Neel Jani
Neel Jani | |
---|---|
Le Mans Series | |
24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
Years | 2009–2019 |
Teams | Speedy Racing Team Sebah, Rebellion Racing, Porsche Team |
Best finish | 1st (2016) |
Class wins | 1 |
Neel Jani (born 8 December 1983)[2] is a Swiss professional racing driver.[3][4]
He achieved his greatest success winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016 after first joining Porsche's LMP1 programme for the 2014 season driving in the FIA World Endurance Championship.[5] Previously, Jani drove for A1 Team Switzerland in A1 Grand Prix, helping them win the 2007–2008 title and finishing runner-up in 2005–06 and 2008–09. He raced for PKV Racing in the North American Champ Car series in 2007. He is also a GP2 Series race-winner and former Formula One test driver.
He joined
Early career
Born in
GP2
In 2005, he raced in the GP2 Series with Racing Engineering alongside Borja García who he generally outperformed. He won two races, at the Hungaroring and at Monza. He also managed to lead most of the Nürburgring race in a clearly slower car with some effective defensive driving.
In 2006, he replaced injured Nicolas Lapierre in the Silverstone and Magny-Cours races for English race team Arden. By doing this, he also secured his place in the record books, being the only person to ever drive in both GP2 and F1 on the same day.
A1 Grand Prix
He then raced in the new
After not attending the first two rounds of the
Jani drove all the races for Switzerland in the
Formula One
He was linked to a reserve F1 seat with the
In June 2023, it was announced that Jani had signed with Audi as a simulator driver to help them develop their power unit in preparation for their entry into Formula 1 in 2026.[7]
Champ Car
For
Sports car racing
In 2010, Jani became affiliated with Swiss privateer
Jani took up full-time WEC racing in 2012 with Rebellion, teaming with Prost and Nick Heidfeld for two seasons, before joining the Porsche works team in 2014 and winning his first LMP1 race at São Paulo, Brazil, finishing third overall in the championship. The 2015 season saw Jani take another win at Bahrain in addition to 5 runner-up spots; again he finished third in the championship.
Jani kicked off the 2016 WEC season with a win at Silverstone and a second place at Spa before inheriting the win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in dramatic fashion when Kazuki Nakajima's Toyota broke down in the lead with only one lap to go in the race.[10]
Return to single-seaters: Formula E
On 24 August 2017, it was announced that Jani would make his debut in
In December 2018, Porsche announced that Jani would return to the championship as part of their driver line-up for their
Personal life
Jani and his wife Lauren have a son.[15]
Career results
Racing career summary
* Season still in progress.
‡Team standings.
Complete A1 Grand Prix results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005–06 | Switzerland | GBR SPR 9 |
GBR FEA Ret |
GER SPR 2 |
GER FEA 5 |
POR SPR 3 |
POR FEA 2 |
AUS SPR 6 |
AUS FEA 3 |
MYS SPR 2 |
MYS FEA 2 |
UAE SPR 1 |
UAE FEA Ret |
RSA SPR 3 |
RSA FEA 2 |
IDN SPR 5 |
IDN FEA 5 |
MEX SPR 2 |
MEX FEA 3 |
USA
SPR |
USA
FEA |
CHN SPR |
CHN FEA |
2nd | 121 |
2006–07 | NED
SPR |
NED
FEA |
CZE
SPR |
CZE
FEA |
BEI SPR 9 |
BEI FEA Ret |
MYS SPR 1 |
MYS FEA 4 |
IDN SPR 10 |
IDN FEA 8 |
NZL
SPR |
NZL
FEA |
AUS
SPR |
AUS
FEA |
RSA SPR 5 |
RSA FEA 4 |
MEX
SPR |
MEX
FEA |
SHA
SPR |
SHA
FEA |
GBR
SPR |
GBR
SPR |
8th | 50 | |
2007–08 | NED SPR 5 |
NED FEA 3 |
CZE SPR 8 |
CZE FEA 3 |
MYS SPR 1 |
MYS FEA 1 |
ZHU SPR 2 |
ZHU FEA 6 |
NZL SPR Ret |
NZL FEA 13 |
AUS SPR 10 |
AUS FEA 2 |
RSA SPR 3 |
RSA FEA 1 |
MEX SPR 3 |
MEX FEA 19 |
SHA SPR 1 |
SHA FEA 5 |
GBR SPR 4 |
GBR SPR 3 |
1st | 168 | |||
2008–09 | NED SPR 5 |
NED FEA Ret |
CHN SPR 4 |
CHN FEA 4 |
MYS SPR 1 |
MYS FEA Ret |
NZL SPR 2 |
NZL FEA 1 |
RSA SPR 3 |
RSA FEA 1 |
POR SPR 15 |
POR FEA 1 |
GBR SPR 8 |
GBR SPR 3 |
2nd | 95 |
Complete GP2 Series results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | Racing Engineering | IMO FEA 6 |
IMO SPR 15 |
CAT FEA 4 |
CAT SPR 5 |
MON FEA Ret |
NÜR FEA 6 |
NÜR SPR 13† |
MAG FEA 5 |
MAG SPR 4 |
SIL FEA 5 |
SIL SPR 6 |
HOC FEA Ret |
HOC SPR 22 |
HUN FEA 1 |
HUN SPR 4 |
IST FEA Ret |
IST SPR Ret |
MNZ FEA 7 |
MNZ SPR 1 |
SPA FEA 16 |
SPA SPR 18 |
BHR FEA 16 |
BHR SPR 13 |
7th | 48 |
2006 | Arden International Ltd | VAL FEA |
VAL SPR |
IMO FEA |
IMO SPR |
NÜR FEA |
NÜR SPR |
CAT FEA |
CAT SPR |
MON FEA |
SIL FEA NC |
SIL SPR Ret |
MAG FEA 11 |
MAG SPR 7 |
HOC FEA |
HOC SPR |
HUN FEA |
HUN SPR |
IST FEA |
IST SPR |
MNZ FEA |
MNZ SPR |
25th | 0 | ||
Source:[16] |
Formula One
(key)
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | WDC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | Scuderia Toro Rosso | Toro Rosso STR1 | Cosworth V10 | BHR TD |
MAL TD |
AUS TD |
SMR TD |
EUR TD |
ESP TD |
MON TD |
GBR TD |
CAN TD |
USA TD |
FRA TD |
GER TD |
HUN TD |
TUR TD |
ITA TD |
CHN TD |
JPN TD |
BRA TD |
- | - |
American Open Wheel
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest race lap)
Champ Car
Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Rank | Points | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2007 | PKV Racing
|
LVG 10 |
LBH 7 |
HOU 15 |
POR 12 |
CLE 3 |
MTT 6 |
TOR 2 |
EDM 9 |
SJO 2 |
ROA 10 |
ZOL 8 |
ASN 5 |
SRF 8 |
MXC 9 |
9th | 231 | [17] |
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
Complete GT1 World Championship results
Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pos | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Matech Competition
|
Ford GT1 | ABU QR |
ABU CR |
SIL QR |
SIL CR |
BRN QR |
BRN CR |
PRI QR |
PRI CR |
SPA QR 20 |
SPA CR 14 |
NÜR QR 8 |
NÜR CR 16 |
ALG QR 20 |
ALG CR 12 |
NAV QR 4 |
NAV CR 7 |
INT QR 7 |
INT CR 8 |
SAN QR 17 |
SAN CR 8 |
33rd | 14 |
Complete Superleague Formula results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | Operator | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Position | Points | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Olympiacos CFP | GU-Racing International | SIL | ASS | MAG | JAR | NÜR | ZOL | BRH | ADR | POR | ORD | BEI† | NAV | 4th | 653 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | 1 | X | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2011 | Belgium – RSC Anderlecht | Azerti Motorsport | HOL
|
BEL
|
5th | 125 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 3 |
† Non Championship round
Complete European Le Mans Series results
Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Rank | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Rebellion Racing | LMP1 | Lola B10/60 | Rebellion (Judd) 5.5 L V10 | LEC 7 |
SPA Ret |
ALG 2 |
HUN 2 |
SIL 5 |
7th | 52 | |
2011 | Rebellion Racing | LMP1 | Lola B10/60 | Toyota RV8KLM 3.4 L V8 | LEC 3 |
SPA 7 |
IMO 6 |
SIL Ret |
EST 3 |
3rd | 37 | |
2023 | Duqueine Team | LMP2 | Oreca 07 | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | CAT 1 |
LEC 2 |
ARA 6 |
SPA 6 |
POR 5 |
ALG 5 |
4th | 79 |
Source:[16] |
Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results
* Season still in progress.
Complete American Le Mans Series results
Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Rank | Points | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Rebellion Racing | P1 | Lola B12/60 | Toyota RV8KLM 3.4 L V8 | SEB | LBH | MTY | LRP | MOS | MDO | ROA | BAL | VIR | PET 1 |
NC | 0 | [18] |
2013 | Rebellion Racing | P1 | Lola B12/60 | Toyota RV8KLM 3.4 L V8 | SEB 3 |
LBH 2 |
LAG 2 |
LRP | MOS | ROA | BAL
|
COA | VIR | PET 1 |
2nd | 82 | [19] |
Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results
Year | Entrant | No. | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Rank | Points | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | Rebellion Racing | 13 | P | Oreca 07 | Gibson GK428 4.2 L V8 | DAY 8 |
SEB 9 |
LBH | COA | DET | WGL | MOS | ELK | LGA | PET | 26th | 45 | [20] | |
2020 | Porsche GT Team | 912 | GTLM | Porsche 911 RSR-19 | Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 | DAY | DAY | SEB | ELK | VIR | ATL | MDO | CLT | PET | LGA | SEB 2 |
14th | 32 | [21] |
2022 | Cadillac Racing | 02 | DPi | Cadillac DPi-V.R | Cadillac 5.5 L V8 | DAY | SEB 1 |
LBH | LGA | MDO | DET | WGL | MOS | ELK | PET | 19th | 378 | [22] | |
2023 | Proton Competition | 59 | GTP | Porsche 963 | Porsche 9RD 4.6 L V8 | DAY | SEB | LBH | LGA | WGL | MOS | ELK | IMS | PET 3 |
20th | 321 | [23] | ||
2024 | Proton Competition Mustang Sampling | 5 | GTP | Porsche 963 | Porsche 9RD 4.6 L V8 | DAY 5 |
SEB |
LBH |
LGA |
DET |
WGL |
ELK |
IMS |
ATL |
5th* | 281* | |||
Source:[16] |
* Season still in progress.
Complete Formula E results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | Chassis | Powertrain | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Pos | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2017–18 | Dragon Racing
|
Spark SRT01-e | Penske EV-2 | HKG 18 |
HKG 18 |
MRK | SCL | MEX | PDE | RME | PAR | BER | ZUR | NYC | NYC | 25th | 0 |
2019–20 | TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team | Spark SRT05e | Porsche 99X Electric | DIR 17 |
DIR 13 |
SCL Ret |
MEX 14 |
MRK 18 |
BER 11 |
BER 15 |
BER Ret |
BER 19 |
BER 6 |
BER 15 |
20th | 8 |
References
- ^ Lloyd, Daniel (21 January 2021). "WEC Reveals 33-Car Season Entry for 2021". sportscar365.com. John Dagys Media. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ "About Neel". neel-jani.com. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ^ a b Abhishek Takle. "For Swiss-Gujarati Neel Jani, it Was action that mattered". The Economic Times. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
Born in 1983 in Switzerland to a Swiss mother and an Indian father who has his roots in Gujarat, Jani caught the racing bug from his dad, an amateur racer himself.
- ^ a b Pradeep Vijayakar / V Narayan Swamy (16 November 2004). "F1 beckons Neel Jani". times of india. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
It is 20-year-old Neel Jani from Switzerland, who has test-driven for Stauber-Petronas. Neel was born to an Indian father, Mukesh, who hails from Gujarat. The father married a Swiss lady Elizabeth from Berne. The Janis own a chain of fast food places in Switzerland. One ran into Neel Jani at the launch of Formula Karting track at Andheri the other day. Since Sachin Tendulkar was around no one took notice of this other little fella sitting in a corner.
- ^ "Porsche confirms Neel Jani for 2014 LMP1 programme". Autosport. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
- ^ Neel Jani part of consortium bidding for BMW Sauber
- ^ Kew, Matt (22 June 2023). "Audi names Neel Jani as F1 simulator driver". motorsport.com. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ Neel Jani joins PKV Racing
- ^ Jani Sees Better Future in A1GP Archived 2008-01-24 at the Wayback Machine, RACER Magazine & Autosport.com via SpeedTV.com, January 23, 2008
- ^ "Porsche claim dramatic Le Mans win as Toyota fails on final lap". Eurosport. 19 June 2016.
- ^ "Neel Jani joins Formula E with Faraday Future Dragon Racing". NBCSports.com. August 24, 2017.
- ^ "Jani leaves Dragon after single Formula E race weekend". Motorsport.com. January 3, 2018.
- ^ Klein, Jaime (December 14, 2018). "Porsche names Neel Jani as its first 2019/20 Formula E driver". Autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
- ^ "Porsche signs Wehrlein to replace Jani in Formula E line-up". autosport.com. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
- ^ "Le Mans winner is the new World Champion". Winforce. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Neel Jani Results". motorsportstats.com. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Neel Jani – 2007 Champ Car World Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
- ^ "Neel Jani – 2012 American Le mans Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Neel Jani – 2013 American Le mans Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Neel Jani – 2017 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Neel Jani – 2020 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Neel Jani – 2022 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ^ "Neel Jani – 2023 Weathertech SportsCar Championship Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
External links
- Official website
- Neel Jani career summary at DriverDB.com