Born: 24 February 1981
Where: Homburg/Saar (Germany)
Lives: Bruchmühlbach-Miesau (Germany)
Marital status: Married to Katharina, sons Paul and Ben
Height/Weight: 1.74 m/60 kg
Hobbies: Fitness, music, rally, running
He has won all major sports car endurance races: Daytona, Sebring, and the Nürburgring 24 Hours – no less than five times. Loaned to Audi in 2010, he clinched outright victory at Le Mans with Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller. At the end of 2015, he was crowned World Endurance Champion. But still, his greatest dream is to net an outright victory at Le Mans with Porsche.
He talks about his first race for Porsche at the Sarthe. It was back in 2002 winning the GT class at his first attempt. “Back then, Porsche fans were incredibly enthusiastic and they wanted to know when Porsche would return to the premier class. It’s then I realised: Porsche and Le Mans go hand in hand like no other. Overall victory with this marque is the crowning glory.”
Bernhard is the longest-serving Porsche works driver. He began his successful Porsche career in 1999 as a Junior, and is the only works driver to date to be crowned champion in all categories of the Porsche pyramid: In 2001 he won the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, in 2004 the GT title of the American Le Mans Series, and in 2007 and 2008 he became LMP2 champion of the ALMS with the RS Spyder. Privately, however, he enjoys rallying, in Porsches, of course. As a side-line job, he and his father Rüdiger manage the ‘Team 75 Bernhard,’ which also campaigns Porsche cars.
Bernhard was there in the early days of the LMP1 programme, which proved difficult at times. He also guided the driver trio with newcomers Brendon Hartley and Mark Webber through this tough initial phase. The three became very close. Bernhard took the first 919 Hybrid through its paces at the rollout on 12th June 2013. “An honour,” he said, and explains: “This was not just a new Le Mans racing car, it was a Porsche.”
Timo Bernhard competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), including the Le Mans 24 Hours, in a Porsche 919 Hybrid for the Porsche Team.
Career
2016 Porsche works driver WEC, LMP1
2015 Porsche works driver WEC, LMP1 Drivers’ World Champion with Hartley/Webber; 4 wins (Nürburgring, Austin, Fuji, Shanghai), 3 pole positions, 2nd in Le Mans
2014 Porsche works driver WEC, LMP1; 3rd Silverstone, Fuji and Bahrain; pole position São Paulo
2013 Porsche works driver; 2nd Le Mans 24 Hours (GT); 1st Nürburgring 24 Hours (SP7 class, 7th overall); LMP1 test programme; 1st ADAC Saarland Rally (German Rally Championship)
2012 Porsche works driver; 2nd Sebring 12 Hours (overall); Endurance Cup Nürburgring-Nordschleife, 2 podiums
2011 Porsche works driver; 1st Nürburgring 24 Hours (overall); 5th Sebring 12 Hours (overall); Le Mans 24 Hours (LMP1)
2010 Porsche works driver; 1st Le Mans 24 Hours (overall, Audi); ADAC Motorsport Personality of the Year
2009 Porsche works driver; 1st Nürburgring 24 Hours (overall); 4th Grand-Am Series (DP), 4 podiums; Le Mans 24 Hours (LMP1)
2008 Porsche works driver; Winner American Le Mans Series (LMP2), 4 wins; 1st Sebring 12 Hours (ALMS, overall); 1st Nürburgring 24 Hours (overall)
2007 Porsche works driver; Winner American Le Mans Series (LMP2), 8 wins; 1st Nürburgring 24 Hours (overall)
2006 Porsche works driver; 3rd American Le Mans Series (LMP2), 4 wins; 1st Nürburgring 24 Hours (overall)
2005 Porsche works driver; 2nd American Le Mans Series (GT2), 5 wins; 2nd Le Mans 24 Hours (GT2)
2004 Porsche works driver; Winner American Le Mans Series (GT), 2 wins; 1st Sebring 12 Hours (ALMS, GT); 1st Petit Le Mans (ALMS, GT); 3rd Nürburgring 24 Hours (overall); 2nd Spa 24 Hours (N-GT)
2003 Porsche works driver; 2nd American Le Mans Series (GT); 1st Petit Le Mans (ALMS, GT); 1st Daytona 24 Hours (overall); 1st Nürburgring 24 Hours (overall)
2002 Porsche works driver; 3rd Porsche Michelin Supercup; 4th American Le Mans Series (GT); 1st Daytona 24 Hours (GT); 1st Le Mans 24 Hours (GT); 2nd Nürburgring 24 Hours (overall)
2001 Porsche Junior; Winner Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland; 2nd Sebring 12 Hours (ALMS, GT); Porsche Pirelli Supercup, 1 win
2000 Porsche Junior; 3rd Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland
1999 Porsche Junior; 12th Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland; 3rd German Formula Ford Championship
1998 6th German Formula Ford Championship, 2 wins; 6th Formula Ford Euro Cup
1991-1997 Karting
Source: Porsche
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