Franz Engstler


Franz Engstler is a German auto racing driver. He currently competes as an independent driver in the FIA World Touring Car Championship in a BMW 320 TC under the Liqui Moly Team Engstler banner. He is married with one son, Luca.

Racing career

Born in Kempten im Allgäu, Engstler started racing in the European Hillclimbing Championship and the German Long Distance Cup, which he won. From 1988 he competed in German Formula Three, winning the class B title in 1989. In 1993 he switched to Touring car racing, where he was German Touring Car Championship Class 2 champion in an Alfa Romeo 155. Between 1994 and 1999, he raced in the German Super Touring Championship for various teams. He finished first in the 2000 German Touring Car Challenge, with two wins. Two more seasons were spent racing in this series in 2002 and 2003.
After a season in the 2004 German Production Car Championship, he moved to the Asian Touring Car Championship. He dominated the championship, which bought him back to back titles in 2005 and 2006. Another title came in 2007, winning the German ADAC Procar Series for the second year.
2008 first saw him enter the WTCC. A solid first season saw him finish second in the independents Trophy. The highlight of the year was sixth place overall finish in the final race in Macau.
Before the end of the 2008 season, he won the BMW Sports Trophy for independent drivers, ahead of one hundred and forty other BMW drivers around the world.
Engstler was involved in a bizarre incident at the 2009 WTCC meeting at Pau. Having finished sixth in race one, he started race two from second position. He took the lead from Alain Menu at the start and led the first lap. The safety car was deployed following three separate incidents on the first lap. The safety car jinked left right into the middle of the circuit, and with the nature of the circuit, Engstler was unsighted as he slammed into the safety car causing substantial damage to both cars, ending his race.

Racing record

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft results

YearTeamCar123456789101112131415161718192021222324Pts
1989BMW M Team LinderBMW M3 EvoZOL
1		ZOL
2		HOC
1		HOC
2		NÜR
1		NÜR
2		MFA
1		MFA
2		AVU
1		AVU
2		NÜR
1		NÜR
2		NOR
1		NOR
2		HOC
1		HOC
2		DIE
1		DIE
2		NÜR
1		NÜR
2		HOC
1
21		HOC
2
Ret		NC0
1990BMW M Team LinderBMW M3 Sport EvolutionZOL
1		ZOL
2		HOC
1		HOC
2		NÜR
1		NÜR
2		AVU
1		AVU
1		MFA
1		MFA
2		WUN
1		WUN
2		NÜR
1		NÜR
2		NOR
1		NOR
2		DIE
1		DIE
2		NÜR
1
14		NÜR
2
Ret		HOC
1		HOC
2		NC0
1991Opel Team IrmscherOpel Omega 3000 Evo 500ZOL
1
Ret		ZOL
2
16		HOC
1
29		HOC
2
Ret		NÜR
1
21		NÜR
2
18		AVU
1
Ret		AVU
2
DNS		WUN
1
15		WUN
2
Ret		NOR
1
DNQ		NOR
2
DNQ		DIE
1		DIE
2		NÜR
1
17		NÜR
2
Ret		ALE
1
Ret		ALE
2
Ret		HOC
1
Ret		HOC
2
20		BRN
1
24		BRN
2
14		DON
1
Ret		DON
2
18		NC0
1992Valier MotorsportBMW M3 Sport EvolutionZOL
1
17		ZOL
2
8		NÜR
1
15		NÜR
2
Ret		WUN
1
14		WUN
2
10		AVU
1
Ret		AVU
2
10		HOC
1
Ret		HOC
2
Ret		NÜR
1
22		NÜR
2
Ret		NOR
1
13		NOR
2
Ret		BRN
1
6		BRN
2
8		DIE
1
13		DIE
2
12		ALE
1
9		ALE
2
Ret		NÜR
1
15		NÜR
2
11		HOC
1
11		HOC
2
4		16th26
1993Engstler MotorsportAlfa Romeo 155 TSZOL
1		ZOL
2		HOC
1		HOC
2		NÜR
1		NÜR
2		WUN
1		WUN
2		NÜR
1
21		NÜR
2
20		NOR
1
DNQ		NOR
2
18		DON
1
20		DON
2
20		DIE
1
Ret		DIE
2
17		ALE
1
18		ALE
2
16		AVU
1
19		AVU
2
19		HOC
1
19		HOC
2
17		NC0
1994Engstler MotorsportAlfa Romeo 155 V6 TiZOL
1
Ret		ZOL
2
12		HOC
1
11		HOC
2
Ret		NÜR
1
Ret		NÜR
2
12		MUG
1
11		MUG
2
6		NÜR
1
DNS		NÜR
2
DNS		NOR
1
10		NOR
2
Ret		DON
1		DON
2		DIE
1		DIE
2		NÜR
1		NÜR
2		AVU
1		AVU
2		ALE
1		ALE
2		HOC
1		HOC
2		20th1

Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup results

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314151617181920Pts
1994BMW Team SchneiderBMW 318iAVUWUNZOLZANÖSTSALSPANÜR
12		25th0
1996Alfa Team EngstlerAlfa Romeo 155ZOL
1
14		ZOL
2
Ret		ASS
1
16		ASS
2
13		HOC
1
21		HOC
2
Ret		SAC
1
11		SAC
2
15		WUN
1
17		WUN
2
16		ZWE
1
16		ZWE
2
10		SAL
1
15		SAL
2
DNS		AVU
1
13		AVU
2
14		NÜR
1
17		NÜR
2
15		19th135
1997Cool Fire Team EngstlerAlfa Romeo 155 TSHOC
1
21		HOC
2
Ret		ZOL
1
22		ZOL
2
17		NÜR
1
22		NÜR
2
21		SAC
1
21		SAC
2
15		NOR
1
23		NOR
2
15		WUN
1
19		WUN
2
18		ZWE
1
20		ZWE
2
23		SAL
1
21		SAL
2
22		REG
1
18		REG
2
17		NÜR
1
20		NÜR
2
20		24th57
1998Irmscher MotorsportOpel VectraHOC
1
14		HOC
2
19		NÜR
1
18		NÜR
2
18		SAC
1
10		SAC
2
14		NOR
1
16		NOR
2
15		REG
1
17		REG
2
14		WUN
1
12		WUN
2
15		ZWE
1
20		ZWE
2
Ret		SAL
1
21		SAL
2
DNS		OSC
1
24		OSC
2
19		NÜR
1
18		NÜR
2
16		21st119
1999ER MotorsportAlfa Romeo 155SAC
1		SAC
2		ZWE
1		ZWE
2		OSC
1		OSC
2		NOR
1
14		NOR
2
12		MIS
1
13		MIS
2
13		NÜR
1
12		NÜR
2
11		SAL
1
Ret		SAL
2
Ret		OSC
1
12		OSC
2
Ret		HOC
1
19		HOC
2
DNS		NÜR
1
19		NÜR
2
15		20th103

Complete European Super Production Championship results

YearTeamCar12345678910DCPts
2001Engstler Centro SportivoAlfa Romeo 147MNZBRNMAGSILZOLHUNA1RNÜR
Ret		JARESTNC0

Complete European Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314151617181920DCPts
2004Engstler MotorsportBMW 320iMNZ
1		MNZ
2		VAL
1		VAL
2		MAG
1		MAG
2		HOC
1		HOC
2		BRN
1		BRN
2		DON
1		DON
2		SPA
1
21		SPA
2
Ret		IMO
1		IMO
2		OSC
1
13		OSC
2
19		DUB
1		DUB
2		NC0

Complete World Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar123456789101112131415161718192021222324DCPts
2007Engstler MotorsportBMW 320iBRA
1		BRA
2		NED
1		NED
2		ESP
1		ESP
2		FRA
1		FRA
2		CZE
1		CZE
2		POR
1		POR
2		SWE
1		SWE
2		GER
1		GER
2		GBR
1		GBR
2		ITA
1		ITA
2		MAC
1
19		MAC
2
16		NC0
2008Liqui Moly Team EngstlerBMW 320siBRA
1
10		BRA
2
17		MEX
1
18		MEX
2
16		ESP
1
17		ESP
2
17		FRA
1
19		FRA
2
15		CZE
1
16		CZE
2
23		POR
1
18		POR
2
18		GBR
1
17		GBR
2
13		GER
1
Ret		GER
2
15		EUR
1
16		EUR
2
14		ITA
1
13		ITA
2
16		JPN
1
14		JPN
2
11		MAC
1
15		MAC
2
6		17th3
2009Liqui Moly Team EngstlerBMW 320siBRA
1
12		BRA
2
16		MEX
1
14		MEX
2
11		MAR
1
11		MAR
2
7		FRA
1
6		FRA
2
Ret		ESP
1
16		ESP
2
16		CZE
1
11		CZE
2
14		POR
1
20		POR
2
11		GBR
1
NC		GBR
2
19		GER
1
7		GER
2
25		ITA
1
11		ITA
2
13		JPN
1
Ret		JPN
2
15		MAC
1
16		MAC
2
14		16th7
2010Liqui Moly Team EngstlerBMW 320siBRA
1
14		BRA
2
11		MAR
1
12		MAR
2
12		ITA
1
Ret		ITA
2
DNS		BEL
1
Ret		BEL
2
16		POR
1
13		POR
2
14		GBR
1
14		GBR
2
13		CZE
1
13		CZE
2
Ret		GER
1
13		GER
2
15		ESP
1
15		ESP
2
14		JPN
1
13		JPN
2
10		MAC
1
9		MAC
2
10		17th5
2011Liqui Moly Team EngstlerBMW 320 TCBRA
1
9		BRA
2
9		BEL
1
Ret		BEL
2
12		ITA
1
9		ITA
2
9		HUN
1
15		HUN
2
6		CZE
1
16		CZE
2
Ret		POR
1
11		POR
2
8		GBR
1
6		GBR
2
3		GER
1
16		GER
2
1		ESP
1
NC		ESP
2
10		JPN
1
10		JPN
2
11		CHN
1
12		CHN
2
8		MAC
1
6		MAC
2
7		8th88
2012Liqui Moly Team EngstlerBMW 320 TCITA
1
12		ITA
2
6		ESP
1
8		ESP
2
5		MAR
1
6		MAR
2
8		SVK
1
Ret		SVK
2
13		HUN
1
NC		HUN
2
9		AUT
1
11		AUT
2
9		POR
1
12		POR
2
9		BRA
1
17		BRA
2
Ret		USA
1
7		USA
2
10		JPN
1
10		JPN
2
11		CHN
1
9		CHN
2
15		MAC
1
7		MAC
2
6		12th64
2013Liqui Moly Team EngstlerBMW 320 TCITA
1
19†		ITA
2
13		MAR
1
17		MAR
2
8		SVK
1
19		SVK
2
Ret		HUN
1
13		HUN
2
Ret		AUT
1
19†		AUT
2
14		RUS
1
19		RUS
2
15		POR
1
21†		POR
2
18		ARG
1
19		ARG
2
15		USA
1
17		USA
2
Ret		JPN
1		JPN
2		CHN
1
13		CHN
2
28†		MAC
1
14		MAC
2
14		20th4
2014Liqui Moly Team EngstlerBMW 320 TCMAR
1
12		MAR
2
7		FRA
1
16		FRA
2
16		HUN
1
16		HUN
2
15		SVK
1
17		SVK
2
C		AUT
1
15		AUT
2
11		RUS
1
16		RUS
2
13		BEL
1
18		BEL
2
16		ARG
1
15		ARG
2
14		BEI
1
10		BEI
2
14		CHN
1
13		CHN
2
14		JPN
1
15		JPN
2
Ret		MAC
1
14		MAC
2
10		17th8

† Driver did not finish the race, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance.

Complete TCR International Series results

YearTeamCar12345678910111213141516171819202122DCPts
2015Liqui Moly Team EngstlerAudi TT CupMYS
1
Ret		MYS
2
Ret		CHN
1
6		CHN
2
7		ESP
1
Ret		ESP
2
Ret		POR
1		POR
2		ITA
1		ITA
2		AUT
1		AUT
2		RUS
1		RUS
2		RBR
1		RBR
2		SIN
1		SIN
2		THA
1		THA
2		MAC
1		MAC
2		18th16