Christina Nielsen

Last updated
Christina Nielsen
Christina Nielsen 2012.jpg
Christina Nielsen, Zandvoort 2012
Nationality Flag of Denmark.svg Danish
Born (1992-01-10) 10 January 1992 (age 33)
Hørsholm, Denmark
Related toLars-Erik Nielsen (father)
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship career
Debut season 2014
Current team Team Hardpoint EBM
Racing licence FIA Silver Driver.png FIA Silver (until 2021)
FIA Bronze Driver.png FIA Bronze (2022–) [1]
Car number88
Former teamsScuderia Corsa TRG-AMR North America
NGT Motorsport
Wright Motorsport, Grasser Racing Team
Starts58
Championships2 (2016, 2017)
Wins4
Poles3
Best finish1st in 2016, 2017
Previous series
2015
2014
2012-2014
2013
2012
2010-2011
2010
2007-2009
Pirelli World Challenge
Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA
Porsche GT3 Cup Middle East
ADAC GT Masters
Porsche Carrera Cup Germany
ADAC Formel Masters
Formula Ford Denmark
Karting
Championship titles
2016-2017 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship GTD

Christina Nielsen (born 10 January 1992) is a Danish racing driver who is the first female driver to win a WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series title. She is the daughter of racing driver Lars-Erik Nielsen, who raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 2000s. [2]

Contents

Racing career

Karting

Nielsen started her karting career in 2007. After karting for a couple of years, she switched to formula racing in 2010.

Formel Ford Denmark & ADAC Formel Masters

After karting from 2007 to 2009, Nielsen made her formula racing debut in 2010 in the Danish Formula Ford Championship. Finishing the season in 9th position.

After doing two one-off appearances in the ADAC Formel Masters in 2010, Nielsen went on to do a full season in 2011.

GT Racing

For 2012, Nielsen switched to the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany running in the B-class. She ended the season 5th in class.

In 2013, Nielsen switched to the ADAC GT Masters. For 2014, Nielsen raced in the United SportsCar Championship for NGT Motorsport.

In 2015, Nielsen ran the entire IMSA SportsCar Championship in a GTD Aston Martin Vantage V12 under the TRG-AMR banner, partnering with Kuno Wittmer and James Davison. [3] She claimed four second-place finishes and a third, finishing runner-up two points behind Townsend Bell and Bill Sweedler.

The 488 GT3 that Nielsen drove at the 2017 Petit Le Mans. Scuderia Corsa - Ferrari 488 GT3.jpg
The 488 GT3 that Nielsen drove at the 2017 Petit Le Mans.

The Dane continued in the IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2016, joining Scuderia Corsa to drive alongside Alessandro Balzan in a GTD-class Ferrari. [4] She won the 12 Hours of Sebring with Jeff Segal as third driver. With another win at 6 Hours of Watkins Glen and four additional podiums throughout the season, Nielsen and Balzan won the 2016 IMSA SportsCar series Championship, with a 299-point total for the year, and thus Nielsen became the first woman to win a major full-season professional sports car championship in North America. [5] [6] [2]

Racing record

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series results

YearTeamClassMakeEngine123456789101112RankPointsRef
2014 NGT MotorsportGTD Porsche 911 GT America Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY
9
SEB
22
LGA DET WGL
6
MOS IMS ELK VIR COA 34th73 [7]
TRG-AMR North America Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Aston Martin 6.0 L V12 PET
10
2015 TRG-AMR North America GTD Aston Martin Vantage GT3 Aston Martin 6.0 L V12 DAY
13
SEB
2
LGA
5
BEL
2
WGL
10
LIM
3
ELK
2
VIR
2
AUS
8
PET
9
2nd279 [8]
2016 Scuderia Corsa GTD Ferrari 488 GT3 Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 DAY
6
SEB
1
LGA
2
BEL
3
WGL
1
MOS
4
LIM
11
ELK
3
VIR
7
AUS
3
PET
2
1st332 [9]
2017 Scuderia Corsa GTD Ferrari 488 GT3 Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 DAY
16
SEB
2
LBH
3
AUS
2
DET
2
WGL
2
MOS
3
LIM
6
ELK
5
VIR
12
LGA
1
PET
9
1st340 [10]
2018 Wright MotorsportsGTD Porsche 911 GT3 R Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY
19
SEB
6
MOH
7
BEL
11
WGL
9
MOS
9
LIM
8
ELK
1
VIR
2
LGA
11
PET
4
7th263 [11]
2019 Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing GTD Acura NSX GT3 Acura 3.5 L Turbo V6 DAY
12
SEB
8
MDO
10
DET
9
WGL
4
MOS LIM
12
ELK VIR LGA
6
PET
7
14th159 [12]
2020 GEAR Racing powered by GRT Grasser GTD Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo Lamborghini 5.2 L V10 DAY
16
DAY SEB ELK VIR ATL MDO CLT PET LGA SEB 57th15 [13]
2021 Team Hardpoint EBM GTD Porsche 911 GT3 R Porsche 4.0 L Flat-6 DAY
10
SEB
5
MDO DET WGL WGL LIM ELK LGA LBH VIR PET 40th508 [14]
Source: [15]

24 Hours of Le Mans results

YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLapsPos.Class
Pos.
2016 Flag of Denmark.svg Formula Racing Flag of Denmark.svg Johnny Laursen
Flag of Denmark.svg Mikkel Mac
Ferrari 458 Italia GTCGTE
Am
31935th6th
2017 Flag of the United States.svg Scuderia Corsa Flag of Italy.svg Alessandro Balzan
Flag of the United States.svg Bret Curtis
Ferrari 488 GTE GTE
Am
31444th14th
2018 Flag of Italy.svg Ebimotors Flag of Italy.svg Fabio Babini
Flag of France.svg Erik Maris
Porsche 911 RSR GTE
Am
33231st6th
Sources: [15] [16]

Complete 24 Hours of Nürburgring results

YearTeamCo-DriversCarClassLapsOvr.
Pos.
Class
Pos.
2021 Flag of Germany.svg WS Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Pippa Mann
Flag of France.svg Célia Martin
Flag of Germany.svg Carrie Schreiner
Audi R8 LMS GT4 Evo SP85245th1st

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrantClassCarEngine123456RankPoints
2022 Iron Dames LMGTE Am Ferrari 488 GTE Evo Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 SEB SPA
10
LMS MNZ FUJ BHR 27th1
Sources: [15] [17]

References

  1. Goodwin, Graham (10 November 2021). "Updated 2022 Provisional FIA Driver Rankings Published". Dailysportscar. Retrieved 21 February 2025.
  2. 1 2 Sportscar365.com (Oct 1, 2016). "Christina Nielsen, Alessandro Balzan clinch GTD championship". Fox Sports.com. Archived from the original on Oct 7, 2016. Retrieved Oct 1, 2016.
  3. Dagys, John (6 November 2014). "TRG-AMR Signs Nielsen for GTD Program with Davison". Sportscar365.com. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  4. DiZinno, Tony (15 December 2015). "Scuderia Corsa Confirms GTLM, GTD Programs". SportsCar365. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  5. Marshall Pruett (Oct 1, 2016). "IMSA: Nielsen, Balzan clinch GTD championship". Racer Media. Archived from the original on March 28, 2018. Retrieved Oct 2, 2016.
  6. "Weathertech SportsCar Championship standings for 2016". Racing Reference. Oct 1, 2016. Archived from the original on June 12, 2017. Retrieved Oct 2, 2016.
  7. "Christina Nielsen – 2014 Tudor United SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  8. "Christina Nielsen – 2015 Tudor United SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  9. "Christina Nielsen – 2016 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  10. "Christina Nielsen – 2017 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  11. "Christina Nielsen – 2018 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASACR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  12. "Christina Nielsen – 2019 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  13. "Christina Nielsen – 2020 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  14. "Christina Nielsen – 2021 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  15. 1 2 3 "Christina Nielsen Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  16. "Christina Nielsen". Automobile Club de l'Ouest . Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  17. "Christina Nielsen". FIA World Endurance Championship . Retrieved 16 August 2024.