Karl Kling is a racing driver from Germany who last raced in Formula 1 for Mercedes. Kling has recorded 0 wins and 2 podiums from 11 starts.[1]
A Racer Rating of 4,965 ranks Kling 344th of 15,348 indexed drivers, on an Elo scale where the strongest reach the low five figures. It is built from every indexed race in the driver's file, decayed for time since their last race.
| 1955-09-11 | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza | DNF | +11 |
| 1955-07-16 | Aintree | P3 | +118 |
| 1955-06-19 | Circuit Park Zandvoort | DNF | −137 |
| 1955-06-05 | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | DNF | −44 |
| 1955-01-16 | Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez | P4 | +27 |
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Podiums | DNFs | Poles | Points | Pos | Gain/Loss | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | ▸Formula 1 | Mercedes | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | P11 | −25 | 5,129 |
| 1954 | ▸Formula 1 | Mercedes | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 12 | P5 | +355 | 5,155 |
| Rival | Rating | Raced | Ahead | Behind | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇦🇷 Juan Fangio | 6,092 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| 🇬🇧 Mike Hawthorn | 5,537 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 25% |
| 🇺🇸 Harry Schell | 4,981 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 100% |
| 🇦🇷 José Froilán González | 5,180 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| 🇮🇹 Luigi Musso | 4,994 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 67% |
| 🇦🇷 Roberto Mieres | 4,910 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 33% |
| 🇫🇷 Jean Behra | 4,855 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 100% |
| 🇫🇷 Maurice Trintignant | 4,839 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| 🇬🇧 Ken Wharton | 4,728 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 100% |
Karl Kling competed in Formula 1 for Mercedes across two seasons in 1954 and 1955, accumulating eleven starts without winning a race. He secured two podium finishes during this period, placing him in a competitive midfield. His average finishing position across classified races was fourth, reflecting consistent points-scoring pace in an era when Formula 1 grids were smaller and the field tighter than in later decades. He retired from active racing in 1955.[1]
Kling's record against the field demonstrates the calibre of competition he faced. He competed repeatedly against Juan Fangio, the five-time world champion, though without finishing ahead of him in their six shared races; this was typical for the era's supporting drivers when paired with the dominant force of Mercedes. Against other prominent contemporaries, Kling showed mixed results. He finished behind Mike Hawthorn, a future world champion, in three of their four encounters, but defeated Hawthorn once. He had more consistent success against Harry Schell, finishing ahead in all four of their shared races. Against drivers such as Luigi Musso and Piero Taruffi, Kling secured occasional victories but was generally outpaced over the season-long record. His two podiums and scattered wins over lesser-rated rivals reflect a driver competitive within Mercedes' supporting driver lineup rather than among the front-running challengers of his era.[2]