After a few jobs, he spent time traveling around Europe, returning to Stuttgart in 1899 at the age 22 where he found work at the Daimler factory.

In 1908, Lautenschlager was given the opportunity to drive one of three Mercedes race vehicles, and he drove it to victory in the French Grand Prix at Dieppe, France.

As the assassination in Sarajevo had happened days earlier, international tensions were high, and this was the last Grand Prix before World War I started.

Against a top field led by Frenchman Georges Boillot, who had won the race the past two years, after seven gruelling hours, Lautenschlager took victory in the prestigious event for the second time.

Driving vehicles equipped with the first supercharged engine in the race's history, their effort proved less than successful and Lautenschlager finished 23rd.