Karl Kling | |
|---|---|
 Kling in 1951 | |
| Born | 16 September 1910 |
| Died | 18 March 2003 (aged 92) Lake Constance, Germany |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  West German |
| Active years | 1954–1955 |
| Teams | Mercedes |
| Entries | 11 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 2 |
| Career points | 17 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 1 |
| First entry | 1954 French Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1955 Italian Grand Prix |
Karl Kling (German pronunciation: [kaʁl klɪŋ] ; 16 September 1910 – 18 March 2003) was a German racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One at 11 Grands Prix from 1954 to 1955.
An employee of Daimler-Benz since the mid-1930s, Kling made his Formula One debut at the 1954 French Grand Prix, where he finished second to Mercedes teammate Juan Manuel Fangio, becoming the first German driver to score a podium finish in Formula One. He participated in 10 further World Championship Grands Prix, achieving another podium at the 1955 British Grand Prix and scoring a total of 17 championship points.
Upon retiring from motor racing, Kling became the head of Mercedes-Benz in motorsport from 1956 to 1968.