lilian-bryner
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lilian-bryner

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Lilian Bryner-Keller (born 21 April 1959) is a Swiss racing driver who competed primarily in GT and sportscar racing from the early 1990s through the mid-2000s. She is best remembered for her campaigns in the FIA GT Championship and for becoming the only woman to have won the 24 Hours of Spa, which she achieved in 2004.

Bryner's first appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans came in 1993. Her most successful result there followed a year later, when she raced with Ecurie Biennoise and finished second in the GT2 class and ninth overall — a strong result that drew wider attention to her abilities in endurance competition.

In 1995 she joined Stadler Motorsport, but her Le Mans entry that year ended in retirement after completing 81 laps in the No. 79 Porsche 911 GT2. The same year she entered the BPR Global GT Series and finished third in the overall standings, claiming one podium during the campaign.

Bryner did not return to Le Mans until 1997, where she again retired, this time after completing 98 laps.

Also in 1997, Bryner took part in the inaugural season of the FIA GT Championship with Stadler Motorsport. She contested only three rounds, but she and the team scored the only two class points Stadler accumulated across the season, with the class otherwise dominated by Oreca.

From 1998 to 1999, Bryner raced in the International Sports Racing Series with Autosport Racing, collecting two podium finishes across those two seasons. She then joined BMS Scuderia Italia for the 2001 FIA Sportscar Championship season, delivering a more productive campaign with 50 points scored and two podiums.

Her first full FIA GT Championship season arrived in 2003 with Care Racing, driving a Ferrari 550 Maranello. That year proved highly productive: she took one pole position and six podiums, playing a significant role in helping Care Racing achieve third place in the Teams Championship.

The following season, 2004, represented the high point of her career. Racing for BMS Scuderia Italia, Bryner won twice during the FIA GT Championship — including victory at the 24 Hours of Spa — and added five further podiums. The Spa win was particularly historic: Bryner remains the only woman to have won that race, one of the most prestigious and demanding endurance events on the European GT calendar.

Her final FIA GT Championship campaign came in 2005 with Larbre Compétition, where she raced on three occasions before stepping back from the championship.

Bryner's career spans a significant era in European GT racing, overlapping the transition from the BPR era through the establishment of the FIA GT Championship as one of the continent's premier series. Her 2004 Spa victory stands as one of the landmark results in the history of women in motorsport, achieved against a competitive field in an event defined by its length and unpredictability. Her consistent podium record across multiple series and team structures reflects sustained professionalism throughout her decade-plus career.

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