“Audi is represented the strongest out of all seven participating brands on a grid of 32 racing cars. Almost a third of the field are R8 LMS cars,” says Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. “We are expecting a similarly tough title fight like last year, and we are eager to see whether the newcomers and junior drivers can hold their own with the established racers.”
Not only in the ADAC GT Masters is the Audi R8 LMS popular. In the German club sport racing series DMV GTC, six GT3 sports cars with the four rings are competing, as well as other customer teams in the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring. Also outside of Germany, Audi is represented in a national GT3 racing series in Europe: at the same time as the German opener in Oschersleben, the Italian GT Championship begins beyond the Alps. At Imola, Audi Sport Italia contests its ninth season in a row with the Audi R8 LMS. The Audi factory driver and three-time Le Mans winner Benoît Tréluyer and Vittorio Ghirelli are the confirmed drivers. Emilio Radaelli’s team has already won a drivers’ title, as well as two runner-up drivers’ titles and two team titles.
Audi Sport customer racing teams in the ADAC GT Masters:
Montaplast by Land-Motorsport
#1 Christopher Mies/Connor De Phillippi
#2 Christopher Haase/Jeffrey Schmidt
Aust Motorsport
#3 Kelvin van der Linde/Markus Pommer
#4 Dennis Marschall/Patric Niederhauser
Audi Sport racing academy
#8 Mikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky/Ricardo Feller
#9 Elia Erhart/Christopher Höher
BWT Mücke Motorsport
#24 Filip Salaquarda/Markus Winkelhock
#25 Mike David Ortmann/Frank Stippler
Twin Busch Motorsport
#44 Dennis Busch/Marc Busch
Yaco Racing
#50 Rahel Frey/Philip Geipel