The competition is heating up for next month's 24-hours of Nurburgring as Audi has announced that it too will take part in the famed endurance race with four factory supported R8 LMS racecars, two for each of the ABT Sportsline and Phoenix Racing teams. The R8 LMS is a rear-wheel drive GT3 version of the German firm's mid-engined sportscar equipped with a 500HP-plus 5.2-liter FSI V10 that was developed by Audi's motorsport division for private customers and race teams alike.
"The 24 Hours is not only one of the biggest motorsport events in Germany," says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "The Nürburgring-Nordschleife is considered one of the world's toughest and most demanding race tracks. Similar to Sebring for the sports prototypes, it is superbly suited for revealing the final improvement potential of any new race car. This is exactly what we're planning to do at the 24-hour race before delivering the R8 LMS to customers, starting this fall."
The ABT Sportsline and Phoenix Racing teams will hit the 'Ring on May 23 with driver squads consisting of five current Audi "factory" drivers, four DTM Champions, four Le Mans winners and five drivers who have won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring at least once.
Among others they include the reigning DTM Champion Timo Scheider, who – together with his DTM teammate Mattias Ekström and three-time Le Mans winner Marco Werner – will compete for Team ABT Sportsline, and three-times 24h Nurburgring winner Hans-Joachim Stuck, who will pilot one of the cars of the Team Phoenix Racing.
The Audi teams at the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring:
Audi R8 LMS #97 (ABT Sportsline)
- Christian Abt (D)
- Jean-François Hemroulle (B)
- Pierre Kaffer (D)
- Lucas Luhr (D)
Audi R8 LMS #98 (Phoenix Racing)
- Marc Basseng (D)
- Frank Stippler (D)
- Mike Rockenfeller (D)
Audi R8 LMS #99 (Phoenix Racing)
- Frank Biela (D)
- Marcel Fässler (CH)
- Emanuele Pirro (I)
- Hans-Joachim Stuck (A)
Audi R8 LMS #100 (ABT Sportsline)
- Mattias Ekström (S)
- Timo Scheider (D)
- Marco Werner (D)
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