- All Audi drivers to join DTM-testing
- Audi drivers to test the new option tires plus DRS
- Phoenix Racing racing programme
- Stuck brothers in the Audi R8 LMS ultra
All eight Audi drivers are traveling to Barcelona (Spain) for the first joint DTM-tests. Ferdinand and Johannes Stuck rely on Audi on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring. The Audi customer team Phoenix Racing has announced two international programs with the Audi R8 LMS ultra.
DTM: All Audi drivers test at Barcelona
From Tuesday on, the Audi RS 5 DTM will be continually out on track. All eight Audi drivers are traveling to Barcelona (Spain) for the first joint tests with the competition from BMW and Mercedes-Benz this year. Filipe Albuquerque, Mattias Ekström, Jamie Green, Miguel Molina, Edoardo Mortara, Mike Rockenfeller, Timo Scheider and Adrien Tambay will have four days to take turns at preparing themselves for the new season – as well as for possibly new factors in the battle for the crucial hundredths on the track. The tests will also include the new option tires plus an adjustable rear wing (DRS). Four Audi RS 5 DTM cars will participate in the tests. Albuquerque, Green, Rockenfeller and Tambay will be the first to test on Tuesday.
Phoenix Racing in Blancpain Series and FIA GT Series
The Audi customer team Phoenix Racing has announced two international programs with the Audi R8 LMS ultra. Two of the Eifel-based team’s GT3 sports cars will be running in the Blancpain Endurance Series. Markus Winkelhock/Anthony Kumpen/Enzo Ide (D/B/B) plus Christopher Haase/Oliver Jarvis/Harold Primat (D/GB/CH) will take turns in the cockpit. In the FIA GT Series, Anthony Kumpen and Enzo Ide will compete as team-mates in a Phoenix R8.
Stuck and Stuck in the Audi R8 LMS ultra
Ferdinand and Johannes Stuck rely on Audi on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring. The two racing brothers will contest the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring in an R8 LMS ultra fielded by Phoenix Racing. In the 24-hour race, they will be supported by Michael Ammermüller and last year’s winner Frank Stippler.
Winkelhock and Albuquerque support presentations
Markus Winkelhock and Filipe Albuquerque presented Audi’s most current sporty top-end models. Winkelhock was in Australia on Tuesday. At the Phillip Island circuit near Melbourne he presented the most recent generation of the Audi R8. His Portuguese brand colleague Filipe Albuquerque supported the opening event of the Central Launch Training Spring 2013 in Munich on Monday where the dealers got to know the latest RS models.
Two Swedes visit Sweden
They live just a few kilometers apart from each other at Lake Constance and have achieved their greatest successes on the race tracks in Germany and across Europe – now Mattias Ekström and Edward Sandström went home to Sweden for a day. During a press conference at the Audi Forum Stockholm, the two-time DTM Champion and the Audi R8 LMS driver talked to members of the media about their aims for the season. Afterward, the Audi racers met the fans’ wishes for autographs.
Victory at season opener
On the first Pirelli World Challenge race weekend at St. Petersburg, USA, James Sofronas in the second run immediately celebrated his first victory of the season. Right in the first race Sofronas had every reason to cheer, as the GMG/Mobil-1 driver took his Audi R8 LMS from grid position four to second place at the finish.
Successful racing debut
At the first round of the Malaysian Super Series at Kuala Lumpur, Jeffrey Lee on the new Audi R8 LMS ultra’s racing debut immediately managed the leap onto the podium. In the GT class, the driver from Team Absolute Racing took third place.
A word from … Jamie Green
You recently paid your first visit to Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline in Kempten. How did you like it?
“I was given a very warm welcome. On the first evening, Hans-Jürgen Abt arranged an after-work party with all the employees where fish & chips and English beer were served because I was there. But I must admit that it was a strange feeling. For years, I’d been battling against this squad and now I’ve suddenly become a part of it. I’ve still got to get used to this a bit.”
So this was just an initial visit without work?
“No, quite the opposite was true. But the get-together with all the employees was a great way to start working together and showed me how strong the spirit of family and friendship is among the people there. On the next day, though, I discussed a lot of things with the engineers, made initial plans and learned a lot about the way the team works. That makes me even more eager to get started.”
Did you know the Allgäu before or did you have a little time for sightseeing?
“I’ve driven through the Allgäu on numerous occasions and also spotted the Abt building from the autobahn – but I could have hardly stopped to say ‘hello’ could I? … I like the region and even covered a few kilometers on skis through Ofterschwang during the Audi fitness week.”
Next week you’ll be back on track at Barcelona. What are your expectations of the tests?
“I’ve only spent three days in the car since the last race at Hockenheim. That’s why I’m really looking forward to the week at Barcelona. I’m sharing a car with Mattias (Ekström), so we’ll probably be complementing each other very well. Whenever he’s at the wheel I’ll be listening in on his work on the radio. My wish is that at Hockenheim we’ll be a perfectly gelled team.”
Coming up next week
March 26 New York (USA), Press conference
March 29 Marc Gené 39th birthday
April 01 Nogaro (F), 1st round FIA GT Series
April 01 Oulton Park (GB), 1st round british GT-Championship
