BR-Racing with an Audi R8 LMS ultra in French GT Tour

By Tarek Ramchani

JWS Racing returns to the French GT Tour with Audi and some major changes. The Audi Sport customer racing team has recently changed its name and now becomes BR-Racing.

The team will field a single Audi R8 LMS ultra in the main "Championnat de France GT". The car will be a 2013 spec R16. The BR-Racing machine will be in the hands of drivers Mathieu Jaminet and Jean-Marc Quintois. As in 2012, the GT Tour effort will have technical support from Sainteloc Racing, who are now the leading Audi squad in French GT.

In addition to the GT Tour program, the BR-Racing team is also set to compete at the Spa 24 Hours this July. This will mark their first attempt at the Belgian endurance classic and stellar event of the Blancpain Endurance Series. The French R8 is expected to be in the Pro-Am Cup class.

Photo credit:
GT Tour
BR-Racing official Facebook

Sainteloc Racing back to French GT Tour with Audi

By Tarek Ramchani

Team Sainteloc Racing, a French privateer Audi team, is set to come back to the French GT Tour series. They will be racing for their fourth straight year with the Audi brand and the R8 LMS in GT3 racing. The Saint-Etienne based team is expected to field multiple R8 LMS cars this year. During 2012 Sainteloc Racing fielded three cars and also supported the JWS Racing Audi entry.

The first driver to be confirmed is Grégory Guilvert, who scored two wins in GT Tour with the team last year. With the official Team Audi France shutting down their racing program with the R8 LMS, Sainteloc Racing will now be the top Audi team in the series and among the teams fighting for the title.

In addition to a full season in the GT Tour series, Sainteloc Racing is expected to return to the Blancpain Endurance Series as well.

Photo credit: GT Tour

Team Audi France ends GT Tour efforts

By Tarek Ramchani

Very sad news from France today. Team Audi France have ended their efforts in the FFSA GT Tour series. The official French Audi dealer team has been racing with the WRT team the last couple of years. Team Audi France entered a single new spec Audi R8 LMS ultra in 2012. It was a very mixed year as bad luck hit the team at various rounds. By the end of the season the French squad improved a lot as the #32 Audi of Stéphane Ortelli and David Hallyday won the finale at Paul Ricard.

Before the WRT years, Audi France supported Team ORECA with their Audi R8 LMS cars between 2009 and 2010. Audi France will really be missed in the paddock and by the fans. However the GT Tour will again have multiple Audi R8 LMS cars on their grid. The cars will come from the privateer teams which include:  Sainteloc Racing, JWS Racing and the new comers from Speed Car.

Photo credit: GT Tour

Team Audi France won GT Tour season finale

By Tarek Ramchani

The Paul Ricard track in southern France hosted the finale of the FFSA GT Tour Series. No less than seven Audi R8 LMS and ultra cars were there, and they did really well this weekend.

Team Audi France, the official national dealer team had a mixed 2012 season in the French series. They were always fast with their #32 Audi R8 LMS ultra shared by Stéphane Ortelli and David Hallyday, yet they had a lot of bad luck in many rounds. At Paul Ricard the team added a second car, the #31 for Audi DTM works driver, Adrien Tambay and rookie Karim Doguet. The team achieved a storming pole position for Race 1, but was only able to finish in fifth place after a chaotic start and a long period behind the safety car.

Things turned out to be a lot better during Race 2 on Sunday. Both Ortelli and Hallyday fought very hard on track, including a fair battle against the sister WRT car of the Belgian Audi Club driven by Laurens Vanthoor. After the mandatory pit stops the #32 Audi was able to improve and pass some of its rivals. In the closing stages the two leading Ferraris made mistakes at the same time, thus allowing Hallyday to take race lead and he later crossed the finish line victorious. The other Audis finished in sixth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth.

2012 was a hard year for Audi in the French GT series, however the finale was a very positive weekend. Team Audi France ended the year off very well after chasing race wins all season long. Credits also go to both Sainteloc Racing and JWS Racing, two privateer efforts who did well this year.

Photo credit: Patrick Hecq / W Racing Team

Video: Audi R8 LMS ultra Gearing Up

By Tarek Ramchani

A nice video coming from Spain. The French GT Tour had a meeting at Navarra a few weeks ago, in northern Spain. Here the Audi R8 LMS ultra cars from team Sainteloc Racing are gearing up in their garage and ready to race. Amazing sound from the V10 5.2 engines.

Audi R8 LMS on Facebook

Third place for Team Audi France in race 1 at Val de Vienne

By Tarek Ramchani

Round 3 of the French GT Tour is at Val de Vienne this weekend. Team Audi France got a fine third place finish in race 1 today. The official French dealer team had an amazing three-way battle for almost the whole race.

David Hallyday had a great start, moving from third to second with this #32 Audi R8 LMS ultra. Very bad luck hit the #5 Audi of Sainteloc Racing who were immediately out of the race. Hallyday put great pressure on the leading Mercedes-Benz SLS, and for many occasions almost took the race lead. Right behind Hallyday the third placed Porsche was catching fast. Later the three leading cars stopped for the mandatory pit stops. The Audi now in hands of Stephane Ortelli was back on track in second behind the Mercedes. Meanwhile the #38 Audi R8 LMS from JWS Racing stopped and had to retire, the car was running in the Gentlemen's Trophy. Still running in second, Ortelli tried to move to first without success. Minutes later the Porsche who run in third was able to pass the two leading cars and took the race lead. Behind the #4 Audi R8 LMS ultra of Gregaroy Guilvert was flying as the fastest on track. Maybe pushing too far, as the Sainteloc Racing driver had an excursion. However he was able to bring the car home in seventh. The race win went to the #2 Porsche GT3 R, seconds ahead of the #17 SLS AMG and the #32 Audi R8 LMS ultra. Stephane Ortelli and David Hallyday got their first podium finish this season, after frustrating races at Ledenon and Dijon. The #42 Audi R8 LMS from Sainteloc Racing finished in twelfth overall, second in the Gentlemen's Trophy.

Overall it was a good race 1 for Audi. Both Team Audi France and Sainteloc Racing have shown strong pace during race 1. All good for race 2 tomorrow as we are hoping for an Audi victory.

Val de Vienne full race 1 results

Photo credit: Jean-Baptiste Lassaux / www.autorennsport.ch

More information:
GT Tour official website

Audi teams aiming high for GT Tour round 3 at Val de Vienne

By Tarek Ramchani

The French GT Tour series is heading to Val de Vienne this weekend for round three. The regular Audi teams will be there aiming to do well after a disappointing weekend at Dijon last time out.

Team Audi France the official dealer team has had an unlucky start to the season so far. Two very frustrating rounds at Ledenon and Dijon. The #32 Audi R8 LMS ultra shared by Stephane Ortelli and David Hallyday has always been fast on track, but has never been able to bring strong results. At Val de Vienne the WRT run car will aim for revenge in the French series. Elsewhere the same team racing as Belgian Audi Club WRT is doing really well in both FIA GT1 World Championship and Blancpain Endurance Series. At Dijon Team Audi France finished in a very disappointing tenth in race 1, while in race 2 they got a fourth place finish. In the overall standing Oretlli and Hallyday are only seventh.

Sainteloc Racing has done better, winning the first race of the season at Ledenon. The privateer Audi team has had a quite positive season so far in the FIA GT3 European Championship. The team has two Audi R8 LMS ultras with strong drivers squad. The #4 car with Grégory Guilvert and Paul Lamic were victorious at Ledenon, both drivers are sixth in the points standings. The sister #5 Audi will have Dino Lunardi and Bruno Hernandez, Lunardi is very fast with the R8 LMS and last year he was the ADAC GT Masters champion.

The three Audi R8 LMS ultra cars will have to fight hard against the dominant Porsche 997 GT3 Rs and also the Ferrari 458s. Porsche cars won three races out of four. Audi will try to challenge the sister German brand for race victories and to take vital points for the overall championship standings.

In addition to the three Audi R8 LMS ultra cars, two additional old spec R8 LMS will run the "Coupe de France". The Gentlemen’s trophy which is exclusively open for amateurs drivers and older generation GT3 race cars. Both Sainteloc Racing and JWS Racing will field a single car each.

The Val de Vienne weekend will have two sprint races of one hour each. Race 1 is set for Saturday afternoon, and race 2 for Sunday. The official GT Tour will provide Live Streaming coverage on the internet. We wish the best of luck to all the Audi teams and drivers.

  
Photo credit: GT Tour

More information:
GT Tour official website

Five Audi R8 LMS assault on French GT Tour

By Tarek Ramchani

The FFSA GT Tour series will start this weekend at the Ledenon circuit. Last year Audi missed out the championship title in the very last round. This year no less than five Audi R8 LMS race cars will enter the French national GT series.

Team Audi France:

As in the last couple of years Team Audi France will lead the Audi squad in GT Tour. Last year a single car was entered with support from the Belgians of WRT, this year it's the same again. A brand new Audi R8 LMS ultra for the team's regular drivers: Stephane Ortelli and David Hallyday. In 2011 the two drivers battled for the championship title until the last round at Paul Ricard. The official Audi France dealer team will be among the big favorites fighting for the series crown.

Sainteloc Racing:

Sainteloc Racing is a truly privateer team that has been racing with Audi since 2010. Last year they entered two cars and this year no less than three Audi R8 LMSs are joining the series from Sainteloc. Two brand new Audi R8 LMS ultra models in the "main" GT Championship. Gregory Guilvert and Lamic and Dino Lunardi and Bruno Hernandez will share the cars. Right before the French series starts, the two R8 LMS ultra also raced at an international level, doing quite well in both FIA GT3 European Championship and Blancpain Endurance

The third car is an older spec R8 LMS, it will enter the "amateur" GT Cup. Madelaine/Sourd will be the drivers. This car will be among the big favorites in the GT Cup division.

JWS Racing:

New comers to the series and to Audi, JWS Racing will enter the GT Cup with their old spec Audi R8 LMS. The car will be shared by William David and Jean-Marc Quintois. The team is young, but they are aiming high in the GT Cup battle.

For 2012, the GT Tour has a seven round calendar, with a visit to Navara in Spain. The series is set to use the same Balance of Performance as used by the FIA GT3 European Championship. We are hoping for  strong performances from the three Audi teams with the Audi R8 LMS ultra is being the strongest GT3 racer at the moment.

More Informations:

GT Tour official website

GT Tour official Facebook