Audi on second row of the grid at home round

Audi Press Release

• Two Audi A5 DTM cars in top ten at Norisring
• Mattias Ekström on grid position four after best times in Q2 and Q3
• After extreme heat, cooler weather predicted for the race

Ingolstadt/Nuremberg, June 30, 2012 – In extreme conditions, Mattias Ekström in the Red Bull Audi A5 DTM of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline secured grid position four for the DTM race at the Norisring (Sunday starting at 13:15 – local time – live on “Das Erste”).

As expected, the fight for the pole position on the 2.3-kilometer city street circuit between the Dutzendteich Lake and the easyCredit Stadium turned into a battle for thousandths of a second. While in the last free practice session in the morning the quickest twelve cars were within just two tenths of a second the time gaps were again minimal in qualifying in the afternoon with 35 degrees in the shade and track temperatures of more than 50 degrees.

“The conditions were definitely extreme today,” said Mattias Ekström, who from the first session on was consistently the quickest Audi driver. After best times in Q2 (48.822 seconds) and Q3 (48.861 seconds) the Swede was the last driver to go out on track in the crucial shoot-out for the pole position at which the Audi racer on used tires had to settle for position four (49.369 seconds).

“When you’re the fastest driver to go into Q4 of course it’s very disappointing to only be on grid position four in the end,” commented Ekström. “Q2 and Q3 went superbly. But in Q4 I simply didn’t have any grip in the tires. At least I’m still on the second row of the grid, so from there anything’s possible. There’s a really large crowd of Audi fans here. I owe them a fantastic fight in tomorrow’s race.”

The second-best Audi driver to start into the race will be Edoardo Mortara in his Playboy Audi A5 DTM. The Italian from Audi Sport Team Rosberg, who cheered Italy’s move in to the Euro 2012 finale at the Dutzendteich Lake on Thursday night, is on grid position ten.

After the checkered flag had dropped in Q2, Mike Rockenfeller (Schaeffler Audi A5 DTM/Audi Sport Team Phoenix) was still bumped from tenth to eleventh place. Rockenfeller, who had finished the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours in third place, was only lacking 0.004 seconds to make it into the next qualifying session. Just a tiny bit slower were Adrien Tambay (Audi ultra A5 DTM) and Filipe Albuquerque (TV Movie Audi A5 DTM) on positions twelve and 13.

For Miguel Molina (Red Bull Audi A5 DTM), Timo Scheider (AUTO TEST Audi A5 DTM) and Rahel Frey (E-POSTBRIEF Audi A5 DTM), who were eliminated as early as in Q1 and will start from positions 20, 21 and 22, qualifying was a particular disappointment.

“After we’ve been consistently showing a solid team performance so far we unfortunately didn’t manage to do that today,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “Qualifying proved to be as close as expected. Mattias (Ekström) made it into Q4 and thus showed that we’re on the right track with the further development of our A5 DTM – because he was consistently fast here throughout the weekend. If you want to be at the very front at the Norisring you’ve got to put all three sectors together perfectly. In Q2 and Q3, Mattias managed to do that, in Q4 he didn’t. On the whole, of course we’re not satisfied to have only two cars in the top ten. But the race will be extremely hard and long – and tomorrow the weather conditions should be completely different. At this point, anything’s still possible.”

For race day, the forecast predicts temperatures to drop by around ten degrees compared to the two practice days, plus rain showers. The race covers 83 laps (190.900 kilometers) – a record distance for the DTM at the Norisring. ARD will broadcast live from Nuremberg starting at 13:15, local time. Due to the European Track & Field Championships in Helsinki the race will already start at 13:30.

Norisring 2002: Audi won the greatest Rings vs. Star DTM race

By Tarek Ramchani

The DTM is heading to the Norisring this weekend, the shortest track of the season and the only street course. It is also hard to believe that Audi has only once won at the Nuremberg temporary circuit in the modern DTM since 2000. That victory was back in 2002, Laurent Aiello with the ABT Audi TT-R took victory after a titanic battle to the finish line around the "German Monaco" with Mercedes-Benz ace driver Bernd Schneider. Enjoy this great flash back to one of the bests races in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. The 2002 Norisring Highlights, enjoy:

Audi at the Norisring: project home victory

Audi Press Release

• Nuremberg city street race marks pinnacle of the DTM season 
• Aim is to clinch first victory at the Norisring since 2002
• Audi Sport’s “home race” has seen three Audi successes so far

For the fans, the Norisring race is the absolute highlight on the DTM’s race calendar. For Audi, it is a home round. But in Nuremberg of all places the brand with the four rings has had to wait for a triumph for ten years – in 2002, it was successful with the compact TT.

In 1990 and 1991, the V8 quattro was victorious at the Norisring and in 2002 it was the ABT-Audi TT-R. Yet with the A4 DTM, the situation seems to have been jinxed. From 2004 to 2011, it won five out of eight possible champion’s titles and 34 DTM races. Not at the Norisring, though. Pole positions, leading laps, fastest laps, second places, third places – only victory was denied to the A4 DTM on the short, 2.3-kilometer city street circuit between the Dutzendteich lake and the easyCredit Stadium. In 2010, merely 0.591 seconds were lacking.

Now the A4 DTM is in a museum and its successor, the A5 DTM, just won its first DTM race at Spielberg at the beginning of June. Since then, “project home victory” has been running at full stretch at Audi Sport in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. The squad headed by Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich has been intensively using the brief break between Spielberg and the Norisring to continue to optimize the A5 DTM. Computer analyses, tests at the Lausitzring, a special Norisring simulation: Audi Sport and the three Audi Sport teams, Abt Sportsline, Phoenix and Rosberg, have been meticulously preparing for the season’s pinnacle.

Yet it remains a journey into the unknown, as the Norisring is the only city street circuit on the DTM’s race calendar. The track changes from year to year, with a new bump in the surface here or a new piece of tarmac there. Opportunities for prior testing are not available so that the effects always manifest themselves only in the first free practice session at any of the events. Plus, the Norisring races are typically decided by thousandths of a second, which means that the driver’s form on race day is another crucial factor.

Mattias Ekström is traveling as the runner-up in the standings to Nuremberg where he has always been among the protagonists. Timo Scheider only missed the long-awaited victory in 2010 by a very narrow margin. Spielberg winner Edoardo Mortara won at the Norisring in Formula 3 and Mike Rockenfeller in the Porsche Carrera Cup. All other Audi racers rave about the track as well which, according to Rahel Frey, “looks super easy but is super difficult.”

Clearly, the battle of the premium manufacturers, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, that already thrilled the fans at the first four races of the year, will see a new highlight at the Norisring – in front of more than 100,000 fans.

Those who miss the chance of buying any of the coveted Norisring tickets will be treated to a seat in the front row on ARD, as “Das Erste” will be broadcasting the qualifying session (Saturday, starting at 15:00 – local time) and the race (Sunday, starting at 13:15 – local time) live as usual. Tuning into the DTM race at “Germany’s Monaco” will no doubt be worth everyone’s – not only Audi fans’ – while.

Quotes by the officials

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “After my personal home race at Spielberg, the home round for AUDI AG and particularly for the Ingolstadt plant is now coming up. We’re all hoping to be successful at the Norisring this year. At Spielberg, we developed the cars by another step. At the Norisring, we want to show a good team performance as well. Victory is our big aim.”

Hans-Jürgen Abt (Team Director Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline): “We’re particularly looking forward to the Norisring, as this is the home race not only for Audi but also for our company. It would be nice to finally clinch another victory there. We last managed to do so in 2002 with our Abt-Audi TT-R.”

Ernst Moser (Team Director Audi Sport Team Phoenix): “Like every year, we’re looking forward to the ‘German Monaco.’ We’ve still got some unfinished business there too. It’s time for Audi to finally mount the very top of the podium there again. It’s Audi’s home track and we’ll be seeing a very large turnout of Audi fans – our job is to not disappoint them.”

Arno Zensen (Team Director Audi Sport Team Rosberg): “After the victory at Spielberg, we’re extremely motivated. Last year, we were running well in the rain. The Norisring is always special – a fantastic city circuit that we’re tremendously looking forward to.”

Facts and quotes by the Audi drivers

Filipe Albuquerque (27/P), TV Movie Audi A5 DTM #22 (Audi Sport Team Rosberg)
• Celebrated his 27th birthday between Spielberg and the Norisring
• Is one of only four drivers to have scored points at all races in 2012 so far
“The Norisring is a unique track that always sees tough races with surprises. Due to the bumps and walls experience is particularly beneficial there. For me, it was really rough last year. But this year, I’m returning with more self-confidence and will at least knock one mirror off in the race – because that’s what happens when you give everything at the Norisring.”

Mattias Ekström (33/S), Red Bull Audi A5 DTM #3 (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline)
• In 2002, won the qualification race at the Norisring
• Was on the Norisring podium as many as five times, most recently in 2010
“The Norisring is the highlight of the year for me. I’ve often tried to win there. In many cases, I came close but didn’t make it yet. This year, I’m going to give everything for it again. I’ll be taking every risk for victory. After a short vacation I’m traveling to Nuremberg with freshly charged batteries.”

Rahel Frey (26/CH), E-POSTBRIEF Audi A5 DTM #17 (Audi Sport Team Abt)
• Is doing an increasingly better job of handling the Audi A5 DTM
• Qualified in front of ex-Formula 1 driver David Coulthard at Spielberg
“My experiences at the Norisring last year weren’t very positive. The track looks super easy but is super difficult. I was struggling last year – especially in the rain. But I’ve continued to learn and look forward to the 2012 Norisring challenge.”

Miguel Molina (23/E), Red Bull Audi A5 DTM #10 (Audi Sport Team Phoenix)
• Is competing in a DTM car at the Norisring for the third time
• Has already scored points twice this year
“The Norisring is a very special race track for the DTM and a special weekend. I remember my first lap there very well. I simply like the track and the atmosphere. We used the break after Spielberg to get some rest but also to continue to work hard. I’m hoping for a good weekend and a good race.”

Edoardo Mortara (25/I/F), Playboy Audi A5 DTM #21 (Audi Sport Team Rosberg)
• Is regarded as a specialist for city street races
• Celebrated his first DTM victory at Spielberg
“I’m already very excited to see how we’ll be doing at the Norisring. After the brilliant victory at Spielberg, I’m confident that we’ll be looking good there as well. I love city street circuits and won in Nuremberg twice in Formula 3. Now I want to achieve a good result in the DTM there as well.”

Mike Rockenfeller (28/D), Schaeffler Audi A5 DTM #9 (Audi Sport Team Phoenix)
• Between Spielberg and the Norisring contested the Le Mans 24 Hours which he finished in the Audi R18 ultra on position three
• In 2012 has been the quickest Audi driver in qualifying twice
“I won the Porsche Carrera Cup in Nuremberg, so I know how to win there. Unfortunately, in terms of results, the track has not been so positive for me in the DTM so far. Still, I’m tremendously looking forward to it. With the A5 DTM, the Norisring will be really special. I’m hoping to be among those running at the very front of the field.”

Timo Scheider (33/D), AUTO TEST Audi A5 DTM #4 (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline)
• Clinched the pole position for Audi at the Norisring in 2009
• Most recently shone with an impressive recovery at Spielberg
“The Norisring will be a big challenge for all of us again. It’s the home race for Audi that we’d finally like to win. A few years ago, I already took the pole position and had many leading laps. After ‘Edo’s’ (Mortara) victory at Spielberg and my good race performance we started our small break with a good feeling. We’re hoping to get everything together and to be at the very top of the podium then.”

Adrien Tambay (F/21), Audi ultra A5 DTM #18 (Audi Sport Team Abt)
• Will be contesting his fifth DTM race at Nuremberg
• Knows the Norisring from Formula 3
“I’m particularly looking forward to the Norisring in my first DTM year. I like this track and had my best qualifying result there in Formula 3. After the disappointing race at Spielberg, I’m hoping for a good weekend. We saw there that Audi can win. That gave everyone a boost – including me.”

Video: Audi R8 e-tron Nürburgring Nordschleife record

By Johan Laubscher

Just two weeks after the Audi R18 e-tron quattros took victory at Le Mans the e-tron name is back on track. Audi has been developing an electric version of the Audi R8, aptly named the Audi R8 e-tron. Audi armed with their new technology and Audi R8 cars went to the Nürburgring Nordschleife to challenge the electric road car lap record. With Markus Winkelhock behind the wheel the Audi R8 e-tron set a best lap of 8m09,099s, a new record. A video of the record attempt is included bellow, enjoy: 

Audi R8 e-tron Nürburgring Nordschleife record

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT to the Ricard in search of podium finishes

Belgian Audi Club Press Release

Going South is quite typical of this season, as the summer holidays season starts, but this is not the reason that will bring the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT to the French Mediterranean coast this weekend! The Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet hosts the third round of the Blancpain Endurance Series. After two podium finishes at Silverstone, the Belgian squad heads to the Var region with the intention to repeat, and possibly, improve that result, in order to remain well-positioned in the championship race ahead of the crucial Total 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps end of July. The entire team is highly motivated and ready to face the expected hot weather. The two Audis R8 LMS ultra will be entrusted to the usual Blancpain driver line-ups, with local hero Stéphane Ortelli partnering with Christopher Mies and Christopher Haase, and Marco Bonanomi back at the wheel of the other car alongside Laurens Vanthoor and Edward Sandström, after his brilliant podium finish at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

"I really look forward to this round", admits Team Principal Vincent Vosse, "It is always pleasant to go to a beautiful track in a nice place, and this is certainly the case with the Paul Ricard. On top of that, we have been doing well in the Blancpain recently and I am confident we can continue and improve this trend. We suffer less from the balance of performance in this series, probably because races are longer and the handicap gets somehow defused. I trust we can do well at the Ricard, despite its very long straight, and it will be nice to clinch our first win of the year in the Blancpain there, just before the Total 24 Hours of Spa. Our objective is to keep our two cars in the race for the title, and I am sure that among our drivers, Stéphane Ortelli is particularly motivated, as this is his home race."

This is, indeed, the closest track to home for the Monegasque driver, who has a long-standing relationship with the track. "Here is where I started going to races and racing myself", confirms Stéphane. "It's a very special track to me, for many reasons. Incidentally, here is where I met for the first time, in 2009, Christopher Haase and Christopher Mies, who are now my team mates, and it would be quite nice to win here."

While the Paul Ricard is definitely a fast track, theoretically not the best suited for the R8s in their current configuration, Ortelli thinks the Audis will do well. "We might not be the fastest on the long Mistral straight", he explains, "but the track has fast and long corners, where the R8 performs well, thanks to its excellent aerodynamic package. From an aero point of view, I really think we have the best car of all. We are penalized in slow and medium corners, that require a lot of braking and re-acceleration, and there aren't many at the Ricard. Even the "S" bringing into the long straight is quite technical and fast, so I don't think we will be too slow in the straight."

Being at home, the personable Monegasque is taking very seriously his "host role" for the entire team and he has even volunteered as the personal driver of Laurens Vanthoor. "It's me who will pick him up at the TGV station tomorrow", he smiles, "We keep forgetting he's too young to rent a car!"

The Belgian, who shares the other Belgian Audi with Edward Sandström and Marco Bonanomi (buoyed by an excellent third place with the Audi R18 ultra on his debut at Le Mans), is also a fan of the Ricard and points out to an aspect that could play a key role this weekend: "We should expect temperatures in the high 30 degrees Celsius, and this means it will be hot in the cars. Having raced only in open single-seaters so far, this will be new to me, but I am fit and I have been preparing for the heath, so I'm confident this won't be a major issue. We should aim at podium finishes and at preventing the BMWs to win again!"

With free practice and pre-qualifying on Saturday, the Ricard race will take place, on the usual 3-hour format, in the middle of Sunday's afternoon, starting at 14:15.

Photo credit: Markus Berns / SRO

More information:
Belgian Audi Club official website
WRT official website
Blancpain Endurance Series official website

Audi R16 debut drive for Tom Kristensen and Andre Lotterer at Spa 24

By Tarek Ramchani

The famous Spa 24 Hours endurance race is next set for July. Audi will try to defend its 2011 title by again fielding four works backed Audi R8 LMS ultra cars. Two from WRT and two more cars will come from Audi Sport Team Phoenix with strong drivers lineups which includes a trio of Le Mans winners, Tom Kristensen and Andre Lotterer and Marcel Fassler

It's hard to believe that Tom Kristensen has never raced with the Audi R8 LMS before. With Audi, "Mr. Le Mans" has only raced with LMP1 cars and the DTM in Germany. Tom had a lone participation in the Spa 24 before, with a privateer Honda Accord back in 2000. Kristensen will try to add another major endurance classic to his already impressive results. Andre Lotterer has never raced in the Belgian enduro event and has also never been with the Audi R8 LMS before. However the double Le Mans 24 Hours winner isn't a new comer to GT racing, he has a huge amount of experience from his Japanese years in the demanding Super GT. Kristensen and Lotterer will be joined by another Le Mans winner, Marcel Fassler. The Swiss driver is no stranger to the R8 LMS, Phoenix Racing or the Spa 24 Hours. For years he has raced in the Belgium classic with Ernst Moser's team.

Phoenix Racing is a regular team at Spa for many years now. The Nurburgring based squad won the race overall once with the privateer Corvette C6.R back in 2007. Since 2009 they were racing the R8 LMS, each year showing a great pace yet really unlucky .This year Phoenix Racing will have two Audi R8 LMS ultra. The sister car will be in hands of Andrea Piccini, Rene Rast and Frank Stippler. The team is aiming to win Spa 24 for the first time with Audi after their maiden Audi win in the Nurburgring 24 Hours last May.

JB Motorsport's Audi wants Paul Ricard class victory in Blancpain Endurance Series

By Tarek Ramchani

JB Motorsport is heading to Paul Ricard this weekend. The French circuit is hosting the third round of the Blancpain Endurance Series. The Audi customer team from Sweden will try to have another victorious weekend just like at Silverstone last time out.

The team is competing in the Gentlemen Trophy with their old spec Audi R8 LMS. JB Motorsport had an amazing round 2 at the very rainy Silverstone race. The #98 Audi R8 LMS crossed the finish line victorious after a titanic battle for the class win with another Audi from Sainteloc Racing. In France the Swedish car will be shared by team owner/driver Jan Brunstedt, Mikael Bender and Jocke Mangs, all of them are from Sweden. The three hour race will feature an impressive 59 car entry list. Six cars are competing in the Gentleman Trophy, exclusively open for amateur drivers. The competition will mainly come from the French team Sainteloc Racing with their Audi R8 LMS. The four other cars in the class are a Porsche 997 GT3 R, a Lamborghini Gallardo, a Dodge Viper Competition Coupe and a Ferrari 458 Italia. In the championship points standing, JB Motorsport is now third in the team’s table. Jan Brunstedt, Mikael Bender and Jocke Mangs are third in the drivers standings.

Paul Ricard race is the last race before the stellar event of the series, the Spa 24 Hours. We wish the best of luck to JB Motorsport for great performances and strong results in France.

More information: 

JB Motorsport official website

JB Motorsport official Facebook

JB Motorsport on Twitter

Blancpain Endurance Series official website

Video: Mattias Ekström Audi RS4 hotlap in Austria

By Johan Laubscher

Everyone’s favourite Swede, Audi DTM star Mattias Ekström, has a look at the new B8 generation Audi RS4 Avant and takes it for a hot lap around the Red Bull Ring in Austria. The 4.2 normally aspirated V8 revving to over 8000 rpm sounds glorious, enjoy the video: 

Mattias Ekström in the Audi RS4

Video: 2012 Nürburgring 24 Hours - Audi R8 LMS ultra victory

By Johan Laubscher

The 2012 Nürburgring 24 Hours was a masterpiece for Audi Sport. It was an emotional rollercoaster of a race for everyone involved. In the end two Audis came home to finish 1-2 for the four rings. Audi Sport Team Phoenix and Mamerow Racing fielded the top two cars respectively. This was the Audi R8 LMS R16’s fourth attempt at the Green Hell endurance classic and it was finally a victorious one.

Here is the first official Audi highlights video from the event. Both English and German versions of the video are included below. The short video encompasses the race very well from the Audi perspective, showing the gruelling battle towards victory, enjoy:

24 hours at the Nürburgring – 24 hours of tension at the Nürburgring

24 Stunden am Nürburgring – 24 Stunden Hochspannung am Nürburgring

Video: Team Novadriver Audi R8 LMS ultra at Spanish GT Rnd 3

By Johan Laubscher

The latest video from Team Novadriver features round three of the Spanish IBER GT series at Motorland Aragon. The Portuguese team had two Audi R8 LMS ultras ready for the endurance race and finished in a respectable third place despite the balance of performance being against the Audi. The podium finish ensured that the team maintained their championship lead. 

Here is the latest event review video. It is well worth the watch as the team have become known for producing excellent review videos and this is no exception, enjoy: 

Spanish GT - Round 3 - Motorland Aragon

Spanish GT - Round 3 - Onboard lap

More Information:

Novadriver official Facebook

Novadriver official Youtube

Forza Motorsport 4 vs Reality: Audi R18 TDI at Le Mans

By Tarek Ramchani

In the world of console racing games, there is always the question: How realistic are these games when compared to close to real life. To that question, we have an answer: Forza Motorsport 4. The game is a true reference and without any doubts is one of the finest racing game ever. Forza 4 includes the winning Audi R18 TDI of 2011 and the Circuit de La Sarthe, home of the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours. Here is the proof that virtual racing is very close to reality, not only with sounds, graphics, and track layout, but also look at the lap time. This is a great video found on YouTube. Enjoy

Video : Audi and Joest Racing masters of pit stops at Le Mans

By Tarek Ramchani

To win Le Mans, you need a fast car, three quick drivers and also a strong pit crew. Endurance races are often won or lost in pitlane, the perfect strategy and quick pit stops are needed. At Le Mans the Joest Racing crew is among the bests if not the best at this task. Here an interesting video showing you a fast and clean pit stop from the Audi team. The #2 Audi R18 e-tron quattro of Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen.

Thanks to the guys at thecheckeredflag.co.uk for the tip.

Encouraging race debut for United’s Audi R8 ultra GT3

United Autosports Press Release
                                                                               
United Autosports arrived for round four of the Avon Tyres British GT Championship still putting the final touches to the new Audi R8 Ultra GT3 at Brands Hatch in Kent, ahead of first practice on Saturday morning.

Matt Bell took to the wheel of the Audi R8 to shake it down and work through set up ahead of the second two-hour race of the year. As Matt put the car through its paces he had an off track excursion that resulted in a minor set back for the team as the clock counted down. With limited track time, the team didn’t quite get the optimum set up they wanted ahead of qualifying.

Charles was the first man out for United Autosports around the Brands Hatch GP circuit. He was running as high as fourth before he pitted to hand over to Matt. The pressure was building at the midway point of the closely fought qualifying session, which saw the top 13 cars separated by seven tenths of a second. Matt pitted for new tyres with 15 minutes remaining on the clock but, as the rest of the field found, the new rubber did not give the speed advantage they were looking for so they had to settle for a seventh row start for the race.

As a field of 25 contenders charged into the first corner on a wet drying track on Sunday, Charles showed the strength he has been demonstrating so far this year, with another stunning performance, which saw him make up five places by the end of the first lap. He then set about hunting down the leaders to run in an impressive third place by the halfway stage of the race.

A quick turnaround in the pit lane by the United Autosports team saw Matt head back out to rejoin the race. Once the order settled down after the flurry of pit stops, the No. 23 Audi Ultra was still in third.

Matt was fighting hard and holding off the pole sitting Porsche when the team was hit with a one-second penalty for a pit stop infringement. Not to be undeterred Matt dealt with the pressure superbly and was back out on track running in ninth when a puncture forced him back into the pits with ten minutes to go. Despite his best efforts and a promising debut for the new Audi R8 Ultra, Matt was unable to improve his position once back out on track and crossed the line in 11th.

The next outing for the United Autosports Audi Ultra will be the Total 24 Hours of Spa in July (28/29).

Richard Dean (UK), Team Owner and Managing Director of United Autosports

“The result was definitely not what we had hoped for after such a promising start to the race. Both drivers did a great job, and we come away knowing that we have a car that has huge potential. We arrived at Brands Hatch aware that we had work to do before we hit the track on Saturday. The team have worked incredibly hard this week to make sure the car was built and ready to run. So all in all we are confident that we have made a step forward after our financial investment at this point the season.”

Matt Bell (UK), Age 22. Born: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. Lives Barningham, UK

“It was all going well at the start. Charles did a great job and handed the car over to me in P3. Then, we had a stop/go penalty for a pit stop infringement, which was really disappointing. Then, I had a puncture so I had to come back into the pits and we lost a lot of ground. The car though is much improved and we should be in a good position for the next British GTrace at Snetterton."

Charles Bateman (UK), Age 24. Born: Boston, Lincs UK. Lives: Boston, Lincs, UK

“The start was difficult because we started on slicks, and the track was very greasy so I had to be really careful not to make any mistakes. A bit of luck came our way at the start, and I made the best of the situation. The car felt really good, the balance is great, so despite the result, we have made progress.

Photo credit: United Autosports

More information:
United Autosports official website
United Autosports official Facebook
British GT Championship official website 

Best of Audi at Le Mans 2012 in photos

Photo by Florent Gooden

By Tarek Ramchani

The 80th edition of Le Mans 24 Hours was a victorious one for Audi, the brand's eleventh overall win in the world famous endurance race. Every great race brings great photos as well. Here are the very best of from the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Please note, all the photos are hosted in their respective websites.

Photo by Waldo van der Waal

Photo by Patrick Davin

Photo by Josh Decker

Photo by Regis Lefebure

Photo by Gerlach Delissen

Photo by Regis Lefebure

Photo by Jake Yorath

Photo by George Achorn

Photo by Mike Juergens

Photo by Gerlach Delissen

Photo by Laurent Chauveau

Photo by Brecht Decancq

Photo by Le Mans Live

Photographer websites in order of appearance:

Florent Gooden
Braking-Zones Photography
Braking Zones Photography FB Page
Braking Zones website


Waldo van der Waal

La't Wiel: 

La't Wiel FB page

La't Wiel website

Patrick Davin

Racing-Pictures

Racing-Pictures.be FB page

Racing-Pictures.be website

Josh Decker

QuattroWorld

QuattroWorld FB page

QuattroWorld website

Regis Lefebure

Regis Lefebure Photo

Regis Lefebure Photo website

Gerlach Delissen

Planet Le Mans

Gerlach Delissen Photography FB page

Planet Le Mans FB Page

Planet Le Mans website

Regis Lefebure

Regis Lefebure Photo

Regis Lefebure Photo website

Jake Yorath

l'endurance

l'endurance.co.uk

l'endurance FB page

George Achorn

Fourtitude

Fourtitude.com

Fourtitude FB page

Mike Juergens

QuattroWorld

QuattroWorld FB page

QuattroWorld website

Gerlach Delissen

Planet Le Mans

Gerlach Delissen Photography FB page

Planet Le Mans FB Page

Planet Le Mans website

Laurent Chauveau

86400

86400.fr FB page

86400.fr website

Brecht Decancq

Brecht Decancq Photography

Brecht Decancq Photography FB page

Brecht Decancq Photography website

Le Mans Live

Le Mans Live FB page

Le Mans Live website

Weekend Round Up - Audi Motorsport Blog (23-24/06/2012)

By Johan Laubscher

This weekend was another busy weekend around the world for the various Audi competitors. A week after the success of Le Mans came a weekend with no DTM or WEC but with many other events including the factory Audi Sport Team Phoenix taking victory at the Green Hell. 

1. The Weekend

Focussing this week on the weekend of 23-24 June 2012

2. The Events

-          Grand Am

-          Grand Am Continental Tire Challenge

-          BTCC

-          Australian GT

-          British GT

-          French GT

-          VLN

-          SCCA World Challenge

-          SVRA

-          Brazil GT

2.1. Grand Am

Road America was the host for round seven of the Rolex Grand Am series. The APR Motorsport team was looking forward to the track’s very long straights. The APR Audi R8 GRAND-AM was once again the only Audi represented in the field. The #51 R8 did very well during the weekend and was very fast during the race. The APR car moved its way to the front including taking the lead, but the challenge came to an end when a tire blow out costing the team another good result. The team ultimately finished in twelfth as the team's bad luck continues.

APR website

Results

2.2. Grand Am Continental Tire Challenge

After a race weekend ending crash last time out the APR Motorsport Audi S4 was back on track for round six of the Grand Am Continental Tire Challenge series. The team and the two new drivers Alex Popow and Hector Guerrero took part in the practice sessions but did not compete in the race this weekend at Road America. Hopefully we will see the beautiful S4 on track racing at the next event.

Audi Exchange FB page

Results

2.3. BTCC

Round five of the British Touring Car Championship was at Croft. For the first time since the end of 2011 the Rob Austin Racing team entered two Audi A4 cars for Rob Austin and Will Bratt. The team, having sorted their engine problems, were able to fly at Croft. Top ten qualifying and race results during race one. Race two saw a spirited drive from Rob Austin who claimed a podium finish. Rob round off a great weekend by taking another top ten spot during race three. The team is looking forward to the next round after this spirited weekend.

Rob Austin Racing FB page

Results

2.4. Australian GT

The Australian GT was at Winton Raceway this weekend for round three of the series. For the first time three Audi R8 LMS cars were on the grid as Mark Eddy was making his return to the season after his crash damage in round one. Mark was fast on his return and took his 2009 specification Audi R8 LMS to two top five finishes. The two other Audis also did well this weekend, Rod Salmon finished in the top ten and Peter Conroy just outside the top ten in race one. Both unfortunately did not finish race two of the day. Rod Salmon had a new black and blue livery at Winton.

Melbourne Performance Centre FB page

Results

2.5. British GT

The United Autosports team arrived at Brand Hatch for round three of the British GT Championship armed with a new weapon. After non-representative results during the first two rounds the team invested in a brand new Audi R8 LMS ultra. The weekend’s event was a two hour race and the team finished just outside the top ten. The car has much potential and will be a force to be reckoned with for the remainder of the season.

United Autosports website

Results

2.6. French GT Tour

The third round of the French GT Tour was hosted at Val de Vienne. The Audis qualified well with cars in the top five for both races. Five Audis were on the grid. Team Audi France took a podium finish in race one with two Audis in the top ten. Race two again saw two Audis finishing in the top ten with the Saintéloc Racing car finishing highest in sixth. The red Saintéloc Racing Audi R8 LMS ultra was destroyed this weekend during an accident.

GT Tour website

Results

2.7. VLN

The first VLN round after the 2012 Nürburgring 24 Hours had a familiar winner. The Bilstein Phoenix Audi R8 LMS ultra of Marc Basseng and Frank Stippler dominated the weekend. The winners of the Nürburgring 24 Hours won the race followed by their Phoenix teammates in third. The Audi TT RS cars took a 1-2-3-4 sweep in the SP4T class. A total of twelve Audis were in the race.

Results

2.8. SCCA World Challenge  

The sixth round of The Pirelli World Challenge was in Canada hosted at Mosport. The two regular Audi teams did not make the trip up north. The GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS and the Don Istook Audi TT RS were not at this event. Despite not being at the event the teams are still working on their cars. Many modifications and improvements have been made to the TT RS which can be seen on the team’s Facebook page.

Istook Audi TT RS FB page (Who-would-like-to-see-the-Audi-TT-RS-raced)

2.9. SVRA

It was the Mid Ohio Vintage Grand Prix this weekend, organised by the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA). One Audi was present at the event. The GMT Racing Audi R8 LMP (#606) which is owned and raced by Travis Engen.

SascoSports FB page

2.10. Brazil GT

The third round of the Brazilian GT was one of disappointment for the local Audi team. The Ebrahim Motors Audi R8 LMS arrived at the track wearing a Le Mans 24 Hours emblem in honour of Audi’s overall Le Mans win in France a week earlier. The yellow #20 Audi R8 LMS driven by the Ebrahim brothers was very fast and topped the first free practice session. Unfortunately the team’s weekend came to an end with a fire during the second free practice which damaged the car.

Brazil GT website

2.11. Other Audi news

The second endurance event of the 2012 Rolex Grand Am season is approaching, the six hours at Watkins Glen. A week ahead of the event APR Motorsport made the announcement that they will field a second Audi R8 GRAND-AM at the event. The #52 car will be driven by Audi factory drivers and the 2012 Nürburgring 24 Hours winners: Frank Stippler and Marc Basseng.

APR website

The Spa 24 Hours is the next big European 24 hour race for Audi. Another Audi has been confirmed for application to the event. United Autosport who are taking part in the 2012 Blancpain Endurance Series with McLarens have confirmed that they will try and enter their brand new Audi R8 LMS ultra in the Spa 24 Hours as well, alongside their two McLaren race cars. The team’s Audi entry is amongst other entries still awaiting selection.

United Autosports website

The factory Audi effort at Spa will be represented by Phoenix Racing and WRT. The driver line ups for the four factory cars has been announced. Audi Sport Team Phoenix will be headed up by Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer, Tom Kristensen, Andrea Piccini, René Rast, and Frank Stippler. The WRT team will have Marco Bonanomi, Laurens Vanthoor, Edward Sandström, Christopher Haase, Christopher Mies and Stéphane Ortelli. Originally the Audi Motorsport press had said that Oliver Jarvis was in the WRT team for Spa and not Vanthoor. This was an error and it is indeed Vanthoor that will  be in the factory WRT car at the Spa 24 Hours. 

Blancpain Endurance Series website

3. Next Weekend’s events (30-31/06/2012)

-          DTM

-          Grand Am

-          Grand Am Continental Tire Challenge

-          Blancpain Endurance Series

-          Superstars

-          Superstars GT Sprint

-          Czech Series

-          VdeV

-          Audi Endurance Experience (Audi France A1)

The weekend was one of ups and downs. Amongst the disappointments this weekend their were many highlights for the Audi brand around the world including the VLN victory followed by the strong showing in BTCC by Rob Austin Racing. Next weekend will be another great racing weekend, highlighted by the DTM and the Grand Am six hours with a second APR Motorsport Audi R8 GRAND-AM. 

All photos are hosted at their respective website which are listed within the Weekend Round Up