Audi Sport customer racing is supporting four official teams this year. Audi Sport Team WRT – winners of the 2015 race –, Audi Sport Team Land that was successful last year and the two-time winning squad of Audi Sport Team Phoenix are firmly established in endurance racing. Audi Sport Team BWT completes this circle. In 2018, Peter Mücke’s squad is contesting the event in the Eifel for the first time.
Twelve campaigners will be sharing the cockpits. They include three Audi factory drivers from the DTM: Robin Frijns, Nico Müller and René Rast. Audi Sport drivers Kelvin van der Linde, Christopher Haase, Christopher Mies, Frank Stippler, Dries Vanthoor, Frédéric Vervisch and Markus Winkelhock as well as Sheldon van der Linde bring valuable experience and many victories from customer racing to the event. “The Nürburgring 24 Hours has retained its character as an extreme challenge for pros and amateurs to this day,” says Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. “With the teams supported by us and other private fieldings we are well set in the battle for overall victory. And with seven former winners on board we also have a strong driver squad.”
To prepare, the teams and drivers are using the first races of the VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring starting this weekend, the qualification race on April 15 and other opportunities.
Audi Sport Team Land
Kelvin van der Linde/Sheldon van der Linde/Christopher Mies/(ZA/ZA/D)
Audi Sport Team WRT
Robin Frijns/René Rast/Dries Vanthoor (NL/D/B)
Audi Sport Team Phoenix
Nico Müller/Frank Stippler/Frédéric Vervisch (CH/D/B)
Audi Sport Team BWT
Christopher Haase/Markus Winkelhock/NN (D/D)