Sensational victory of the Audi R8 LMS GT4 in GT4 France

Audi Sport customer racing remains on course for success with the Audi R8 LMS GT4 in the GT4 France racing series. After a disappointing qualifying, Gregory Guilvert/Fabien Michal clinched an unusual victory from the last row of the grid in a field of 39 race cars.

Audi R8 LMS GT4

From 38th place to victory: A truly emotional roller coaster ended in a perfect result for Saintéloc Racing in the GT4 France racing series. Gregory Guilvert/Fabien Michael had traveled to Spa for round four of the season as leaders of the standings with a one-point advantage. An oil line caused a problem for the team in qualifying so that the number 42 Audi R8 LMS failed to set a time in either of the two qualifying sessions.

Having started from the 20th and thus last row on the grid, the two title defenders achieved eleventh place in the first race. The way in which the second round went was virtually sensational. In the first half of the race on Saturday morning, Gregory Guilvert overtook one rival after the other. Having started from the 38th spot on the grid, he went on to push himself past 33 opponents and pitted for the driver change in fifth position.

Following a perfect pit stop by Saintéloc Racing and the simultaneous stops of the competition, Fabien Michal rejoined the race in third position, overtook two rivals on lap 15, and thus led the field. When a participant had an accident in the final stage, the safety car was deployed and led the field up until the finish. For Guilvert/Michal, this marked their second victory this season and for the Audi R8 LMS GT4, the third in the French championship. The two Saintéloc drivers now have a two-point advantage in the standings. 

Three successes in Croatia: The Audi R8 LMS was the measure of all things in round four of the Eset V4 Cup in Croatia. On the circuit at Grobnik, the driver pairing of Marcin Jedlinski/Mateusz Lisowski with Olimp Racing won the one-hour endurance race with a 23-second advantage. In the first heat, Marcin Jedlinski from Poland secured another winners’ trophy while second place went to Richard Chlad jr. in an Audi R8 LMS ultra. Subsequently, the Czech won the second heat. 

Audi RS 3 LMS (TCR)

Second victory this season in Brazil: In the fourth round of the Endurance Brasil racing series, Henry Visconde achieved his second class victory in an Audi RS 3 LMS. The Brazilian contested the race at Velopark in the south of the country together with his compatriot Rafael Biancini. After three hours of racing, the two privateers had a 16-lap advantage in their class. 

Success at home round: Team T3 Motorsport from Radebeul near Dresden celebrated a home victory in the DMV NES 500 at the Lausitzring. Team manager Jens Feucht shared the cockpit of the Audi RS 3 LMS with Rick Hartmann and Roberto Nale. The trio won the NES 8 class in round four of the season with a 37-second advantage after three hours of racing. At the same time, the squad finished the overall classification runners-up in a field of 38 entrants.

At the front in Croatia: Radim Adamek and Miro Hornak were successful in the fourth endurance round of the Eset V4 Cup. The Czech driver duo won their class with an Audi RS 3 LMS in the one-hour race on the Grobnik circuit. 

Victory in China: An Audi customer team in China scored a class victory in the second round of the China Endurance Championship. Wang Jie/Lin Li Feng in an Audi RS 3 LMS of the Guangdong Racing team won the TCR class at Tianjin after the touring car from Audi had previously been at the very front in the season opener of the series.

Audi Sport customer racing

All four race cars at one event for the first time: Racing fans had the opportunity to see the entire model range of Audi Sport customer racing at the 24 Hours of Spa. While the Audi R8 LMS GT3 competed in the 24-hour race the GT4 version was successful in the GT4 Franc series. The audience got to see the new Audi R8 LMS GT2 during the parade, at the paddock and on the warm-up lap. In addition, Team WRT deployed an Audi RS 3 LMS in which regular driver Santiago Urrutia from the TCR Europe chauffeured guests for taxi rides. 

Coming up next week

02–03/08 Oschersleben (D), rounds 11 and 12, DMV GTC

02–04/08 Road America (USA), round 9, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

02–04/08 Road America (USA), round 7, IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge

02–04/08 Queensland (AUS), rounds 10 to 12, TCR Australia

03/08 Nürburgring (D), round 5, VLN Endurance Championship Nürburgring

03–04/08 Oschersleben (D), rounds 9 and 10, TCR Europe

03–04/08 ADM Raceway (RUS), rounds 9 and 10, TCR Russia

03–04/08 Yeongam (ROK), rounds 9 and 10, Blancpain GT World Challenge Asia

03–04/08 Fuji (J), round 5, Super GT

03–04/08 Brands Hatch (GB), rounds 11 and 12, British GT Championship

03–04/08 Sydney (AUS), rounds 5 and 6, CAMS NSW Production Sports Car Championship