The ultimate garage service

Just what goes into keeping a top flight Audi GT3 car circulating on the world’s race tracks.

This is what happens in the life of Audi R8 LMS GT3, chassis number 106 during the 2019 season and gives an idea of what goes into servicing at Audi Sport customer racing.

11 February, 2020


At the workshop of Audi Sport customer racing, the preparation of chassis number 106 and a second Audi R8 LMS GT3 continues in full swing

Seven tests and races at Nürburgring, Spa, Suzuka and Kyalami, and back to the garage in Heilbronn-Biberach between each of these events. Roughly one week has been scheduled at Audi Sport customer racing’s garage in Heilbronn-Biberach before chassis number 106 has to embark on its long journey to the next race. The Audi R8 LMS GT3 to which this code belongs is still wearing its white-red body wrap and the car’s number, 125. In this livery, the car was most recently on the grid of round four of the Intercontinental GT Challenge at Suzuka where it claimed seventh position in the 10-hour race, with Christopher Haase, Christopher Mies and Markus Winkelhock at the wheel.

Together with its GT3 customer teams, Audi Sport customer racing has strategic commitments in the Intercontinental GT Challenge, the FIA GT World Cup and at high-calibre events such as the Bathurst 12 hour and the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. 

At the workshop of Audi Sport customer racing, the preparation of chassis number 106 and a second Audi R8 LMS GT3 for the 9 Hours of Kyalami, (part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge) continues in full swing. Two mechanics per car perform the high-speed maintenance between races in Heilbronn-Biberach. This is where the final assembly of every newly produced R8 LMS takes place and with a total crew of 35 employees, Audi Sport customer racing carries out up to 20 of these checks per year at its garage. 

Is a car still in impeccable condition after a race? That’s the key question before any chassis check at Audi Sport customer racing. After its most recent race, chassis number 106 does not require extensive checking, having avoided accidents and incidents. But had it had any race contact with a rival or track barrier, it would initially be optically measured and checked.

If we notice any inconsistencies during the optical measurements we’ll additionally check the chassis points on our measuring plates here in Biberach,” says Johannes Kind, the man in charge at Audi Sport customer racing.

If the chassis is damaged, the front and rear end of the R8 LMS GT3 can be completely replaced, saving time and repair costs.

The rear wing is ultrasonically examined for deformations and damage and replaced if there is any doubt as to its integrity.

The body remains as is during the maintenance between two racing events including the cabin and cable harness. Everything else around the car is ‘stripped off’: wheels, suspensions, the braking system, springs, dampers, anti-roll bars, body attachments, the engine, exhaust system, gearbox, radiator, battery and service fluids. 

If the chassis is damaged, the front and rear end of the R8 LMS GT3 can be completely replaced, saving time and repair costs.

During the suspension check we examine everything, because your race can be over just because of a five-cent part if the fact that it was broken was missed

“During the suspension check we examine everything,” Johannes Kind emphasises. “Because your race can be over just because of a five-cent part if the fact that it was broken was missed.” the co-ordinator for test and race preparation continues. Components are either rebuilt or replaced, depending on the type of damage and according to the defined mileage limits. Take the wishbones of the independent suspensions for example – on the Audi R8 LMS they’re designed for a life of 10,000 kilometres.

The 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 engine of the Audi R8 LMS, is inspected every 10,000 kilometres as well and after 20,000 kilometres, a comprehensive rebuild is scheduled. For this purpose, the unit is opened to check valve lash and the tension of the timing chains. 

“The maintenance and replacement intervals for our in-house cars also apply to those of our customers,” says Johannes Kind.

For the sequential pneumatically operated six-speed sports gearbox of the Audi R8 LMS GT3, a brief check is scheduled between Suzuka and Kyalami in the case of chassis number 106. The six magnets attached to the gearbox are scanned for metal chips that might have gotten stuck to them, in other words for abrasions and chips off the gears and the gearbox oil and the related filter are replaced. Every 10,000 kilometres Audi Sport customer racing replaces the compressor that drives the pneumatic system to change gears and after the same mileage, a new clutch adjuster is installed as well.

With the scheduled maintenance completed, the new livery must be put in place ahead of the next race. 

The previous look of the bodywork has to be removed and replaced over two days. Printed wrap instead of a paint job make this quick visual change possible. The mechanics from Audi Sport customer racing take care of stripping off the Suzuka livery once back to an aluminium carbon fibre body shell, an external service provider takes over the job of providing the car with its new wrap.

For the premiere of the International GT Challenge at Kyalami, Audi Sport customer racing had a typically African livery design, with zebra stripes, flanked by subtle line and wedge patterns plus the country’s flag. 

Wrapping a racing car always poses the same challenge, with the livery printed on the film needing to be applied to the body in a way that exactly matches the sample design. Guiding lines generated by a laser beam and projected onto the car assist the wrapping staff in performing their job. However, in spite of all advanced technology, craftsmanship and a perfect eye are still crucial for the final outcome.

“The wrap of our cars not only has to be visually appealing but also practical. This is essential to making any mending that becomes necessary now and then without a major time loss,” says Johannes Kind. 

Wrapping a racing car always poses the same challenge, and in spite of all advanced technology, craftsmanship and a perfect eye are still crucial for the final outcome

Cars transported by ship or aircraft have the petrol from the fuel tanks pumped off and the battery disconnected for safety reasons

In addition, Kind continues, it’s important that the films are applied to the bodywork with as few layers as possible. “This requires a compromise between design and competitive thinking because each gram of excessive weight counts just as much as any edge that impairs perfect airflow.”

The usual functional run on the test track concludes the garage visit to Heilbronn-Biberach, then into a container, and first by truck and train to Antwerp and from there by ship. Cars transported by ship or aircraft have the petrol from the fuel tanks pumped off and the battery disconnected. The racing cars have special shipping dampers installed on them during their journey and rest on profiled rain tyres with an inflation pressure of 1.8 bar. Their ground clearance is raised for shipping in order to prevent damage to the underfloors while the cars are being loaded and unloaded.

“For environmental and cost reasons, we prefer ships to aircraft for overseas travel,” says Johannes Kind. That’s why Audi Sport customer racing’s cars often spend several months in transit between their ‘super service’ and the next race outing. 

It’s a well practiced system that keeps the cars in peak performance and ready to compete in their next race, wherever that may be. It’s also a system that continues to deliver outstanding results and keeps the Audi RS LMS at the pointy end of world GT3 competition.