Endurance victory and championship lead for Audi in Italy

Audi R8 LMS GT4

First win of the season for the Audi R8 LMS GT4: Lucas Mauron was able to turn his pole position for Saturday’s DTM Trophy race at the Dutch TT Circuit in Assen into the first win of the season in the end. The Swiss also maintained his first position at the restart after a safety car period and celebrated a commanding race win in the Audi R8 LMS GT4 fielded by Heide-Motorsport. Mauron also took pole position in the second qualifying session. However, the 23-year-old did not manage to pull off an optimum start in Sunday’s race, but was able to celebrate another podium result with second place.

Trophies in Spain: As the only competitor in the C2 class of the Campeonato de España Resistencia at Valencia, Pierre Arraou finished first in both races of the weekend with an Audi R8 LMS GT4. 

Audi Sport Seyffarth R8 LMS Cup

Championship fight: At the third Audi Sport Seyffarth R8 LMS Cup event of the season at the Hockenheimring, Robin Rogalski and Tom Spitzenberger, both driving Audi R8 LMS GT4 cars, were in a class of their own: Rogalski secured victory in the first race of the weekend ahead of Spitzenberger, who displayed an impressive recovery from last place after spinning through no fault of his own. Third place went to Tobias Erdmann. In the second race on Sunday, Rogalski and Spitzenberger again fought it out between themselves. This time, Spitzenberger clinched the victory. Max Zschuppe completed the podium. Before the final race weekend in Most, Czech Republic, Rogalski is leading the drivers’ standings despite being tied on points with Spitzenberger, thanks to having one more victory so far this season.

Audi RS 3 LMS (TCR)

1-2 victory in China: The 326 Racing Team celebrated its first class win this season in the China Endurance Championship – the second in a row for the Audi RS 3 LMS. The driver duo of Li Sicheng and Wu Yifan won the TCE class in the 150-minute race and led the Z-Speed team to a one-two victory with the entry-level TCR touring car from the brand with the four rings. Yang Xiaowei, Xu Zhefeng and Chu Xu finished in second place. 

Class victory in Spain: At the third race weekend of the Campeonato de España Resistencia at Valencia, Audi privateer drivers Álvaro Fontes Blanco and Mirco van Oostrum won the TCR class in the second race of the weekend, one day after they had already clinched second place in the opening race. The duo shared an Audi RS 3 LMS from CDS Engineering.

Second place in Croatia: At the Grobnik circuit, the Tecnodom Sport team celebrated its third podium in as many races of the TCR DSG Europe season. Drivers Jonathan and Steven Giacon, together with Luca Rangoni, finished the two-hour race in second place with an Audi RS 3 LMS. The Giacon brothers continue to lead the standings.

Class podiums: Audi privateer Max Frederik Gruhn finished third in his class with an Audi RS 3 LMS in both of the Spezial Tourenwagen Trophy races at Hockenheim.

Coming up next week

24–25/09 Long Beach (USA), round 10, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

24–26/09 Riga (LV), round 5, BaTCC

24–26/09 Monza (I), round 6, TCR Europe

25/09 Nürburgring (D), round 8, Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie

25–26/09 Valencia (E), round 5, World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup

25–26/09 Monza (I), round 6, International GT Open

25–26/09 Zolder (B), round 5, Belcar Endurance Championship