Podium in Dubai

Audi Sport customer racing has successfully opened its account for the new year with a podium finish in the Dubai 24 Hour race over the weekend. Team WRT wrapped up second place in the GT3-Pro class after the gruelling marathon, their #31 R8 LMS GT3 driven by Kelvin van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor, with Frank Bird, Benjamin Goethe and Louis Machiels.

In the GT3-Am class, Audi Sport customer racing also showed its speed, the Car Collection Motorsport team taking both second and third places.

Audi Sport was well represented in the desert capital, with four Audi R8 LMS cars and five Audi RS 3 LMS race cars supported by their own Audi Sport customer racing service truck to support the total of four Audi R8 LMS race cars and five Audi RS 3 LMS race cars.
In the TCR class, Audi Sporty narrowly missed out on a podium finish, with the AC Motorsport team of Mathieu Detry, Sebastien Morales, Stéphane Perrin and Philippe Thirion taking fourth place after a close race right up to the finish.

Both the GT3 and TCR categories were represented by fields in Dubai, even if crowds remain very sparse due to the ongoing health measures at large sporting events. For those few present or the majority watching the race from afar, it was an exciting outing and a fitting start to the 24 Hour season. 

For Audi Sport customer racing too, it was a good start despite missing the coveted top spot on the podium.

The battle for the runners up sport was an exciting one, with the #31 R8 LMS battling with Mercedes right up until the final hour of the race, before making their move.

The result came hot on the heels of Audi Sport customer racing announcing its motorsport program for 2021, Head of Audi Sport customer racing, Chris Reinke, looking forward to a busy year after the challenges of 2020.

“After a demanding 2020 season for global motorsport, we’re making a statement and committing early to a major international program in 2021,” said Reinke. 

“The Intercontinental GT Challenge as the world’s most high-profile GT3 series is at the heart of this [program], just like the Nürburgring 24 Hours.” 

Audi Sport customer racing confirmed that it would tackle the The Intercontinental GT Challenge again in 2021, a series it has previously won five times. In addition, stand alone events such as the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the Macau Grand Prix will also form part of the 2021 program as well as a the FIA Motorsport Games, Le Castellet – a multidisciplinary competition, described as something of an Olympics of motorsport.

This program complements the worldwide commitment of the numerous customer teams including Australia, Asia, Europe and America.