Andre Lotterer

1. Who is André Lotterer?
2. André Lotterer's junior career
3. André Lotterer's single-seater career
4. André Lotterer's Endurance Course
5. AUTOhebdo's opinion on André Lotterer
6. Learn more about André Lotterer

1. Who is André Lotterer?

André Lotterer is a German racing driver, born on November 19, 1981 in Duisburg (Germany). He is a development driver for the Genesis Magma Racing endurance program.

LOTTERER André (ger), Porsche Penske Motorsport, Porsche 936, portrait, VANTHOOR Laurens (bel), Porsche Penske Motorsport, Porsche 936, portrait, ESTRE Kevin (fra), Porsche Penske Motorsport, Porsche 963, portrait, hypercar drivers championship celebration during the 2024 8 Hours of Bahrain, 8th round of the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship, from October 31 to November 2, 2024 on the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain - Photo Javier Jimenez / DPPI

Celebrating the 2024 WEC title © Javier Jimenez / DPPI

2. André Lotterer's junior career

Lotterer began his racing career with several years of karting before joining the Formula BMW Junior Championship in 1998. The German was crowned champion at the end of his first campaign. The following year, in 1999, he won 15 of the 18 races in the championship, earning him the ADAC Formula BMW title and taking part in a round of the Eurocup Formula Renault.

In 2000, he continued his rise by joining the German Formula 3 Championship and finishing third overall. His strong results earned him recognition from Jaguar Racing F1 and the opportunity to become their development driver. Lotterer competed the following year in the British Formula 3 Championship with the Jaguar Academy and achieved a seventh-place finish. These performances did not earn him a Formula 1 start.

AUTO - F1 2001 - BARCELONA TESTING SESSION 001215 - BARCELONA - PHOTO: GILLES LEVENT/DPPI ANDRE LOTTERER JAGUAR PORTRAIT

Lotterer during a test session with Jaguar F1 in 2001 © GILLES LEVENT / DPPI

3. André Lotterer's single-seater career

Formula Nippon / Super Formula

André Lotterer joined the Formula Nippon championship in 2003 (now Super Formula) with Nakajima Racing for the 10 races of the season. In his first participation in the Japanese competition, he finished fifth. The following year, he continued with the same team and finished runner-up. In 2005, he began his final season with Nakajima Racing before joining Team TOM's in 2006.

Victory at Fuji in Formula Nippon for Lotterer in 2011 © Formula Nippon

The German continued with TOM's. Between 2006 and 2010, Lotterer finished in the top 5 (3rd in 2006, 5th in 2007, 3rd in 2008, 3rd in 2009 and 2nd in 2010) before winning the title in 2011. Until 2017, the driver remained loyal to his team and finished his seasons between second and sixth place.

Formula 1

After serving as a reserve driver for Jaguar Racing in Formula 2001 from 2003 to 1, Lotterer did not secure a regular drive with the British team. The German driver returned to the premier class in 2014 at the Belgian Grand Prix with Caterham. He was forced to retire due to an engine problem on the first lap of the race.

LOTTERER Andre (Ger) Caterham Renault Ct05 Ambiance Portrait during the 2014 Formula One World Championship, Belgium Grand Prix from August 21 to 24th 2014, in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

Lotterer during the 2014 Belgian GP © FLORENT GOODEN / DPPI Media

Formula E

Lotterer made his Formula E debut in 2017 with DS Techeetah alongside Jean-Eric Vergne. He finished eighth in the drivers' championship and re-signed for the 2018-2019 season, finishing eighth again. The German left the French team for TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team for the 2019-2020 campaign, where he will drive until 2022 as a full-time driver.

Lotterer at the Seoul ePrix in 2022 © JULIEN DELFOSSE / DPPI Media

For the 2022-2023 season, Lotterer will race with Avalanche Andretti Formula E, still in a Porsche 99X Electric. He will be replaced by David Beckmann in races 10 and 11 before competing in the final five races of the season. Lotterer will end of his single-seater career September 2023.

4. André Lotterer's Endurance Course

André Lotterer made his endurance racing debut in 2009. He competed in his first 24 Hours of Le Mans in the LM P1 class with the private Kolles team, which ran an Audi R10 TDI, and finished seventh. The following year, in 2010, he competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the official Audi Sport Team Joest, finishing second alongside Marcel Fässler and Benoît Tréluyer before winning the race at Le Mans for the first time in 2011 with the same team.

MOTORSPORT - LE MANS 24 HOURS / 24 HOURS OF LE MANS 2011 - RACE / RACE - LE MANS (FRA) 10 TO 12/06/2011 - PHOTO: JEAN MICHEL LE MEUR / DPPI - 02 FASSLER MARCEL (CHE) - LOTTERER ANDRE (DEU) - TRELUYER BENOIT (FRA) / AUDI R18 TDI TEAM AUDI SPORT JOEST / AMBIANCE - PORTRAIT - PODIUM WITH ULLRICH WOLFGANG AND JUTTNER RALF

Lotterer, Fässler and Tréluyer won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2011 © JEAN MICHEL LE MEUR / DPPI

In 2012, Lotterer competed in the full season of the World Endurance Championship with Audi Sport Team Joest, alongside Marcel Fässler and Benoît Tréluyer. The German team had a very successful season, with victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Silverstone, and Bahrain, as well as four other podium finishes. With these performances, Lotterer secured his first WEC world championship title.

MOTORSPORT - WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP 2012 - 6 HOURS OF SHANGHAI - CHINA - 26 TO 28/10/2012 - PHOTO: DPPI - 01 LOTTERER ANDRE (GER) - TRELUYER BENOIT (FRA) - FASSLER MARCEL (CHE) / AUDI R18 E-TRON QUATTRO TEAM AUDI SPORT JOEST / ATMOSPHERE - FIA WEC 2012 CHAMPIONS / ATMOSPHERE

Audi champion drivers in 2012 © JEAN MICHEL LE MEUR / DPPI

Between 2013 and 2015, Lotterer and Audi were runners-up in each season and won the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Audi R18 e-tron quattro. The 2016 season didn't go as well, as they finished fifth in the championship.

07 FASSLER Marcel (che) LOTTERER André (deu) TRELUYER Benoit (fra) AUDI R18 lmp1 team Audi sport Joest ambiance during the 2016 FIA WEC World Endurance Championship, 6 Hours of Shanghai from november 4 to 6, at Shanghai, China - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

The 18 Audi R2016 © FLORENT GOODEN / DPPI Media

In 2017, Lotterer moved to Porsche LMP Team, still in LM P1. With Neel Jani and Nick Tandy as teammates in the Porsche 919 Hybrid, he climbed to fourth place in the championship after a retirement at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and a pole in Bahrain.

01 JANI Neel (che), TANDY Nick (gbr), LOTTERER André (ger), Porsche 919 hybrid lmp1 team Porsche, ambiance pole position during the 2017 FIA WEC World Endurance Championship, 6 Hours of Bahrain from November 15 to 18 at International Circuit of Sakhir - Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

Pole in Bahrain in 2017 © FLORENT GOODEN / DPPI Media

With Porsche not competing in the 2018-2019 LM P1 season, Lotterer joined Rebellion Racing. He competed in most races except for the 1000 Miles of Sebring. He took a break from the WEC after this campaign to focus on the Formula E championship with Porsche.

01 LOTTERER Andre (ger), JANI Neel (che), SENNA Bruno (bre), Rebellion R13 Gibson team Rebellion racing, action during the 2018 FIA WEC World Endurance Championship, 6 Hours of Shanghai from november 16 to 18, at Shanghai, China - Photo Pascal Saivet / DPPI

The Rebellion in Shanghai in 2018 © Pascal Saivet / DPPI

Porsche Penske Motorsport announced Lotterer's return in 2023 to race in Hypercars. The German is partnered with Kévin Estre and Laurens Vanthoor. In the Porsche 963's debut season, the No. 6 crew finished sixth in the championship. He returned in 2024 with the same team. After two race wins and three second-place finishes, Lotterer and his teammates were crowned WEC world champions.

VANTHOOR Laurens, Porsche Penske Motorsport, FIA WEC, portrait LOTTERER André, Porsche Penske Motorsport, FIA WEC, portrait ESTRE Kévin, Porsche Penske Motorsport, FIA WEC, portrait during the 2024 FIA Awards Ceremony, on December 13, 2024 at BK Arena, in Kigali, Rwanda - Photo Frederic Le Floc'h / DPPI

2024 World Champions © Frederic Le Floc'h / DPPI

Lotterer embarks on a new adventure in 2025 with Hyundai, which is preparing to enter Hypercars under the Genesis Magma Racing banner in 2026. He is using his experience to help the South Korean manufacturer develop in the right direction. The German will participate in the 24 2025 Hours of Le Mans with IDEC Sport, Genesis' LM P2 partner team.

5. AUTOhebdo's opinion on André Lotterer

André Lotterer is one of the best endurance drivers of recent years, with three victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and two WEC world championship titles (in 2012 and 2024). He has managed to transcend eras and rise to new challenges. By bringing his experience to Genesis Magma Racing, he once again demonstrates his ability to reinvent himself.