Audi Motorsport Blog

FIA WEC: Audi aims to become World Champion in Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 03:06:00 -0700

Audi Press Release

Four rings with 69-point advantage in Manufacturers’ Championship
Japan strong growth market with enthusiastic fans
Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich: “Title battle in decisive phase”

Ingolstadt, October 11, 2013 – Audi is still undefeated in the 2013 sports car season. All five rounds of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) went to Audi Sport Team Joest. In addition, the Audi R18 e-tron quattro won the Sebring 12 Hours. Most recently, at Austin, Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich’s squad celebrated the 100th overall victory of an LMP race car from Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. Now the next sporting milestone is just around the corner. On the Fuji circuit in Japan, Audi may achieve the early defense of the World Champion’s title in the manufacturers’ classification on October 20.

It was love at first sight. Although Japan is located about 9,000 kilometers from Germany the style in which Audi Sport was received at Fuji on the WEC’s first visit a year ago was overwhelming. An enthusiastic Japanese crowd welcomed the Audi race drivers and Audi Sport Team Joest as if they were at home in Japan, asked for autographs throughout the weekend, and vociferously cheered them on. In the main grandstand, a group of fans offered an acoustic spectacle the rhythm and volume of which was more reminiscent of a samba parade than a motorsport event. 50,000 fans attended the race at the time.

Several Audi factory drivers who either spent many years of their careers in Japan or are still at home there contributed to the huge popularity of the Audi team. Tom Kristensen (DK) drove in Japan for four years, his team-mate Loïc Duval (F) has been active in the land of the rising sun since 2006 and lives in Tokyo. Together with Allan McNish (GB), who frequently traveled to Japan in the past as a test driver, they are leading the WEC drivers’ standings with a 33-point advantage following their third victory of the season at Austin.

Their own team-mates are their closest rivals. André Lotterer (D) has been involved in Japanese racing series since 2003 and lives in Tokyo, his partner Benoît Tréluyer (F) spent twelve years of his racing career in the Pacific island state. Only Marcel Fässler (CH) had no connection to Japan before the WEC round at Fuji a year ago. But this did not keep the passionate fans from welcoming him on banners as warmly as his team-mates.

Aside from the joy before the event, there are some hard facts indicating that Japan will be an important race. Audi may win this year’s first World Championship title right at the sixth WEC round. Audi’s advantage over Toyota amounts to 69 points, with a total of 52 points yet to be awarded at the two rounds following Fuji. Thus, finishing the race is the prerequisite for securing the title early. But there is much more at stake. After Audi was defeated at Fuji last year, the R18 e-tron quattro is to cross the finish line as the winner in 2013. In the competition, Audi will be meeting with two race cars from challenger Toyota.

In terms of business, the Asia-Pacific region is important for the brand with the four rings as well. In the first nine months of the year, Audi increased its sales in this region by 20.2 percent. Japan, with deliveries up by 16.9 percent to 21,400 showed one of the strongest growth rates among the ten largest sales markets of AUDI AG.

Fans can watch the event on the track in the foothills of Mount Fuji on the internet. Audi is broadcasting the action by live streaming on www.audi-motorsport.com. Additional background information is made available on the Audi Sport App, Twitter and Facebook.

Topics of the weekend

-Can Audi defeat Toyota at their home round at Fuji for the first time?
-Will the number of spectators increase on the WEC’s second visit to Japan?
-Will Loïc Duval/Tom Kristensen/Allan McNish manage the next step in the title battle or will Marcel Fässler/André Lotterer/Benoît Tréluyer come closer again?
-Will Audi defend the manufacturers’ World Championship title?

Quotes by the officials

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “Fuji won’t be an easy task for us because, for one, challenger Toyota will be fielding two cars in the race, and, for the other, we saw last year that the track doesn’t suit us so well. But we’re going to leave no stone unturned to continue our string of success. I’m already looking forward to a particularly popular 6-hour race and the enthusiastic crowd.”

Chris Reinke (Head of LMP): “We’ve experienced an outstanding season so far. Now we’re aiming to settle some unfinished business from last year’s round at Fuji. We realize that, by fielding two cars, Toyota will have the corresponding strength. We’re going to do everything within our means to continue our string of victories in Japan.”

Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest): “A year ago, we were welcomed with open arms by an enthusiastic crowd. The fans in the main grandstand practically chanted when our squad performed its pit stops. Returning there is fun. The team thoroughly prepared the two race cars for the next run before leaving Austin. After five WEC victories in succession, we’re traveling to Fuji full of energy.”

Facts and quotes by the Audi drivers

Marcel Fässler (37/CH), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Is driving in Japan only for the second time in his career
“I was in Japan for the first time a year ago and was deeply impressed with the country and its people. I really like the track at Fuji as well. And the Japanese fans arrived in large numbers. It was a valuable addition to the WEC, so I’m looking forward to this race with eager anticipation. The track with its predominantly semi-fast and very fast sections is a nice challenge.”

André Lotterer (31/D), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Has mainly been living in Tokyo since 2005
“I’m very much looking forward to the WEC race in Japan. This year, I was on the Super Formula grid at Fuji and celebrated a victory there in July. I’m sure that our Audi R18 e-tron quattro will be better this season than it was last year. We want to make life difficult for Toyota and battle for victory. Another nice aspect is the continuous enthusiasm of the Japanese fans.”

Benoît Tréluyer (36/F), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Posted the first fastest race lap in the WEC at Austin
-Has spent twelve years of his career in Japan
“I can hardly wait to travel to Japan. I’ll arrive a little earlier in order to meet a lot of friends, fans and team members from the past. I associate a lot of success with the track at Fuji. Due to a small tussle we gave away the chance of battling for victory last year. We want to make up for that now. Our aim is the top step of the podium.”

Loïc Duval (31/F), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Together with Allan McNish, last posted the fastest time in qualifying at Austin
-Is driving a race for Audi in Japan for the first time
“Following Le Mans, this is my second home race because I live in Japan. Last year, I was at Fuji as a guest of Audi and this year I’m driving the WEC race in Japan for the first time. The sports car race was a big event a year ago and now we’re arriving at round six of the season as the leaders of the standings. I’m hoping for our team to benefit from my experience at Fuji.”

Tom Kristensen (46/DK), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Leads the WEC standings together with his team-mates
-Drove in Japan in his career between 1992 and 1995
“Following Audi’s 100th LMP overall victory, we’ve set our sights on the next aim when we’re traveling to Japan. We’re competing in a nation that’s absolutely enthusiastic about motorsport and want to win the manufacturers’ World Championship there. We’ll be meeting with two cars from our challenger Toyota, which will make the race particularly interesting and exciting.”

Allan McNish (43/GB), Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
-Most recently, celebrated the third win of the season with his team-mates at Austin
“I always enjoy traveling to Japan. When I left Europe for the first time at the age of 20, Japan was the first Asian country I got to know. I repeatedly spent time there for Formula 1 tests and individual races. The Fuji 6 Hours was a great race a year ago. The track is demanding. I like the first part better than the last one. Some sections suit Audi but the rear part of the track should be more favorable for Toyota. We’re expecting a thrilling battle. And the fans are a really important part of this race.”

The Audi drivers at Fuji

Loïc Duval (F): * June 12, 1982 in Chartres (F); residence: Tokyo (J); married to Gaëlle, one son (Hugo); height: 1.78 m; weight: 70 kg; Audi driver since 2012; Le Mans victories: 1; WEC races: 8; WEC victories: 4; WEC pole positions: 2; fastest WEC laps: 1; best result WEC Fuji: –

Marcel Fässler (CH): * May 27, 1976 in Einsiedeln (CH); residence: Gross (CH); married to Isabel, four daughters (Shana, Elin, Yael and Delia); height: 1.78 m; weight: 78 kg; Audi driver since 2008; Le Mans victories: 2; WEC races: 13; WEC victories: 5; WEC pole positions: 2; fastest WEC laps: 1; best result WEC Fuji: 2

Tom Kristensen (DK): * July 07, 1967 in Hobro (DK); residence: Hobro (MC); single (partner: Hanne), two sons (Oliver and Oswald) and one daughter (Carla Marlou); height: 1.74 m; weight: 72 kg; Audi driver since 2000, Le Mans victories: 9; WEC races: 13; WEC victories: 4; WEC pole positions: 0; fastest WEC laps: 2; best result WEC Fuji: 3

André Lotterer (D): * November 19, 1981 in Duisburg (D); residence: Tokyo (J); single; height: 1.84 m; weight: 74 kg; Audi driver since 2010; Le Mans victories: 2; WEC races: 13; WEC victories: 5; WEC pole positions: 3; fastest WEC laps: 2; best result WEC Fuji: 2

Allan McNish (GB): * December 29, 1969 in Dumfries (GB); residence: Monaco (MC); married to Kelly, one son (Finlay), one daughter (Charlotte Amelie); height: 1.65 m; weight: 60 kg; Audi driver in 2000, since 2004; Le Mans victories: 3; WEC races: 13; WEC victories: 4; WEC pole positions: 3; fastest WEC laps: 1; best result WEC Fuji: 3

Benoît Tréluyer (F): * December 07, 1976 in Alençon (F); residence: Gordes (F); married to Melanie, one son (Jules); height: 1.78 m; weight: 68 kg; Audi driver since 2010; Le Mans victories: 2; WEC races: 13; WEC victories: 5; WEC pole positions: 2; fastest WEC laps: 1; best result WEC Fuji: 2

Track info

Track length: 4.563 km
Race duration: 6 hours
Qualifying record on this track: Kazuki Nakajima, Toyota, 1m 27.499s = 187.737 km/h (Oct 13, 2012)
Race record on this track: Kazuki Nakajima, Toyota, 1m 28.088s = 186.482 km/h (Oct 14, 2012)
Pole position 2012: Kazuki Nakajima, Toyota, 1m 27.499s = 187.737 km/h (Oct 13, 2012)
Fastest lap 2012: Kazuki Nakajima, Toyota, 1m 28.088s = 186.482 km/h (Oct 14, 2012)

André Lotterer about the track at Fuji

“At the end of the long straight, there’s a right-hand turn with good overtaking opportunities, followed by a left-hander. We downshift and accelerate early because the corner opens up. The most thrilling section is 100 R that winds in a 180-degree bend and cannot be driven completely flat-out. Its apex is almost at the end. In the subsequent hairpin turn, you gain a lot of time if you can accelerate early. The next straight is interrupted by two slight right-hand bends that are taken at full throttle on a dry track. The chicane is followed by a final combination of corners. The turn-in phases are very long due to the unusual radii. The last right-hand turn lends itself well to overtaking. The hybrid drive of the Audi R18 e-tron quattro can be intensely felt in the A-Corner, the 100 R and the hairpin.”

Timetable (local times, CEST +7 hours)

Friday, October 18
11:00–12:30 Free practice 1
15:30–17:00 Free practice 2

Saturday, October 19
09:30–10:30 Free practice 3
13:55–14:20 Qualifying

Sunday, October 20
11:00–17:00 6-hour race

Photo credit: Audi Sport Communication / Media

Gallery: United Autosports Audi in Donington Park British GT finale

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 20:59:00 -0700

By Tarek Ramchani

United Autosports had a brilliant British GT Championship season finale at Donington Park last weekend. The Anglo-American team qualified well and won the two-hour race. Matt Bell and Mark Patterson narrowly missed the driver's title by just 1.5 point in one of the most demanding and fascinating GT fields worldwide.

Here is a selection of the great photos from Donington Park featuring the white dominant Audi R8 LMS ultra.

Photo credit: United Autosports

Bathurst 12 Hour: Bright joins Audi for outright attack on Bathurst 12-Hour

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Oct 2013 23:38:00 -0700

Melbourne Performance Centre Press Release

Bright joins Audi for outright attack on Bathurst 12-Hour
Melbourne Performance Centre Audi R8 LMS ultra
2014 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour
Mount Panorama, Bathurst (February 7-9)

Dual Bathurst 12-Hour champion Rod Salmon has revealed that Jason Bright will join his Audi R8 squad for an assault on the 2014 Bathurst 12-Hour - the Bathurst 24-Hour and 1000 champion joining Salmon, Warren Luff and Liam Talbot behind the wheel of the #6 Skwirk.com.au/MPC Audi R8 LMS ultra for an all-out attack on the outright victory.

“We’re going for the win,” Salmon admitted matter-of-factly. “Don’t think for a minute that we’re just going out there to run around in the top ten, we want victory.

“After the disappointment of this year where the car was damaged during my stint we looked at what we needed to do to take the win next year. I’d already decided we needed four drivers to give me more of a chance to rest between stints, and we knew we needed to find some more speed from the car to match the Mercedes, the Ferrari and the Lamborghini. Those decisions though took a slight back-seat when Craig Lowndes revealed he was going elsewhere next year, so we went looking for a driver of equal caliber, and on Luffy’s advice, we spoke to Jason.

“I’m overjoyed. To have a driver of his experience join us is fantastic. Yes I’m disappointed that we lost Craig, but I’d have been more disappointed if we’d lost Warren. I think he’s the better driver in these cars, so with him anchoring the team, I think we take a far stronger package into 2014.”

“I’ve worked with Brighty a lot over the years,” Luff explained. “I drove for his Britek team in V8 Supercars, and I know how professional he is with every aspect of his driving. This year he did Le Mans, he did the 12-Hour in February, and he’s won the 24-Hour at Bathurst. He’s also a 1000 race winner, and he’ll have no trouble adapting to the Audi.”

“I’m looking forward to it, it’s going to be an experience” Bright admitted. “I’m also looking forward to going to the 12-Hour for the first time in a car and a team that is in contention for an outright win.

“I’ve been looking at the way the Audis have been running in Europe this year too, and they’ve been quick all season. I hear that they’re due a parity adjustment too towards the end of the year, and that might be just what they need to tackle the Mercedes for their [Audi] third win on the mountain.”

“There’s no question that it’s the Mercedes and Ferrari teams that we’ll be battling next year,” Luff added. “They were so quick in a straight line last year, but couldn’t match us across the top of the mountain - if we get a little more straight line speed, then we’ll be there, no question.”

So what of the specification of the #6 Skwirk.com.au/Melbourne Performance Centre Audi?

“We’re in discussion about that now,” Salmon admitted. “The talk from Europe is that the FIA made a mistake with the pre-season parity modifications for the new 2013 Audi R8 ultra. It was initially supposed to have a much bigger aero package, but perhaps they’d been too competitive over recent seasons, because they not only didn’t get the major modifications they were hoping for like Ferrari and Lamborghini, but they also received a restrictor penalty which slowed them down. Look at all the major European championships this year and the Audis have only really figured because of their impressive reliability and great strategy, they rarely qualify at the front.

“We’ll look at it based on what the factory tell us and if making the 2013 upgrade will improve the car - even half a second a lap - we’ll do it. We didn’t make the change to the 2013 ultra package earlier in the year, because it may well have been a slower option than the 2012 upgrade we had at the end of last year. It’s a bit of a waiting game at present.”

Unlike 2013 where Salmon was joined by Luff and Lowndes for a three-driver assault on the 12-Hour, Bathurst 2014 will see four drivers sharing the duties, with rookie Liam Talbot joining Salmon, Luff and Bright.

“Liam joined me at Queensland Raceway for the fifth round of the Australian GT Championship presented by Pirelli, and he’ll be alongside at Highlands in New Zealand next month,” Salmon explained. “He’s only relatively knew to the sport, but he’s covered a lot of miles in the last 18-months, and I think he’ll be a great asset to the team.”

“He’ll surprise a few people I think,” Luff added. “I’ve done some driving with him here in Queensland with Porsche and he’s very good. He’s done a lot of miles with Radical this year, and he’s done a number of events at the Nurburgring in Germany with Aston Martin, and with my experience over there, he’s talked to me a lot about what to expect. He’s only relatively young, but he’s keen to learn, and he showed at QR just how quick he can be in the Audi, so he’ll be a valuable asset to the team.”

As for what having four drivers does to Salmon’s time in the car, that will be determined by their position in the field mid-race.

“If we’re fighting for the lead at the mid point of the race, I might leave the boys to battle it out, but if we’re a lap or two down and out of the chase, Brighty might be assigned to signing autographs and kissing babies..” Salmon laughed.

“I admit that I made a minor mistake this year. I had just completed my third hour of driving out of the five hours we had raced and I was pretty stuffed.

“I missed my line by only a millimetre coming out of the Dipper and ended up grazing the exit with the left rear requiring three laps in the pits to check possible damage; that’s all it takes to put you out of contention.

“With four drivers next year, I’ll be doing my fair share, but that extra driver will allow us to juggle the pit windows with the maximum allotted time to ensure there’s more time to rest between stints.

“I want that third win, and all our efforts are focused on achieving that. We have one of the very best teams in the business with Melbourne Performance Centre, we’ll have a terrific driver lineup, and if we manage to find some more speed out of the car, even better. At the end of the day, the team and the drivers will make up for some of that speed deficit based on experience, so whichever way you look at it, we’ll be there in the mix somewhere. I can’t wait!!”

The 2014 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour gets underway on February 7, with the 12-Hour event starting at 6:15am on Sunday, February 9.

Melbourne Performance Centre is proudly supported by Skwirk.com.au, One World Bar, The Audi Race Experience, PH Motorsport Trailers - supplier of the new Audi Sports Customer racing transporter, BluFi Wireless Australia and Questek Australia.

The Audi Race Experience
Get behind the wheel yourself to discover a new level of excitement with the Audi Driving Experience. Refine your technique, develop more skilled control at higher speeds and pursue the ultimate in performance.

From advanced programs, right through to the Audi race experience, there is a program to suit every kind of driver.

The Audi Driving Experience makes use of a range of Audi’s vehicles, from sports road cars right through to their Bathurst winning race vehicles. From Audi’s advanced driving courses, you can move through to the Audi sportscar experience and finally, the Audi race experience where you can slip behind the wheel of the Audi R8 LMS GT3 racecar that claimed victory in the Australian GT Championship and the Bathurst 12-Hour.

Gallery: Audi cars at Bergrallye Voitsberg - Austria

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Oct 2013 22:27:00 -0700

By Tarek Ramchani

Some great photos from Bergrallye Voitsberg by our friends at Race-Action.com. Here is the #653 Audi Sport quattro S1 E2 replica of Neuherz Harald and the famous Audi A4 quattro STW of Andreas Marko.

More about Race-Action.com on their official website www.race-action.com and their official Facebook fan page www.facebook.com/raceactioncom

Photo credit: Race-Action.com

Macau GP: Provisional entry list reveals an army of Audis and Mr Macau Edoardo Mortara returns

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 9 Oct 2013 03:32:00 -0700

By Johan Laubscher

The sixtieth Macau Grand Prix is set to take place in November. The annual Macau GP press conference was held today, along with the release of the provisional entry lists, which includes an army of twenty-seven Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars.

The big news is the return of Mr Macau, Edoardo Mortara, the two-time reigning Macau GT Cup champion. He has been unbeaten at Macau for the previous four seasons: two years in Formula 3 and then 2011 and 2012 in the GT Cup with Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars fielded by Absolute Racing.

Audi race cars will be seen in two sets of events at Macau this year: the Macau GT Cup and the Audi R8 LMS Cup.

Macau GT Cup

The 2013 Macau GT Cup is the premiere GT event at the Macau Grand Prix and also features the finale of the 2013 GT Asia Series season. The entry list includes seven Audi R8 LMS / ultra cars. Edoardo Mortara will be leading the Audi Sport customer racing squad in the #1 Audi R8 LMS ultra, entered under the name of Audi R8 LMS Cup, run by Absolute Racing. He will be joined by the Team R8 LMS ultra squad from GT Asia, which will include all three of the regular GT Asia Absolute Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra cars, to be driven by Jeffrey Lee, Francis Hideki Onda and Philip Ma. Marchy Lee, Jeffrey Lee’s teammate in GT Asia, will be entered in the #38 Audi R8 LMS ultra, which is also run by Absolute Racing under the Audi Hong Kong Team entrant name.

Two more Audi R8 LMS cars will be joining the grid. The first is from the Finnish LMS Racing team, who are entering the #4 Audi R8 LMS for Antti Buri. The seventh Audi entry is the IMS team, entering the #78 R8 LMS for Shim Ching.

2013 Macau GT Cup provisional entry list (as of 2013/10/09)

Audi R8 LMS Cup

The Audi R8 LMS Cup will also be racing at Macau, hosting its season finale on the famous street circuit. A total of twenty Audi R8 LMS cars, all run and prepared by Absolute Racing, will be lining up on the grid. Most of the notable regular drivers are listed on the entry list, along with a number of additions. Edoardo Mortara will be driving the #5 Brothers Racing Team (BRT) Audi R8 LMS. Mortara has previously competed in the series, when he dominated the final round of the 2012 season at Shanghai last year. Other notable additions this weekend include: Rahel Frey, Philip Ma and Francis Hideki Onda.

Audi R8 LMS Cup at Macau provisional entry list (as of 2013/10/09)

Macau is a very special annual event and the sights and sounds of Audi R8 LMS cars on this circuit is certainly an annual highlight for Audi motorsport fans. The event is scheduled for 9-10 and 14-17 November 2013.

Photo credit: Absolute Racing

British GT: United Autosports take dominant win at Donington decider

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 8 Oct 2013 23:41:00 -0700

United Autosports Press Release

Mark and Matt storm through the field to take victory
Fantastic battles on track with championship rivals during live TV event
Team finish second in the 2013 championship

United Autosports have taken the win at the final round of the 2013 Avon Tyres British GT Championship at Donington Park.

Matt Bell and Mark Patterson brought the Audi R8 LMS ultra home in P1 after a fantastic two-hour race round the Leicestershire track, which was screened live on Motors TV.

The race start saw an unusually clean getaway for the whole pack, with Mark settling into 7^th after holding his qualifying position from the off. Mark kept the pace and was hot on the tail of the leading cars, fighting his way through the pack. A fierce battle with the Ecurie Ecosse BMW and Von Ryan McLaren saw Mark come out on top and move up to P3, whilst also setting the fastest lap of the race, as the pit window opened. Taking to the wheel for the final hour, Matt was on a mission from the start. After a close battle with the FF Corse Ferrari, Matt took P2 and started hunting down the leading BMW of Joe Osborne, catching him by half a second a lap. Matt eventually took the lead and held onto it till the end, crossing the line to the cheers of a delighted team.

It is not the first time the team have won at Donington Park, having taken the win and third spot at the same round last year with Zak Brown and Alvaro Parente’s McLaren MP4-12C GT3 car.

The win today means the team take second in the championship, just falling short of the overall win by 1.5 points.

Matt Bell, Driver, United Autosports:

“It feels great to have won the final round of the championship at Donington. The car has been fantastic all weekend, a great job by the team to give us a car we knew we could win in. To come here as outsiders for the championship but then to finish only 1.5 points behind the eventual winners is a great achievement. Mark drove a stunning race, and he is certainly one of the best gentlemen drivers in the whole field. I’d like to thank the team for giving us a great car and to thank the sponsors who have come along today and supported us all year.”

Mark Patterson, Driver, United Autosports:

“What a great weekend it has turned out to be. A win and second in the championship is just great for the whole team. A bit of luck finally went our way. Matt and I have built up a great partnership in the time we have been driving together and it definitely makes a difference. I’m really pleased we could get the win for Matt, myself and the whole team.”

Richard Dean, Team Owner and Managing Director, United Autosports:

“The win today is a great end to what has been a tough season for us. We aimed for the win and that’s what we got. To lose out on the championship by 1.5 points is a little heartbreaking, but to get a win with Mark and Matt is a great achievement for us. The whole team have worked really hard all year and deserve the win.”

Zak Brown, Team Owner, United Autosports:

“What a fantastic result for the team. A win and second in the championship is a great result at the end of a tough season. We knew we had the car to win and that’s what we delivered.”

Photo credit: United Autosports

BTCC: Exocet Racing Audi for Jake Hill at Brands Hatch

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 8 Oct 2013 23:28:00 -0700

Rob Austin Racing Press Release

Here’s a sneak preview of Rob Austin Racing’s sensational new-looking Exocet liveried Audi A4 that rising star Jake Hill (Tunbridge Wells) will race for the team in the BTCC finale at his home circuit of Brands Hatch this coming weekend.

Team principal Rob Austin will line up on the grid in his regular WIX Racing Audi ‘Sherman’ with Hill joining the squad in its second A4 in full flaming Exocet colours (see artist's impression).

Shropshire-based Exocet, among the UK’s premier fuel additive manufacturers, is one of the WIX Racing outfit’s most valued team partners and has been a prime mover behind Hill’s first outing in one of the BTCC’s latest-spec NGTC machines for the championship’s big Finals Day fixture.

Hill’s Audi, race number 9, will be entered under the Exocet Racing banner.

Exocet Managing Director Neil Ryding comments: “We’re very keen to increase brand recognition among the general public and being part of Rob’s set-up and WIX Racing has enabled to us to do that but the opportunity to livery a whole car for the biggest event on the BTCC calendar was too good to miss.

“Our product range and business is growing rapidly and we’ve spent the past few years concentrating on our domestic and agricultural offerings. Now we want to go back to the origins of what we do – a lot of young people, probably the same age as Jake which makes this a great fit, like to take the road cars that they’ve spent time and money on for a spin at track days and what we offer is something that takes their car’s performance to the next level.”

Hill, aged 19, is forging a reputation as one of British motor sport’s most exciting emerging talents. He adds: “This is undoubtedly the biggest break of my career – the chance to drive a race-winning NGTC car in Britain’s premier motor racing championship and at its biggest event of the year. It’s a one-off for now – it’s the finale, after all – so it’s important to grab it with both hands and make the most of it. Exocet as well as Rob and WIX Racing are also putting a lot of faith in me so I want to repay that. I’ve visited the workshop and seen what the atmosphere in the team with Exocet and WIX on board is like – it’s just a great place for a driver to be.”

Rob Austin says: “Exocet is the sort of partner that teams and fans of the BTCC dream of – they are a rapidly emerging company helping a rapidly emerging talent like Jake and it should make for a very exciting combination for people to follow and get behind this weekend. Plus along with WIX, Exocet’s colours also make for one of the sexiest racing car liveries anywhere at the moment. The car looks absolutely stunning and I very much look forward to seeing Exocet and Jake taking some very good results together this weekend.”

Photo credit: Rob Austin Racing

Pirelli World Challenge: Houston heartbreaker puts GMG’s James Sofronas to second in Pirelli World Challenge Championship

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 8 Oct 2013 09:42:00 -0700

GMG Racing Press Release

Holding a narrow lead over championship rival Johnny O’Connell, late race contact would relegate Global Motorsports Group’s (GMG) James Sofronas to fifth in today’s Foametix Grand Prix of Houston, placing the driver second in the final standings for the Pirelli World Challenge GT championship.

“I’m just really disappointed for the GMG team, Audi, and all the guys here,” stated Sofronas. “Coming in with a narrow point lead, we knew that we couldn’t take anything for granted. Unfortunately, the contact from one of the Cadillacs inflicted enough damage to completely ruin our chances. Everyone really put their heart and soul in to this. It’s not the result any of us wanted, but at the same time everyone proved just what a quality team this is.”

Starting from the pole position by virtue of his point lead following a cancelled qualifying session, the No. 14 The Thermal Club / Hoffman Power Weight / Swisher Racing / Mobil 1 Audi R8 LMS was in the prime position for the opening laps.

With the tricky street circuit encountering a heavy downpour throughout the morning, series officials elected to abandon the traditional standing start, and Sofronas took the green flag under a rolling one for safety. On a wet surface, James was in control of the field, and opened up an early gap to the second place No. 3 Cadillac CTS-V.R of O’Connell.

For teammate and Audi factory drive René Rast, however, the day would take a much more challenging beginning. Having to start from the back by virtue of the cancelled qualifying, the young German was on an instant tear to the front in an effort to support his teammate.

Unfortunately, as Rast made a pass on Alex Figge’s Volvo, a wide run would send the No. 95 in to light contact with the turn three tire barrier on the opening lap. Although he would continue with minimal damage, he would begin the sprint race far down the order.

As the race would unfold, Sofronas held a measured pace over the field behind him. With a car that appeared well suited to the wet, the Villa Park, California resident appeared in contention for his fourth win of the season, until Randy Pobst’s Volvo showed tremendous pace in the drying conditions. Utilizing his car’s four wheel drive to perfection as he passed the second place O’Connell, Pobst eventually took the lead over Sofronas.

With James’ No. 14 Audi now in second, his championship still appeared in good shape as his main rival, O’Connell, sat behind him in third.

As the track began to dry, however, the changing track conditions were visibly more favorable to the Cadillacs, and the latter stages would bring a massive four-way fight between Sofronas, O’Connell, Rast, and the second Cadillac of Andy Pilgrim.

With O’Connell able to pass Sofronas, the fourth-placed Rene Rast did all he could to keep Andy Pilgrim’s machine behind him, but it eventually proved fruitless as Pilgrim would be able to pass the German, and eventually make a daring run on the No. 14. Heading in to turn three with three laps to go, Pilgrim would make heavy contact with James, enough to break the shock, which resulted in a punctured left rear of the Audi, sending James in to the pits for a tire change.

With Sofronas dropping down the order proving enough to destroy any championship hopes, the final nail in the coffin would come when O’Connell took a pass for the lead, securing his championship position regardless of James’ finish.

Sofronas would eventually pull in on the white flag lap, with evident left rear damage beyond the punctured tire.

It was a difficult way to end a 2013 season that saw three wins and countless podiums, but nonetheless a well-earned second place.

“It’s not what we wanted, but it was well earned,” continued Sofronas. “It was great racing with Rene. He’s a star in the making, and he showed an incredible talent out there all weekend. At the end of the day, we’re still here doing what we love, and we have so many big goals for 2014 that we don’t have the time to look back with regret. I really appreciate what everyone at The Pirelli World Challenge has done for us, and we look forward to the future.”

While the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge season may be over, the work is far from over for everyone at GMG. In addition to more races on the cards in other series, the team has very big ambitions for 2014, which will be announced over the coming months.

Photo credit: GMG Racing

BPCC: Audi racers amongst top finishers at Killarney‏

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 7 Oct 2013 07:36:00 -0700

Audi South Africa Press Release

A DEMANDING national race day at Killarney in Cape Town saw the Audi S4 quattro competitors amongst the top finishers on the day – with the defending champion the leading Audi S4 quattro racer.

With one round left in the season, Michael Stephen (A1 – Engen Xtreme) emerged in second place overall for the day at Killarney, with Gennaro Bonafede (A32 – Ferodo Racing) hot on his heels in third place.

“First priority this weekend was to finish all three races. Winning race two and finishing in third and second in the other two went a long way to achieving our championship goals,” says Stephen. “It would have been nice to take the championship here at Killarney, that would have taken the pressure off for the final round. We've won at the final round before though and I'm confident we can do that again.”

Bonafede's second place came after a tough day at the track. His pace for the weekend not quite reflecting accurately in the results.

“We were consistent this weekend,” says Bonafede. “Everything on the car is good after this event, so we'll do some testing and then be ready for Kyalami. This race day promised to deliver a lot more and it was a bit frustrating, but the consistency was good and we can build on that for the final.”

Another consistent performance for the weekend was that of Tschops Sipuka (A2 – Engen Xtreme). Sipuka claimed fifth place in every race – and also fifth overall for the day.

“The team has accomplished what it wanted to achieve at Killarney this weekend,” says Sipuka. “As for the remaining round of the season, we'll just take it in our stride.”

For Melvill Priest (A7 – Mueller Sports Medicine) it was the final race of the day that made the weekend worthwhile. An engine which broke during qualifying saw him miss the first race completely and only join the second race after it had already started. Priest made up for this with a good qualifying time for race three – which is determined by the laptimes of race two, and he took up pole position on the grid.

“The car was superb in that final race,” says Priest. “I could drive it at the absolute limit and it would simply do whatever I asked. At one stage we had a lead of 7.5 seconds on the rest of the field.”

The Audi S4 quattros will go into race action for the final time this season at Kyalami on Saturday, 2 November, when they contest the last round of the Bridgestone Production Cars Championship.

Michael Stephen A1 - Audi S4 - Terry Moss Racing

Tschops Sipuka A2 - Audi S4 - Terry Moss Racing

Melvill Priest A7 - Audi S4 - VMP Motorsport

Gennaro Bonafede A32 - Audi S4 - Ferodo Racing Team / VMP

Photo credit: MotorPress.co.za

Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (5-6/10/2013)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 6 Oct 2013 10:22:00 -0700

By Johan Laubscher

1. The Weekend

Focussing on the weekend of 5 - 6 October 2013

2. The Events

Pirelli World Challenge
British GT
Brazilian GT
Super GT
STT
SA Production Cars
Midas Clubmans
RCN (3/10)
Cup und Tourenwagen Trophy
Curbstone Track Events (30/9)
Austrian Hillclimb

2.1. Pirelli World Challenge

The finale of the Pirelli World Challenge took place on the streets of Houston this weekend. It was a title showdown between James Sofronas in his GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS and Johnny O'Connell in his factory Cadillac CTS-V.R, which ended in heartbreak for GMG Racing. James Sofronas arrived in Houston as the points leader, with a mere 21 point lead over O'Connell. Three Audis were entered this weekend: two Audi R8 LMS cars from GMG Racing in the GT class and one Audi TT RS car from Istook Motorsports in the GTS class.The second GMG R8 LMS was piloted by Rene Rast, the factory Audi Sport customer racing driver, who had been added to the squad to support Sofronas’ bid for the title. Rast immediately showed his pace by placing second in the first practice session and first in the second session. Sofronas was sixth in both of the practice sessions. Qualifying was cancelled due to track altercations in the long break between practice sessions one and two, thus the grid was determined by championship points. This resulted in James Sofronas gaining the crucial pole position and Rene Rast starting sixth, last in the GT class, as he had no points on the table.The race itself saw very wet conditions. Sofronas lead the way ahead with Rast immediately moving up to fifth. The sixth placed Volvo misjudged the very next corner and went off and blocked Rast on track, resulting in Rast falling far behind. Sofronas continued to lead at the front as Rast began a tremendous recovery drive, lapping much faster than the front runners. Pobst in the Volvo took the lead followed by Sofronas ahead of O'Connell. Rast was able to catch and pass O'Connell, taking third and defending Sofronas in second. As the track began to dry the Cadillacs began to show pace. Sofronas suffered rear contact from Andy Pilgrim in the second Cadlillac, who had gotten past Rast. The resulting damage slowed Sofronas on track. O'Connell was able to take the lead from Pobst in the Volvo, whilst a massive battle ensued behind them with robust racing between the Audis and the second Cadillac. In the closing minutes Sofronas suffered a rear puncture and the championship dream finally came to an end, as O'Connell won the race and the championship. Rast finished fourth and Sofronas finished fifth within the GT class, taking second in the championship.

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British GT: United Autosports take dominant win at Donington decider

BTCC: Exocet Racing Audi for Jake Hill at Brands Hatch

Pirelli World Challenge: Houston heartbreaker puts GMG’s James Sofronas to second in Pirelli World Challenge Championship

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Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (5-6/10/2013)

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