Audi drafts in LMP1 and DTM stars for Spa 24 Hours

A total of four factory-supported Audi R8 LMS GT3 machines will contest this year’s Spa 24 Hours, the manufacturer confirmed today.

Phoenix Racing, which ran cars at last year’s event, will field a brace of R8s alongside successful Belgian outfit and reigning Belcar champions W Racing Team who are a full-season Blancpain Endurance Series entry .

The driving talent on show suggests Audi are taking the jewel in SRO’s new championship crown very seriously with a wealth of talent drafted in for the classic event. LMP1 stars Marcel Fässler, Andrea Piccini and Mike Rockenfeller, as well as Marc Basseng, Christopher Haase and Frank Stippler form the Phoenix driver line-ups while DTM heavyweights Mattias Ekström and Timo Scheider pair with Greg Franchi at WRT. Filipe Albuquerque, Bert Longin and Stéphane Ortelli will race the team’s second entry.   

The R8 has already tasted endurance victory in 2011 with a 1-2 finish at the Bathurst 12 Hours in February. And Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich believes that could be the springboard for further success.

"The Audi R8 LMS was developed specifically for customer sport," said Ullrich. "With the two factory supported events at the Nürburgring and at Spa-Francorchamps we aim to underline the positive image that the R8 LMS has built up following its first two years of competition. I think we are well positioned for this from the driver and team side."

Catch coverage of the Spa 24 Hours and entire Blancpain Endurance Series on Motors TV in 2011.

Tom Hornsby