source: Audi AG
- Five out of six possible podium finishes in the GTSSC in Asia
- Three wins in one weekend for title holder Filip Salaquarda
- 1-2-3 and 1-2 victory for Audi teams in touring car racing in Italy
Audi Sport customer racing looks back on an intensive and successful second weekend in September with its customers. Around the globe, the drivers scored six victories in GT3 racing, prevailed four times in GT4 racing and were unbeatable in two TCR races. In total, the race teams with Audi recorded 34 podium results in one weekend.
Audi R8 LMS GT3
Two wins on debut: Andy Deng managed a perfect debut in GT3 racing in the Chinese GT Super Sprint Challenge. At the fourth round of the series on the Shanghai circuit, the driver of Team Winhere by HAR secured pole position in the Audi R8 LMS. He stayed in front at the start and built up a lead of 25.319 seconds over the course of 14 laps. Hu Bo, who started from third place, was initially third in the Audi R8 LMS of Team Absolute Racing and defended against overtaking attempts by a chaser. The Audi privateer moved up to second when a car in front dropped back. He managed to maintain second place with a 0.14-second advantage to the finish. Andy Deng started the second race from pole position as well. With the two Absolute Racing drivers Vincent Lin and Hu Bo in second and third place, an Audi trio had secured the best starting positions. Lin initially took the lead at the start but Andy Deng overtook the car in front again. This time he built up a 21.6-second lead to the finish. Vincent Lin finished second while Hu Bo completed an Audi one-two-three. Hu Bo thus moved up to second place behind Andrew Haryanto in the Audi Sport Asia Trophy for privateers.
Perfect end to the season: Filip Salaquarda ended the season in the Central European Eset Cup in his Czech homeland with three victories. The privateer from Team I.S.R. Racing was the best driver of a GT3 sports car behind the prototypes in the field in both sprints and the endurance race at Brno with his Audi R8 LMS. In the first sprint, Salaquarda overtook Mercedes driver Libor Milota at the start and built up a lead of almost ten seconds over the next GT race car to the finish. Third place in the GT3 class went to Petr Kačirek from Team Duck Racing in another Audi R8 LMS. The one-hour endurance race was initially dominated by Libor Milota and BMW driver Max Hesse. After the pit stops, however, Salaquarda took the lead and increased his advantage to 39.6 seconds ahead of Milota by the finish. He thus secured his fifth victory in the sixth endurance race this season. In the second sprint, the Audi privateer finally clinched his third victory of the weekend with a 9.4-second advantage over the nearest GT driver. Once again, Petr Kačirek drove to third place in the GT3 class. Filip Salaquarda won the Sprint and Endurance titles in the Eset Cup this year.
Third victory in a row: Sam Fillmore and Jonny Reid remained unbeaten in the New Zealand Endurance Championship for the third time in the 2023 season. On the Ruapuna circuit on the South Island, the two New Zealanders in the Audi R8 LMS from IMS Motorsport won a thrilling three-hour race. Just 2.8 seconds separated them from Ant and Paul Pedersen in a Mercedes-AMG. Third place went to Steve Brooks/Bill Riding, who also drove an Audi R8 LMS like the winners. The same event also featured a one-hour race in which Adam Julian in an Audi R8 LMS scored another podium result with third place.
Two trophies in the P9 Challenge: On the fourth race weekend of the P9 Challenge club racing series, Marco Reinbold stood on the podium twice. The privateer from Germany crossed the finish line on the Mugello circuit in Italy in both 40-minute sprints in the Audi R8 LMS in third place in Class 6A.
Podium in America: In the North American Trans-Am race series, Ricky Sanders managed to make it onto the podium. The Audi privateer drove the R8 LMS to second place in the XGT category on the eighth race weekend at Watkins Glen.
Successful race on home soil: At the fifth race weekend of the pan-European International GT Open race series, Team Eastalent-Racing recorded a podium result. At the Austrian squad’s home race at the Red Bull Ring, Audi Sport driver Christopher Haase finished third in the second race together with privateer Simon Reicher.
Audi R8 LMS GT4
Five trophies in French club racing: The French Ultimate Cup Series made a guest appearance at Estoril, Portugal, for its fourth event. In the first race, Julien Goujat in Team Speedcar’s Audi R8 LMS GT4 won his class ahead of Milan Competition’s Pierre Arraou in another Audi. In the second race, Arraou again finished in second position. In the third contest, Goujat was second ahead of Arraou.
Unbeaten three times: Joseph Ellerine was the measure of his class on the seventh race weekend of the G&H Transport Extreme Supercars Series in South Africa. The South African won category B in the Audi R8 LMS GT4 from MJR Motorsport in all three sprints on the Killarney circuit.
Podium in America: At the eighth round of the Trans Am club racing series, Michael Attaway stood on the podium in his class. The American steered his Audi R8 LMS GT4 to second place in the GT classification.
Audi RS 3 LMS (TCR)
Dominant weekend: The Audi privateers dominated the Coppa Italia Turismo on the fourth race weekend with five of six possible podium results. The first sprint at Vallelunga was won by Gabriele Volpato from Team BF Motorsport with a lead of more than 15 seconds ahead of Turgut Konukoglu from Bitci Racing and Sandro Pelatti from Aikoa Racing. All three drivers, as well as eight other contenders in a field of 30 cars, relied on the Audi RS 3 LMS. Gabriele Volpato remained unbeaten in the second race as well. He was eight seconds faster than pursuer Sandro Pelatti.
A decent end to the season: In the TCR Eastern Europe finale, Bartosz Groszek was the best of four Audi drivers in the field. The Pole clinched third position in the first sprint race at Brno in the Audi RS 3 LMS fielded by Aditis Racing.
Trophy for Jac Constable: The Rob Boston Racing team was again the best Audi customer squad at the sixth round of the TCR UK. Jac Constable defended third place in the first race at Donington in the Audi RS 3 LMS with a 196 thousandths of a second advantage over his pursuer.
Three trophies in Australia: Will Brown managed a strong recovery in the first race on the fifth race weekend of TCR Australia. The Australian had started the first race in tenth place in his MPC Team Liqui Moly Audi RS 3 LMS. On the Sandown circuit, he had already worked his way up to fifth place by the second lap. After further overtaking maneuvers, he finished second after 19 laps ahead of Zac Soutar, who also drove an Audi RS 3 LMS. In the second race, Lachlan Mineeff was the best Audi driver. The Australian improved from fourth on the grid to third position.
Coming up next week
14–17/09 Zandvoort (NL), round 6, Supercar Challenge
15–16/09 Padborg (DK), round 6, TCR Denmark
15–17/09 Barcelona (E), round 5, 24H Series powered by Hankook European Series
15–17/09 Indianapolis (USA), round 10, IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge
15–17/09 Monza (I), round 3, Campionato Italiano GT Endurance
15–17/09 Monza (I), round 4, TCR Italy
15–17/09 Valencia (E), round 5, GT2 European Series
15–17/09 Singapur (SGP), Invitation race Thailand Super Series
16/09 Snetterton (GB), round 5, British Endurance Championship
16–17/09 Valencia (E), round 4, GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup
16–17/09 Sugo (J), round 6, Super GT
16–17/09 Donington (GB), round 6, GT Cup Championship
