Dieter Ludwig Jr

Stuttgart, Germany

Auto Maass (DTM 1993)

WS-DHL-Team (DTM 1994)

**Dieter Manfred-Ludwig Jr.** is a German racing driver.

After a successful career in DTM and sportscars, he moved to Formula One in 1997, driving for Tyrrell. He has made no previous appearances in Formula One, with 1997 currently being his first season.

## Early Life

Born **Dieter Manfred-Ludwig Jr**, Dieter is the middle child in the Ludwig family line with his brother, Schornstein Manfred-Ludwig Sr. being the eldest in the family. Lauren Manfred-Ludwig is the youngest child. His father Reinhold Manfred-Ludwig was formerly a German racing driver and mechanic, co-owning his own small company Schnitzer-Reinhold Automatisierung with colleague Markus Schnitzer. Dieter's father had a high interest in motorsport during the company's early years, seeing it as "The most profitable and marketable form of mechanical engineering." (Quote from family member Schornstein.)

Reinhold would decide with his long-time acquaintance and fellow business partner Markus to take a large loan from the German bank Berliner Sparkasse in order to modify and enter a BMW 2002 Turbo into the German national championship Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft in 1977 under Group 5 Special Production Car regulations. The BMW 2002 Turbo would be driven by the eldest child, Schornstein, while only at the age of 17. Despite his age, Schornstein would be allowed to enter the championship with special permission from the AvD (Automobilclub von Deutschland) and ADAC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club) as Schornstein would display promising talent in national karting championships and German Formula Two, where he won the title in 1976.

The 2002 Turbo would prove to be quick, but plagued by reliability problems due to being developed only by both Reinhold and Markus. The BMW M10 L4 4v Turbo/Schnitzer engine was provided by BMW, with the small company being taken up as customers. Schnitzer had the fastest car in Division 2 (Apart from the Porsche 935 77/2.0, dubbed the 'Baby' but that appeared only twice during the 1977 season, once in Norisring and again in Hockenheim.) However, it was handicapped by unreliability in the suspension and fuel injection, although Schornstein with his talent showed how a car like that should be driven, picking up pole twice in the season in the 10 races on the calendar, and winning one race.

The team's first performance in motorsport would be enough to impress BMW to have the Schnitzer company become partners in a factory team effort for the 1978 World Champion for Makes, where Dieter, now eight years old, would have his first taste of motorsport. Dieter would soak up plenty of information about the racing world while travelling with the the now dubbed 'BMW Junior Team.' The team was now named 'Junior', as Schnitzer-Reinhold would build three cars for more young rising stars like Schornstein to complete alongside Schornstein, with the two drivers in the #12 and #13 cars while Schornstein would be in the #38S. The #11 taken by another entry. The 1978 World Manufacturers' Championship was split into two divisions that year in an attempt to spice things up. BMW responded with a small fleet customer of atmospheric 320's, (while the Junior turbo driven by Schornstein and Co. being the factory effort) entered by country teams. BMW would enter the under 2-litre Division 2 class without any serious opposition.

## Racing Career

After the collapse of the DRM in 1982, BMW and now large-scale comapny Schnitzer-Reinhold would turn to providing engines for Formula One, now entering their own turbo era. The now-strong partners would also enter cars into the rising Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft competition, once again investing a works team effort in 1984 along with many customer teams. By now, 14 year old Dieter had shown the same promise and virtuoso his older brother had in karting championships. He had won even more often than Schornstein did, having an advantage over people his age by learning the inner workings of race cars through his time spent with his father watching various competitions. He had also spent hours looking at race cars being taken apart and assembled together. The team, namely Jochen Neerpasch, would push to have Dieter driving in the DTM by 1989.

Being asked in 1983 about his brother making headway in karting, Schornstein would say: "Dieter would make his own setups for his kart, frequently refusing help from the mechanics our father hired to aid his effort in motorsport campaigns. It's quite funny, in a cute way."

In 1989, Dieter would debut as a BMW Development driver in the DTM, driving once-again for a factory effort team by BMW and Schnitzer, bluntly named the 'BMW M Team Schnitzer'. He would shock the touring car and sports car scene by winning on his first time out in the series, winning three races and scoring seven podiums out of the 11 race calendar. The media called the Ludwig family 'generational talents', with Schornstein also being a top competitor in Group C. Dieter would not race in 1990 or 1991 however, due to wanting to finish his Marketing and International Business major at the University of Stuttgart. Reinhold nor Markus Schnitzer has not confirmed weather or not Dieter will take over the business in future, but it is still speculated.

    After a lengthy time away from motorsport, although keeping healthy and in touch with the motorsport world, Dieter would return to develop his racing skills with Schnitzer in the DTM, competing in 1992 and getting 7th in the final standings despite a string of retirements with a win in Hockenheim. He would continue to make only slow progress in the DTM, with media speculation rumouring his skills had dropped off due to his two year sabbatical after his famous 1989 season. Finishing 26th in 1993 and 34th in 1994, questions in the media began to raise about whether or not Dieter still had the talent he once cultivated throughout his childhood.

Dieter would leave the DTM before the 1995 season, remarking to journalists that he wishes to "Get back into shape" before continuing his sports car career, hoping to be "racing for the win at Le Mans by 1999." He would then enter the 1996 British Formula Two Championship. Dieter would finish 6th, stifling some criticism about his driving ability. This would have Dieter be offered a seat in the 1997 Formula One season by Tyrrell in a surprise move by the team. Apart from the statement that Dieter would race alongside driver Gerard Schwartz for the season, Ken Tyrrell has refused to comment on why Dieter was chosen for Tyrrell's 1997 campaign.

Dieter, as proven by his 1990-1991 sabbatical, is a keen scholar and enjoys insights into business ventures in the motorsport world. It is unknown how much involvement he has had in the Schnitzer-Reinhold company to date. Dieter otherwise lives a very secluded life, not allowing the media to interview him outside of motorsport events. Not much is known about his private life, but it is rumoured he has a German girlfriend.