- 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019: a 45-percent win rate of the Audi R8 LMS in the world's biggest endurance race since 2009 ?
- Audi Sport Team Phoenix wins with Pierre Kaffer/Frank Stippler/Dries Vanthoor/Frédéric Vervisch ?
- Good class results for customer teams complete the brand's showing
Nürburg/Neuburg a. d. Donau, June 23, 2019 – The 47th running of the 24 Hours of Nürburgring was a thriller to the very end, with the number 4 Audi R8 LMS beating last year's winning team from Porsche with a one- lap advantage. For Audi Sport Team Phoenix based at the Nürburgring, this marked the third victory with Audi and the fifth in the team's 20-year history.
"Sincere congratulations to the whole squad," said Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing.
"We won with a unique combination of diverse factors this time. The field was not fully balanced and our rivals drove better lap times across long distances. But the impeccable and strong driving performance saved us from penalties. The new evolution of the Audi R8 LMS was running perfectly and Ernst Moser's team once again showed that it's top-class also in the international comparison."
The team from the Eifel had won its home round with Audi back in 2012 and 2014 and previously scored two other victories. ?
While three Audi R8 LMS cars were running within the group of the top 10 for long stretches of the racing distance, car number 4 only took the lead on lap 142 when the Porsche that had been leading was handed a time penalty. At that time, a second Audi Sport Team was also in the running to win – 2017 winners, Audi Sport Team Land. But two hours before the end of the race, the Audi R8 LMS from Wolfgang Land's squad with drivers Christopher Haase/Kelvin van der Linde/Christopher Mies/René Rast retired after a puncture.
Now all hopes were pinned on the four Audi Sport drivers Pierre Kaffer/Frank Stippler/Dries Vanthoor/Frédéric Vervisch, who masterfully did their job. For the 21-year-old Belgian driver Dries Vanthoor, who drove the final stint, this marked the first Nürburgring victory, likewise for Pierre Kaffer and Frédéric Vervisch.
The Belgian was previously involved in the historic first 24-hour victory of the latest evolution of the Audi R8 LMS in Dubai in January. Frank Stippler, who hails from Cologne, won the iconic event as far back as in 2012 with Audi. In total, the GT3 race cars from Audi Sport customer racing have clinched 13 overall victories in 24-hour races worldwide since 2009.
Audi Sport Team Car Collection with Christopher Haase/Marcel Fässler/René Rast/Markus Winkelhock lost a possible podium finish shortly before the end due to a time penalty and finished in fourth position. The privately fielded Audi R8 LMS from Phoenix Racing with Jeroen Bleekemolen/Vincent Kolb/Kim-Luis Schramm/Frank Stippler crossed the finish line in eighth place. Gentleman drivers Stefan Aust/Oliver Bender/Christian Bollrath/Jean-Louis Hertenstein claimed a remarkable 16th spot overall with Team Car Collection Motorsport.
Several Audi customer teams clinched additional trophies at the Nürburgring. Team Giti Tyre Motorsport by RaceIng with Rahel Frey/Bernhard Henzel/Pavel Lefterov/Frank Schmickler in an Audi R8 LMS won the SP8 class ahead of the Audi R8 LMS GT4 from Team Giti Tire Motorsport by WS Racing with the Asian driver crew of Xiaole He/Fei Li/Yat Wong/Andy Yan. Team Bonk Motorsport scored second place in the SP 3T class in an Audi RS 3 LMS – the best TCR race car in this class. In 2017, the squad based in Münster claimed two podium finishes with this model and another podium in 2018. Fourth position went to the Audi RS 3 LMS from Team Avia Sorg Rennsport. As a result, nine of the 10 race cars from Audi Sport customer racing finished the event.
– ENDS –
The Audi Group, with its brands Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini, is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the premium segment. It is present in more than 100 markets worldwide and produces at 16 locations in twelve countries. 100 percent subsidiaries of AUDI AG include Audi Sport GmbH (Neckarsulm), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy) and Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy).
In 2017, the Audi Group delivered to customers about 1.878 million automobiles of the Audi brand, 3,815 sports cars of the Lamborghini brand and 55,900 motorcycles of the Ducati brand. In the 2017 fiscal year, AUDI AG achieved total revenue of €60.1 billion and an operating profit of €5.1 billion. At present, approximately 90,000 people work for the company all over the world, more than 60,000 of them in Germany. Audi focuses on sustainable products and technologies for the future of mobility.