# Christian Ried

Christian Ried (born 24 February 1979) is a German racing driver and the team principal of Proton Competition. He currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship, racing for Iron Lynx in the #61 Mercedes-AMG GT3.

## Career

Ried's father Gerold founded Proton Competition in 1996, the team which Christian has spent most of his career racing for, beginning with the FIA GT Championship in 1999. As of 2021, Christian was team owner, facilitating the team's move to the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship alongside WeatherTech Racing in 2021. Ried ran his first 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2006, driving in the GT2 class for Sebah Automotive Ltd. He returned in 2011, driving for Proton Competition, and scored his first podium in 2014, finishing second in the GTE Am class. Four years later, Ried collected his first victory at the famous race, winning the GTE Am class alongside co-drivers Matt Campbell and Julien Andlauer. Two years later, Ried finished runner-up once again, this time with Riccardo Pera replacing Andlauer in the driver lineup. That same year, Ried won the European Le Mans Series championship in the GTE class on countback, after ending level on points with Kessel Racing.
In 2017 and 2018, Ried won the Porsche Cup, an award handed out to a non-factory driver who has most successfully piloted a Porsche over the course of the season.
Ried is the only driver to have competed in every race of the first decade of the FIA World Endurance Championship, spanning from 2012 to 2022. Following the 2023 season, after 85 consecutive races and 13 class victories in the championship, Ried announced his retirement from professional racing, electing to focus on the management of Proton Competition and his children's racing careers. Ultimately, Ried returned to the championship for a one-off drive at Interlagos in 2024, replacing full-season Bronze-ranked driver Giorgio Roda. Due to Proton Competition's transition to Ford machinery in 2024, Ried's unscheduled appearance marked his first WEC start in a non-Porsche entry.
For 2025, Ried would return to full-time racing, this time for Italian team Iron Lynx in their first season as a Mercedes-AMG customer team.

## Personal life

His son Jonas, is currently competing in the European Le Mans Series. And his other son Lenny, is currently competing in F4 Spanish Championship for Monlau Motorsport

## Racing record
### Racing career summary

| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
| 1996 | Global GT Championship | Proton Competition | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 126th |
| 1999 | FIA GT Championship - GT | Proton Competition | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2000 | FIA GT Championship - GT | Proton Competition | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2000 | American Le Mans Series - GTS | Proton Competition | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 29th |
| 2001 | FIA GT Championship - GT | Proton Competition | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2001 | Grand American Rolex Series - GTS | Proton Competition | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 42nd |
| 2002 | FIA GT Championship - GT | Proton Competition | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 35th |
| 2003 | FIA GT Championship - GT | Proton Competition | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2003 | FIA GT Championship - N-GT | Proton Competition | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 45th |
| 2004 | FIA GT Championship - N-GT | Proton Competition | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 5th |
| 2005 | FIA GT Championship - GT2 | Proton Competition | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 5th |
| 2006 | FIA GT Championship - GT2 | Team Felbermayr-Proton | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25.5 | 11th |
| 2006 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - GT2 | Sebah Automotive Ltd. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
| 2007 | Le Mans Series - GT2 | Team Felbermayr-Proton | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 13th |
| 2008 | Le Mans Series - GT2 | Team Felbermayr-Proton | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 14th |
| 2008 | 24H Series - A6 | Proton Competition | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30th |
| 2009 | Asian Le Mans Series - GT2 | Team Felbermayr-Proton | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 3rd |
| 2009 | Le Mans Series - GT2 | Team Felbermayr-Proton | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 16th |
| 2010 | Le Mans Series - GT2 | Team Felbermayr-Proton | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 55 | 3rd |
| 2011 | Le Mans Series - LMGTE Am | Team Felbermayr-Proton | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 5th |
| 2011 | Intercontinental Le Mans Cup - LMGTE Am | Proton Competition | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | N/A | N/A |
| 2011 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Proton Competition | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
| 2011 | American Le Mans Series - GT | Proton Competition | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† |
| 2012 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | Team Felbermayr-Proton | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5.5 | 38th |
| 2012 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Team Felbermayr-Proton | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
| 2013 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | Proton Competition | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 76.5 | 6th |
| 2013 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Proton Competition | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 8th |
| 2013 | European Le Mans Series - LMGTE | Proton Competition | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 80 | 2nd |
| 2013 | French GT Championship | Autorlando | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† |
| 2014 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | Proton Competition | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 121 | 4th |
| 2014 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Proton Competition | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 2nd |
| 2014 | French GT Championship | Team Martinet - Alméras | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† |
| 2015 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 79 | 8th |
| 2015 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 79 | 8th |
| 2015 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
| 2015 | European Le Mans Series - LMGTE | Proton Competition | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 55 | 6th |
| 2015–16 | Asian Le Mans Series - GT | KCMG | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 52 | 2nd |
| 2016 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | KCMG | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 121 | 5th |
| 2016 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | KCMG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 10th |
| 2016 | European Le Mans Series - GTE | Proton Competition | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 7th |
| 2017 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 168 | 2nd |
| 2017 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 6th |
| 2017 | European Le Mans Series - LMGTE | Proton Competition | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 80 | 3rd |
| 2018 | European Le Mans Series - LMGTE | Proton Competition | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 83 | 4th |
| 2018 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 1st |
| 2018–19 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 110 | 2nd |
| 2019 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 4th |
| 2019 | European Le Mans Series - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 76 | 2nd |
| 2019–20 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 107.5 | 5th |
| 2020 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A | 2nd |
| 2020 | European Le Mans Series - LMGTE | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 99 | 1st |
| 2020 | 24H GT Series - GTX | Proton Competition | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7th |
| 2021 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 79 | 3rd |
| 2021 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 5th |
| 2021 | European Le Mans Series - LMGTE | Proton Competition | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 57 | 7th |
| 2022 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 83 | 6th |
| 2022 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 14th |
| 2022 | European Le Mans Series - LMGTE | Proton Competition | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 82 | 1st |
| 2023 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 80 | 4th |
| 2023 | 24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am | Dempsey-Proton Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
| 2023 | European Le Mans Series - LMGTE | Proton Competition | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 85 | 2nd |
| 2024 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGT3 | Proton Competition | | | | | | | |
| 2025 | FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGT3 | Iron Lynx | | | | | | | |
† As Ried was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score championship points.

### Complete Intercontinental Le Mans Cup results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Rank | Points |
| 2011 | Proton Competition | LMGTE Am | Porsche 997 GT3-RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | SEB 2 | SPA 4 | LMS Ret | IMO DSQ | SIL 2 | PET Ret | ZHU 1 | | |

### Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Rank | Points |
| 2012 | Team Felbermayr-Proton | LMGTE Am | Porsche 997 GT3-RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | SEB 1 | SPA 1 | LMS Ret | SIL 2 | SÃO 1 | BHR 1 | FUJ 3 | SHA 2 | | 38th | 5.5 |
| 2013 | Proton Competition | LMGTE Am | Porsche 997 GT3-RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | SIL 5 | SPA 5 | LMS 5 | SÃO 3 | COA 5 | FUJ 3 | SHA 4 | BHR Ret | | 6th | 76.5 |
| 2014 | Proton Competition | LMGTE Am | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | SIL 4 | SPA 4 | LMS 2 | COA 3 | FUJ 4 | SHA 5 | BHR 4 | SÃO 4 | | 4th | 121 |
| 2015 | Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing | LMGTE Am | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | SIL 5 | SPA 4 | LMS Ret | NÜR 6 | COA 2 | FUJ 5 | SHA 7 | | | 8th | 79 |
| 2015 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | LMGTE Am | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | | | | | | | | BHR 3 | | 8th | 79 |
| 2016 | KCMG | LMGTE Am | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | SIL 4 | SPA 4 | LMS 6 | NÜR DSQ | MEX 3 | COA 2 | FUJ 3 | SHA 3 | BHR 2 | 5th | 121 |
| 2017 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | LMGTE Am | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | SIL 3 | SPA 2 | LMS 3 | NÜR 1 | MEX 1 | COA 4 | FUJ 3 | SHA 3 | BHR 4 | 2nd | 168 |
| 2018–19 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | LMGTE Am | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | SPA 4 | LMS 1 | SIL 1 | FUJ DSQ | SHA 1 | SEB 1 | SPA 1 | LMS 2 | | 2nd | 110 |
| 2019–20 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | LMGTE Am | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | SIL 5 | FUJ 5 | SHA 11 | BHR 6 | COA 5 | SPA 2 | LMS 2 | BHR 7 | | 5th | 107.5 |
| 2021 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | LMGTE Am | Porsche 911 RSR-19 | Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 | SPA Ret | POR Ret | MON 5 | LMS 4 | BHR 2 | BHR 2 | | | | 3rd | 79 |
| 2022 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | LMGTE Am | Porsche 911 RSR-19 | Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 | SEB 4 | SPA 1 | LMS 8 | MON 1 | FUJ Ret | BHR 8 | | | | 6th | 83 |
| 2023 | Dempsey-Proton | LMGTE Am | Porsche 911 RSR-19 | Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 | SEB 2 | PRT 7 | SPA 9 | LMS Ret | MON 1 | FUJ 6 | BHR 6 | | | 4th | 80 |
| 2024 | Proton Competition | LMGT3 | Ford Mustang GT3 | Ford Coyote 5.4 L V8 | QAT | IMO | SPA | LMS | SÃO 13 | COA | FUJ 16 | BHR | | 28th | 0 |
| Sources: ||||||||||||||||
$^*$ Season still in progress.

### Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
| 2006 | Sebah Automotive Ltd. | Xavier Pompidou Thorkild Thyrring | Porsche 911 GT3-RSR | GT2 | 256 | DNF | DNF |
| 2011 | Proton Competition | Horst Felbermayr Horst Felbermayr Jr. | Porsche 997 GT3-RSR | GTE Am | 199 | DNF | DNF |
| 2012 | Team Felbermayr-Proton | Gianluca Roda Paolo Ruberti | Porsche 997 GT3-RSR | GTE Am | 222 | DNF | DNF |
| 2013 | Proton Competition | Gianluca Roda Paolo Ruberti | Porsche 997 GTE-RSR | GTE Am | 300 | 35th | 8th |
| 2014 | Proton Competition | Khaled Al Qubaisi Klaus Bachler | Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am | 300 | 21st | 2nd |
| 2015 | Abu Dhabi-Proton Racing | Khaled Al Qubaisi Klaus Bachler | Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am | 44 | DNF | DNF |
| 2016 | KCMG | Joël Camathias Wolf Henzler | Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am | 300 | 41st | 10th |
| 2017 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | Matteo Cairoli Marvin Dienst | Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am | 329 | 34th | 6th |
| 2018 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | Julien Andlauer Matt Campbell | Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am | 335 | 25th | 1st |
| 2019 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | Julien Andlauer Matt Campbell | Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am | 332 | 34th | 4th |
| 2020 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | Matt Campbell Riccardo Pera | Porsche 911 RSR | GTE Am | 339 | 25th | 2nd |
| 2021 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | Matt Campbell Jaxon Evans | Porsche 911 RSR-19 | GTE Am | 335 | 31st | 5th |
| 2022 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | Sebastian Priaulx Harry Tincknell | Porsche 911 RSR-19 | GTE Am | 336 | 47th | 14th |
| 2023 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | Julien Andlauer Mikkel O. Pedersen | Porsche 911 RSR-19 | GTE Am | 118 | DNF | DNF |
| Sources: ||||||||

### Complete European Le Mans Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Rank | Points |
| 2013 | Proton Competition | LMGTE | Porsche 997 GT3-RSR | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | SIL 1 | IMO 5 | RBR 8 | HUN 1 | LEC 3 | | 2nd | 80 |
| 2015 | Proton Competition | LMGTE | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | SIL 5 | IMO 2 | RBR 5 | LEC 4 | EST 8 | | 6th | 55 |
| 2016 | Proton Competition | LMGTE | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | SIL 6 | IMO 4 | RBR 5 | LEC Ret | SPA 2 | EST 5 | 7th | 60 |
| 2017 | Proton Competition | LMGTE | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | SIL 2 | MNZ 5 | RBR 5 | LEC 6 | SPA 6 | ALG 1 | 3rd | 80 |
| 2018 | Proton Competition | LMGTE | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 | LEC 5 | MNZ 2 | RBR 4 | SIL 4 | SPA 5 | ALG 1 | 4th | 83 |
| 2019 | Dempsey-Proton Racing | LMGTE | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | LEC 3 | MNZ 1 | CAT 6 | SIL 7 | SPA 2 | ALG Ret | 2nd | 76 |
| 2020 | Proton Competition | LMGTE | Porsche 911 RSR | Porsche 4.0L Flat-6 | LEC 1 | SPA 6 | LEC 2 | MNZ 2 | ALG 1 | | 1st | 99 |
| 2021 | WeatherTech Racing | LMGTE | Porsche 911 RSR-19 | Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 | CAT 2 | RBR 6 | LEC 4 | MNZ 9 | SPA 7 | ALG 5 | 6th | 57 |
| 2022 | Proton Competition | LMGTE | Porsche 911 RSR-19 | Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 | LEC 2 | IMO Ret | MNZ 2 | CAT 1 | SPA 9 | ALG 5 | 1st | 82 |
| 2023 | Proton Competition | LMGTE | Porsche 911 RSR-19 | Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 | CAT Ret | LEC 1 | ARA 4 | SPA 8 | PRT 1 | ALG 2 | 2nd | 85 |
| Source: |||||||||||||
$^*$ Season still in progress.