On October 10, 1983, Audi Sport GmbH was established under the name Quattro GmbH. Today, Audi Sport is responsible for the unique sportiness of the Audi brand, and the red diamond emblem engraved on the vehicles symbolizes high performance and sportiness. Audi Sport celebrates its 40th anniversary by participating in the Nürburgring 24 Hours race held from May 18 to 21.
With a history of 40 years and over 250,000 vehicles produced in the last decade alone, Audi Sport GmbH boasts over 400 motorsport titles. It meets the legendary Nordschleife circuit of the Nürburgring, known as the ‘Green Hell’, which features a 20.832 km track, 73 corners, and an elevation change of over 300 meters.
The Nürburgring has had an unparalleled influence on the development of Audi Sport GmbH compared to other race tracks. Located in the Eifel region, the Nürburgring circuit has a close relationship not only with racing but also with the high-performance vehicle series of Audi’s subsidiary, Audi Sport GmbH. Since 2002, Audi Sport has been an official partner of the Nürburgring 24 Hours race, providing official vehicles to the organizers.
Since 2009, Audi has participated in the ‘Eifel Marathon’ race held at the Nürburgring with the Audi R8 LMS, which is one of the key events for Audi Sport’s customer racing program. This program was introduced in 2011 at Quattro GmbH. With a total of six overall victories and three wins in the GT3 class, Audi has become the most successful manufacturer in the classic endurance race GT3 class held in the ‘Green Hell’.
This year, four Audi R8 LMS cars will participate under the Audi Sport team. Each vehicle will feature a retro design reflecting the liveries that have been beloved in Audi Sport’s history to commemorate the 40th anniversary. Former DTM champions Mike Rockenfeller, Timo Scheider, and Martin Tomczyk will compete under entry number 40, with the Audi R8 LMS from the Audi Sport Team Scherer PHX inspired by the 1992 Audi V8 Quattro DTM.
Due to its harsh track conditions, the Nordschleife also serves as a testing ground for the production vehicles of Audi Sport GmbH before their market launch. Every high-performance vehicle and new R and RS model produced by Audi Sport completes thousands of kilometers on the Eifel circuit from the development stage.
Rolf Michel, head of Audi Sport GmbH and Audi Motorsports, stated, “The Nürburgring is the most challenging race track in the world. It is a magical place for us, and starting the 40th-anniversary celebration of Audi Sport with the 24-hour race is a perfectly fitting way to celebrate. The Nürburgring-Nordschleife is nothing less than a Mecca for all motorsport fans. For me, the 24-hour race is the most beautiful motorsport experience imaginable, and the Nürburgring is also a crucial place for production car development. All Audi Sport models undergo testing under extreme conditions here to finalize their preparation for production.”
By Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr