Pirelli World Challenge: Podium for Mike Skeen Audi in Sonoma race 1

By Tarek Ramchani

Mike Skeen clinched a strong podium in the opening Pirelli World Challenge race at Sonoma, California. The driver of the #2 Audi R8 LMS ultra from CRP Racing had a solid race.

The 2014 Pirelli World Challenge runner-up was among the fastest in a very demanding GT field. Mike Skeen finished the 50-minute event behind race winner Kevin Estre (McLaren 650S GT3) and second placed Renger van der Zande (Porsche 997 GT3 R).

The second Audi entry in the race driven by Drew Regitz finished in twenty-third place overall. The Cameron Racing run #19 Audi R8 LMS ultra competed in the GTA class.

Sonoma Race 1 Results

Pirelli World Challenge race 2 will be held on Sunday.

Photo credit: Pirelli World Challenge

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Pirelli World Challenge: Four Audi R8 LMS ultras will enter the Mid-Ohio round

By Tarek Ramchani

The Pirelli World Challenge entry list for the next round at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has been published. The Audi Sport customer racing squad will be represented by a total of four Audi R8 LMS ultra cars representing four different teams.

Two Audi R8 LMS ultras will compete in the upper GT division. Mike Skeen will be once again behind the wheel of the #2 Audi R8 LMS ultra. The CRP Racing driver performed very well last time out at Road America and will fight for the overall win.

GMG Racing team owner James Sofronas will drive the #14 Audi R8 LMS ultra. He will be eager to battle for the top spots after some ups and downs in this year's competition.

As it is the case in GT, two Audis will enter the GTA class. Drew Regitz will drive the #19 Audi R8 LMS ultra from Stephen Cameron Racing. Jeff Courtney the team owner of JCR Motorsports will drive the #99 Audi R8 LMS ultra.

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Entry List

Photo credit: Pirelli World Challenge

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ADAC GT Masters: Frustrating qualifying sessions for Audi teams at the Red Bull Ring

By Tarek Ramchani

The Audi teams had a frustrating day in ADAC GT Masters at the Red Bull Ring. The R8 LMS ultras were very unlucky and unable to fight for the top spots in the two qualifying sessions.

In the first qualifying session, a single Audi was inside the Top 10. Daniel Dobitsch and Edward Sandström were tenth fastest behind the wheel of the #100 R8 LMS ultra from MS Racing. Their team-mates Florian Stoll and Marc Basseng were fourteenth with the #24 Audi.

The YACO Racing entry was fifteenth fastest with Rahel Frey and Philip Geipel sharing the #16 Audi R8 LMS ultra.

C.ABT Racing faced a complicated session. The #1 Audi of Stefan Wackerbauer and Kelvin van der Linde was eighteenth. The #2 R8 LMS ultra with  Jordan Lee Pepper and Nicki Thiim was ninteenth. Andreas Weishaupt and Christer Jöns were twenty-first with the #3 car.

The second qualifying session was a kind of dèjà vu for the Audi squad. This time none of the six Audi R8 LMS ultra cars made it inside the Top 10.

Daniel Dobitsch and Edward Sandström (#100 MS Racing) were again the best ranked Audi drivers in thirteenth place.

Jordan Lee Pepper and Nicki Thiim (#2 C.ABT Racing) were sixteenth. Andreas Weishaupt and Christer Jöns (#3 C.ABT Racing) were seventeenth. Florian Stoll and Marc Basseng (#24 MS Racing) were eighteenth. Stefan Wackerbauer and Kelvin van der Linde (#1 C.ABT Racing) were ninteenth. Rahel Frey and Philip Geipel (#16 YACO Racing) were twentieth.

Race 1 will be held on Satruday.

Photo credit: ADAC GT Masters

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ADAC GT Masters: The Audi teams heading to Austria, round two at the Red Bull Ring

By Tarek Ramchani

The ADAC GT Masters will cross the border this weekend, heading to Austria and the beautiful Red Bull Ring circuit. A total of six Audi R8 LMS ultra cars will enter the second round of the 2015 season.

The Audi Sport customer racing squad had a frustrating season opener at Oschersleben last time out. Best result for an Audi R8 LMS ultra was a sixth place in race 2. Audi teams and drivers will be eager to bounce back and fight for the top spots.

2014 teams' and drivers' champions C.ABT Racing will field three Audi R8 LMS ultras. The #1 car will be driven by Stefan Wackerbauer and Kelvin van der Linde. The #2 car will have Jordan Lee Pepper and Nicki Thiim. The #3 car will be shared by Andreas Weishaupt and Christer Jöns.

Team kfzteile24 MS RACING will field a pair of Audi R8 LMS ultras. Florian Stoll and Marc Basseng will share the #24 car. Their team-mates Daniel Dobitsch and Edward Sandström will be behind the wheel of the sister #100 car.

The sixth Audi is coming from team YACO Racing. The #16 R8 LMS ultra will be driven by Rahel Frey and Philip Geipel.

ADAC GT Masters action at the Red Bull Ring will start on Friday with two practice sessions and the two qualifying sessions. The 60-minute race 1 wil be held on Saturday and the second race on Sunday.

Photo credit: ADAC GT Masters

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Super GT: Striking new livery for Audi Team Hitotsuyama's R8 LMS ultra

By Tarek Ramchani

The 2015 Super GT season will kick off this weekend at the Okayama circuit. Two Audi R8 LMS ultra cars will enter the event.

One of the two Audi entries is coming from Audi Team Hitotsuyama. The Japanese team is returning with the Audi brand for a fourth straight season in the demanding Super GT series. Audi Team Hitotsuyama will have full technical support from Belgian W Racing Team (WRT) all season long.

Audi Team Hitotsuyama will be once again supported by Audi Japan. The team will have a striking new livery for this year's competition. The #21 Audi R8 LMS ultra will be driven by Richard Lyons and Tomonobu Fujii.

Audi Team Hitotsuyama will battle for GT300 class victories and top spots against strong rivals representing various brands.

Photo credit: Hitotsuyama Racing / RacerLink Japan

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Pirelli World Challenge: Audi teams at St. Petersburg and race 1 podium for Skeen and CRP Racing

By Johan Laubscher

The Pirelli World Challenge moved to the streets of St. Petersburg for rounds three and four of the 2015 season. Six Audi R8 LMS ultra cars were entered by five different teams this weekend.

GMG Racing arrived with two Audi R8 LMS ultra entries: James Sofronas (#14 Audi – GT) and Brent Holden (#44 Audi – GTA). CRP Racing fielded its #2 Audi R8 LMS ultra with Mike Skeen (GT), Stephen Cameron Racing with the #19 Audi R8 LMS ultra of Drew Regitz (GTA), M1 Racing with the #23 Audi R8 LMS ultra bring driven by Walt Bowlin, and JCR Motorsports with the #99 Audi R8 LMS ultra of Jeff Courtney.

It was a wet qualifying session which was dominated by Ryan Eversly and his four-wheel-drive Acura. Mike Skeen was the highest placed Audi during qualifying, despite not getting a clear lap, he was able to qualify seventh. James Sofronas qualified twentieth, ahead of Drew Regitz in twenty-seventh, Jeff Courtney in twenty-eighth and Walt Bowlin in thirty-second.

Race one was held on a sunny Saturday and Ryan Eversly won from pole position, defending from Ryan Dalziel in his Porsche. The start of the race unfortunately saw Drew Regitz involved in an incident with stalled vehicles on the front straight, ending his and a number of competitors’ race. Mike Skeen had a good start and continued to move up through the field, ultimately finishing third under caution.

James Sofronas also moved forward during the race and finished thirteenth. Jeff Courtney progressed up to twenty-first finishing position, followed by Walt Bowlin in twenty-seventh. Brent Holden did not start the race.

The second and final race was held on Sunday. Mike Skeen was the highest Audi on the grid. The first lap saw a number of different incidents which resulted in a caution period that lasted for over half of the race duration. Unfortunately the #23 Audi R8 LMS ultra of Walt Bowlin was involved in one of the opening lap incidents and retired with damage, luckily Bowlin was unharmed.

A twenty-minute sprint began when the race went green. Mike Skeen moved up to fourth place and held that position until he was passed by Ryan Dalziel and spun around by Davison in the Nissan.

James Sofronas finished as the highest placed Audi in eighth, ahead of Jeff Courtney in nineteenth, Skeen in twenty-eighth and Drew Regitz in thirty-second.

The weekend’s results can be seen HERE.

The Pirelli World Challenge will now be heading to Long Beach from 17-19 April.

Photo credit: 
Audi Communications - Motorsport
Pirelli World Challenge

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Nürburgring 24 Hours: Audi race experience driver line-ups revealed for two Audi R8 LMS ultra entries

By Johan Laubscher

The driver line-up for Audi race experience's two-car Nürburgring 24 Hours campaign has been revealed by Audi Sport's weekly newsletter.

Audi race experience, run by TKL Motorsport, will be entering two Audi R8 LMS ultra cars.

The team's first car is the already announced Audi Sport customer racing Asia entry. This car will be entrusted to four Audi R8 LMS Cup race drivers. The quartet includes the reigning Cup champion, Alex Yoong, who will be joined by the 2012 Cup champion, Marchy Lee, and also Franky Cheng Congfu and Shaun Thong.

The second Audi R8 LMS ultra will be driven by a multi-national crew which includes Niki Mayr-Melnhof, Ronnie Saurenmann, Micke Ohlsson and Australian GT Audi R8 LMS ultra owner, Rod Salmon.

The Nürburgring 24 Hours qualifying race will be taking place from 11-12 April, followed by the 24-hour race itself from 14-17 May.

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

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Britcar: Class podium for Simpson Motorsport Audi R8 LMS ultra at Silverstone

By Johan Laubscher 

Britcar was at Silverstone this weekend for its opening round of 2015. The grid for the MSA British MSA British Dunlop Endurance Championship included two Audi race cars.

Simpson Motorsport entered its Audi R8 LMS ultra, a car that is for sale at the moment, in Class 1. The #30 Audi was driven by Peter Cook and Frank Pelle, the same duo who drove this car in the championship during 2014. This Audi R8 LMS ultra is fitted with a mixture of 2012 and 2013 specification aerodynamic components.

Backdraft Motorsport debuted its white Audi S3 with Nick Jarvis behind the wheel this weekend.

The Silverstone National track layout was used. Qualifying saw Simpson Motorsport taking an overall front-row starting position, second overall and on pole in class.

Two 90-minute races were run on Saturday. The Simpson Motorsport squad unfortunately dropped back with damage during the first race, but soldiered on to finish twelfth overall, thirty-one laps down on the race winners. They were classified as second in class.

The second race faired much better for the #30 Simpson Motorsport Audi R8 LMS ultra with Peter Cook and Frank Pelle piloting the car to fourth place overall, third in class.

The Audi S3 of Nick Jarvis was qualified in sixteenth place and unfortunately retired on lap fifty of the first race and did not take part in race two.

Round two of Britcar will be taking place at Zandvoort from 20-21 June.

Photo credit: 
Audi Communications - Motorsport / Stevie Borowik Photography
Backdraft Motorsport

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VLN: First round red flagged after tragic accident - Audi R8 LMS race debut

By Johan Laubscher

The opening VLN Endurance Series round held on Saturday was red flagged following a tragic accident on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Jann Mardenborough in the #23 Nissan GTR NISMO GT3 was involved in an accident at Flugplatz. His car took flight and crashed over the catch fencing into a spectator area. The event was red flagged and subsequently cancelled to allow emergency personnel access to the track.

It has been announced that there was one fatality amongst the injured spectators. Our thoughts go out to all those involved in the incident, the injured spectators and their families and friends. RIP.


Race report for the Audi teams:

This weekend’s VLN event was the race debut of the brand new 2015 Audi R8 LMS. Two new cars joined the field, one entered by Audi Sport Team Phoenix and the other by Audi Sport Team WRT. The factory-supported Audi R8 LMS entries included the driver line-ups of Marc Basseng, Christopher Haase, Mike Rockenfeller and Frank Stippler (Phoenix #15), and Christer Jöns, Laurens Vanthoor, Edward Sandström and Nicki Thiim (WRT #37).

Phoenix Racing also entered one of its older Audi R8 LMS ultra cars (Audi #5) with Christian Mamerow, Markus Winkelhock, Christopher Zoechling and Frank Stippler. This older R8 LMS ultra was the highest placed Audi during qualifying, securing ninth place on the grid. The two new Audi R8 LMS cars were qualified in positions eleven and twelve, WRT ahead of Phoenix Racing.

At the time that the red flag was waved the field was split with different pit-stop intervals. The three SP9 class (GT3) Audi entries were running fifth (#15 Audi R8 LMS), seventeenth (#5 Audi R8 LMS ultra) and twenty-fourth (#37 Audi R8 LMS).

A total of twelve Audi race cars were entered this weekend. The SP9 GT3 machines were joined by Düchting Motorsport’s Audi R8 V10 in the SP8 class, a number of Audi TT RS and Audi TTS entries in SP3T and SP4T (Rotek Racing, LMS Engnieering, S.Pace Racing, race&event), an Audi A4 B7 from Tuning Akademie Ingolstadt and the Frikadelli Racing TT RS.

The #303 Audi TT RS from LMS Engineering was leading the SP3T class when the race was stopped.

Phoenix Racing also debuted its new Race-Taxi at the Green Hell this weekend. The #4 Audi R8 LMS ultra driven by Hans-Joachim Stuck has the “Crocodile” livery that was seen at the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour.

Round two of the VLN Endurance Series will be held at the Nürburgring Nordschleife on 25 April.

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

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VLN: Phoenix Racing and TÜV Rheinland continue partnership in VLN and Nürburgring 24 Hours

Phoenix Racing Press Release

Phoenix Racing and TÜV Rheinland were able to crown their official partnership right in the first year. With the Audi R8 LMS ultra sporting the distinctive TÜV Rheinland logo Ernst Moser’s motorsport team with drivers Christopher Haase, Christian Mamerow, René Rast and Markus Winkelhock won the ADAC Zurich 24-Hour Race Nürburgring. The continuation of the successful partnership between TÜV Rheinland and Phoenix Racing was announced on Friday, 27 March, at a press conference at the Nürburgring that was attended by Dr Michael Fübi, Chairman of the Board of Management of TÜV Rheinland AG, as well.

“TÜV Rheinland and Phoenix Racing both strive for a maximum of safety, quality and precision, as well sharing a passion for motorsport,” Ernst Moser, Team Director of Phoenix Racing, commented.

“This joint success in the Nürburgring 24 Hours has motivated and inspired us, but it is more than the sporting success on the race track that underpins this partnership,” said Prof Dr-Ing Jürgen Brauckmann, Management Board Member Mobility TÜV Rheinland. “For over 40 years TÜV has been accompanying technological innovations with the aim of continually improving quality and safety. Motorsport at the Nürburgring, and this includes our commitment with Ernst Moser and his team as well, offers us an ideal platform for the dialogue with industry and our clientele.”

Frank Stippler, who like last year’s 24-hour race winner Christian Mamerow is part of the Phoenix line-up of regular drivers on the Nordschleife, as brand ambassador continues to be an integral component of the motorsport commitment of the independent testing services provider. Prof Dr-Ing Jürgen Brauckmann: “Frank Stippler is not only a successful racing driver but also an outstanding brand ambassador for us, who ideally communicates the synergy between motorsport and TÜV Rheinland.”

Phoenix Racing based in Meuspath at the Nürburgring and TÜV Rheinland are primarily focused on the 43rd ADAC Zurich 24-Hour Race Nürburgring to be held from 14 to 17 May that Phoenix has previously won a total of four times. The squad of Team Director Ernst Moser and GT Team Manager Bernhard Demmer will be participating in the iconic endurance race in the Eifel with two next-generation Audi R8 LMS cars. In addition, Phoenix Racing, which competes in the two Blancpain GTSeries and as Audi Sport Team Phoenix in the DTM as well, will be contesting all ten races of the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring. The VLN opening race is held on Saturday (28 March) and, at the same time, marks the racing debut of the new Audi R8 LMS that is driven on the legendary Nordschleife by Mike Rockenfeller, Christopher Haase, Frank Stippler and Marc Basseng.

Photo credit: Phoenix Racing

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Blancpain GT Series: Belgian Audi Club Team WRT announces its program and driver line-ups for 2015

By Johan Laubscher

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT is gearing up for a very busy 2015 season and announced its 2015 plans and driver line-ups at its workshop on Thursday.

The WRT team is entering an army of Audi R8 LMS ultra cars in the Blancpain GT Series, four cars in the Sprint Series and three in the Endurance Series. The new 2015 factory-supported Audi R8 LMS program with WRT will also be adding one car at two selected rounds of the Blancpain Endurance Series (Monza and Paul Ricard) and at the opening VLN round, followed by a two-car entry at the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the Spa 24 Hours. In addition to its European commitments, WRT is also supporting Hitotsuyama Racing
 in the Japanese Super GT this year.

The official Belgian Audi Club Team WRT press release can be seen HERE.

The line-ups for WRT's three-car Blancpain Endurance Series and four-car Blancpain Sprint Series entries have been announced and included below, joining the factory supported 2015 Audi R8 LMS WRT driver line-ups revealed by Audi Sport earlier this week.

W Racing Team (WRT) commitments and driver line-ups for 2015: 

2015 Blancpain GT Series:

   Blancpain Endurance Series

      BES full season entries (Excluding Monza, Paul Ricard and Spa 24 Hours)
      #1 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Laurens Vanthoor, Robin Frijns and Jean-Karl Vernay
      #2 Audi R8 LMS ultra* - Stéphane Ortelli, Stéphane Richelmi and Frank Stippler
      #4 Audi R8 LMS ultra* - Laurent Pasquali, Sacha Bottemanne and Max Koebolt

      BES round 1: Monza 
      Audi R8 LMS (2015) - Nico Müller, Stéphane Ortelli and Frank Stippler
      #1 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Laurens Vanthoor, Robin Frijns and Jean-Karl Vernay
      #2 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Stéphane Richelmi, Kelvin van der Linde and TBA
      #4 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Laurent Pasquali, Sacha Bottemanne and Max Koebolt

      BES round 3: Paul Ricard
      Audi R8 LMS (2015) - René Rast, Laurens Vanthoor and Markus Winkelhock
      #1 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Robin Frijns, Jean-Karl Vernay and TBA
      #2 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Stéphane Ortelli, Stéphane Richelmi and Frank Stippler
      #4 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Laurent Pasquali, Sacha Bottemanne and Max Koebolt

      BES round 4: Spa 24 Hours
      Audi R8 LMS (2015) - René Rast, Laurens Vanthoor and Markus Winkelhock
      Audi R8 LMS (2015) - Nico Müller, Stéphane Ortelli and Frank Stippler
      Audi R8 LMS ultra - Robin Frijns, Jean-Karl Vernay and Stéphane Richelmi
      Audi R8 LMS ultra - Laurent Pasquali, Sacha Bottemanne and Max Koebolt

   Blancpain Sprint Series
   #1 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Laurens Vanthoor and Robin Frijns
   #2 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Enzo Ide and Christopher Mies
   #3 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Stéphane Ortelli and Stéphane Richelmi
   #4 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Frank Stippler and James Nash

VLN round 1:
#37 Audi R8 LMS (2015) - Christer Jöns, Nico Müller, Edward Sandström and Nicki Thiim

Nürburgring 24 Hours:
Audi R8 LMS (2015) - Christopher Mies, Nico Müller, Edward Sandström and Laurens Vanthoor
Audi R8 LMS (2015) - Christer Jöns, Pierre Kaffer, Nicki Thiim and Laurens Vanthoor

Japanese Super GT (WRT supporting Hitotsuyama Racing):
#21 Audi R8 LMS ultra - Richard Lyons, Tomonobu Fujii and Stéphane Ortelli**

*BES WRT entries #1 and #2 will alternate driver combinations during the season with the addition of the one to two new 2015 Audi R8 LMS at certain rounds.

**Stéphane Ortelli is joining Hitotsuyama Racing has the third driver for the endurance events, rounds two and five, the Fuji 500 km and the Suzuka 1000 km.

Photo credit: 
GrafiWrap Grafityp
Audi Communications - Motorsport

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Blancpain GT Series: A busy programme in 2015 for multiple title-defender Belgian Audi Club Team WRT

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Press Release

• Four Audi R8 LMSultra entered in the Blancpain Sprint Series and three in the BlancpainEndurance Series
• New Audi R8 LMS tojoin in selected enduro events
• Driver line-upscombine experience and youth, with Robin Frijns and Jean-Karl Vernay as mostrecent stellar additions
• Vanthoor-Winkelhock-Rastto defend their title at Total 24 Hours of Spa

The 2015 GT season is about to start and the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT is ready to take up the challenge of doing as well,or possibly better, than in 2014! The Belgian squad closed 2014 with animpressive string of titles, which included double (Drivers’ and Teams’) titlesin the overall Blancpain GT Series, the Blancpain Endurance Series and in theSilver Cup of the Blancpain GT Series, where it also clinched the Teams’honours in the Pro Cup. Last but not least, it conquered a resounding win inthe Total 24 Hours of Spa, undisputedly the most prestigious GT race in theworld. Defending all these titles will be a challenging task but also a veryexciting one!

The Belgian Audi Club Team WRT is prepared for theendeavour, as shown today in its premises in Baudour, Belgium where the 2015racing programme was unveiled to the press. The entire team is proud to embarkin what is the sixth year of partnership between the Belgian Audi Club, TeamWRT and the Audi brand, and also the sixth consecutive season in SRO-promotedchampionships. With a renewed and strengthened driver line-up, the outfit ismore committed than ever to excellence and thrilled to have soon thepossibility of taking to the track the new generation of the Audi R8 LMS racer.

Team Principal Vincent Vosse today summed upthe mood of his troops: “We are anxiousto be on the track again after the winter break. We have been recently testingat the Paul Ricard and twice at Misano Adriatico, but we look forward to the adrenalinthat only real racing can give. We are ready and extremely motivated. I amproud of the work that everybody has done during this preparation phase and Iam also proud of the excellent line-ups we have put together. They represent, Ibelieve, a perfect combination of experience and youth. We are very happy tohave a family of drivers that have been many years with us, such as Ortelli,who is part of the team since the very beginning in 2010,
Stippler, Vanthoor,Ide, Mies or Sandström, and also to having been able to attract people of thelikes of Richelmi, Frijns and Vernay, just to make some names, who bringmuch-valued fresh blood. Both things mean a lot to us.“

Vosse goes on: “Clearly, 2015 will be an interesting season. On one hand, we have thevery exciting task to defend many titles after a very successful 2014 campaign;on the other, it will be a year of transition, as the new generation of theAudi R8 LMS comes gradually into the scene. I am sure it will represent asignificant step forward, in terms of performance and reliability, as the newcar is the fruit of everything Audi engineers have learnt in the past years,and it is a privilege for us to have the possibility to run the new car inselected events. It is also a key year for Team WRT, as we have expanded intonew arenas, successfully debuting in ice races at the Trophée Andros over thewinter, or assisting a Japanese team in preparing the R8 LMS ultra they boughtfrom us and that will race in the Japanese GT300 series.”

While the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT hasfurther strengthened its staff, key top managers have not changed, with RenéVerbist overseeing all technical aspects and Pierre Dieudonné and ThierryTassin sharing sporting directorship duties. The squad is therefore perfectlyfit to embark on the racing programme outlined below.

Blancpain Sprint Series

The team will enter in the 7 rounds of theBlancpain Sprint Series four Audis R8 LMS ultra, all in the Pro category. Car#1 will be entrusted to Laurens Vanthoor and Robin Frijns, with the Belgo-Dutch23-year-old driver and former FR 3.5 Champion doing his debut in GT racing. Car#2 will be for Enzo Ide-Christopher Mies, with the two “Stéphanes of Monaco”,Ortelli and Richelmi, sharing car #3 and Frank Stippler-James Nash pairing incar #4.

Blancpain Endurance Series

Three cars will be also entered in theBlancpain Endurance Series. While the car entered in Pro-Am will be entrustedto French GT drivers Laurent Pasquali and Sacha Bottemanne and young DutchmanMax Koebolt, who all debut in the team, the two Pro cars will have somehowchanging line-ups, which will be announced ahead of every event. Still, the mostusual line-up configuration will see Laurens Vanthoor, Robin Frijns and anothernew addition, French GT star Jean-Karl Vernay share #1 and Stéphane Ortelli,Stéphane Richelmi and Frank Stippler driving car #2.

It is in this championship that, with thesupport of Audi Sport, the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT will have the opportunityto race the new Audi R8 LMS, recently unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. Oneunit will be used at Monza (with Nico Müller joining Stippler and Ortelli atthe wheel) and another will be entered at the Ricard 1000 km race for LaurensVanthoor-Markus Winkelhock-René Rast.

Total 24 Hours of Spa

Although part of the Blancpain EnduranceSeries, the Total 24 Hours of Spa is a race completely apart, as we all know.For the Ardennes enduro, Vanthoor-Winkelhock-Rast will defend their title atthe wheel of the new Audi R8 LMS, a model that also Ortelli-Stippler-Müllerwill have, with Frijns-Richelmi-Vernay being entrusted an R8 LMS ultra.

ADAC 24 Hours of theNürburgring

This year too, the Belgian Audi Club Team WRTwill live the excitement of the “Green Hell” and be part of Audi’s offensive,with two new R8 LMS. The line-ups for the ‘Ring are Laurens Vanthoor-EdwardSandström-Nico Müller-Christopher Mies on one hand, and Laurens Vanthoor-PierreKaffer-Niki Thiim-Chister Jöns on the other.


The first 2015 outing is round the corner, asthe Blancpain Sprint Series kicks-off on Easter weekend (4-6) at the CircuitPaul Armagnac in Nogaro, Southwest France. As customary, the Coupes de Pâques races of 1 hour each takeplace on Easter Sunday (Qualifying Race at 14:15 CET) and Monday (Main Race at13:10). Follow all the action (including live timing and commented TVwebstreaming) on www.blancpain-gt-series.com

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

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Blancpain Endurance Series: Dutchman Max Koebolt joins Belgian Audi Club Team WRT

By Johan Laubscher

Young Dutch GT star, Max Koebolt, will be joining Belgian Audi Club Team WRT in the 2015 Blancpain Endurance Series.

The #2 WRT Audi R8 LMS ultra was revealed wearing blue Gulf sponsorship on Wednesday, a day before Belgian Audi Club Team WRT reveals its driver line-ups for the 2015 season.

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT will be entering three Audi R8 LMS ultra cars in the Blancpain Endruance Series this year.

The 2015 BES season will get underway at Monza in Italy from 11-12 April.

Photo credit: 
jorritvd9
@jorritvd

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