The new customer sport program of AUDI AG has reached the next stage with delivery of the first Audi R8 LMS to Audi Sport Italia. Twelve examples of the over 500 hp GT3sports car will be delivered during the forthcoming weeks to six customer teams. The first races for the R8 LMS are scheduled for April.
Audi has officially handed over the keys to the first of its new Audi R8 LMS race cars to Audi Sport Italia, who scored chassis 101. Audi says it will build 12 of the 500-plus horsepower super R8s for the 2009 season to do battle in five European GT3 championships as well as the Nurburgring 24 Hours. Audi is prepping a special endurance version of the car for the Nurbrurgring event.
In addition to Audi Sport Italia, other teams scheduled to pilot R8 LMS cars in 2009 are Abt Sportsline, Argo Racing, ORECA, Phoenix Racing and Team Rosberg. Audi will not field a pure factory team for the season. In all, the R8 LMS is scheduled to hit the grid in more than 40 events on some 30 circuits throughout Europe.
Despite Audi's factory pullback from LMP-class prototype racing, the addition of the R8 LMS to the GT3 events marks the third field (DTM being the other) where Audi-produced cars will race in 2009.
"In the future our new customer sport program represents Audi Sport's third business field alongside our factory programs in the DTM and in sport prototypes," said Audi's Motorsport chief Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich in a statement. "2009 is a test and development year during which we aim to collect as much experience as possible with the R8 LMS. We are delighted to be able to do this with teams with which we are familiar and have established a solid partnership over the years."
Body shells for the R8 LMS are being made by Audi's quattro GmbH division in an area designed specifically for the customer sport program, and Audi's factory in Hungary is producing the V-10 engines for the cars.
The Audi R8 LMS is set to compete in the GT3 class for the first time over Easter weekend (April 10-13) in the French GT Championship, the ADAC GT Masters in Nogaro, France, and in the Motorsportarena Oschersleben in Germany.
For more on the V-10 powered Audi built for the well-heeled masses, CLICK HERE for our first drive of the 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro.
Audi has officially handed over the keys to the first of its new Audi R8 LMS race cars to Audi Sport Italia, who scored chassis 101. Audi says it will build 12 of the 500-plus horsepower super R8s for the 2009 season to do battle in five European GT3 championships as well as the Nurburgring 24 Hours. Audi is prepping a special endurance version of the car for the Nurbrurgring event.
In addition to Audi Sport Italia, other teams scheduled to pilot R8 LMS cars in 2009 are Abt Sportsline, Argo Racing, ORECA, Phoenix Racing and Team Rosberg. Audi will not field a pure factory team for the season. In all, the R8 LMS is scheduled to hit the grid in more than 40 events on some 30 circuits throughout Europe.
Despite Audi's factory pullback from LMP-class prototype racing, the addition of the R8 LMS to the GT3 events marks the third field (DTM being the other) where Audi-produced cars will race in 2009.
"In the future our new customer sport program represents Audi Sport's third business field alongside our factory programs in the DTM and in sport prototypes," said Audi's Motorsport chief Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich in a statement. "2009 is a test and development year during which we aim to collect as much experience as possible with the R8 LMS. We are delighted to be able to do this with teams with which we are familiar and have established a solid partnership over the years."
Body shells for the R8 LMS are being made by Audi's quattro GmbH division in an area designed specifically for the customer sport program, and Audi's factory in Hungary is producing the V-10 engines for the cars.
The Audi R8 LMS is set to compete in the GT3 class for the first time over Easter weekend (April 10-13) in the French GT Championship, the ADAC GT Masters in Nogaro, France, and in the Motorsportarena Oschersleben in Germany.
For more on the V-10 powered Audi built for the well-heeled masses, CLICK HERE for our first drive of the 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro.
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