Bruno Spengler

Bruno Spengler
Driver Details
Nationality	Canadian
Date of Birth	23 August 1983
Date of Death
Experience	DTM
Formula E Career
Tests	2
Début	2018 Rookie Test
Teams	Andretti Formula E
Current Season
Team	BMW i Andretti Motorsport
Role	Test/Reserve driver

Bruno Spengler (born 23 August 1983) is a French-Canadian racing driver, who serves as a test and reserve driver for BMW i Andretti Motorsport during the 2018/19 ABB FIA Formula E Championship. Nicknamed 'The Secret Canadian', Spenger is most notable for his partnership with BMW in the DTM Championship having claimed the DTM crown for the Bavarian manufacturer in 2012.

Background

Born in Schiltigheim, a suburb in the city of Strasbourg, Spengler was raised and educated in Saint-Hippolyte, Quebec from the age of three. He continued to divide his time between France and Canada, beginning his karting career in 1995, competing across France and North America and claiming titles in the Ligue Championships of 1995 and 1996 and the 2001 French Elite Kart Championship.

Single-seaters

Lower formulae

In 2001, Spengler graduated to single-seaters, participating in the French and Eurocup Formula Renault championships with Graff Racing, taking a win in both championships and finishing ninth in Eurocup and fifth in the French championship. The following year, Spengler partook in the Formula TR 2000 Pro Series with TCS Racing and the Formula Renault 2.0 Germany Championship with Jenzer. Across both series, he took nine wins, eight poles and six fastest laps to finish the 2002 Formula TR 2000 Pro Series champion and vice-champion of Formula Renault 2.0 Germany to Christian Klein.

The Formula 3 Euro Series Years

In 2003, Spengler was named an athlete for the Mercedes-Benz development program. This led to two years in the Formula 3 Euro Series, seeing him compete with ASM and Mucke Motorsport in 2003 and 2004 respectively and alongside such names as Nico Rosberg, Robert Kubica, Timo Glock, Lucas di Grassi, Adam Carroll, Maro Engel, Adrian Sutil, Giedo van der Garde, Jamie Green, Loïc Duval and Lewis Hamilton.

DTM

In 2005, Mercedes named Bruno Spengler as part of its DTM line-up with Spengler racing with Persson Motorsport and finishing sixteenth in the standings. In 2006, Spengler switched to the HWA outfit where he enjoyed an upturn in success, finishing vice-champion in 2006 and 2007 to respective champions Bernd Schneider and Mattias Ekström. This was followed by fourth and fifth in 2008 and 2009 and a pair of third place finishes in 2010 and 2011. At the end of the 2011 season, Spengler parted with Mercedes for a new partnership with BMW.

Debuting as a BMW driver for Team Schnitzer, Spengler claimed four wins, three poles and two fastest laps to claim the 2012 title by four points from former HWA teammate Gary Paffett. Spengler remained with BMW for the following season, which saw him claim third in the standings. From 2014 onwards, he was unable to replicate the success of the past two seasons, with a highest placed championship finish of fifth in 2015. It would not be until 2017 when Spengler claimed victory at the first race at the Norisring.

Formula One

In 2007, Spengler was linked to drives with McLaren (following Fernando Alonso's early departure) and the aborted Prodrive F1 project. Three years later, Mercedes motorsport director Norbert Haug commented Spengler would receive an F1 drive if he were to take the 2010 DTM title, both of which ultimately went to Spengler's HWA teammate Paul di Resta.

Formula E History

In December 2017, Spengler was named as one of Andretti's two entrants for the 2018 Rookie Test in Marrakech. Following the test, where he finished ninth and nineteenth in the respective sessions, Spengler responded favourably to the car. Following the test, Spengler carried out extensive testing of the Gen2 chassis and BMW powertrain.

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