Pirelli World Challenge: Mike Skeen Audi qualified in seventh place at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

By Tarek Ramchani

The North American based Pirelli World Challenge is at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this weekend. Three Audi R8 LMS ultra cars took part in the qualifying session today.

The GT and GTA teams took part in the qualifying session today. Best ranked Audi driver was Mike Skeen in seventh place overall. Behind the wheel of the #2 car from CRP Racing he set a personal best of 1:20.662.

James Sofronas qualified in fourteenth place overall with the #14 Audi R8 LMS ultra. The GMG Racing team-woner and 2013 runnerup in Pirelli World Challenge swith a personal best of 1:21.037.

Drew Regitz was twenty-fourth fastest with the #19 Audi R8 LMS ultra from Cameron Racing. Unlike both Mike Skeen and James Sofronas, Drew Regitz is competing in the GTA class.

The first Pirelli World Challenge race is set for today.

Photo credit: Pirelli World Challenge

Read More

DTM: Edoardo Mortara on pole ahead of Jamie Green in Spielberg qualifying 1

By Tarek Ramchani

An amazing qualifying session for the Audi brand at the Red Bull Ring. An all Audi RS 5 DTM front row for the first race of the weekend in Spielberg.

Edoardo Mortara (Audi Sport Team Abt) clinched a great pole position in the very closing stages of the session. This is second DTM pole position for the Italian ace. Edo set the best time with 1:24.714.

Second place went to DTM points leader Jamie Green (Audi Sport Team Rosberg). The Briton set a personal best of 1:24.907 and was only 0.193 behind Mortara's time.

Two Audi drivers made it inside the top-ten overall. Mattias Ekstrom (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline) was ninth. Mike Rockenfeller (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) was tenth. Adrien Tambay (Audi Sport Team Abt) was eleventh.

Nico Mueller (Audi Sport Team Rosberg) was fourteenth. Timo Scheider (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) was sixteenth. Miguel Molina (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline) was twentieth.

The first race will follow next.

Photo credit: Audi Media

Read More

Audi Sport TT Cup: Jan Kisiel wins Spielberg race 1

By Tarek Ramchani

Five different winners in five rounds in the 2015 Audi Sport TT Cup. Jan Kisiel (#43 Audi TT) has won the first  race of the weekend at the Red Bull Ring.

The Polish driver started the race from position three on the grid and managed to take the lead in the opening lap after a great battle with both poleman Nicolaj Møller Madsen (#17 Audi TT) and Dennis Marshall (#27 Audi TT). After that Jan Kisiel was able to build a good gap ahead of  Dennis Marshall.

In the closing stages of the race, the fans enjoyed a great duel between the leading Jan Kisiel and  Dennis Marshall. The latter managed to close the gap but he did not have enough time to challenge Jan Kisiel for the race victory. Third place went to Nicolaj Møller Madsen.

Rahel Frey (#95 Audi TT) took a great fourth place overall. The Swiss Audi star was the best of the guest drivers in the opening race.

Dutch driver Loris Hezemans (#50 Audi TT) completed the top-five after a great battle with Rahel Frey for position four. Christoph Hofbauer (#7 Audi TT) was sixth. Dominik Peitz (#26 Audi TT) was seventh. Gosia Rdest (#3 Audi TT) was eighth, her best result this year in Audi Sport TT Cup. Kaan Onder (#9 Audi TT) was ninth.

A heroic race by Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky (#89 Audi TT). The Swedish driver started the race from position seventeen on the grid and managed to bounce back in the 15-lap race. She ended in a very strong tenth place overall after some sensational overtakings.

Dreen Seidel with the Playboy backed #99 Audi TT was ninteenth overall and second among the guest drivers ahead of Emiliano Perucca Orfei (#94 Audi TT) in third.

Race 2 is set for Sunday

Photo credit: Audi Media

Read More

DTM: Edoardo Mortara leads a 1-2 Audi in Spielberg FP2

By Tarek Ramchani

A perfect 1-2 Audi in the second DTM free practice session at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. As was the case in yesterday's opening practice, Edoardo Mortara who was the fastest.

The Italian driver at Audi Sport Team Abt set the best time in the session with 1:24.793. Edoardo Mortara was the quickest twice and will be among the big favourite to clinch the pole position in the first qualifying session.

Second place went to another Audi driver, Jamie Green. The DTM points leader set a personal best of 1:24.859. The Audi Sport Team Rosberg driver was just 0.066 behind Mortara's best time.

Jamie Green's team-mate Nico Mueller had a very strong session. The Swiss driver at Audi Sport Team Rosberg was fourth fastest.

2013 DTM champion Mike Rockenfeller (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) was sixth. Adrien Tambay (Audi Sport Team Abt) was eleventh. Mattias Ekstrom (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline) was twelfth.  Miguel Molina (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline) was fourteenth. Timo Scheider (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) was fifteenth.

The first DTM qualifying session will be held this afternoon.

Photo credit: DTM

Read More

Audi Sport TT Cup: Pole positions for Nicolaj Møller Madsen and Alexis van de Poele in Spielberg

By Tarek Ramchani

The beautiful and challengeing Red Bull Ring played host to a thrilling and very close qualifying session in the Audi Sport TT Cup. Two different drivers will start from pole position in the two races of the weekend.

Pole position for race 1 went to Nicolaj Møller Madsen (#17 Audi TT). The Danish driver set the fastest time overall in the qualifying session with 1:38.838. The Audi Sport TT Cup points leader proving once again he is the man to beat in the newly formed single-make series.

Second place went to Dennis Marshall (#27 Audi TT). Jan Kisiel (#43 Audi TT) was third. Alexis van de Poele (#55 Audi TT) was fourth. The top-five was completed by Loris Hezemans (#50 Audi TT).

Audi star Rahel Frey (#95 Audi TT) was seventh fastest overall and the best among the guest starters.

Alexis van de Poele (#55 Audi TT) was qualified fourth for race 1 took pole position for race 2. The young Belgian driver set a fastest time of 1:39.387.

As at is the case for race 1, Dennis Marshall (#27 Audi TT) will start the second race from P2 on the grid. Jan Kisiel (#43 Audi TT) was qualified again in third place. Nicolaj Møller Madsen (#17 Audi TT) qualified in fourth place. Rahel Frey (#95 Audi TT) completed the top-five.

The Audi Sport TT Cup guest drivers were further behind. Emiliano Perucca Orfei (#94 Audi TT) qualified in ninteenth place for both races. Marcel Hirscher (#98 Audi TT) was twenty-first. Felix Neureuther (#97 Audi TT) was twenty-second. Playboy's Doreen Seidel (#99 Audi TT) was twenty-third. Aksel Lund Svindal (#96 Audi TT) was twenty-fourth.

The first Audi Sport TT Cup race will follow next.

Photo credit: Audi Media

Read More

VLN: Two Audi R8 LMS ultras for Nürburgring's VLN5

By Tarek Ramchani

The legendary and demanding Nürburgring Nordschleife will play host to the fifth round of the 2015 VLN Endurance Championship this weekend. Two Audi R8 LMS ultra cars will enter the 4-hour event.

The first car is coming from local team Phoenix Racing. The #5 Audi R8 LMS ultra will be shared by three drivers, Frank Stippler, Christian Mamerow and Italian Marco Mapelli. Frank Stippler and Christian Mamerow were on the podium last weekend at the Spa 24 Hours. "Stippi" finished the race second with Audi Sport Team WRT and Mamerow was third with Audi Sport Team Phoenix. While Marco Mapelli is debuting in VLN and he's competing with Audi Sport Italia in Italian GT Championship and also competed with Phoenix Racing earlier this year at Bathurst 12 Hour.

After an emotional podium at the Spa 24 Hours, the Ernst Moser managed squad will target the overall victory in the special 47. ADAC Barbarossapreis.

The second Audi R8 LMS ultra is coming from Twin Busch Motorsport. Their #44 car will be shared by Busch borthers Dennis and Marc and will be joined by Audi regualr Marc Basseng.

A total of eight GT3 cars will compete in VLN5. The two Audi entries will be challenged by three BMW Z4 GT3s, two Porsche 997 GT3 Rs and a single Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3.

47. ADAC Barbarossapreis Entry List

The qualifying session and the 4-hour race will be held on Saturday.

Photo credit: VLN

Read More

VIDEO: Onboard Mike Rockenfeller Audi RS 5 DTM - Red Bull Ring Spielberg

The DTM is moving to Austria this upcoming weekend. The beautiful and demanding Red Bull Ring in Spielberg will play host to the fifth round of the 2015 season.

Here is a great onboard lap with the 2013 DTM champions Mike Rockenfeller (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) driving the Audi RS 5 DTM.



Photo credit: DTM

Read More

BTCC: Rotek Racing Audi S3 Sedan on Forza Motorsport 6

By Tarek Ramchani

Great news for Forza Motorsport lovers. One the best looking cars in the British Touring Car Championship has been included into the game.

The car is the Audi S3 Sedan touring car. It was Rotek Racing who debuted the Audi NGTC machine last year in the demanding BTCC. The S3 Sedan racer is returining this year via AmD Tuning and driver Nicolas Hamilton.

Forza Motorsport 6 will available on Xbox One on September 15th in North America and September 17th in Europe.

Photo credit: Forza Motorsport

Read More

Interview: Nico Müller "I am happy with my second place at the Spa 24 Hours"

By Jean-Baptiste Lassaux

Audi factory driver Nico Müller took a very strong second place overall at the Spa 24 Hours. The young Swiss talented driver shared the Audi Sport Team WRT run #2 Audi R8 LMS with Stéphane Ortelli and Frank Stippler.

We interviewed Nico Müller right after the end of the Belgian classic. An interesting Q/A about the stellar event of the Blancpain Endurance Series, the new Audi R8 LMS, the next DTM round and more.

Read our Spa 24 Hours race report: Double podium for the new Audi R8 LMS in the Belgian classic

What are your thoughts after such a demanding Spa 24 Hours race?

On the dry we were not as fast as BMW, even in the tests they were quicker than us. By the night and earlier in the morning with the fresh cool air we were better. I had a triple stint where I performed very well. Unfortunatelly with the temperature rising we were not able to match the Z4 GT3's pace.

The target was to not make mistakes and we were focused on keeping our second place overall. To finish the event with this brand new Audi R8 LMS in second and third places is really great.

Was your last stint the hardest?

No it was not the case. It was even easier as we did not have the pressure of the #99 Mercedes-Benz (ROWE Racing) any more. I would say my hardest stint was the first one. The racing line was dry but the track was really wet especially into the night.

What was your target before the race? Another victory following the Nürburgring 24 Hours one?

I have to say that would have been great to achieve a double victory. But my target was to battle for a podium and we did it and I am happy about that.

Winner at the Nürburgring 24 Hours and second at the Spa 24 Hours, a successful 2015 season so far.

Would say yes. I really wanted to compete in GT endurance races with Audi and battle for the top spots. Team WRT is a great team and so is the new Audi R8 LMS, such a competitive car. We worked hard and we achieved some great results.

The next stop for the DTM is Spielberg, are you going there to win?

To clinch a podium, that would be a great result. We will see on Saturday now, it's hard to say something, wait and see so.

The next events in the DTM calendar should be better with tracks you really like.

Exactly. There are two or three circuits that I really like. I really appreciate the Moscow Raceway despite it's not popular among the DTM drivers, it's very challenging and technical. There are also the Nürburgring and the Hockenheimring, two beautiful tracks and I hope to perform well there.

Read the interview with Nico Müller in French at Sport-Auto.ch

Photo credit: Audi Media

Read More

Audi Sport TT Cup: Four fast ladies ready for Spielberg

By Tarek Ramchani

The Audi Sport TT Cup is moving to Austria this upcoming weekend. The Beautiful Red Bull Ring in Spielberg will play host to the third round of the newly formed Audi single-make series.

The Austrian event will be a sepcial one. No less than four female drivers will take part in the event and they are all targeting strong results in a very demanding field. Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky and Gosia Rdest as full season competitors. Rahel Frey and Doreen Seidel as special guest starters.

Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky made history last time out at the Norisring. The talented young driver from Sweden took a strong third place in the second race of the weekend and became the first woman to clinch an overall podium in the Audi Sport TT Cup. Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky will be eager to tp perform well at the Red Bull Ring and fight for the top spots.

Gosia Rdest from Poland had some ups and downs at the Norisring. She will try to achieve some strong results at one of the most challenging tracks in the calendar.

Rahel Frey will compete in the Audi Sport TT Cup for the very first time. The Swiss driver is having a strong season so far in the Asian based Audi R8 LMS Cup and she is performing very well in the ADAC GT Masters with customer team YACO Racing. Rahel Frey will be without doubts one of the strongest drivers in the field in Austria.

2008 Playboy Germany playmate of the year Doreen Seidel is returning to the Audi Sport TT Cup. She competed in the Norisring round and achieved a double podium among the guest starters. Doreen Seidel took the third place twice at the "Monaco of DTM". Doreen Seidel told us that The Red Bull Ring is her favourite racing track so expect to see her performing well there.




Photo credit: Audi Media

Read More

BTCC: The 2016 British Touring Car Championship calendar is out

BTCC Press Release

Series organiser TOCA has today (27 July) confirmed its calendar of events for the 2016 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

The highly successful consistency of its current format and order of ten events will continue for a fifth successive season, with Brands Hatch again bookending next year’s schedule.

The Indy Circuit layout will kick off proceedings in early April before Britain’s biggest series goes on to visit Donington Park, Thruxton, Oulton Park and Croft. Action will recommence at Snetterton following the traditional summer break, which will be followed by the series’ annual pilgrimage to Knockhill in Scotland. A Northamptonshire double bill at Rockingham and Silverstone are next on the agenda, ahead of the season finale on the legendary Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit in early October.

The calendar will continue to comprise of 30 races across ten events, with three races of equal distance taking place on each scheduled weekend. The location and date for the annual Season Launch will be confirmed in the coming months.

The BTCC and its support series appears at all of the country’s major motor sport venues, providing a geographical spread which ensures that literally hundreds of thousands of fans can catch Britain’s biggest motor-racing package throughout the season.

Trackside and TV audiences for the BTCC have continued to grow year-on-year over the last decade with 2015 having already enjoyed huge attendances during the first half of the season. Each venue permits free admission for children – some for up to 16-year-olds – to its BTCC event, further broadening the championship’s appeal among family audiences and the next generation of fans.

ITV4 will continue to broadcast every race weekend live, free-to-air and in high definition in 2016, as well as live streaming via the ITV website. Regular highlights programmes will also be screened on both ITV and ITV4 following each event.

2016 BTCC Calendar:

1,2,3, Sat 2/Sun 3 April, Brands Hatch (Indy), Kent
4,5,6, Sat 16/Sun 17 April, Donington Park, Leicestershire
7,8,9, Sat 7/Sun 8 May, Thruxton, Hampshire
10,11,12, Sat 4/Sun 5 June, Oulton Park (Island), Cheshire
13,14,15, Sat 18/Sun 19 June, Croft, North Yorkshire
16,17,18, Sat 30/Sun 31 July, Snetterton, Norfolk
19,20,21, Sat 13/Sun 14 August, Knockhill, Fife
22,23,24, Sat 27/Sun 28 August, Rockingham, Northamptonshire
25,26,27, Sat 17/Sun 18 September, Silverstone, Northamptonshire
28,29,30, Sat 1/Sun 2 October, Brands Hatch (Grand Prix), Kent

Photo credit: BTCC

Read More

Spa 24 Hours: Romolo Liebchen head of Audi Sport customer racing delighted with Spa 24 results

Audi Press Release

The Head of Audi Sport customer racing about the podium success in the Spa 24 Hours.

Your teams have clinched two podium places at Spa, plus Audi has won the ‘Coupe du Roi’ manufacturers’ title. A reason to rejoice?

We definitely have reason to rejoice on this race Sunday. Obviously, we competed to win. But in the battle with many strong rivals we don’t have to be sad about positions two and three either. The ‘Coupe du Roi’ trophy underscores the performance of the Audi brand in a field of eleven manufacturers and 57 race cars. The customers who watched our performance at the venue confirmed to us how attractive the new Audi R8 LMS is as well. Its performance capability is beyond debate. All four new cars finished the race, with two of them on podium.

You have completed an important stage in the development of the second-generation Audi R8 LMS with your team. What are the next steps?

Our new race car has clinched a victory, a second and a third place in endurance racing in the space of ten weeks now – split between the two toughest 24-hour races for GT3 models in Europe. This has set an important milestone. Following an in-depth analysis of the race cars from Spa, we’re going to establish the final specification for sprint and endurance races. In September, the production of the new Audi R8 LMS for our customers will be launched, followed by marketing the car.

In sporting terms, the Spa 24 Hours were challenging. Your teams and drivers delivered a tremendous performance. Your assessment of this year’s running of the race?

It was a competition of the type you wish for. A large and high-caliber field on a legendary track, plus the team performance by Audi Sport Team WRT and Audi Sport Team Phoenix as well as the showing by our customers – that was high-class racing. Sincere congratulations also to Team Parker Racing, which as a customer team clinched victory in the Am category on its own power. We’ve experienced a good weekend.

Photo credit: Audi Media

Read More

Spa 24 Hours: Double podium for the new Audi R8 LMS in the Belgian classic

By Tarek Ramchani

Audi achieved a great double podium at the demanding and prestigious Spa 24 Hours with the two factory supported teams, Audi Sport Team WRT and Audi Sport Team Phoenix. The new Audi R8 LMS cars and the old Audi R8 LMS ultra cars performed very well in the Belgian classic but had different endings and results. At the end of thrilling, hard and fought endurance race, three new Audi R8 LMS cars were inside the Top 5.

Stéphane Ortelli, Frank Stippler and Nico Müller who started the Spa 24 Hours from pole position ended the demanding endurance event in second behind the winning #46 BMW Z4 GT3 from BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS.

The three factory Audi drivers shared the #2 Audi R8 LMS from Audi Sport Team WRT. The car took the race lead earlier this morning following the retirement of the #45 BMW Z4 GT3 but not for long. The #46 BMW Z4 GT3 was able to catch the Audi and took the lead.

Stéphane Ortelli, Frank Stippler and Nico Müller never gave up and kept pushing in all their stints. Unfortunatelly they were not able to challenge the Belgian run BMW again. In the end a very strong second in the stellar event of the Blancpain Endurance Series for the brand new Audi GT challenger following the stunning victory at the Nurburgring 24 Hours.

Audi Sport Team Phoenix two Audi R8 LMS cars had a very unlucky start on Saturday. Both cars lost many placeds but were able to recover and bounced back very well.

The #5 Audi R8 LMS of Nicki Thiim, Christopher Mies and Christian Mamerrow took the final spot on the podium. A special mention to Nicki Thiim who had some amazing stints with very fast lap times on Sunday morning. A great result for the Ernst Moser managed squad following all the bad luck this season in both Blancpain Endurance Series and Blancpain Sprint Series.

The sister #6 car of André Lotterer, Marcel Fassler and Mike Rockenfeller took a honorable fifth place overall.

The second Audi Sport Team WRT entry, the #1 Audi R8 LMS had a very hard race and ended in twenty-first place. The car driven by Laurens Vanthoor, René Rast and Markus Winkelhock. The car lead for several hours on Saturday but lost many laps following an off from Laurens Vanthoor. The car was able to recover but lost again many laps in the final hour of the race following additional technical issues.

A senstational Spa 24 Hours race for privateer Team Parker Racing. The British squad took the Am-Cup class victory with their #24 Audi R8 LMS ultra and ended the 24-hour enduro in an amazing fourteenth place overall.

The car was driven by Benny Simonsen, Ian Loggie, Julian Westwood and Callum Macleod. The four drivers had a phenomenal race and simply dominated the Am-Cup field without making any mistake on track or pitlane.

More to come.

Photo credit: Audi Media

Read More

HSCC Super Touring: Frank Wrathall with Audi 80 wins Silverstone Classic Super Touring race 1

By Tarek Ramchani

It's Silverstone Classic weekend at the "Home of British Motorsport". The event is featuring the HSCC Super Touring Car Championship. Great and legendary Super Touring Car machines are on site including some Audis.

Race 1 held this afternoon was won by an Audi 80, an ex ROC Competition car from French Supertourisme. The winning car was driven by former British Touring Car Championship competitor Frank Wrathall. He started from eleventh place on the grid and managed to bounce back passing his rivals one by one.

It was a dominant win for Frank Wrathall with the Audi 80 with the fastest lap time of the race. He ended the 9-lap race ahead of a trio of Hondas.

Race 2 is set for Sunday.

Photo credit: HSCC Super Touring Car

Read More