Audi history at Macau Part 1: Touring car era 1993 - 1999

By Johan Laubscher

The Macau Grand Prix is a very special annual race event held on the streets of Macau. The 61st edition of the event is coming up this weekend. The Macau GT Cup will see a total of seven Audi R8 LMS and ultra entries taking part, including Mr Macau Edoardo Mortara, who is aiming for his seventh consecutive victory in Macau.

This year will mark the ninth time that Audi race cars will be taking part in events at the Macau Grand Prix. As a preview to the race coming up this weekend we decided to take a look back at the Audi history at Macau, which began all the way back in 1993 with touring cars, all the way through to 2014 with GT racing.

Audi history at Macau Part 1: Touring car era 1993 - 1999

1993

The famous Macau Guia Race (touring car event) was the scene for the first four Audi appearances at Macau. The first Audi to take to the streets of Macau was an Audi V8 DTM entered by a Belgian team in 1993, driven by Bernard Winderickx.

1996

Following the debut in 1993, there were entries of Audi A4 STW teams at Macau in 1996, 1998 and 1999. 1996 saw Frank Biela taking the overall victory ahead of Brad Jones from Australia, an Audi 1-2 overall finish. It was a terrific battle of Biela vs BMW.

1998

After missing the 1997 event, Audis returned to the streets of Macau in 1998 with the Australian Audi team consisting of Brad Jones and Frank Biela. Jones achieved a third place overall finish.

1999

The 1999 Macau Guia race had a total of four Audis entered by Phoenix Racing and Mayer Motorsport. It was a dominant display by Michael Bartels, who stormed to the second Audi victory at Macau.

1999 was the last time that Audi teams took part in Touring Car racing at Macau and it would be eleven long years before a car bearing the Four Rings would race again at Macau. In 2010 the Audi R8 LMS debuted at Macau and three years of Audi dominance ensued from 2011 onwards.

The Macau GT Cup (2010 - 2014) era of Audi at Macau can be read in Part 2 of our Audi history at Macau HERE.

Photo credit: 

Old Michael Bartels website (cover photo)

Screenshots from the included videos

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BPCC: Terry Moss Racing and Engen Xtreme at the 2013 Johannesburg International Motor Show

By Johan Laubscher

The 2013 Johannesburg International Motor Show is currently taking place in South Africa. Engen has a very nice display at their stand, along with Terry Moss Racing who are sponsored by Engen.

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SCCA National Runoffs: Limitless Racing Audi R8 GRAND-AM performed well at Road America

By Johan Laubscher

The 2013 SCCA National Championship Runoffs took place at Road America this week. It was the fiftieth anniversary of this prestigious event and two Audis were entered in two different classes. The second Audi entered race was held on Friday morning and Limitless Racing showed good form with their Audi R8 GRAND-AM.

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SCCA National Runoffs: quattro weather and STU podium for Joel Weinberger Audi A4

By Johan Laubscher

The 2013 SCCA National Championship Runoffs took place at Road America this week. It was the fiftieth anniversary of this prestigious event and two Audis were entered in two different classes. The first Audi entered race was held early on Friday morning and Joel Weinberger performed very well in his Audi A4. 

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SCCA National Runoffs: Three Audis on the entry list - two Audi R8 GRAND-AM

By Johan Laubscher

The SCCA National Championship Runoffs is one of the most prestigious North American motorsport events, and the annual highlight for the SCCA Regional and National racing series’. Three Audis will be competing in the classes this year.

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SA V8 Touring Cars: South African V8 Touring Car Series ready for testing

By Johan Laubscher

A new South African touring car championship was announced at the end of 2012. The new series would utilize new race cars which would be developed and built in Australia, closely resembling that of the new generation Australian V8 Supercars. The first of the new South African bound cars has been completed and is being readied for testing. In recent months the addition of Audi cars was also announced for the series.

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N24: Preview of the Audi Competitors at the Nürburgring 24 Hours

By Johan Laubscher

The 2013 Nürburgring 24 Hours is taking place this weekend. The race itself will be running from Sunday until Monday, over the Whitsun long-weekend in Germany. Phoenix Racing returns as the reigning champions with the Audi R8 LMS ultra. 2012 was the first Audi victory at the Nürburgring 24 Hours, and no less than eight Audi R8 LMS ultra cars are entered this year from, five different teams.

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BTCC: Race 3 at Donington brings a hard day to an end for RAR

By Johan Laubscher

BTCC round two at Donington has proven to be a difficult event for Rob Austin Racing. The first two races saw the two Audis well outside of the top ten and race three was not to turn out any better.

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BTCC: A hard day continues for Rob Austin Racing in Donington Race 2

By Johan Laubscher

The first BTCC race at Donginton proved to be very difficult for the Rob Austin Racing team, and their fortunes unfortunately remained the same during race two. 

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BTCC: Race 1 at Donington for Rob Austin Racing

By Johan Laubscher

Rob Austin Racing arrived at Donington after a massive repair job on the #13 Audi A4 NGTC. Despite the crash last time out the team were confidant following the strong performances at Brands Hatch. 

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Audi included in the new South African V8 Touring Car Series

By Johan Laubscher

An exciting new formula is being born in South Africa. A V8 Touring Car Series, similar to that of the Australian V8 Supercars, is being planned for 2014.

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Race cars finding new homes - Audi A4 race cars in SA

By Johan Laubscher

Every race car has a story, a life time of competition, and for many cars a number of owners as well. Most race cars are built for a specific reason and run by their original team and driver. After a car gets replaced it may be sold on to another team to be used again, maybe in the same championship with a smaller private team or somewhere else. This opens up new opportunities and stories for these second-hand vehicles.

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Video: Onboard Pikes Peak with Randy Pobst in the 034 Motorsport Audi A4

By Johan Laubscher

034 Motorsports have entered their Time Attack Audi A4 in the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hillblimb. The team have ace driver, and previous Audi champion Randy Pobst driving for them this weekend. Randy drove for Champion Racing from 2003-2004 and he was seen behind the wheel of the RS6 Competition and S4 Competition cars. Here is the first onboard video from the team. It was during a practice run on a section of the course. The Audi sounds great and clearly there is more potential in this car for the actual run up the mountain. Best of luck to 034 Motorsport! 

For more information see QuattroWorld.com’s story on the event so far, read it HERE

More information:

034 Motorsport website

034 Motorsport FB page

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Audi S4 quattro racers set for Zwartkops action‏, South Africa

Press Release from Audi South Africa


ROUND four of the WesBank Super Series is another opportunity for the Audi S4 quattro brigade of racers to show just why these race cars are thoroughbreds perfect for competition.

The defending champion in class A of the Bridgestone Production Car series is Michael Stephen (A1 – Engen Xtreme / Tsogo Sun) who had an excellent outing at the previous round of the championship. Stephen grabbed pole position points for race one and a fastest laptime bonus point for race two.

This puts Stephen in fourth place in the championship at this point as he makes up the ground lost at round one when an engine fire prevented him from finishing the second race. Those missing points have Stephen fighting at every round for as many points as he can possibly get to close the 18 point gap to the championship leader, Anthony Taylor.

The second of the Audi S4 quattros is the Mueller Sport Medicine of Melvill Priest (A7). Priest and his team have been working at full pace to ensure his car development takes place as quickly as possible as this is his first season in the Audi S4 quattro. By comparison, the other teams have had their race cars for nearly a full season already and this means Priest must work doubly hard in order to be on pace with the competition.

Priest is doing well to overcome his challenges and is 13 points behind Stephen and currently holding on to fifth. The Audi S4 quattro competitors are currently in sequence in the points standings, in fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh.

Sixth spot is held by Johan Fourie (A9 – EPS / IndyOil) who did not compete in the first round of the 2012 championship. Fourie has not let missing round one slow him down and he has already shown he means business by winning three races of the six in which he has competed.

Tschops Sipuka (A2 – Engen Xtreme / Tsogo Sun) claimed a third place finish at round one of the season which took place at Zwartkops – and repeated this finishing position at round three. With the series back at Zwartkops for round four, it could again be Sipuka's opportunity for a podium position on the day. This will be a good boost for his championship hopes and a strong result here will provide the points he needs for the battle ahead.

Zwartkops Raceway will host some of the hottest racing talent in South Africa when the WesBank Super Series comes to town on Saturday. By far the hottest property on track will be the quartet of Audi S4 quattros and the race pilots who will be racing for the chequered flag.

Audi South Africa

Photos hosted at www.motorpics.co.za

More information:

Audi South Africa

Audi Motorsport in South Africa FB page

Unofficial Audi Sport FB page

Bridgestone Production Cars Website

Bridgestone Production Cars FB page

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Audi S4 quattro a tough act to follow in PE‏, South Africa

Press Release from Audi South Africa

THREE races meant three chances to earn points at round three of the national WesBank Super Series round for the 2012 season. For three of the Audi S4 quattro competitors this event took place at their home circuit – or at least the home circuit for their car.

Defending champion Michael Stephen (A1 – Engen Xtreme / Tsogo Sun) looked to be in dominant form, making the very best of his home track advantage. Stephen charged into the lead, posting the fastest qualifying time and claiming pole for the first race by 0.3 of a second over his nearest rival, Johan Fourie (A9 – EPS / IndyOil) and his Audi S4 quattro which is garaged and prepared in Port Elizabeth.

“It was a good day at the track,” says Stephen. “The Audi S4 quattro was strong and everything was working well from Friday already. This weekend was a great result.

“The last few race meetings at Zwartkops we have been on the pace – or been the pace – for the series, and we race there next. The previous outing there I had an issue in race three that ended what could have been a weekend just like the one we just had, but I'm confident things will play into our hands again.”

Fourth fastest in qualifying was another Audi S4 quattro, this time that of another Port Elizabeth racer, Tschops Sipuka (A2 – Engen Xtreme / Tsogo Sun). Three places behind Sipuka was the Audi S4 quattro of Melvill Priest (A7 – Mueller Sport Medicine).

“We haven't done enough practise, we spent the time between CT and PE fixing the car so we didn't go in expecting too much since we haven't tested. There has been little time because we just got the car back together again but we've already got a test booked for this week. We're looking forward to Zwartkops and I'm good at the track.

“There's a lot to take into account, both from a driver and engineering perspective, and that's what we're working on now, that's our biggest task.”

PE is the first time we've had a chance to get some proper testing time this year and we've made good use of that, things should go much better from this point.”

Technical infringements in terms of how much turbocharger/supercharger boost is allowed in the series saw three of the Audi S4 quattro competitors sent to the back of the starting grid for the first race – leaving only Stephen to retain his qualifying position.

In the first race Stephen made great use of the power of his Audi S4 quattro to keep his pole position advantage and claim victory. It was his teammate, Tschops Sipuka, however that posted the fastest laptime as he concentrated on working his way through the field. Sipuka finished in seventh, just behind the Audi S4 quattro of Fourie.

For Priest the first race saw him cross the line in ninth place – a result he wasn't prepared to repeat with two more races on the day. Priest proved exactly that, posting a sixth place finish in the second race and claiming fifth in the last race of the day.

Fourie's fortunes also improved with two fourth place finishes to off-set his sixth place in race one.

“I wish we could have swopped Friday and Saturday this weekend,” says Fourie. “We were battling with a small splutter in qualifying and that penalty made the first two races very difficult. The handling also wasn't great on the day so there's lots of work to do for the next round.”

The biggest winner on the day was the defending champion, Stephen. Fastest in qualifying, a race victory in the first and third race and a second place in race two, he is now just a single point behind the current leader, the Subaru of Hennie Groenewald.

This means Stephen is the leading Audi S4 quattro racer and he will enter the Zwartkops round with a good chance of claiming the lead at that event. Priest, Fourie and Sipuka currently hold fifth, sixth and seventh in the series, with the Zwartkops event likely to favour their quattro systems and giving them the opportunity of closing the gap to the leaders.

Audi South Africa

Photos hosted at www.motorpics.co.za

More information:

Audi South Africa

Audi Motorsport in South Africa FB page

Unofficial Audi Sport FB page

Bridgestone Production Cars Website

Bridgestone Production Cars FB page

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Tough weekend for Fourie in PE (Audi S4)

Johan Fourie Racing Press Release  

TOUGH WEEKEND FOR FOURIE IN PE

After taking home two Bridgestone Production Car wins in Cape Town, Johan Fourie was looking forward to much of the same at the second round of the WesBank Super Series held at Aldo Scribante this past weekend. Unfortunately, this was not meant to be.

Friday's practice sessions looked promising and Johan managed to set a great time in qualifying. A time that would have put him on the front row of the grid. The team were however confronted with a huge problem that put the boost pressure of their Audi S4 above the allowed limit. A problem that did not present itself on Friday. Johan, together with two other competitors were moved to the back of the grid for this technical infringement.

After making some mapping changes, the team were ready for the first race, albeit concerned about their pace and the reason for the sudden boost anomaly. The rolling start did not give Johan any advantage over the rear wheel drive BMWs, but he managed to move into seventh place by the end of the first lap. Two laps later, he was into sixth. He drove hard to keep up with the BMWs, but was unable to improve his position.

Johan did not benefit from a reversed grid after only the top four finishers were inverted for the race two rolling start. He had a good start and was up to fifth place by the end of the first lap. The racing was close and three laps from the end, Johan saw an opportunity to pass Anthony Taylor, he executed the move and made it stick taking the flag fourth.

The final race grid was determined by the fastest race two lap times. This put Johan fourth on the grid for the standing start. The Audi got off the line well and Johan moved up to third. Going into turn one however, he found himself being squeezed by Etienne van der Linde (BMW). The two touched and van der Linde spun in front of Johan. This allowed stablemate Tschops Sipuka to get through and into third. Johan held onto fourth place for the remaining 14 laps.

"It was a difficult weekend filled with unexpected problems which we will need to rectify before the next race. The boost will be lower at altitude, but we are very concerned that we may have a problem with our ECU. I was going for the race win, but at the end of the day, we still took some points home and got to race. It could have been worse," commented Johan.


"Once again, the support from our fans has been amazing. Thank you for your support," he concluded.


The team will be back in action at Zwartkops on 26 May. 


More Information:
Johan Fourie Racing website
Johan Fourie Racing FB page
MotorPics


Photos hosted at Motorpics

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FOURIE HOPES FOR FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS IN PE (Audi S4)

Johan Fourie Racing Press Release



Johan Fourie will be a man on a mission at round three of the WesBank Super Series as he tries to reduce the points deficit between himself and the other Bridgestone Production Car Championship contenders.

Johan is no stranger to Aldo Scribante, putting in many hours of testing in his team’s home town. Whilst his knowledge of the circuit will work in his favour, he will still face some tough opposition.

During the 2012 season, the category made two trips to Aldo Scribante. Michael Stephen (Audi S4) matched Johan in race victories, with each driver claiming three race wins. The other two wins went to Subaru’s Hennie Groenewald. These results indicate that Stephen is likely to be the man to beat, but there is yet another hurdle. The results don’t show what kind of pace the newly launched F30 BMW 335is will have and if the Killarney results are anything to go by, the BMWs will be right on pace.

“It is definitely going to be a challenging weekend with some strong competition. We can’t afford to make any mistakes. At the same time however, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain with a strong set of results. I don’t think I am going to play this one conservatively,” remarked Johan.

As per the 2012 regulations, the pole sitter in all three races can choose whether the race with begin from a standing or rolling start. A standing start together with the tight, twisty nature of the circuit will really swing the results in favour of the four wheel drive cars.

“We always have spectacular racing in PE and I urge all motorsport fans not to miss the action on 28 April,” he concluded.
For more information, please visit www.johanfourieracing.co.za or follow the team on FaceBook (www.facebook.com/JohanFourieRacing) 

Photos by Motorpics (http://www.motorpics.co.za/)

More Information:
Johan Fourie Racing website
Johan Fourie Racing FB page
MotorPics

Johan Fourie - Johan Fourie Racing Audi S4

Nieyaaz Modack - Johan Fourie Racing Audi A4

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