Dieter Depping

Dieter Depping is a German rally driver who currently works for Volkswagen Motorsport as a development and test driver.

Without him, the twelve titles in the World Rally Championship, a further two titles in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, the three Dakar victories with the Race Touareg, and the many class wins at the Nürburgring 24 Hours would have been inconceivable.

Dieter Depping works for Volkswagen Motorsport since 2001

For Depping as a rally driver, the greatest success is three victories at Rallye Deutschland, in 1994, 1996 and 1997, when that rally was a part of the European Rally Championship. Depping was a national rally champion three times in Germany (1992, 1993, 1994) and two times in the Netherlands (1993, 1994).

He became factory driver of Volkswagen Motorsport in 2001. In 2002, he became Volkswagen's development and test driver. Since then, he occasionally participated in national rallying, Dakar Rally and endurance races (Nurburgring 24h).

Young Dieter Depping

Sharing a rally car with his brother

Born in 1966 in Hannover, Dieter Depping started his rally career at the age 18, driving a Ford Escort RS Turbo in the German rally championship. One of his first co-drivers was his brother Bernd Depping. Then, in 1987, Janina Depping-Höppner became Dieter's navigator and stayed with him until 1991.

In that period, they contested in different rally cars (Ford Escort RS Turbo, Volkswagen Golf II GTI, Lancia Delta Integrale, Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4). In 1991, Depping finished as Group N champion in the national championship but his greatest success was a victory at Holland Hellendoorn Rally, a part of the European Rally Championship, with Klaus Wendel as his navigator.

Dieter Depping (right) and Peter Thul

Three consecutive German championship titles from 1992 to 1994

Klaus Wendel joined Depping in 1992 as full-time navigator and helped him to win the overall title in the German rally championship. Their victorious car was a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4. That year, Depping also made a WRC debut, crashing out at Rallye Monte-Carlo and finishing 18th (3rd in Class N) at Tour de Corse. At ADAC Rallye Deutschland, part of the European championship, he was third.

In 1993, Peter Thul was Depping's co-driver in a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth and he won both German and Dutch rally championships titles. He also won one ERC event, the Golden Tulip Rally, finishing third in ERC classification. At ADAC Rallye Deutschland, he was third again.

Dieter Depping and Peter Thul were the best pair again in the German and Dutch championship in 1994, switching from Sierra to Ford Escort RS Cosworth. In the European championship, Dieter was second in the points with three wins, losing a title to Patrick Snijers.

Dieter Depping at 1996 ADAC Rallye Deutschland

Three victories at ADAC Rallye Deutschland

In 1994, one of Dieter's ERC victories was at ADAC Rallye Deutschland, together with Peter Thul in the #2 Ford Escort RS Cosworth. It was first of his three wins at Germany's greatest rally event. In 1995, Depping slowed down his rally activities to just four ERC events, winning two times with Janina Depping-Höppner as his navigator in a Ford Sierra. At ADAC Rally Deutschland, they crashed out.

The second win at ADAC Rallye Deutschland came in 1996 when he was sharing the #9 Ford Escort RS Cosworth with Fred Berssen. That year, Depping won three times in the national championship to finish third in the points and two times in the ERC to finish fourth in the points. A year later, in 1997, Depping has won for the third time at ADAC Rallye Deutschland. This time, his navigator in a Ford Escort RS Cosworth was Dieter Hawranke.

Dieter Depping serves as Volkswagen Motorsport driver since 2001

Volkswagen Motorsport driver since 2001

Depping slowed down his rallying activities in 1998, participating occasionally in some events, and then returned to full-time racing in 2001 as Volkswagen's factory driver. His new car was a Volkswagen Golf IV Kit Car. Sharing a car with Armin Holz, he finished third in the German championship.

The season 2001 was Depping's last in some competition for points because his main duty became the role of the development and test driver for Volkswagen Motorsport. In 2001 and 2002, he set several speed records with the Volkswagen W12 in Nardo.

Timo Gottschalk und Dieter Depping (right) at Dakar Rally

Sixth place at Dakar Rally, class victory at Nurburgring 24 Hours

Parallel to his job as development and test driver, Depping was participating occasionally in official competitions. In 2003, he made a debut at Dakar Rally, driving a Volkswagen Tarek. Later, he drive Race Truck for Volkswagen Motorsport at 2007 Dakar Rally, finishing 26th. Then, in 2009, he entered again the car competition at Dakar Rally, driving a VW Race Touareg II alongside Timo Gotschalk as his navigator and finishing in the sixth place overall.

Outside rallying, he achieved notable success in endurance racing, scoring several class podiums and class victories at Nürburgring 24 Hours. Most recently, in 2017, he tried rallycross, participating in German's round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

Dieter Depping

Photos: Volkswagen Motorsport, Jan Marek/ewrc-results.com,