GT Tour: Sébastien Loeb Racing drivers delighted with Val de Vienne victory

By Tarek Ramchani

The Sébastien Loeb Racing had a strong GT Tour race 2 at the Val de Vienne circuit last weekend. The privateer French Audi team took a fine race win with drivers Mike Parisy, David Hallyday and Philippe Gaillard.

The three drivers of the #3 Audi R8 LMS ultra were delighted after the race (Quotes taken from the official GT Tour website in French)

Mike Parisy: "I had a little moment of doubt at the start of the race thinking we may face technical issues. We knew that we have a very strong line-up. Both David and Philippe performed very well and that helped us. The whole Sébastien Loeb Racing did a great job this weekend"

David Hallyday: "The level of competition in this championship is really high and it's really hard to clinch a race victory here. The car performed really well throughout the weekend. We test here over the winter and that't helped us a lot finding the good step-up for the car. I always been strong here and I like this track. We won after the bad luck in yesterday's race 1 and we hope we will continue this way"

Philippe Gaillard: "My team-mates did a fantastic job in qualifying. Unfortunately we had a very bad race 1 yesterday. To win today's second race is something great, our first one this season. The car ran perfectly and the team did fantastic job. We are back in the battle for the championship title but it won't be easy as we are facing very strong rivals. Again we are happy for this win and we hope more will follow"

Photo credit: Sport-Auto.ch / Sébastien Loeb Racing

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GT Tour: Sébastien Loeb Racing Audi wins Val de Vienne race 2

By Tarek Ramchani

Sébastien Loeb Racing took an amazing victory in the second GT Tour race at the Val de Vienne circuit.

The #3 Audi R8 LMS ultra shared by David Hallyday, Philippe Gaillard and Mike Parisy started from pole position and crossed the finish line victrious at the end of the 90-minute endurance event. Yesterday the three drivers started from pole position but were taken out from the race after loosing a wheel. A great result for them against a full field of Ferrari 458 GT3s.

The second Sébastien Loeb Racing entry performed very well. As was the case in yesterday's race 1, the #5 Audi R8 LMS ultra driven by Christophe Hamon, Christian Bottemanne and Lonni Martins narrowly missed the podium and took a strong fourth place overall.

Photo credit: Sport-Auto.ch

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GT Tour: Fourth place for Sébastien Loeb Racing Audi in Val de Vienne race 1

By Tarek Ramchani

Sebastien Loeb Racing narrowly missed the podium in today's GT Tour race 1 at Val de Vienne. The #5 Audi R8 LMS ultra ended the 1h30 race in fourth place overall.

The car was shared by Christophe Hamon, Christian Bottemanne and Lonni Martins, they started the race from the third row of the grid. The three drivers performed well and had great battles all race long fighting for the final spot of the podium.

Bad luck hit the sister Sébastien Loeb Racing car. The #3 Audi R8 LMS ultra started from pole position but was forced to retire few laps into the race after losing a wheel. The car was shared by David Hallyday, Philippe Gaillard and Mike Parisy. They will start from pole position tomorrow again in race 2.

Photo credit: Sport-Auto.ch

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GT Tour: Sébastien Loeb Racing takes double pole position at Val de Vienne

By Tarek Ramchani

Sébastien Loeb Racing dominated today's GT Tour qualifying sessions at the Val de Vienne circuit. The French Audi Sport customer racing team took a sensational double pole position.

David Hallyday, Philippe Gaillard and Mike Parisy were the fastest in two qualifying sessions with the #2 Audi R8 LMS ultra. They will start from pole in the two GT Tour races of the weekend. Their team-mates Christophe Hamon Christian,  Bottemanne and Lonni Martins will start race 1 from position six ad race 2 from position nine.

A great result for the Sébastien Loeb owned team after some unlucky races this year in the French based GT.

Photo credit: Sébastien Loeb Racing / V-Images

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GT Tour: Pole position and 1-2 Audi in race 2 qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps

By Tarek Ramchani

A great pole position for the Audi brand in the French GT Tour series at Spa-Francorchamps. Sébastien Loeb Racing was the fastest in the second qualifying session.

Fastest car in Q2 was the #3 Audi R8 LMS ultra. The car shared by Mike Parisy, David Hallyday and Philippe Gaillard. This the first pole position this year in GT Tour for the Sebastien Loeb's owned team.

Second fastest in the session was the #23 Audi R8 LMS ultra from Sainteloc Racing with drivers Christopher Haase, Marc Sourd and Jean-Paul Buffin.

The second Sebastien Loeb Racing Audi entry was inside the Top 10. The #5 R8 LMS ultra driven by Christophe Hamon, Christian Bottemanne and Lonni Martins was tenth fastest.

Earlier in the first qualifying session, the best ranked Audi R8 LMS ultra was the #7 car from Team Speecar. The car in the hands of Claude Degremont, Rémy Deguffroy and Laurent Cazenave was sixth fastest.

The first race will be held later this afternnon

Photo credit: Sebastien Loeb Racing / V-Images / GT Tour

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GT Tour: Audi teams aiming high at the Lédenon opener

By Tarek Ramchani

The French GT Championship also know as GT Tour will kick off this upcoming weekend at the Lédenon circuit. Audi Sport customer racing will be represented by three teams.

The Audi brand had a strong 2014 season in the French series. Sébastien Loeb Racing and Saintéloc Racing narrowly missed the overall title in the Paul Ricard finale.

Both Sébastien Loeb Racing and Sainteloc are returning for this year's competition, they will be joined by Team Speed Car. A total of six Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars will enter the opening round.

Sébastien Loeb Racing will fied a pair of Audi R8 LMS ultra cars. The #2 car will be shared by Christophe Hamon, Christian Bottemanne and Lonni Martins. Their team-mates David Hallyday, Philippe Gaillard and Mike Parisy will be behind the wheel of the sister #5 machine.

Sainteloc Racing will have a two-car effort. The #24 Audi will be driven by Romain Monti, Valentin Simonet and Pierre Sancinena. The #23 R8 LMS ultra will have Jean-Paul Buffin as the first driver, his team-mates will be announced later. Sainteloc Racing is aiming to field a third Audi at Lédenon.

Team Speed Car is returning to GT Tour with two Audis. The #7 R8 LMS with drivers Rémy Deguffroy, Laurent Cazenave and Claude Degremont. The sister #30 car - an old spec Audi R8 LMS - will be entered under Tech Auto banner with drivers Julien Goujat and Florent Petit.

Racing format has changed this year in GT Tour with two 90-minute races feauturing two mandatory pit stops. The Audi squad will face rivals representing Ferrari and Porsche brands.

Lédenon entry list is here.

Photo credit: GT Tour

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GT Tour: Saintéloc Racing announces 2015 driver line-up for its Audi R8 LMS ultra entry

By Johan Laubscher

Saintéloc Racing has announced both its participation and driver line-up with an Audi R8 LMS ultra entry in the 2015 French GT Tour.

The Saintéloc Audi R8 LMS ultra will be driven by the young trio of Romain Monti, Valentin Simonet and Pierre Sancinena.

The French Audi Sport customer racing team will be starting its sixth year with Audi GT3 machinery, following its debut with Audi R8 LMS cars during 2010.

A number of GT Tour teams, including Saintéloc Racing, were out testing at Lédenon last week.

The season opener of the GT Tour will be taking place at Lédenon from 18-19 April.

Photo credit: MOVE RIGHT

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GT Tour: Team Speed Car completes its driver line-up for 2015

By Johan Laubscher

Team Speed Car has announced its completed line-up for the French GT Tour. The team will be entering two Audi R8 LMS ultra cars this year.

The first entry will now be driven by Rémy Deguffroy, Laurent Cazenave and Claude Degremont. The second car will have the already-announced duo of Julien Goujat and Florent Petit behind the wheel.

Lédenon will be hosting the season opener from 18-19 April.

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

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GT Tour: Saintéloc Racing testing Audi R8 LMS ultra at Lédenon

By Johan Laubscher

Saintéloc Racing tested a white Audi R8 LMS ultra at Lédenon on Thursday 19 March. The French Audi Sport customer racing team is busy preparing for the 2015 GT Tour, with details about the season's plans expected to be revealed soon.

A number of GT Tour teams were also testing at Lédenon, including another team running Audi R8 LMS ultra cars this year, Sébastien Loeb Racing.

Lédenon will be hosting the season opener from 18-19 April.

Photo credit:
Pierre Sancinéna
Valentin Simonet

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GT Tour: First test of 2015 for Sébastien Loeb Racing at Lédenon

By Johan Laubscher

Sébastien Loeb Racing was out testing at Lédenon on Thursday. It was the team's first test with its Audi R8 LMS ultra cars this year.

The French Audi Sport customer racing team is busy getting ready for its second season with Audi R8 LMS ultra cars in the French GT Tour. It will once again be a two-car campaign with two sets of three-man driver line-ups having already been announced.

The two Audi R8 LMS ultra cars will be driven by the alternating trios of Lonni Martins, Christophe Hamon and Christian Bottemanne, and Mike Parisy, David Hallyday and Philippe Gaillard.

Sébastien Loeb Racing will again be targeting the French GT Tour title this year. Mike Parisy and Henry Hassid finished runner-up in the standings during 2014 with the #51 Audi R8 LMS ultra.

Lédenon will be hosting the season opener from 18-19 April.

Photo credit:
GT Tour
Mike Parisy

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GT Tour: Sébastien Loeb Racing adds second Audi R8 LMS ultra and announces line-up

By Johan Laubscher

Sébastien Loeb Racing has announced a second Audi R8 LMS ultra entry and its three-man alternating driving crew for the 2015 GT Tour.

On Monday the French team revealed the driver line-up for its first entry which includes the alternating trio of Lonni Martins, Christophe Hamon and Christian Bottemanne.

The team's second Audi R8 LMS ultra and driver line-up was revealed later on Saturday. Sébastien Loeb Racing will be fielding a second car for the driver combination of Mike Parisy, David Hallyday and Philippe Gaillard.

Parisy also drove for the team last year with Henry Hassid and finished runner-up in the standings with the #51 Audi R8 LMS ultra.

Sébastien Loeb Racing will again be targeting the French GT Tour title this year.

Lédenon will be hosting the season opener from 18-19 April.

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

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GT Tour: Sébastien Loeb Racing reveals its alternating three-man Audi R8 LMS ultra line-up

By Johan Laubscher

Sébastien Loeb Racing will be entering one Audi R8 LMS ultra in the 2015 French GT Tour. This French Audi Sport customer racing team will be relying on a three-man driver line-up who will alternate during the season.

The three drivers who will be piloting the Sébastien Loeb Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra will be Lonni Martins, Christophe Hamon and Christian Bottemanne.

Lédenon will be hosting the season opener from 18-19 April.

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport

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Sébastien Loeb Racing targets Blancpain Endurance Series and GT Tour efforts with Audi

By Tarek Ramchani

Sébastien Loeb Racing joined the Audi Sport customer racing family in 2014. The French team competed in the FFSA GT Tour narrowly missing the overall title in the Paul Ricard season finale.

Sébastien Loeb Racing recently switched to Touring Car racing as a privateer Citroën team in the FIA World Touring Car Championship. The WTCC will be the major effort for Sébastien Loeb owned squad, however the team is still working on a double GT effort with the Audi R8 LMS ultra.

Our friends at Endurance-Info had a chat with team manger Dominique Heintz. A very interesting interview about Sébastien Loeb Racing 2015 effort in WTCC, the plans with the Audi R8 LMS ultra and more.

Dominique Heintz confirmed that Sébastien Loeb Racing is targeting a return to the French GT Tour series. In 2014 the team fielded two Audi R8 LMS ultra cars, for this year's competition the team wants to concentrate on a single car effort.

In addition to the GT Tour, Sébastien Loeb Racing is working on a possible move to the demanding Blancpain Endurance Series. As it is the case in GT Tour, the plans are to have a single Audi R8 LMS ultra within the Pro-Am class.

According to Dominique Heintz, Sébastien Loeb Racing is in talk with several drivers for both GT Tour and Blancpain Endurance Series efforts.

Endurance-Info interview with Dominique Heintz (in French) is here.

Photo credit: GT Tour

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PHOTOS: Best of Sébastien Loeb Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra in 2014 GT Tour

A selection of great photos featuring Sébastien Loeb Racing in the 2014 French GT Tour series. The team joined earlier this year the Audi Sport customer racing family with two R8 LMS ultra and was close to take the drivers' title with Mike Parisy and Henry Hassid.

Photo credit: GT Tour

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