Audi R8 LMS Cup Press Release
- Audi driver Edoardo Mortara sets second fastest lap in qualifying
- The Italian aims for three back-to-back wins at the GT Cup
- Six Audi entries in one of Asia’s most prestigious races
Macau, November 16, 2013 – Edoardo Mortara will be on the front row of the grid after posting the second fastest lap during the qualifying session of the City of Dreams Macau GT Cup. The Italian won here for Audi in both 2011 and 2012. He will be hoping to make it three Macau GT race wins in a row, continuing his dominance in Macau which he began with two Formula 3 Macau GP wins in 2009 and 2010.
“Edo (Mortara) did a great job; he was pushing to the limit. Unfortunately there was a lot of traffic, so we couldn’t realize our full potential. However, racing in Macau is like gambling so everything is possible tomorrow. The race is also important because it is the final of the GT Asia season, in which we lead the overall team championship with Team R8 LMS ultra. We will work hard tomorrow to secure the title,” said Rene Koneberg, Director of Audi Sport customer racing Asia.
Driving an Audi R8 LMS ultra, Mortara will be determined to make a good start and early on overtake polesitter Maro Engel in his Mercedes SLS AMG GT3. Overtaking during the race is a challenge in the tight turns of Macau’s street race. Mortara’s car is run by Germany based Audi Sport customer racing. The prestigious competition, on the banks of the South China Sea, is an important mark in the calendar of the global Audi Sport customer racing program.
“Unfortunately, today was not that good day compared to the first qualifying session yesterday. I had pretty bad traffic and got slowed down significantly. But hopefully tomorrow will be better. It is very difficult because our competitors have a lot of power. But I will fight very hard until the very end”, said Edoardo Mortara.
Aside from Mortara, Audi has five additional entries in this year’s Macau GT Cup. Audi R8 LMS Cup 2012 champion, Marchy Lee, will start from grid position 11 tomorrow. He races for Team R8 LMS ultra, which is run by Audi Sport customer racing Asia. Jeffrey Lee, Francis Hideki Onda and Philip Ma are driving for points in the GT Asia series with Team R8 LMS ultra. Their three cars are run and serviced by Absolute Racing. The final Audi to start the race is driven by Shim Ching from Canada, who will be racing for team IMS.
The Macau GT Cup is the final race of the GT Asia series. Team R8 LMS ultra will be determined to secure the overall team championship. They currently lead the series on 212 points, sitting just six clear of second place Clearwater Racing, with third place Craft Racing a further 34 points back. “We are under great pressure to perform. But even under the BOP restrictions our cars perform very well. We are especially strong in the corners. We will have to take advantage of that and give it our all. We want the GT Asia team championship!” said Francis Hideki Onda of Team R8 LMS ultra.
Audi R8 LMS Cup Official Website: www.audir8lmscup.com
