Audi R8 LMS Cup Press Release
Audi Gunning for
GT Asia Series Glory
· Official Audi R8
LMS Cup entry looks for first series victory
· Shanghai-based
Swiss Alexandre Imperatori partners Jeffrey Lee
· Suzuka
double-header supports Japan Super GT
Suzuka,
August 16, 2012 – With their
championship aspirations back on track, the official Audi R8 LMS Cup entry is
ready to fight for the top step of the podium as Rounds 7&8 of the GT Asia
Series gets underway at the Suzuka Circuit on August 17-19, 2012.
With regular
partner Marchy Lee of Hong Kong away in Inner Mongolia for Rounds 7&8 of the
Audi R8 LMS Cup in Ordos, exciting young talent Alexandre Imperatori has been
drafted in to partner Chinese Taipei driver Jeffrey Lee in the Pro/Am category.
At just 25,
Imperatori is already a force to be reckoned with on the international sports
car scene. Having raced in Japan Formula 3, Formula Nippon and Super GT,
Imperatori is familiar with the 5.807km Suzuka circuit. Although he will be
racing the Audi R8 LMS ultra for the first time in Suzuka, he was on the Audi
team which took the GT class win at last year’s 6 Hours of Zhuhai.
Commented
Director of Audi Sport customer racing in China, Rene Koneberg: “As our regular
GT Asia Series driver Marchy Lee is not available due to his commitments racing
in the Audi R8 LMS Cup in Ordos this weekend, we are delighted to have such a
fantastic addition to our team in Alexandre Imperatori and look forward to
working towards our goal of a perfect weekend in Suzuka.”
Last month in
Fuji, the Audi R8 LMS Cup entry returned to podium form with a third-place
finish in a dramatic Round 6. Buoyed by their success, and now just two points
away from third place, Lee and Imperatori are expected to make a powerful
pairing.
In Suzuka, the
team will be flying the flag for the Audi R8 LMS Cup, the brand’s first-ever
one-makes series which stormed onto the Asian motorsport scene in April this
year.
As well as
spreading the word about the Audi R8 LMS Cup, the GT Asia Series entry
represents the ideal platform on which to showcase Audi lightweight technology
in competition with other leading automotive marques. Leading proponents of the
track-to-road philosophy, Audi technological innovation honed on the world’s
racing circuits is implemented in its road car production, directly translating
to the consumer as improved efficiency.
Suzuka is the
second of three race weekends in Japan and is a critical opportunity for the
team to earn vital championship points ahead of the season finale as part of the
Macau GT Cup at the 59th Macau Grand Prix in November. The intense and exciting
GT Asia Series competition is further enhanced by a mandatory pit stop and
Balance of Performance success ballast regulations.
The official Audi
R8 LMS Cup entry and new pairing of Lee and Imperatori will mount the challenge
for their maiden series victory with the two qualifying sessions and Round 7
taking place on Saturday, August 18. Round 8 will be run on Sunday, August
19.
Jeffrey
Lee:
“Following our
podium finish at Fuji, we’re looking forward to carrying over that momentum to
Suzuka. I’m excited to be working with Alexandre this weekend as we have raced
against each other before, but never competed together as a team. Team work,
particularly during the driver change, is an essential element towards achieving
success in this series and I am confident that Alexandre and I have what it
takes to stand on top of the podium in Suzuka.”
Alexandre
Imperatori:
“I’m excited to
race the Audi R8 LMS ultra at a special track like Suzuka. It will be a new
championship for me, but I really look forward to the weekend and hope we can
grab a good result. I have raced a lot in Suzuka over the past few years and it
is truly one of the very best tracks in the world. It’s not very wide, which
means errors can be costly. This track is a real roller coaster: fast, flowing,
elevation changes and incredibly technical.”
Audi
R8 LMS Cup Official Website at: www.audir8lmscup.com
GT Asia Series
2012
Provisional
Calendar
Date
|
Event
|
Circuit
|
Rounds
|
May
26-27
|
Malaysian Super
Series
|
Sepang
International Circuit, Malaysia
|
1 &
2
|
June
9-10
|
Super GT
Series
|
Sepang
International Circuit, Malaysia
|
3 &
4
|
July
14-15
|
Formula
Nippon
|
Fuji International
Speedway, Japan
|
5 &
6
|
August
18-19
|
Super GT
Series
|
Suzuka Circuit,
Japan
|
7 &
8
|
September
29-30
|
Super GT
Series
|
Autopolis
International Circuit, Japan
|
9 &
10
|
November
16-18
|
59th
Macau Grand Prix (Macau GT Cup)
|
Guia Circuit,
Macau, China
|
11
|
More information:
