Though Audi Sport put a hold on its GTP prototype development program in order to focus on F1 efforts, that doesn’t change the fact that Audi fans will likely still be tuning in to this week’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. As the second -most winning marque has the 24 Hours of Le Mans, its influence in this historic race carries on with the presence of its former drivers, teammates and Volkswagen Group sibling Porsche. In as much, we wanted to make sure Audi Club members know which cars and drivers to focus on in this week’s historic 100thAnniversary 24 Hours of Le Mans. Also check below for where to watch the race for fans in the U.S. and Canada.
Cars / Teams / Drivers to Watch for Audi Fans
#6 Porsche Penske Motorsport
Car: Porsche 963
Class: Hypercar (HY)
Drivers: Andre Lotterer, Laurens Vanthoor
Why to Watch: Car and Drivers
Without Audi in La Sarthe, any Porsche 963 is the closest thing you’ll get to an Audi Prototype. Audi’s stalled program began as an IMSA GTP-spec co-development with Porsche, including Multimatic chassis and likely drivetrain spec. It would have had its own bodywork, tuning and team of course, but this corporate cousin remains pretty close to what the Audi would have been. Three factory Porsche 963s will be fielded by Penske, including the #5 and #75. A fourth independent #38 Hertz Team Jota 963 will also compete.
We’re focused on this particular 963 because two of its three-driver lineup are former Audi Sport works drivers. Andre Lotterer has won Le Mans multiple times with Audi, including the 2011 race immortalized in the Truth in 24: 2 documentary. One of his teammates, Laurens Vanthoor, had a highly successful start to his career with Team WRT at the wheel of the Audi R8 LMS, including multiple championships and a 2015 victory at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
#50 Ferrari AF Corse
Car: Ferrari 499P
Class: Hypercar (HY)
Driver: Miguel Molina
Why to Watch: Driver
Though he’s lesser known in these circles, Miguel Molina had a short run on Audi Sport’s factory DTM squad. More recently he’s been associated with Ferrari, and he’s participating in that brand’s historic return to the top tier of racing at Le Mans.
#90 Peugeot Total Energies
Car: Peugeot 9X8
Class: Hypercar (HY)
Driver: Loic Duval
Why to Watch: Driver
Loic won the FIA WEC championship with Audi Sport in 2012, then won Le Mans in 2013 paired with Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen. He later spent time in the Audi DTM program. Today, the French driver is no doubt excited to be competing for the French Peugeot factory team.
#708 Glickenhaus Racing
Car: Clickenhaus 007
Class: Hypercar (HY)
Driver: Romain Dumas
Why to Watch: Driver
Though he didn’t spend much time with Audi, Romain Dumas was one of several drivers on loan to Audi Sport in the buildup to the Porsche 919 program. He helped net Audi’s 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans victory with teammates Timo Bernhard and Mike Rockenfeller at the wheel of an R15 plus. And while he’s most typically known for his work as a Porsche factory driver, he also has a Pike’s Peak record set in the all-electric Volkswagen ID.R. This year, Dumas has a seat with the American Glickenhaus team.
#12 Tower Motosrports
Car: Oreca 07 – Gibson
Class: LMP2 Prototype (P2)
Driver: René Rast
Why to Watch: Driver
Though he’s not one of Audi Sport’s best known Le Mans drivers, Rast has a long history of dominance and victories with Audi Sport. He netted DTM championship titles at the wheel of the Audi RS 5 DTM in 2017, 2019 and 2020, two 24 Hours of Spa victoris at the wheel of the R8 LMS GT3 in 2012 and 2014, and an R8 LMS GT3 victory at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in 2014. In 2015 also contested several rounds in the FIA WEC series including Le Mans in the Audi R18, though he logged no victories that season.
#22 & #25 United Autosports
Cars: Oreca 07-Gibson
Class: LMP2 Prototype (P2)
Driver: Filipe Albuquerque, Oliver Jarvis, Tom Blomqvist
Why to Watch: Team and Drivers
Besides being part owned by American Zach Brown who’s both a prominent Audi collector (200 Trans-Am) and McLaren F1 team boss, United Autosports is also one of the earliest Audi Sport customer racing teams having fielded the R8 LMS GT3 in various series.
Felipe Albuquerque from the #22 car has a long history with Audi. While he began in lesser market customer racing programs, the Portuguese driver moved to the factory DTM team in 2011. In 2013 he helped log a first victory for Audi Sport at the 24 Hours of Daytona alongside United Autosports teammate Oliver Jarvis. He also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans for Audi Sport in 2014.
Over in car #23 is Oliver Jarvis who got his start with Audi in the DTM series back in 2008. Beyond his aforementioned 2013 Daytona win in the R8 GRAND-AM, he also won the 2013 12 Hours of Sebring and logged third in that year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans in the R18 e-tron quattro. This year, he also shares a car with Tom Blomqvist who may never have been an Audi factory driver, but remains Audi family as he’s the son of Audi Sport rally driver Stig Blomqvist.
#31 Team WRT
Car: Oreca 07-Gibson
Class: LMP2 Prototype (P2)
Driver: Robin Frijns
Why to Watch: Team and Driver
The Belgian Team WRT has long been associated with Audi Sport customer racing, one of the earliest having begun their R8 LMS campaigns in 2010. They campaigned the R8 to victory in many races, most notably winning the 24 Hours of Spa in 2011 and2014, 24 Hours of Dubai in 2022 and the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in 2015 and the 12 Hours of Bathurst in 2018. They spent some time with the Audi RS 5 in DTM, then stepped up to P2 racing, netting their class victory at Le Mans in 2021. WRT was expected to field one of the Audi Sport GTP entries before that program was shut down, so has moved on to work with BMW in their GT3 and GTP efforts. Without BMW at Le Mans, they remain in P2.
Driver Robin Frijns also has some history with Audi. In addition to contesting the DTM series for Audi Sport, he also spent time as a driver for the privateer but Audi-powered Envision Virgin Racing team for several years in Formula E.
#923 Racing Team Turkey
Car: Oreca 07-Gibson
Class: LMP2 Prototype (P2)
Driver: Dries Vanthoor
Why to Watch: Driver
Brother to Laurens Vanthoor, Dries also spent time as an Audi Sport factory GT driver. He was part of the team that won the 2019 24 Hours of Nürbugring for Audi Sport in an R8 LMS GT3 and spent most of his time with Team WRT where he also helped net that team’s 12 Hours of Bathurst win. Beyond Audi, he’s also got a GT class victory at Le Mans from 2017.
#85 Iron Dames
Car: Porsche 911 RSR-19
Class: LMGTE AM (AM)
Driver: Rahel Frey
Why to Watch: Driver
Rahel Frey’s history with Audi Sport is extensive. She replaced Katherine Legge on Audi Sport’s DTM squad in 2011, leaving after the 2013 season to focus on sportscar racing. She’s spent much of that time since competing in the R8 LMS including a 3rd place at the 2017 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
More recently, Frey has been competing as part of the all-female Iron Dames team as part of the GT World Challenge, in IMSA and at Le Mans alongside Michelle Gatting and Sarah Bovy. The team netted a 7th place win at Le Mans last year in a Ferrari, and aims for a stronger performance this year having switched to Porsche.
Interestingly, Frey’s all-female attempts at Le Mans predate the Iron Dames efforts. She also competed in 2010 alongside Cyndie Alleman and Natacha Gachnang in the #61 Matech Competition Ford GT, though that team was forced to retire before the end of the race.
#24 Hendrick Motorsports
Car: Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Class: Innovative Car (IC)
Driver: Mike Rockenfeller
Why to Watch: Driver
As an American, a NASCAR spec Camaro competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is no doubt a curiousity, while more recent NASCAR spec has evolved these “cup cars” into more capable road racing machines. And while that’s interesting, the Audi family tie in this case is Mike Rockenfeller. “Rocky” has a long-term relationship with Audi, netting a Le Mans victory at the wheel of the R15 plus in 2010 and a DTM title in 2013. Mike was part of the Audi Sport factory Le Mans efforts from 2007 to 2012, spanning the R10 era to the R18.
Where to Watch the Race
Unless you’re not in Le Mans to watch the race in person, getting a feed for all 24 Hours of the race has proven tricky over the years. This year, American fans can catch all 24 hours of the race plus one hour pre-race and post-race coverage on the Motor Trend + on-demand platform. According to TV Insider, Motor Trend’s cable TV channel will also air the race from 9:00 AM EST Saturday to 11:00 AM EST Sunday. For Canadians, Discovery Velocity has the rights and will air the full race.
We’ve also included the official 24 Hours of Le Mans Spotter Guides below. These traditional car profile diagrams help race fans keep track of teams, drivers and cars. Use these to keep track of the various Audi family competing in the race.
