 NOR2 HOC1 HOC2 DIE1 DIE2 NÜR1 NÜR2 HOC1 HOC2 2nd 274 1990 Opel Team Irmscher Opel Omega 3000 24v ZOL1 ZOL2 HOC1 HOC2 NÜR1 NÜR2 AVU1 AVU2 MFA1 MFA2 WUN1 WUN2 NÜR1 NÜR2 NOR1 NOR2 DIE1 DIE2 NÜR1 NÜR2 HOC1 HOC2 22nd 10 1991 Opel Team Eggenberger Opel Omega 3000 Evo 500 ZOL1 ZOL2 HOC1 HOC2 NÜR1 NÜR2 AVU1 AVU2 WUN1 WUN2 NOR1 NOR2 DIE1 DIE2 NÜR1 NÜR2 ALE1 ALE2 HOC1 HOC2 BRN1 BRN2 DON1 DON2 NC 0
Complete British Saloon Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap.) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DC Pts Class 1985 Industrial Control Services Ltd. Ford Sierra XR4Ti SIL OUL THR DON THR SIL DON SILovr:3cls:3 SNE BRH BRH SIL 26th 4 10th
Complete World Touring Car Championship 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 Pts 1987 Eggenberger Motorsport Ford Sierra RS Cosworth MNZ JAR DIJ NÜR SPA 2nd 268 Ford Sierra RS500 BRN SIL BATDSQ CLD WEL FUJ
Complete Bathurst 1000 results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps 1987 Eggenberger Motorsport Klaus Ludwig Ford Sierra RS500 1 159 DSQ DSQ Ford Sierra RS500 1 - DNS DNS 1988 Allan Moffat Enterprises Allan Moffat Gregg Hansford Ford Sierra RS500 A 129 DNF DNF 1989 Allan Moffat Enterprises Frank Biela Ford Sierra RS500 A 161 2nd 2nd 1990 Allan Moffat Enterprises Frank Biela Pierre Dieudonné Ford Sierra RS500 1 151 10th 10th Gregg Hansford Pierre Dieudonné Ford Sierra RS500 1 138 DNF DNF 1992 Allan Moffat Enterprises Gregg Hansford Ford Sierra RS500 A 128 19th 17th 1996 Allan Moffat Enterprises Ken Douglas Ford EB Falcon 157 10th 10th
Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup 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 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pts 1995 Honda Team Linder Honda Accord ZOL1 ZOL2 SPA1 SPA2 ÖST1 ÖST2 HOC1 HOC2 NÜR1 NÜR2 SAL1 SAL2 AVU1 AVU2 NÜR1 NÜR2 13th 145 1996 Honda Team Linder Honda Accord ZOL1 ZOL2 ASS1 ASS2 HOC1 HOC2 SAC1 SAC2 WUN1 WUN2 ZWE1 ZWE2 SAL1 SAL2 AVU1 AVU2 NÜR1 NÜR2 8th 269 1997 AUGROS MIG Austria Audi A4 Quattro HOC1 HOC2 ZOL1 ZOL2 NÜR1 NÜR2 SAC1 SAC2 NOR1 NOR2 WUN1 WUN2 ZWE1 ZWE2 SAL1 SAL2 REG1 REG2 NÜR1 NÜR2 21st 103 1998 Auto Dienst Bemani Team Opel Vectra HOC1 HOC2 NÜR1 NÜR2 SAC1 SAC2 NOR1 NOR2 REG1 REG2 WUN1 WUN2 ZWE1 ZWE2 SAL1 SAL2 OSC1 OSC2 NÜR1 NÜR2 17th 156
External links bio at n-tv (for his appearance in Treibstoff) Zakspeed Website
References