By Tarek Ramchani
The 2013 Blanpcain Endurance Series will kick off at Monza this weekend. The Audi squad will be represented by eight R8 LMS ultra cars from three different teams. No less than six cars will fight in the top Pro-Cup class, in what is now the largest and best GT series in Europe.
Belgian Audi Club Team WRT
Belgian Audi Club Team WRT are the 2011 and 2012 series champions. The Belgian team will field three cars this year, all of them in the Pro-Cup class, and with very strong driver lineups. The team is welcoming Rahel Frey, the Swiss Audi factory drivers who spent the last two years in the DTM.
#1 Audi R8 LMS ultra (Pro-Cup): Stéphane Ortelli - Laurens Vanthoor- RenéRast
#2 Audi R8 LMS ultra (Pro-Cup): Edward Sandström - Frank Stippler - Christopher Mies
#13 Audi R8 LMS ultra (Pro-Cup): Rahel Frey- Niki Mayr Melnhof - Matt Halliday
Phoenix Racing
Phoenix Racing will debut in the Blancpain Endurance Series as full season competitors. Last year the German team won the stellar event of the series, the Spa 24 Hours with an Audi R8 LMS ultra, as well entering the Nurburgring round. Two cars will be entered in the Pro Cup class.
#6 Audi R8 LMS ultra (Pro-Cup): Oliver Jarvis - Christopher Haase - Harold Primat
#16 Audi R8 LMS ultra (Pro-Cup): Enzo Ide- Anthony Kumpen - Markus Winkelhock
Sainteloc Racing
The French privateer Audi team is returning to the series. Sainteloc will field three cars, one in each of the three classes: Pro-Cup, Pro-Am Cup and the Gentlemen Trophy
#40 Audi R8 LMS ultra (Pro-Cup): Grégory Guilvert -
#41 Audi R8 LMS ultra (Gentlemen Trophy): Pierre Hirschi- Marc Sourd - Claude-Yves Gosselin
#42 Audi R8 LMS ultra (Pro-Am Cup): Ronnie Latinne Latinne - David Hallyday - Romain Monti
The three hour race is set for Sunday afternoon, a live stream for the event will be available on the official Blancpain Endurance Series website.
Photo credit: Blanpcain Endurance Series / Berzerkdesign.de
