Audi R8 LMS GT2
Audi R8 LMS GT2 launched in China: After the first customers in America and Europe have taken delivery of the Audi R8 LMS GT2 for the 2020 season, interested parties in Asia can now look forward to the model. The Chinese professional racing driver Cheng Congfu gave instructions to potential customers on the details at the Shanghai race track. With 470 kW (640 hp), the Audi R8 LMS GT2 is the most powerful racing car in the Audi Sport customer racing range. It has been specially developed for club racing and is aimed at gentleman drivers. Audi Sport customer racing Asia subsequently exhibited the R8 LMS GT2 in the paddock at the second round of the China Endurance Championship in Ningbo from 16 to 18 October. Other potential customers can get to know the model on a tour of China until November.
Audi Sport customer racing
Audi trio in Goodwood: Goodwood SpeedWeek from October 16 to 18 this year replaced the cancelled traditional events Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Speedweek. As a unique interactive event, it brought the fascination of racing home to the spectators in a live stream. Audi Sport customer racing presented itself with several models at this year’s event in the south of England. The Scottish racing driver Gordon Shedden drove the GT3 version of the Audi R8 LMS and achieved the best time trial result of a GT driver in 1.17,392 minutes. In its green hell lievry, the racing car corresponded exactly to the start number 1, which had been on the grid at the Nürburgring 24 Hours three weeks earlier. The correspondingly painted special edition for the road could also be admired in Goodwood. The nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen made racing hearts beat faster with the 640 hp top racing model Audi R8 LMS GT2.
Audi R8 LMS GT4
First victories for Audi in the DTM Trophy: Team Hella Pagid – racing one celebrated its first victories with Audi in the DTM Trophy in Zolder on the fifth race weekend. In the first qualifying session, Lucas Mauron had secured the pole position in front of the new champion Tim Heinemann in the Audi R8 LMS GT4 with a margin of 90 thousandth of a second. After the start of the first race, the Swiss driver with Brazilian roots lost first place to Nico Verdonck, who then led the field for 13 laps. In the 14th lap privateer Mauron overtook his opponent and won after 20 laps with a lead of 1.2 seconds. The second race also started for Mauron in first place. This time the 22-year-old young driver stayed in front and won after 20 laps with a five second lead. This means that the international season record of Audi’s production-based GT4 racing car is 16 victories and a total of 42 podium places.
Tension in France: After the fourth of five rounds of GT4 France, Audi’s customer teams set course for several titles. While Eric Debard/Simon Gachet in the Audi R8 LMS GT4 of Saintéloc Racing achieved the best individual result with third place in the second race at Albi, their team increased their lead at the top of the Pro-Am team classification to 19 points. In the Pro-Am drivers’ championship, Fabien Michal/Gregory Guilvert are 47 points ahead of their pursuers, while the two champions from previous years are in third place in the overall standings. Another Audi customer team leads the Am classification: Pascal Huteau/Christophe Hamon have an 18-point lead in the amateur class. Their team Fullmotorsport is the best of twelve teams in the Am team classification. The decisive round will be the Lédenon event on November 8.
Advantage increased: At the fourth round of the GT Cup Open Europe, Baporo Motorsport increased its lead in the drivers championship in the Am class. In the first race at Spa, Manel Cerqueda and Daniel Díaz-Varela in the Audi R8 LMS GT4 took second place after a lap-long duel and several overtaking manoeuvres in the fight with eventual winner Aldo Festante. In the second race the Andorran and the Spaniard crossed the finish line again in second place. Before the finale of the pan-European race series in Barcelona, they lead the amateur class by 17 points and are second in the overall standings, 14 points behind.
Audi RS 3 LMS (TCR)
Two endurance victories in China: Team MMK Racing was unbeatable at the finale of the China Endurance Championship at the Ningbo circuit. Zhang Zhendong, Mi Qi and Zheng Wancheng won the two 150-minute races in the Audi RS 3 LMS from pole position each. Third place also went to a private team from Audi. Team PMU Leo achieved the result with Huang Weifu, Wu Yifan and Liu Qi. The private pilots were supported by Qiu Wentao in the first race and Yang Xiaowei in the second. Wu Yifan is currently second in the Audi Sport Asia Trophy after the race weekend in Ningbo.
A weekend of success for Track Tec Racing: The Audi customer team Track Tec Racing ended the South Island Endurance Series season in New Zealand with the best possible result. Dennis Chapman celebrated his first class victory in the one-hour race in Timaru, ahead of Debbie Chapman in another Audi RS 3 LMS. In the subsequent endurance race, Rowan Shepherd/Lochlainn Fitzgerald-Symes were unbeatable for the second time in a row. They also drove for Track Tec Racing in another RS 3 LMS and finished six laps ahead after three hours of racing.
Championship lead maintained: Comtoyou Racing started the fourth round of the FIA WTCR under difficult conditions. In Hungary, the Belgian team’s three Audi RS 3 LMS had 80 kilograms of compensation weight on board after two previous victories due to regulations. The best individual result in the three races was the tenth place of Gilles Magnus in the second sprint at the Hungaroring. With an 84-point lead, the Belgian continues to lead the rookie classification of the racing series.
Twice on the podium: Audi customer team QSR Racingschool continues its series of podium results in the Belcar Endurance Championship. At the Zolder circuit, the Belgians Joël Uylebroeck/Olivier Bertels took second place in their class in the Audi RS 3 LMS in each of the two 105-minute races. After a victory at the season opener, they have now claimed five second places in a row.
Coming up next week
22–24/10 Spa (B), rounds 9 and 10, TCR Europe
22–25/10 Spa (B), round 3, GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup and Intercontinental GT Challenge
23–24/10 Pukekohe (NZ), round 2, North Island Endurance Series
23–25/10 Shanghai (CN), rounds 5 and 6, TCR China
24–25/10 Hungaroring (H), rounds 7 and 8, TCR Eastern Europe
24–25/10 Hungaroring (H), rounds 7 and 8, Eset V4 Cup
24–25/10 Hungaroring (H),rounds 10 and 11, FIA CEZ
24–25/10 Suzuka (J), round 6, Super GT
25/10 Imola (I), rounds 7 and 8, Coppa Italia Turismo