The Audi R8 LMS GT2 was once again the benchmark
On the second weekend in October, Audi Sport customer racing and its teams recorded numerous successes in America, Asia and Europe. With the third GT2 European Series title since 2021, the Audi R8 LMS GT2 was once again the benchmark. LP Racing from Italy won the championship for the first time.
Audi R8 LMS GT2
Thrilling finale: For the third time in a row, the GT2 European Series title went to Audi Sport customer racing. At the sixth round of the race series at Le Castellet, Team LP Racing from Italy prevailed in the Pro-Am final classification for the first time after the Danish team High Class Racing in 2021 and PK Carsport from Belgium in 2022 were the previous winners. Anthony Beltoise and Henry Hassid won the race series in the Audi R8 LMS GT2 in an exciting battle with the Audi from PK Carsport. In the first 50-minute race on the southern French circuit, PK Carsport with Peter Guelinckx/Stienes Longin received a ten-second penalty for causing an accident and dropped back to eighth place – three positions behind the championship leaders Beltoise/Hassid.
In the second race, no fewer than four teams still had a chance of winning the title. LP Racing, with Anthony Beltoise and Henry Hassid, finished fourth. This was enough to win the race series with a one-point lead over KTM driver Reinhard Kofler. Peter Guelinckx/Stienes Longin subsequently received a ten-second penalty for falling short of the minimum standing time during their mandatory pit stop. The two Belgians, who have won four races this year, had to settle for third place in the standings in the end and are now targeting the title win in the Belcar Endurance Series. With six different brands, the GT2 European Series field at the finale was the best field of the season.
Two trophies in America: CJ Moses stood on the podium twice at the ninth round of GT America powered by AWS. In the first race at Indianapolis, the privateer driver secured third place in the GT2 category in the Audi R8 LMS GT2 from GMG Racing. In the second race, he managed to clinch second place.
Audi R8 LMS GT3
From pole position to victory: Team Scherer Sport PHX experienced a perfect weekend at the ninth round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. Frank Stippler, who started the race this time together with fellow Audi Sport driver Christopher Mies, secured pole position in the Audi R8 LMS. In a tactically clever race, the Audi customer team from Meuspath relied on the right strategy while the main opponents from Walkenhorst Motorsport had to refuel their BMW shortly before the end and lost the race.
While Frank Stippler secured second place in the final standings of the SP9 Pro class and Scherer Sport PHX finished second in the Speed Trophy, the title in the SP9 Am class went to another Audi customer outfit. Michael Heimrich/Lorenzo Rocco secured this amateur classification in the équipe vitesse Audi R8 LMS. It was an emotional end to the season for Scherer Sport PHX: This was the last outing for Ernst Moser on the pit wall, who founded Phoenix Racing in 1999.
Series of successes in Great Britain: In British club racing, Team Cook Racing enjoyed a strong seventh event of the season at Snetterton. Hugo Cook/Sacha Kakad won the first two races of the GT Cup Championship in the Audi R8 LMS. In the following two of the four races, the privateer duo finished second each time. These results were enough for the two Brits to secure the GT3 title of the racing series.
Audi R8 LMS GT4
Class success in China: The 326 Racing Team prevailed in the GT4 category at the Shanghai 8 Hours. The driver trio of Wu Yifan, Tang Xudong and Mi Qi shared an Audi R8 LMS GT4 of the Chinese team. At the end of the endurance race, they had an eight-lap lead over the BMW of their pursuers from Team Dixcel.
Second place in the finale: Grégory Guilvert and Christophe Hamon preserved their chances for the Pro-Am title in the finale of the Championnat de France FFSA GT until the very end. At the sixth round at Le Castellet, they secured second place in the first race in the Audi R8 LMS GT4 fielded by Saintéloc Racing. As a result, they won the Pro-Am category in the night race with a 0.175-second advantage over the championship leaders in the Mercedes-AMG and reduced their deficit in the title fight to five points. In the second race,
Hamon received a penalty for spinning around an opponent and dropped to 23rd. This brings to an end a streak that has lasted since 2018 of Audi customer teams winning titles in different classes in France every time until last year. Nevertheless, Hamon and Guilvert can look back on a successful season: they won the Pro-Am title in the GT4 European Series powered by Rafa Racing Club with the same team in the Audi R8 LMS GT4.
Audi RS 3 LMS (TCR)
Fifth victory and title on the Nordschleife: Team Møller Bil Motorsport dominated the TCR category at the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie finale with Anders Lindstad/Kenneth Østvold/Håkon Schjærin. The Norwegian squad celebrated its fifth consecutive victory. For the Audi RS 3 LMS, it was already the sixth victory of the season in this race series. The three privateer drivers had a one-lap advantage over their Volkswagen pursuers at the finish of the four-hour race. As a result, Møller Bil Motorsport won the Nimex Team Trophy in the TCR category.
Four podium places in Italy: At the fifth event of the Coppa Italia Turismo at Mugello, Gabriele Volpato and Sandro Pelatti were the two best of a total of ten Audi privateer drivers in the field. Pelatti won the TCR classification for Team Aikoa Racing in the Audi RS 3 LMS in the first race ahead of Volpato from the BF Motorsport racing team. In the second sprint, Volpato was the winner and opened up a lead of 5.9 seconds over his pursuer in a Honda. Pelatti finished third in the TCR class.