Bernd Schneider

Bernd Robert Schneider (born 20 July 1964 in St. Ingbert, West Germany) is a German racing driver who briefly competed in Formula One before becoming one of the most successful touring car drivers in history. Named after legendary driver Bernd Rosemeyer, winner of the 1936 European Drivers' Championship, Schneider's racing career began in karting, where he became German Junior Kart Champion at age 15. In 1980, he repeated this achievement while also capturing the World Junior Kart title.

Schneider progressed to German Formula Three in 1986, winning the championship in 1987 and finishing third at the prestigious 1987 Macau Grand Prix. His F3 success attracted the attention of Erich Zakowski, who signed Schneider to drive for his Formula One team Zakspeed in 1988 and 1989. However, the small German-based squad struggled to make an impression on the F1 circuit, and Schneider was only able to qualify for nine races out of the 32 he entered with Zakspeed. He briefly drove for Arrows in 1990, but his Formula One career ended without scoring any championship points.

After leaving F1, Schneider found his true calling in touring car racing, where he achieved remarkable success. He became a five-time Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) champion, earning the nickname 'Mr. DTM' for his dominance in the series. His championship victories and consistent performances with Mercedes-Benz made him one of the most decorated touring car drivers in motorsport history. Schneider has also served as a Mercedes Brand Ambassador, maintaining his connection to the marque with which he achieved his greatest successes.