Audi driver Tom Kristensen is “Sports Personality of the Year”
- Highest honour in Danish sport
- Record Le Mans winner takes coveted prize for second time
Audi factory driver Tom Kristensen was voted “Sports Personality of the Year” in his home country Demark. The prize is awarded by the Sports Confederation of Denmark (DIF) and the National Olympic Committee in cooperation with the daily newspaper “Jyllands-Posten” for the year’s greatest sporting performance and is considered as the highest honour in Danish sport.
The jury paid tribute to the Dane’s record win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At the wheel of an Audi R8, Kristensen won, what is quite probably the world’s toughest motor race, for the seventh time again in June. As a result, the 38-year old is the most successful driver ever in the history of the French long-distance classic.
Kristensen was not only successful at Le Mans during the 2005 season: The Dane finished third with an Audi A4 DTM in the most popular international touring car series. At the “Race of Champions" in Paris, he was the best placed racing driver and won the “Nations Cup” together with his Audi team mate Mattias Ekström.
After taking the award in 2002, the Audi factory driver was voted as Denmark’s “Sports Personality of the Year” for the second time. “I’m very proud of this award, for which I have Audi, my team mates and the R8 to thank,” said Kristensen at the award ceremony in Herning, which was broadcast live in Danish television. He came out on top against table tennis professional Michael Maze and shot putter Joachim B. Olsen in the prestigious vote.