source: Audi AG
- Victory for Shaun Balfe/Adam Carroll in the Audi R8 LMS in British GT season opener
- Jason Daskalos wins a race in GT America
- Successes for the Audi R8 LMS GT4 in America, France and Great Britain
In the British GT racing series, Shaun Balfe and Adam Carroll achieved their first joint success in the GT3 version of the Audi R8 LMS. An Audi privateer team also celebrated a victory in the USA, while the GT4 version scored wins in America and Great Britain and ensured a good opening weekend in France.
Audi R8 LMS GT3
Victory at season opener and lead of the standings: Balfe Motorsport delivered a sporting contest worth seeing in the first race at the British GT season opener. Shaun Balfe had started from first place in the Audi R8 LMS at Oulton Park but found himself only in sixth place at the end of the first lap after a hectic opening phase. Due to pit stop penalties for several opponents, Balfe’s teammate Adam Carroll took the lead after the driver change. Towards the end of the race he came under pressure from Jules Gounon. For a short time, the Frenchman sat next to the Northern Irish Audi privateer who countered with a brave maneuver and won by 0.455 seconds after one hour of racing. After finishing sixth in race two, Adam Carroll and Shaun Balfe are five points ahead of Jules Gounon/Ian Loggie at the top of the standings.
Success in American club racing: Jason Daskalos returned from the second event of the GT America presented by AWS racing series with two trophies. The Audi customer in the R8 LMS won the first 40-minute race in Sonoma by 0.152 seconds after a long duel with Mercedes driver George Kurtz. In the second race, Daskalos finished second 5.6 seconds behind the leader.
Audi R8 LMS GT4
In front despite penalty: Steller Motorsport experienced a memorable British GT season opener. The private team started the first race at Oulton Park from pole position in its class in the Audi R8 LMS GT4. After Richard Williams had come in for the driver change and handed over to Sennan Fielding, the race stewards judged that the pit stop had been six seconds too short and issued a stop-and-go penalty. Several other competitors also received penalties for similar reasons. Fielding nevertheless subsequently overtook the leading Porsche to win the race by five seconds. In the second race, the Audi privateers were the third-best GT4 team in the field and now lead the standings by five points.
Class victory in California: Steve Dinan scored his first class win in the Audi R8 LMS GT4 in the GT America presented by AWS race series at Sonoma. In the GT4 category with a strong field of 20 entrants, victory in the first race went to the CarBahn with Peregrine Racing team after three other contenders received penalties for false starts and dropped to places five to seven accordingly.
Smart drive at Nogaro: For Saintéloc Racing, the 2022 season in the FFSA GT4 France started with two valuable results in the points. The Audi R8 LMS GT4 of Roee Meyuhas and Erwan Bastard started the first race on the Nogaro circuit from first place. Both drivers took no risks in the sporting competition for overall positions and instead concentrated on winning the Silver Cup. As the second car in the overall standings, Audi number 14 collected full points in its class. In the second 60-minute race on Easter Monday, fifth place was enough for the driver duo to take second place in the standings. In the Silver Cup standings, they are just two points behind the leaders. The Audi customer team CSA Racing is also in a second position in the standings: Arno Santamato and Rodolphe Wallgren are in runner-up position in the Pro-Am classification with another Audi R8 LMS GT4 after two second class places.
Coming up next week
21–24/04 Monza (I), round 1, Campionato Italiano GT Sprint
21–24/04 Monza (I), round 1, TCR Italy
22–24/04 Oschersleben (D), round 1, ADAC GT Masters
22–24/04 Oschersleben (D), round 1, ADAC TCR Germany
22–24/04 Hockenheim (D), round 2, Spezial Tourenwagen Trophy
22–24/04 Spa (B), round 3, 24H Series
23/04 Nürburgring (D), round 2, Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie
