“Sincere congratulations to our winners and to Audi Sport Team WRT who delivered an incredible race,” said Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. “They lost a lap at the beginning of the race, but never gave up, fought back and clinched a deserved victory.”
For Belgian Audi Sport Team WRT overall victory was the deserved reward following a remarkable comeback drive. The debut of Vincent Vosse’s team in the 12-hour race at Mount Panorama had begun with a number of setbacks. Radio communication issues in the early stage limited the squad’s strategic possibilities. The team opted for a repair, which meant a time loss, but proved to be exactly the right choice, enabling Robin Frijns, Stuart Leonard and Dries Vanthoor to attack again. A drive-through penalty for a violation during a yellow period cost the driver trio more valuable time, resulting in a temporary one-lap deficit for the number 37 Audi. However, Audi Sport Team WRT unlapped itself in a fightback combining clever tactics and strong driving skills. A thrilling three-way battle with Mercedes and Porsche with a gap of just a few seconds and the lead changing numerous times marked the final hours of racing. When the race was stopped by the red flag shortly before the end, Robin Frijns was leading with a 1.5-second advantage. As a result, Frijns and Leonard continued a string of success under the banner of the four rings. The year before, they had jointly won the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup with Belgian Audi Club Team WRT.