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VIDEO: Introducing Stefan Mucke

Stefan Mucke was one of the first drivers signed by Ford Chip Ganassi Racing for its return to the Le Mans 24 Hours. The German driver will compete in the full FIA World Endurance Championship but he actually makes his race debut in the Ford GT in just over a week at the Rolex 24 at Daytona. He joins the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing IMSA team as the third driver in the #67 Ford GT for the 24 hour race.

INTRODUCING STEFAN
Stefan Mucke is a championship-winning sportscar driver. The German started his career in go-karts and single-seaters before honing his craft in the German DTM series. After eight years with Aston Martin, during which time he has won many of sportscar racing's biggest events, Stefan switches to Ford for 2016 to take on the challenge of winning the Le Mans 24 Hours.

QUOTES
"Le Mans is a very special race for every driver. It is the one that we all want to win because it is such a difficult thing to do. I have come close in the past and now I hope that with Ford we can go all the way."

"I expect it to be as tight as it was in the past, which means you get the edge over the opposition in very tiny bits of performance or strategy where you measure gaps in fractions of a second."

"That's why I love it, a sprint race over 24 hours. No time for relaxing, no room for error at all. It's a great test of a driver, a team, and a car."

"We're coming and we want to win but nobody has been sleeping over the winter. Ferrari made a new car and also the other manufacturers have all stepped up too with upgrades on their cars."

DETAILS
Date of birth: November 22, 1981
Place of birth: Berlin, Germany
Nationality: German
Lives: Berlin, Germany
Marital Status: Married, one daughter
Languages: German & English

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2015

  • FIA World Endurance Championship with Aston Martin Racing (GTE Pro class)
  • Nürburgring 24 Hours in Aston Martin GT3
  • Third place overall in Bathurst 12 Hour
  • Third place in FIA GT World Cup in Macau

2014

  • FIA World Endurance Championship with Aston Martin Racing (GTE Pro class) – Wins at COTA and Interlagos and podiums at Silverstone and Bahrain. Sixth place at Le Mans 24 Hours
  • Fifth place at Nürburgring 24 Hours in Aston Martin GT3

2013

  • Third place in FIA World Endurance Championship with Aston Martin Racing (GTE Pro class) with three wins and two further podium finishes
  • Third place in the Le Mans 24 Hours (GTE Pro class)
  • Three wins in the GT Asia Series
  • Top 10 at Nürburgring 24 Hours in Aston Martin GT3

2012

  • Second place in FIA World Endurance Championship with Aston Martin Racing (GTE Pro class) with a win and six podium finishes
  • Third place and fastest lap in the Le Mans 24 Hours (GTE Pro class)

2011

  • FIA GT1 World Championship with Young Driver AMR team. Runner-up in championship with a win and six further podium finishes
  • American Le Mans Series with Aston Martin Racing LMP1 – first place at Laguna Seca and third at Petit Le Mans
  • Le Mans 24 Hours with Aston Martin Racing LMP1

2010

  • Le Mans Series – two races in Aston Martin Racing LMP1 – second place at Paul Ricard
  • Third place at Sebring 12 Hours in Aston Martin Racing LMP1
  • Le Mans 24 Hours with Aston Martin Racing LMP1 – sixth place overall (after gearbox problems) and fastest petrol engine car in qualifying

2009

  • Championship winner: Le Mans Series in the Aston Martin Racing LMP1 with two wins and three further podiums
  • Fourth overall in the Le Mans 24 Hours in the Aston Martin Racing LMP1
  • Two races in the Asian Le Mans Series – one win, one third place in Aston Martin Racing LMP1
  • Czech Long Distance Championship in DTM Mercedes C-Class – Vice Champion

2008

  • Le Mans Series in the Aston Martin Racing LMP1 with two podium finishes. Fastest non-diesel car in qualifying and race at every round
  • Le Mans 24 Hours in the Aston Martin Racing LMP1 – ninth place overall
  • Winner of VLN 2 in Aston Martin GT3
  • Championship winner: Czech Long Distance Championship in DTM Mercedes C-Class (3500 ccm class) with four victories and a second place

2007: First season in sportscar racing

  • Competed in 24 races, taking podium finishes in 13 of them, with seven victories. Including Le Mans 24 Hours (5th place in LMP1 – awarded Best Rookie), Le Mans Series, FIA GT and ALMS

2002 – 2006: Works driver for Mercedes Benz in DTM

  • 2004: Best year-old car driver of season. Only year-old car driver to score points
  • 2005: Muucke Motorsport enters the DTM, changes to be works driver for Mücke Motorsport
  • 2006: Works driver for Mercedes Benz DTM – Team Mucke Motorsport. Best results with a year-old car: fourth at Norisring and seventh at Nurburgring

2001

  • Runner-up in International German Formula 3 Championship with the most podium places (11) of all drivers

2000

  • Fifth place in International German Formula 3 Championship

1999: Mercedes Junior Team

  • Ninth place in the International German Formula 3 Championship
  • Second place in 'Rookie of the Year' standings (three points behind winner)
  • Awarded 'Rookie of the Year by MSA (German Motorsport Paper)

1998

  • BMW Formula ADAC Champion with 15 victories in 20 races
  • Rookie of the Year

1997

  • Winner of the Formula BMW ADAC racing driver training course in Zolder and Zandvoort

1995 – 1997: Go-karting