Klaus Niedzwiedz


Klaus Niedzwiedz is a former professional race driver and motoring journalist.

Driver

His 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 10 seconds slower than the F1 record of 6:58.60 set by Niki Lauda in 1975.
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 4th 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 Klaus Niedzwiedz.
In 1982 and 1987, he 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 in 1996 to drive a Ford Falcon EB.
Niedzwiedz also drove for Allan Moffat Racing at the 1989 Fuji 500 and 1990 Sandown 500.
In 1998, he won the privateer title in the ADAC German Supertouring car championship with an Opel Vectra.
In 2003, he won a VLN race with Porsche 911 GT3 at the Nürburgring
Other events:
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 is represented as the D&W Klaus Niedzwiedz car, and is complete with Niedzwiedz in team uniform.

Racing record

Career summary

;Footnotes:

Complete World Sportscar Championship results

;Footnotes:

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft results

YearTeamCar123456789101112131415161718192021222324Pts
1985Ford Rennsport HWRTFord Sierra XR4 TIZOLWUNAVU
1		MFA
Ret		ERD
2		ERD
Ret		DIEDIEZOLSIENÜR18th29
1986Ford Rennsport HWRTFord Sierra XR4 TIZOL
6		HOC
3		NÜR
4		AVU
Ret		MFA
1		WUN
Ret		NÜR
10		ZOL
9		NÜR
Ret		6th83
1987Wolf RacingFord Sierra XR4 TIHOCZOLNÜRAVUMFANORNÜR
Ret		WUNDIESALNC0
1988Ringshausen ABR MotorsportFord Sierra RS 500 CosworthZOL
1
11		ZOL
2
2		HOC
1
6		HOC
2
6		NÜR
1
Ret		NÜR
2
Ret		BRN
1
11		BRN
2
7		AVU
1		AVU
2		MFA
1		MFA
2		NÜR
1
Ret		NÜR
2
DNS		NOR
1		NOR
2		WUN
1		WUN
2		SAL
1
C		SAL
2
C		HUN
1
3		HUN
2
2		HOC
1
10		HOC
2
Ret		17th115
1989Ford Motorsport EggenbergerFord Sierra RS 500 CosworthZOL
1
6		ZOL
2
3		HOC
1
11		HOC
2
3		NÜR
1
9		NÜR
2
5		MFA
1
7		MFA
2
5		AVU
1
23		AVU
2
1		NÜR
1
7		NÜR
2
4		NOR
1
2		NOR
2
2		HOC
1
3		HOC
2
1		DIE
1
9		DIE
2
16		NÜR
1
10		NÜR
2
9		HOC
1
1		HOC
2
1		2nd274
1990Opel Team IrmscherOpel Omega 3000 24vZOL
1
WD		ZOL
2
WD		HOC
1		HOC
2		NÜR
1		NÜR
2		AVU
1
25		AVU
2
Ret		MFA
1
Ret		MFA
2
Ret		WUN
1
21		WUN
2
12		NÜR
1
9		NÜR
2
5		NOR
1
Ret		NOR
2
Ret		DIE
1
Ret		DIE
2
DNS		NÜR
1
18		NÜR
2
16		HOC
1
28		HOC
2
DNS		22nd10
1991Opel Team EggenbergerOpel Omega 3000 Evo 500ZOL
1
Ret		ZOL
2
DNS		HOC
1
24		HOC
2
19		NÜR
1
Ret		NÜR
2
21		AVU
1
28		AVU
2
17		WUN
1
Ret		WUN
2
Ret		NOR
1
Ret		NOR
2
DNS		DIE
1
25		DIE
2
20		NÜR
1
Ret		NÜR
2
DNS		ALE
1
Ret		ALE
2
DNS		HOC
1
17		HOC
2
24		BRN
1
Ret		BRN
2
DNS		DON
1
17		DON
2
Ret		NC0

Complete World Touring Car Championship results

YearTeamCar1234567891011Pts
1987Ford Texaco Racing TeamFord Sierra RS CosworthMNZ
DSQ		JAR
5		DIJ
3		NÜR
1		SPA
Ret		2nd268
1987Ford Texaco Racing TeamFord Sierra RS500BRN
1		SIL
6		BAT
DSQ		CLD
12		WEL
1		FUJ
1		2nd268

Complete Bathurst 1000 results

Complete Super Tourenwagen Cup results

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314151617181920Pts
1995Honda Team LinderHonda AccordZOL
1
24†		ZOL
2
20†		SPA
1
DSQ		SPA
2
10		ÖST
1
3		ÖST
2
18†		HOC
1
Ret		HOC
2
13		NÜR
1
9		NÜR
2
10		SAL
1
8		SAL
2
4		AVU
1
Ret		AVU
2
Ret		NÜR
1
22		NÜR
2
Ret		13th145
1996Honda Team LinderHonda AccordZOL
1
9		ZOL
2
5		ASS
1
10		ASS
2
6		HOC
1
Ret		HOC
2
DNS		SAC
1		SAC
2		WUN
1
8		WUN
2
12		ZWE
1
15		ZWE
2
9		SAL
1
5		SAL
2
5		AVU
1
2		AVU
2
4		NÜR
1
4		NÜR
2
Ret		8th269
1997AUGROS MIG AustriaAudi A4 QuattroHOC
1
24		HOC
2
20		ZOL
1
20		ZOL
2
20		NÜR
1
18		NÜR
2
DNS		SAC
1
Ret		SAC
2
12		NOR
1
14		NOR
2
9		WUN
1
12		WUN
2
Ret		ZWE
1
12		ZWE
2
8		SAL
1
22		SAL
2
20		REG
1
Ret		REG
2
14		NÜR
1
21		NÜR
2
15		21st103
1998Auto Dienst Bemani TeamOpel VectraHOC
1
17		HOC
2
14		NÜR
1
16		NÜR
2
15		SAC
1
18		SAC
2
15		NOR
1
11		NOR
2
Ret		REG
1
15		REG
2
12		WUN
1
13		WUN
2
13		ZWE
1
16		ZWE
2
16		SAL
1
18		SAL
2
14		OSC
1
21		OSC
2
16		NÜR
1
15		NÜR
2
Ret		17th156