Belgian
Audi Club Team WRT Press Release
Ekström,
Fässler and Lotterer to join the team’s regular drivers
Belgian
Audi Club and Team WRT today announced the entry of an additional Audi R8 LMS
ultra to the forthcoming Total 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the stellar event
in GT racing which will count as the fourth round of the Blancpain Endurance
Series.
In a
clear bid to re-conquer the success obtained in the Ardennes in 2011, the
Belgian squad will also receive the support of three top drivers that will
exceptionally join the team’s regular drivers for the occasion: Mattias
Ekström, Marcel Fässler and André Lotterer.
While
two of the driver line-ups (Ortelli – Rast – Vanthoor and Mayr-Melnhof -
Frey – Halliday) will see no changes, Switzerland’s Marcel Fässler, a double
winner at Le Mans 24 Hours and a winner at Spa 24 Hours in 2007, and Sweden’s
Mattias Ekström, who was part of WRT’s winning team in 2011, will join Edward
Sandström. The additional car will see double Le Mans 24 Hours winner André
Lotterer, from Germany, associated to Frank Stippler and Christopher Mies.
Vincent
Vosse, Team WRT principal, commented: “We
are extremely happy to take part to the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps with a
reinforced team and such an exceptional group of drivers, and thank Audi Sport
and Audi Sport customer racing for their support. For a Belgian team like ours,
the Spa 24 Hours mean an extra something and after our first win in 2011 and
second position last year, we are determined to fight for being again on the
highest step of the podium.”
“The
three drivers that are joining forces with us for the occasion are simply a
luxury! Mattias Ekström was at the wheel of the winning car in 2011 and we are
very happy to have him again in our team. André is one of the fastest sportscar
and GT drivers around and will be extremely motivated to fight for a first win
in Spa, in a circuit and a country that mean so much to him. Marcel has already
won here and twice at Le Mans, together with Lotterer, and has clearly become a
top endurance specialist. Running an enlarged team will definitely be a new
experience for Team WRT but we are looking forward to taking up the challenge.”
Photo credit: Belgian Audi Club
