Position two for Audi Sport in GT4 International Cup

Audi’s customer teams won six trophies in total with the Audi R8 LMS in Bahrain and California.

Audi R8 LMS GT4

Podium in Bahrain: After Phoenix Racing with Milan Dontje/Nicolaj Møller Madsen won the GT4 European Series the Audi Sport customer racing team contested the GT4 International Cup as well. At this single event in Bahrain, two customer teams – Phoenix Racing and Saintéloc Racing – entered the first qualification race from the front row of the grid. Dontje/Møller Madsen won the round in an Audi R8 LMS GT4 with a clear advantage of 13.7 seconds; third place went to Michael Blanchemain/Steven Palette from Saintéloc Racing. In the second qualification race, both Audi R8 LMS GT4 cars from Saintéloc Racing were on the front row, but the driver duo from Phoenix Racing again clinched victory – this time from position three on the grid. The decisive third race was led by Milan Dontje before the Dutchman turned over his car to his teammate, Nicolaj Møller Madsen, at the pit stop. The Dane after 25 laps ultimately took second place.

Class victory at Thunderhill: The Audi R8 LMS GT4 now proved its prowess in America, in the longest race of the season, as well. Following class victories in an 8-hour race, a 12-hour race and two 24-hour races, Audi Sport customer racing’s car now clinched a class win in a 25-hour event in its maiden season as well. Flying Lizard Motorsports, which finished the Thunderhill 25 Hours in the past three years with an Audi R8 LMS GT3 as overall winners, this year deployed a driver lineup of five ladies in an Audi R8 LMS GT4. Laura Ely/Ashton Harrison/Christina Nielsen/Aurora Straus/Erin Vogel won the GT Challenge class in California. Behind the GT3 sports cars and prototypes, the quintet, after 3,471 kilometers of racing, additionally scored a remarkable fourth position overall in the field of 46 entrants.

A race win in the FIA GT Nations Cup: At the inaugural event of the FIA GT Nations Cup in Bahrain, unlike at most other motorsport competitions, the primary focus was not on the manufacturers, drivers or teams, but on the nations. Team WRT in the field of 18 nations with Mike den Tandt/Charles Weerts represented Belgium’s colors. The black-yellow-red Audi R8 LMS GT3 secured both pole positions and won the first qualification race with an advantage of 24.8 seconds. After that, the squad was chanceless when Charles Weerts was sent spinning in the second qualification race and dropped to position 16.

Audi Sport Seyffarth R8 LMS Cup

Calendar announced: In the 2019 season, the Audi Sport Seyffarth R8 LMS Cup features an even more varied calendar than this year. On five occasions, the participants will race as part of the DTM’s supporting program, once in conjunction with the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring and once at the FIA European Truck Racing Championship. On each of the seven dates in three European countries, in addition to practice and qualifying sessions, two 30-minute sprint races with identical Audi R8 LMS GT4 cars will be held.

03–05/05 Hockenheim (D), DTM

07–09/06 Misano (I), DTM

20–22/06 Nürburgring (D), 24-hour race

23–25/08 Lausitzring (D), DTM

30/08–01/09 Most (CZ), Czech Truck Prix

13–15/09 Nürburgring (D), DTM

04–06/10 Hockenheim (D), DTM

Audi RS 3 LMS (TCR)

Talent search completed: The Belgian Automobile Club RACB announced a race driver selection competition for the 2019 season. The talent search began in September on race simulators in Belgium and was completed at Audi Sport in Neuburg in November. In the finale, Gilles Magnus prevailed as one of five candidates. The jury, including nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, was impressed by the Belgian’s development curve in the finale. At the wheel of an Audi RS 3 LMS from Comtoyou Racing, the 19-year-old talent achieved the final best time on a wet track. His award: As a member of the RACB National Team he will contest the TCR Benelux racing series with Comtoyou Racing in an Audi RS 3 LMS next year. The title in this series was won this season by Audi Sport driver Jean-Karl Vernay.

Audi Sport customer racing

Premiere with racing flair: The international press presentation of the Audi R8 that has become sportier once again was fully focused on the racing genes of the model. At Circuito Ascari in Ronda, Spain, nearly 200 international journalists not only had the opportunity to learn about the sports car that will be available in Europe starting in 2019 but to ride in the closely related GT3 model as well. Audi Sport driver Frank Stippler, a former winner of the 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and at Spa, three-time Le Mans winner Marco Werner and nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen chauffeured the journalists around the track in an Audi R8 LMS. 50 percent of the parts used in the race car and the production car are identical and partly produced in the same manufacturing facilities at Audi’s Böllinger Höfe at the Neckarsulm location.

More than ten Audi Sport race cars in Essen: At the Essen Motor Show, fans have the opportunity to see numerous race cars from Audi Sport customer racing. The evolution of the Audi R8 LMS GT3 is celebrating its trade show debut at the booth of partner Eibach. The GT3 and the GT4 versions of the Audi R8 LMS are showcased at ADAC e. V., as well as an Audi RS 3 LMS from PROSport Performance. Both booths are located in Hall 3. Another Audi RS 3 LMS from Team Krenek Motorsport is displayed at the booth of the Eset V4 Cup. In Hall 5, the race cars from Twin Busch and Car Collection Motorsport for the GT3 and GT4 classes can also be seen at the DMV GTC, and Seyffarth Motorsport is showcasing several Audi R8 LMS GT4 cars there as well. The GT4 European Series is displaying an Audi R8 LMS GT4 from Phoenix Racing to promote the series and, finally, Aust Motorsport is showcasing its Audi R8 LMS GT3 at ZF.

Coming up next week

07–09/12 Fuji (J), round 2, Asian Le Mans Series

07/12 Dubai (UAE), round 2, Gulf Sportscar Championship