André Lotterer: Global citizen with German roots
Back to overviewWhen André Lotterer forced his way into Audi’s sportscar team in 2010, it was as if a lost son returned to the western motorsport world. After a promising career in the junior formulas in Germany, the talent pursued a career in Asia and, in doing so, disappeared from the radar of many journalists and team bosses – unjustly. Lotterer is one of the fastest and most reliable sportscar drivers of his generation.
Born in Duisburg, grew up in Belgium, a residence in Tokyo and another in Monaco – André Lotterer is at home around the entire world. Following his single-seater career in Europe and his commitment as Formula 1 test driver, the son of a former touring car team boss pursued a career in Japan from 2003. Since then, he also lives in the land of the rising sun. The fashionable district Roppongi in Tokyo offers him with the luxury and exotic of a modern metropolis. From Japanese cuisine to a large circle of devoted local fans, André Lotterer has long since adopted a unique personal lifestyle. However, he often visits his parents at their home in Belgium, enjoys the time in Monaco or in a holiday home in the Provence.
Lotterer is more than just a member of the Audi driver squad. The 33-year-old car freak has completely absorbed the power of the four rings. He loves driving a historic Audi quattro in rallies, drives the legendary rally models from Ingolstadt for specialist magazines, is applauded for his driving style in an Audi Coupé from the 1980s in historic touring car races or drives one of the rare Audi models on public roads: he owns an Audi Sport quattro from 1985; one of around only two hundred ever built.
Just how hard and concentrated André Lotterer works is occasionally hidden behind his impartial, yet youthful manner. Three Le Mans victories between 2011 and 2014 are not down to luck. They merely illustrate what emerged during his first Le Mans outing in 2009: when one of his two team mates dislocated their shoulder after jumping over the pit wall minutes before the race, Lotterer competed the 24-hour marathon without further ado at the wheel of a private Audi R10 TDI together with his remaining team mate. The duo kept fighting and finished in an impressive seventh place.
Profile
Date of birth: November 19, 1981
Place of birth: Duisburg (D)
Place of residence: Tokyo (J)
Status: single
Height/weight: 1.84 m/74 kg
Le Mans starts: 6 (3 wins)
Sporting career
1989-1997 Karting, World Junior Karting Champion in 1995
1998 1st in German Formula BMW ADAC Junior Cup
1999 1st in German Formula BMW ADAC, 5th in Formula Renault Eurocup
2000 4th in German Formula 3 Championship
2001 7th in British Formula 3 Championship, 2nd in Formula 3 Masters Zandvoort
2002 Formula 1 test driver, 3rd in Spa 24 Hours, one ChampCar race
2003 4th in Formula Nippon, “Rookie of the Year”; Japanese GT Championship
2004 2nd in Formula Nippon, 8th in Japanese GT Championship
2005 4th in Formula Nippon, 9th in Japanese Super GT Championship
2006 3rd in Formula Nippon, 1st in Japanese Super GT Championship
2007 4th in Formula Nippon, 6th in Japanese Super GT Championship
2008 3rd in Formula Nippon, 3rd in Japanese Super GT Championship
2009 3rd in Formula Nippon, 1st in Japanese Super GT Championship, 7th in Le Mans 24 Hours (Audi R10 TDI), Nürburgring 24 Hours, one race A1 Grand Prix
2010 2nd in Le Mans 24 Hours (Audi R15 TDI), 2nd in Japanese Super GT Championship, 2nd in Formula Nippon
2011 1st in Le Mans 24 Hours (Audi R18 TDI), 1st in Formula Nippon
2012 1st in Le Mans 24 Hours (Audi R18 e-tron quattro), 1st in FIA World Endurance Championship WEC (Audi R18 e-tron quattro), 1st in Silverstone 6 Hours (Audi R18 e-tron quattro), 1st in Bahrain 6 Hours (Audi R18 e-tron quattro), 4th in Formula Nippon, 6th in Spa 24 Hours (Audi R8 LMS ultra)
2013 2nd in FIA World Endurance Championship WEC, 1st in Spa 6 Hours, 1st in São Paulo 6 Hours, 1st in Shanghai 6 Hours, 5th in Le Mans 24 Hours (each time in Audi R18 e-tron quattro), 3rd in Spa 24 Hours (Audi R8 LMS ultra)
2014 1st in Le Mans 24 Hours, 2nd in FIA World Endurance Championship WEC (Audi R18 e-tron quattro), Superformula
2015 FIA World Endurance Championship WEC (Audi R18 e-tron quattro), 3rd in Le Mans 24 Hours (Audi R18 e-tron quattro)
