source: Audi Sport
- Audi Sport customer racing scores 89 points at the Nürburgring
- Two second places by Frédéric Vervisch as best results
- All four Audi Sport drivers score points
Audi Sport has every reason to be pleased: Halfway through the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup season the brand celebrated its best result to date. In the supporting program of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, Audi Sport drivers Frédéric Vervisch, Niels Langeveld, Jean-Karl Vernay and Gordon Shedden combined scored 89 points – 15 points more than on Audi’s previously best weekend at the Slovakiaring.
“Everyone knows how challenging the Nordschleife is. Each of our four drivers showed his skills there, scored points and thus made our good team result possible,” said Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. “In addition, our Finnish customer Antti Buri as a guest entrant contributed to our successful weekend by clinching second place on the grid in race two.” During the course of the event, the Audi Sport drivers managed to improve significantly from race to race. After Frédéric Vervisch claimed fifth position in the first sprint, his form curve clearly pointed upwards. In the second heat, he advanced to second place from fourth on the grid. In round three, the 32-year-old pro stormed forward right on the first kilometers from seventh to second place and maintained his position up until the finish. A year ago, he had stood on the podium at the Nürburgring for the first time and clinched two trophies as well. Now Vervisch with Comtoyou Team Audi Sport, just like leader of the standings Esteban Guerrieri, scored a total of 53 points – no other driver was more successful at the Nürburgring. With that, the Belgian moved up from eleventh to fifth place in the standings.
Impressive as well was the fightback by Jean-Karl Vernay in the final race. The Frenchman from Leopard Racing Team Audi Sport raced forward from the 15th spot on the grid to position four. In the standings, he is now the second-best Audi Sport driver. His teammate, Gordon Shedden, handled the Nordschleife well too. From 16th on the grid the Scotsman improved in the final round to ninth position. Vervisch’s Dutch teammate, Niels Langeveld, in the third race even advanced from the 26th spot on the grid to twelfth position.
As a result, the Audi RS 3 LMS – the “TCR Model of the Year 2018” – has claimed as many as 23 podium finishes in 15 FIA WTCR events since the series was incepted a year ago.
Now the next challenging task is coming up for the teams and drivers. The natural circuit in the Eifel will be clearly contrasted by a city street circuit in Portugal at the next event. In Vila Real, the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup will enter into the second half of its season. Many fast sections on extremely narrow downtown streets pose a great challenge and leave no room for mistakes.
Additional information
Basic information Audi Sport customer racing 2019 including driver biographies
2019 FIA WTCR Media Booklet
2019 FIA WTCR photos
2019 FIA WTCR results
