“On each of the first three race weekends, we scored an average of 67 points and at Zandvoort, only nine,” said Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. “Actually, this track suits the Audi RS 3 LMS, as our victories last year with Jean-Karl Vernay in the FIA WTCR and Niels Langeveld in the ADAC TCR Germany showed. However, the factors that rate all the race cars affect each brand to varying degrees weekend after weekend. Just a week ago, in Slovakia, we were able to win, but in the race in the Netherlands we had no chance.”
In the first race, Belgian Frédéric Vervisch from Comtoyou Team Audi Sport in the best Audi RS 3 LMS improved from twelfth on the grid to ninth position. His teammate, Niels Langeveld, in his home round achieved 15th place after having started from 19th on the grid. Leopard Racing Team Audi Sport with Gordon Shedden took position 17, and 22 with Jean-Karl Vernay following a penalty. In qualifying on Sunday for the second and third race, all 26 entrants were within one second of each other. Grid position 15 for Jean-Karl Vernay was the best result scored by an Audi Sport driver. Niels Langeveld achieved position 18, Frédéric Vervisch started two positions behind him, and Gordon Shedden from 26th place. As a result, points-finishes were out of reach even for three of the four drivers. Only Jean-Karl Vernay scored one point for 15th place in the second race.