Italian GT: Dindo Capello and Audi Sport Italia qualified sixth at Misano

By Tarek Ramchani

Misano is hosting the first round of the 2013 Italian GT Championship this weekend. Audi Sport Italia is entering the series for the fifth straight year with a two-car team.

Dindo Capello, after retiring from the full factory Audi Le Mans squad, will take part in the full season in Italian GT, sharing the #4 R8 LMS ultra with Andrea Sonvico. The sister #5 Audi will be driven by Alex Frassineti and the 2012 Superstars Series champion, Johan Krostoffersson.

The qualifying session, which was held this afternoon, was very difficult for Audi Sport Italia. Andrea Sonvico only managed to finish in sixth place. It was worse for the other Audi driven by Johan Kristoffersson, the Swedish driver had contact very early in the session and was not able to finish a flying lap. The #5 Audi will have to start from the back of the pack.

Pole position went to the Porsche GT3 R of Ebimotors, in second another Porsche from Antonelli Motorsport, and third the Lamborghini Gallardo of Imperiale Racing. The qualifying results are here.

The two races are set for tomorrow. We hope that Audi Sport Italia drivers will be able to recover on track and fight for the race wins.

Photo credit: Italian GT

BTCC: Hard qualifying for Rob Austin Audi A4s at Thruxton

By Tarek Ramchani

Thruxton is hosting the third meeting of the British Touring Car Championship this weekend. Rob Austin Racing, with their two Audi A4 NGTC cars, faced a very hard qualifying session.

From the start the two drivers, Rob Austin and Will Bratt, were expecting that their Audis would not be competitive. Thruxton is the fastest track on the BTCC calendar, thus very difficult for the RAR cars. Whilst being one of the strongest cars in the field, the Audis are lacking in power when it comes to top speed performance, when compared to their rivals. Rob Austin the team owner/driver of the #13 Audi A4 qualified in a very disappointing twenty-fifth place. Rob Austin also complained of a broken component in the suspension. His team mate Will Bratt with the sister #14 machine did slightly better, he ended in eighteenth place. Pole position went to Andrew Jordan with his privateer Honda Civic, in second was Gordon Shedden with the factory Honda Yuasa Racing, third was Matt Neal in the second works Honda.

Rob Austin was very disappointed after the hard qualifying: "Well, that was an unfortunate qualifying session. We've found a broken component in the suspension that cost us huge time on corners. Boys working hard now to rectify. Keep smiling folks; the fight back begins tomorrow" (quotes sourced from Rob Austin Racing official Facebook page). Qualifying results are here

The three sprint races are set for tomorrow. We wish the best of luck to the Rob Austin Racing team and their two drivers.

Photo credit: Phil Laughton Photography

Pole position for the Audi RS 5 DTM

Audi Press Release

•          Audi begins new DTM season at Hockenheim in position one
•          Timo Scheider decides thrilling qualifying session in his favor
•          Mattias Ekström in difficult conditions in fifth place

Ingolstadt/Hockenheim, May 4, 2013 – Audi is tackling the new DTM season at the Hockenheimring (Sunday from 13:15 live on “Das Erste”) from position one on the grid. In the first qualifying session of the year, Timo Scheider in the AUTO TEST Audi RS 5 DTM of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline secured the pole position in extremely difficult track conditions. 

Pouring rain in the morning, a track that became increasingly drier in the afternoon: In the battle for the best grid positions, the teams were confronted with continually changing conditions in the DTM opening round at Hockenheim – a case right up the alley of the most successful Audi DTM team and the two-time DTM Champion. In the third qualifying section (Q3), Timo Scheider switched from rain tires to un-treaded rubber at the right moment and on the crucial lap in Q4 was a tenth of a second quicker than BMW driver Augusto Farfus.

“Today you had to make the right decisions, and that’s what we did,” said an overjoyed Timo Scheider after posting his eleventh fasted qualifying time in total in the DTM. “Tomorrow, it’ll be about carefully handling the tires and making the best of this pole position. In any event, starting from the very front with the RS 5 DTM at the DTM season opener at Hockenheim is fantastic – particularly since, before the qualifying session, we really didn’t know where we stood after it was raining in free practice.”

Scheider’s team-mate Mattias Ekström, in fifth place in the Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM, barely missed the shoot-out of the top four. But the Swede showed a strong performance in each of the first three qualifying segments and with his place on the third row of the grid also has a good starting base for the race on Sunday, in which option tires and an adjustable rear wing (DRS) will be used for the first time in the DTM. Furthermore, changes to the set-up of the cars after qualifying are no longer permitted.

The other Audi drivers were less fortunate. Newcomer Jamie Green in his Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM was one of the quickest on a wet track but at the crucial moment had to settle for twelfth place. Adrien Tambay whose Audi ultra RS 5 DTM is starting from the Hockenheim grid featuring the colors of the new “Iron Man 3” movie and Mike Rockenfeller in the Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM of Audi Sport Team Phoenix will be sharing the seventh row.

Filipe Albuquerque in the Audi Financial Services RS 5 DTM of Audi Sport Team Rosberg made it into Q2, but in the second segment complained about oversteer and will start from position 16 on Sunday. Miguel Molina (Audi RS 5 DTM) and Edoardo Mortara (Playboy Audi RS 5 DTM) were eliminated in Q1 in 18th and 19th place.

Dieter Gass, Head of DTM at Audi Sport: “Well done to Timo Scheider, his engineer and Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline: They did everything right today in these extremely difficult conditions and deserve clinching the pole position. But I think that qualifying was just a foretaste of the race tomorrow, which not least due to the conditions today will be a journey into the unknown. Of course it’s our aim to make it into the top ten with more than two cars.”

For the race, sunshine has been predicted. ARD will start airing live coverage from Hockenheim on “Das Erste” on Sunday at 13:15. The new DTM format no longer provides for a warm-up session. Instead, the fans on location will experience a pit stop practice of the DTM teams for the first time as part of the “Pit Walk” starting at 8:55.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Media

Follow the 6 Hours of Spa LIVE

By Johan Laubscher 

Round two of the FIA World Endurance Championship is in Belgium this weekend, for the Six Hours of Spa. Three Audi R18 e-tron quattro cars have been entered by Audi Sport Team Joest. The #1 and #2 Audi R18s are in the normal 2013 sprint (high downforce) specification  and the #3 is in the "long-tail" (low downforce) specification. They will be up against two Toyota TS030 Hybrid race cars, one 2013 TS030 (car #7) and one 2012 car (car #8), which also competed at Silverstone. 

It should be another great race and we have included a list of links below with which you will be able to follow the race live. 

Live Video Stream
FIA WEC Live Video Stream
Audi Live Racing Video Stream

Live Audio
Radio Le Mans Link

Live Timing

Live Timing Video Link

Live Text
Live Text from Endurance-Info.com

Spotters Guide 
Spotters Guide Link
Andy Blackmore Spotter Guides website

Websites

FIA WEC website

Facebook

Official Audi Sport on Facebook
FIA WEC on Facebook
Audi Motorsport Blog on Facebook

Twitter

Official Audi Sport on twitter
FIA WEC on twitter
Audi Motorsport Blog on twitter
l'endurance on twitter
John Dagys on twitter
Jake Yorath on twitter
Jarryd Bermingham on twitter

Audi Team

Official Audi Sport on Facebook
Joest Racing on Facebook

Audi Drivers
Andre Lotterer on twitter
Marcel Fässler on Facebook
Allan McNish on Facebook
Allan McNish on twitter
Tom Kristensen on Facebook
Loic Duval on twitter

Photo credit: Audi Sport Media

DTM: 1-2 Audi in the free practice session at Hockenheim

By Tarek Ramchani

The 2013 DTM season has started at Hockenheim with a single and very wet 90-minute free practice session. Audi is already on top with their Audi RS 5 DTM cars, a perfect 1-2.

Mike Rockenfeller with his #19 RS 5 DTM from Audi Sport Team Phoenix was the fastest, with a time of 1:50.334. In second was Mattias Ekström from Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, 0.153s behind Rocky. Third was BMW's Augusto Farfus, and then another Audi, that of Timo Scheider in fourth. The new comer at Audi, Jamie Green, was sixth fastest. All the other Audi drivers were outside of the top 10.

There are many new rules in the German Touring Car Masters this year, including only one free practice session. The qualifying session will be the next session on track, scheduled for 14:40 local time.

Free practice session top 10:
1- Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) 1:50.334
2- Mattias Ekström (Audi) 1:50.487
3- Augusto Farfus (BMW) 1:50.542
4- Timo Scheider (Audi) 1:50.887
5- Martin Tomczyk (BMW) 1:51.018
6- Jamie Green (Audi) 1:51.055
7- Christian Vietoris (Mercedes-Benz) 1:51.157
8- Gary Paffett (Mercedes-Benz) 1:51.281
9- Pascal Wehrlein (Mercedes-Benz) 1:51.293
10- Roberto Merhi (Mercedes-Benz) 1:51.446

Photo credit: DTM

WEC: Audi on pole at Spa with a 1-2-3 R18 e-tron quattro

By Tarek Ramchani

The qualifying session has been completed at Spa-Francorchamps. Audi Sport Team Joest was again able to achieve a fantastic 1-2-3 with their Audi R18 e-tron quattro cars.

Pole position for the #1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro shared by André Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler. Their teammates Lucas di Grassi, Marc Gene and Oliver Jarvis, driving the #3 "Long-Tail" Audi, were second. Third was the #2 car of Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Loic Duval.

The best factory Toyota TS030 Hybrid was fourth, the #7 Nicolas Lapierre, Kazuki Nakajima and Alexander Wurz. The sister #8 Toyota of Anthony Davison, Stéphane Sarrazin and Sébastien Buemi was fifth. The two Rebellion Lola/Toyota cars were sixth and seventh. In Eighth was the Strakka Racing #21 ARX 03c.

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, head of Audi Motorsport, was satisfied after qualifying, he spoke to Radio Le Mans: "We are happy with this result even if we know that pole position is not important in endurance racing"

The six-hour race, round 2 of the FIA World Endurance Championship, is set for tomorrow.

Qualifying results:
1- #1 Audi Sport Team Joest - Audi R18 e-tron quattro
2- #3 Audi Sport Team Joest - Audi R18 e-tron quattro
3- #2 Audi Sport Team Joest - Audi R18 e-tron quattro
4- #7 Toyota Racing - Toyota TS030 Hybrid
5- #8 Toyota Racing - Toyota TS030 Hybrid
6- #12 Rebellion Racing - LOLA B12/60 Coupe
7- #13 Rebellion Racing - LOLA B12/60 Coupe
8- #21 Strakka Racing - HPD ARX 03c - Honda

Photo credit: Audi Media

WEC: Audi 1-2-3 maintained in FP2 at Spa

By Johan Laubscher 

The second free practice session at Spa-Francorchamps has almost mirrored the first session.  Audi has once again taken the top three spots. 

The first, second and third was maintained at the top of the time sheets during free practice two. The running order changed but the leading Audi was once again Audi #1 driven by André Lotterer, Benoit Tréluyer and Marcel Fassler. The "Long-Tail" #3 R18 of Lucas di Grassi, Marce Gene and Oliver Jarvis was in second. Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Loic Duval placed the #2 car in third. 

The #12 Lola/Toyota of Rebellion Racing placed ahead of the two factory Toyotas, finishing in fourth. The Toyota pair finished fifth and sixth respectively with the the #7 of Nicolas Lapierre, Kazuki Nakajima and Alexander Wurz followed by the #8 Toyota TS030 of Anthony Davison, Stéphane Sarrazin and Sébastien Buemi.

The qualifying session will take place later this evening, at 19:00 local time.

Session results:
1- #1 Audi Sport Team Joest - Audi R18 e-tron quattro 2:01.276
2- #3 Audi Sport Team Joest - Audi R18 e-tron quattro 2:01.377
3- #2 Audi Sport Team Joest - Audi R18 e-tron quattro 2:01.690
4- #12 Rebellion Racing - LOLA B12/60 Coupe 2:02.305
5- #7 Toyota Racing - Toyota TS030 Hybrid 2:02.332
6- #8 Toyota Racing - Toyota TS030 Hybrid 2:02.524
7- #21 Strakka Racing - HPD ARX 03c - Honda 2:04.309
8- #13 Rebellion Racing - LOLA B12/60 Coupe 2:04.923

Photo credit: Audi Sport Media