King Ludwig – Klaus Ludwig is coming to the Grand Meeting 2026
Many of the names making an appearance at this year’s Grand Meeting need no introduction. And we’re delighted that Klaus Ludwig will now be one of them.
Many of the names making an appearance at this year’s Grand Meeting need no introduction. And we’re delighted that Klaus Ludwig will now be one of them.
Three DTM titles, three Le Mans victories, FIA GT World Champion …
… and all this without ever having competed in a single Formula 1 race. Klaus Ludwig forged his own path – and that path took him to the very top of German and international motorsport. No wonder fans still call him ‘King Ludwig’ to this day.
Klaus Ludwig began his motorsport career in the early 1970s with slalom and touring car racing. He had known the Nürburgring since he was a child – he had visited the legendary ‘Green Hell’ with his parents and watched the races on the Nordschleife with great excitement – and later this circuit was to become his very own stage.
Three-time winner of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, three-time Le Mans winner – no wonder he’s also known as the ‘King of the Nordschleife’.
In 1979, he became German racing champion in the Kremer Porsche 935 – and in the same year won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in pouring rain, beating the faster, pure-bred sports prototypes. It marked the start of a Le Mans winning streak: two further overall victories followed in 1984 and 1985 in the Joest Porsche.
His DTM chapter began in 1985 – the most significant part of what was already an impressive career. 219 races, 37 wins, and more championship points than any other DTM driver before him. Three-time champion: in 1988 with Ford, and in 1992 and 1994 with Mercedes. At the age of 50, he won two races at the Sachsenring on his comeback and remains the oldest DTM race winner of all time.
1998 saw the final major chapter of his active racing career: winning the FIA GT Championship in a Mercedes CLK-GTR, alongside Ricardo Zonta. This was followed by his retirement, bringing to an end a motorsport career spanning almost 30 years at the very highest level – but the memories remain to this day.
Today, Klaus Ludwig is a brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz Classic – and remains one of Germany’s most popular motorsport personalities. He will be attending the Grand Meeting 2026 from 31 July to 2 August – together with his son Luca.
