- Six drivers from two teams rely on Audi RS 3 LMS
- Inaugural season of WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup with ten rounds
For Audi Sport customer racing it is a premiere in a new series and also the continuation of a touring car racing tradition from years ago: For the first time since 1995, a production-based touring car bearing the four rings is battling again for a global FIA title. In Morocco, the inaugural season of the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup will kick off on April 6 to 8, with six Audi RS 3 LMS cars on the grid. This Thursday, the Audi teams are completing their pre-season preparations with an official test day at Barcelona.
Audi Sport driver legend Frank Biela and the Audi A4 quattro were the last winners of an FIA World Touring Car Cup. On October 15, 1995, the German professional driver and his marque secured victory in the drivers’ and manufacturers’ classifications on the circuit at Le Castellet, France. Now the marque will be battling to defend the title because the FIA has not sanctioned such a world cup since then.
An official test day this Thursday, March 29, completes the pre-season preparations of the Audi teams. Two squads with a total of six drivers will be contesting the races in the Audi RS 3 LMS in 2018. Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team relies on the Frenchman Jean-Karl Vernay and the Scotsman Gordon Shedden, Audi Sport Team Comtoyou on the Belgian Frédéric Vervisch. All three Audi Sport campaigners are successful pros who have previously clinched motorsport titles in diverse categories. Vernay in 2017 won the TCR International Series plus four other titles in his career, Gordon Shedden was British Touring Car Champion three times. Frédéric Vervisch has scored a title in both Formula 3 and Belcar and been driving Audi’s GT3 sports cars for several years. Three privateer drivers from Team Comtoyou Racing complement Audi’s lineup. The Belgian Denis Dupont and the two Frenchmen Nathanaël Berthon and Aurélien Panis look back on experience and success in various motorsport classes as well.
