Audi Sport has announced its drivers for the opening round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge, the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour. No fewer than eight Audi R8 LMS will be on the grid for the Australian endurance classic.
With its product offensive Audi Sport customer racing is strengthening its presence in international motor racing. “While Motorsport in many series is still at rest at the beginning of the year our customers are already racing in several international events,” says Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing.
In Australia, Audi will be battling for overall victory during the first weekend of February. In 2011 and 2012, customer teams supported by Audi Sport customer racing won the 12-hour classic on the Bathurst racetrack with the Audi R8 LMS. The challenging roller coaster circuit 200 kilometres west of Sydney will open the 2018 Intercontinental GT Challenge. Rounds in Europe, Asia and North America complete the calendar. Audi in 2016 and 2017 was the overall winner in the drivers’ and manufacturers’ classifications. This year, the four rings are tackling the defence of both titles.
Eight GT3 racecars are taking on the challenge in Australia. Team Valvoline Jamec Pem Racing will be on the grid with five Audi Sport drivers, Kelvin van der Linde, Frédéric Vervisch, Christopher Haase, Christopher Mies and Markus Winkelhock, plus local touring car ace Garth Tander. Audi Sport Team WRT is contesting a race in Australia for the first time. One of the two cockpits will be shared by Audi Sport campaigner Dries Vanthoor with Blancpain GT Sprint Champions Robin Frijns and Stuart Leonard. At the wheel of the second WRT Audi will be last year’s FIA WEC GT Am Trophy winners Mathias Lauda, Paul Dalla Lana and Pedro Lamy together with local hero Will Davison. Three privateer teams from Australia and one from New Zealand are completing the circle of Audi’s customer teams at Bathurst.
Driver line-ups
Valvoline Jamec Pem Racing Audi R8 LMS
Kelvin van der Linde/Garth Tander/Frédéric Vervisch (ZA/AUS/B)
Valvoline Jamec Pem Racing Audi R8 LMS
Christopher Haase/Christopher Mies/Markus Winkelhock (D/D/D)
Audi Sport Team WRT Audi R8 LMS
Robin Frijns/Stuart Leonard/Dries Vanthoor (NL/GB/B)
Audi Sport Team WRT Audi R8 LMS
Paul Dalla Lana/Will Davison/Pedro Lamy/Mathias Lauda (CDN/AUS/P/A)
Supabarn Audi R8 LMS
James Koundouris/Theo Koundouris/Duvashen Padayachee/Ash Walsh (AUS/AUS/AUS/AUS)
Hallmarc Audi R8 LMS
Marc Cini/Dean Fiore/Lee Holdsworth (AUS/AUS/AUS)
ASR Audi R8 LMS
Daniel Gaunt/Ash Samadi/NN (NZ/AUS)
International Motorsport Audi R8 LMS
Richard Bagnall/Matt Halliday/Jonny Reid (NZ/NZ/NZ)
(photo: Audi Sport)
With its product offensive Audi Sport customer racing is strengthening its presence in international motor racing. “While Motorsport in many series is still at rest at the beginning of the year our customers are already racing in several international events,” says Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing.
In Australia, Audi will be battling for overall victory during the first weekend of February. In 2011 and 2012, customer teams supported by Audi Sport customer racing won the 12-hour classic on the Bathurst racetrack with the Audi R8 LMS. The challenging roller coaster circuit 200 kilometres west of Sydney will open the 2018 Intercontinental GT Challenge. Rounds in Europe, Asia and North America complete the calendar. Audi in 2016 and 2017 was the overall winner in the drivers’ and manufacturers’ classifications. This year, the four rings are tackling the defence of both titles.
Eight GT3 racecars are taking on the challenge in Australia. Team Valvoline Jamec Pem Racing will be on the grid with five Audi Sport drivers, Kelvin van der Linde, Frédéric Vervisch, Christopher Haase, Christopher Mies and Markus Winkelhock, plus local touring car ace Garth Tander. Audi Sport Team WRT is contesting a race in Australia for the first time. One of the two cockpits will be shared by Audi Sport campaigner Dries Vanthoor with Blancpain GT Sprint Champions Robin Frijns and Stuart Leonard. At the wheel of the second WRT Audi will be last year’s FIA WEC GT Am Trophy winners Mathias Lauda, Paul Dalla Lana and Pedro Lamy together with local hero Will Davison. Three privateer teams from Australia and one from New Zealand are completing the circle of Audi’s customer teams at Bathurst.
Driver line-ups
Valvoline Jamec Pem Racing Audi R8 LMS
Kelvin van der Linde/Garth Tander/Frédéric Vervisch (ZA/AUS/B)
Valvoline Jamec Pem Racing Audi R8 LMS
Christopher Haase/Christopher Mies/Markus Winkelhock (D/D/D)
Audi Sport Team WRT Audi R8 LMS
Robin Frijns/Stuart Leonard/Dries Vanthoor (NL/GB/B)
Audi Sport Team WRT Audi R8 LMS
Paul Dalla Lana/Will Davison/Pedro Lamy/Mathias Lauda (CDN/AUS/P/A)
Supabarn Audi R8 LMS
James Koundouris/Theo Koundouris/Duvashen Padayachee/Ash Walsh (AUS/AUS/AUS/AUS)
Hallmarc Audi R8 LMS
Marc Cini/Dean Fiore/Lee Holdsworth (AUS/AUS/AUS)
ASR Audi R8 LMS
Daniel Gaunt/Ash Samadi/NN (NZ/AUS)
International Motorsport Audi R8 LMS
Richard Bagnall/Matt Halliday/Jonny Reid (NZ/NZ/NZ)
(photo: Audi Sport)