EFTM will be trackside this weekend for the Bathurst 12 Hour, so keep an eye on our social channels for all the latest. However, Audi Sport customer racing is again back this year looking for a fourth crown to further cement their record breaking efforts. Audi has also won the Intercontinental GT Challenge championship classification series for the past three years.
The event is held this Sunday, February 3 and marks the start of the world’s sole racing series for GT3 cars that includes five rounds on five continents. The Audi line-up includes two Audi R8 LMS cars and three GT3 entries.
GT3 race cars have been allowed to participate in the 12 hour since 2011, with Audi scoring wins in 2011, 2012 and 2018.
“We can hardly imagine a more atmospheric opener of the Intercontinental GT Challenge than this race at Bathurst,” says Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing.
“Another victory is our declared goal, but the competition this year is fiercer than ever before.”
There are 28 entrants in Class A alone from 10 manufactures, smaller classes add another 13. The re-branded Audi Sport Team Valvoline has the same drivers as last year from Germany including, Christopher Haase, Christopher Mies and Markus Winkelhock.
The second R8 LMS that forms part of the local team will be piloted by South African Kelvin van der Linde, Belgian Frédéric Vervisch plus our very own Garth Tander. To complete the Audi assault there will be a further two R8’s from Audi Sport Team MPC. Audi Sport driver Gordon Shedden and British counterparts Pete Storey and Matthew Neal will all share an R8 LMS for the first time. Their teammates are Australians Marc Cini, Dean Fiore and Lee Holdsworth.
Finally, Team Matt Stone will add Australians Todd Hazelwood, Roger Lago and David Russell. It kicks off this Sunday at 5.45am, should be a fascinating day on the mountain!
Chris was EFTM’s Motoring Editor for many years, driving everything from your entry level hatch to the latest Luxury cars through to the Rolls Royce.
He has been in the media for 20 years, produced three Olympic games broadcasts, attending Beijing 2008 & London 2012.
Strangely he owns a Toyota Camry Hybrid, he defiantly rejects the knockers.
Chris is married to Gillian and resides in Sydney’s North West. They have Sam the English Springer Spaniel and Felix the Burmese cat to keep them company, and recently welcomed baby Henry to the family.
He has now left EFTM, and writes freelance and runs his own Facebook Page “Bowen’s Garage”
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