The new Audi RS 3 LMS race car has massive shoes to fill, such has been the success of the brands first TCR race car globally. With 180 of the compact racers built since 2016, the RS 3 LMS has wracked up no fewer than 54 racing titles worldwide. 

To that end, Audi Sport is leaving no stone unturned in its efforts to make sure that the second generation car, teased earlier in the year, takes the RS 3 LMS reputation to new heights. The new car, set to make its racing debut later this year, has been extensively tested over the past months, as well as spending time in the wind tunnel.

Fine tuning the car’s aero was one of the top items on the agenda, the time spent in the wind tunnel at Ingolstadt confirming the calculations previously generated using Computational Fluid Dynamics. 

“The predicted values for downforce and drag match up well,” says Detlef Schmidt, Technical Project Manager Audi RS 3 LMS, the aerodynamic mix also put to the test on the track at Castellolí in Catalonia, where Audi Sport driver, Frédéric Vervisch, recently put down more than 500km in the car.

Here the focus was also on the powertrain and chassis  as well as testing the general components and the mandatory standardised TCR engine control unit, which was preceded by intensive software development. 

Testing then moved to Vallelunga near Rome where rain gave the engineers the chance to the chance to work through air pressures and suspension set-ups for wet track conditions.

Vervisch was joined by new signing Nathanaël Berthon, who also had the chance to put the car through it spaces in Aragon in northern Spain, where the differential and dampers were given a thorough workout as well as more scrutiny of the aerodynamic balance.

By this point, the very well travelled RS 3 LMS had completed more than 3000 test kilometres on the three different tracks and the overwhelming impression from both drivers and the development team is very positive. 

Audi Sport is aiming for homologation of the car by May 1st with the plan being to see the new RS 3 LMS make its race debut at the season opener of the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup from June 3–5 on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring. Following that, deliveries of the second generation of Audi Sport’s TCR race car to customers will begin in the second half of the year.