Thomas Neumann (racing driver)

Thomas Neumann (born February 11, 1988 in Tirschenreuth ) is a German kart and automobile racing driver . In addition to numerous international kart races, he started at the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring and at the ADAC GT Masters . Neumann was particularly successful in the international German Mini Challenge , which he won in 2008.

Career

Thomas Neumann began his motorsport career in 1999 at the age of 10 in kart slalom . In his first season he was club master of the MSC Wiesau, Upper Palatinate master and Bavarian runner-up. He also reached 7th place in the German Kart Slalom Championship (class 1) from over 100 participants. In 1999 he switched to circuit racing in the kart cadet class.

From 2000 Neumann competed in the IcA100 juniors class, in which he achieved 13th place out of 89 participants as the best German in his first international race in Parma, Italy in 2002 at the traditional Margutti Cup. This year he also took part in the international JvO kart series Juniors and was able to qualify for the final in Angerville, France, at the European Championship qualification in Corridonia, Italy. There he reached 3rd place in the Federations Cup and thus his first podium at a CIK-FIA European Championship.

In 2003 Thomas Neumann switched to the IcA100 senior class, where he won the runner- up in the international JvO kart series . When he took part in the Formula BMW license course for the international DMSB C license in Valencia, Spain, Neumann was subsequently invited to the viewing course. The then 15-year-old was able to convince the jury and became a funding candidate. In 2004 the remaining sponsorship money for the Formula BMW racing series was missing and Neumann drove another year in the JvO kart series .

With a special permit from the DMSB , Thomas Neumann was able to take part in the Mini Challenge in 2005 as the youngest pilot . In his second race, the Bavarian managed to secure second starting position in qualifying at Hockenheim in the Formula 1 supporting program. In 2006 Neumann started the Mini Challenge as well as the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring in a BMW Z3 M Coupe.

From 2007 Neumann drove for the traditional Austrian racing team Lechner Racing and was able to achieve his first podium in Spa Francorchamps as part of the Formula 1 supporting program. In 2008 Thomas Neumann became Mini Challenge champion for Ehrl Sport Lechner Racing Team , ahead of Daniel Haglöf from Sweden and Hari Proczyk from Austria .

After the financial crisis in 2008, Neumann failed to find enough sponsorship money for a full season in a higher class in motor racing. In 2009 he participated as a guest starter for Mühlner Motorsport together with Lance David Arnold in a Porsche 997 GT3 Cup S in the ADAC GT Masters at the Sachsenring . In 2010, after two races in the Porsche Sports Cup Endurance (2nd and 3rd place), Thomas Neumann ended his career in automobile sport .

From 2011 to 2013 there were isolated starts in karting in the KZ2 class (switch kart 125 cm ³ ), including in 2011 at the CIK-FIA European Championship in Wackersdorf.

Since 2015, Thomas Neumann has been actively involved in international karting again, including the German Schalt Kart Championship (DSKM) and the German Schalt Kart Cup (DSKC), in which he and his own team achieved 5th place out of 34 participants in the overall standings in 2018 could.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Talent, but lack of money. Retrieved January 18, 2020 . 
2. ↑ Thomas Neumann Champion of the MINI CHALLENGE 2008. Accessed on January 17, 2020 . 
3. ↑ Back on the racetrack. Retrieved January 18, 2020 . 
4. ↑ Thomas Neumann becomes Mach1 works driver «Kart-Magazin.de - More Than Speed. Retrieved January 18, 2020 . 
5. ↑ German Kart Championship: Results. Retrieved January 17, 2020 . 
6. ↑ German Kart Championship: Results. Retrieved January 17, 2020 .