Audi RS 3 LMS with Victories in Germany, America and Japan

source: Audi Sport

Successes for Audi Sport’s TCR touring car around the globe
Strong season opener for new Audi R8 LMS GT3 in ADAC GT Masters
Podium finishes for Audi R8 LMS GT4

In 2019, the Audi RS 3 LMS, the 2018 TCR Model of the Year, continues its winning streak by customers in international racing series. As well as at the season opener in Germany, the TCR touring car was victorious in a sprint race in America and an endurance race in Asia.

Audi RS 3 LMS (TCR)

Strong kickoff in Germany: Team LMS Racing started the 2019 ADAC TCR Germany season with a triumph. From third on the grid in race two, Antti Buri clinched victory in an Audi RS 3 LMS. In a gripping duel, he kept immediate rival Mike Halder at bay in Oschersleben and crossed the finish line with an advantage of seven tenths of a second. For Buri, this marked the sixth race win in the ADAC TCR Germany. As a result, the Finn is ranked in third place of the standings after the first of seven race weekends.

First victories in the TC America: On the third race weekend, an Audi Sport customer team celebrated the first two victories this season in the TCR classification of the TC America. On the 5.2-kilometer circuit in Virginia, Michael McCann Jr. in an Audi RS 3 LMS from McCann Racing prevailed against the competition in race one with a clear advantage of 8.8 seconds. In the second race, his teammate, Britt Casey Jr., won with a 4.0-second advantage.

One-two in Japan: The Audi RS 3 LMS remains unbeaten in the Super Taikyu Series. As before in the season opener, the customer teams again scored a one-two in the TCR category in the second race at Sugo. This time victory went to Team BRP Audi Mie with Yuya Oota/Takeshi Matsumoto/Takuro Shinohara. After three hours of racing, Team DreamDrive with Takuya Shirasaka/Shozo Tagahara/Naoto Takeda followed them across the finish line by a gap of only 6.8 seconds.

Excellent debut by Gilles Magnus: Belgian Gilles Magnus, who won the Volant TCR 2019 race driver selection competition of the Belgian automobile club RACB at Audi Sport in Neuburg last winter, thrilled both the fans and his team in his maiden race in the TCR Europe. In an Audi RS 3 LMS of Comtoyou Racing, he had entered the race in sixth place of the 37-strong field in changeable weather at the Hungaroring. In a spectacular race on a wet track with many excursions of his rivals he improved to second place due to his accomplished control of the car. He saw the checkered flag only 1.6 seconds behind the winner. As a result, Gilles Magnus is the leader of the TCR Europe standings after the first of seven events.

Successful return to the Nordschleife: Team Møller Bil in round three of the VLN Endurance Championship for the first time this year competed on the Nürburgring again. As in the past, Atle Gulbrandsen/Kenneth Østvold/Håkon Schjærin were candidates for a podium finish right away. The Norwegian driver trio piloted the Audi RS 3 LMS to second place in the TCR classification after four hours of racing.

Audi R8 LMS GT3

Thrilling season opener: The Audi Sport customer teams started the new ADAC GT Masters season at Oschersleben with a total of three podium finishes. Team HCB-Rutronik Racing, which had been promoted from the DMV GTC to the ADAC GT Masters, was instantly the second-best team in the field of 31 entrants. The Swiss Patric Niederhauser and Audi Sport driver Kelvin van der Linde with a 3.6-second gap finished runners-up in race one. Just four seconds behind them Jeffrey Schmidt and Audi Sport driver Christopher Haase from Team BWT Mücke Motorsport saw the checkered flag in third position, having fought back from seventh. In the second race, Ricardo Feller and Audi Sport driver Dries Vanthoor scored position two for Montaplast by Land-Motorsport after having started from fourth on the grid. Feller/Vanthoor are now tied on points with Niederhauser/van der Linde in second place of the standings, separated from the top spot by just two points.

Audi R8 LMS GT4

Second place on Nordschleife: Team Giti Tire Motorsport by WS Racing in an Audi R8 LMS GT4 clinched a trophy at the Nürburgring. In round three of the VLN Endurance Championship, Tim Breidbach/Bernd Hoemberg/Thomas Leyherr in poor weather conditions scored second place in the SP8 class among six entrants.

Third place in Virginia: On the second race weekend of the Pirelli GT4 America SprintX, Team Rearden Racing celebrated a trophy win. Vesko Kozarov and Jeff Burton in an Audi R8 LMS GT4 finished third in race two. In the separate East classification, Andy Pilgrim and Adam Poland in an Audi R8 LMS GT4 of Team Doghouse Performance finished runners-up.

Audi Sport customer racing

Official Cars from Audi Sport for the ADAC: Audi Sport in 2019 again provides the Official Cars for the ADAC GT Masters and other series held as part of the supporting program. At the season opener at Oschersleben, Audi Sport handed the new generation of the models over to ADAC. They include three new Audi R8 Coupé V10 quattro cars with special equipment made available to race control as the Safety Car and Leading Car. Audi Sport has been Official Car Partner of the ADAC GT Masters since 2011.