Last weekend, the team Car Collection Motorsport again faced a mammoth task. A total of three Audi R8 LMS were used in the ADAC Total 24H race at the Nürburgring. One GT3 vehicle was entered as a factory car as Audi Sport Team Car Collection. In addition, there was a private Audi R8 LMS GT3 and a GT4 vehicle also from Ingolstadt.
Audi Sport drivers Marcel Fässler, Christopher Haase, René Rast and Markus Winkelhock entered the race for the Audi Sport Team Car Collection. Under the application Car Collection Motorsport, the sister car with the #15 and Stefan Aust, Oliver Bender, Christian Bollrath and Jean-Louis Hertenstein was at the start. For the first time the team around Peter Schmidt was represented in the GT4 class. The Audi R8 LMS GT4 was driven by Guillaume Roman, Thierry Blaise, Olivier Baharian and Mathieu Sentis.
Peter Schmidt: „We have already used three or four cars in many endurance races. However, doing this in one of the largest and most important endurance races in the world, and then with a factory car for Audi Sport, brought a great challenge to us. In the end, I have to give my entire team a big praise. Everybody gave 100% or more and did a flawless job. For this a big thank you.”
First of all, the goal for the car #14 was to qualify for the top qualifying. This was unfortunately not possible in the two preparation races at VLN #1 and VLN #2, as both races did not have the required minimum distance and were therefore not scored. After the first qualifying everything looked good. With second place in the overall standings, for the time being one of the qualified cars. In the second qualifying session on Friday a technical issue stopped the ride at Schwalbenschwanz. The car was towed back to the box and immediately started the error analysis and repair. At the end of the qualifying session, Christopher Haase was once again able to get on the track for one flying lap and put the Audi R8 LMS GT3 in 8th place. However, to qualify for the top qualifying, the average of the five best sector times of each sector will be used. Thus, they narrowly missed the entry and ultimately had to settle for the starting position 29.
Denis Ferlemann (Team-Manager): „It was very frustrating. We had the speed in all practice sessions to be able to be at the top. Unfortunately, we narrowly missed the entry into the top qualifying. Ultimately, however, it meant for us „roll up sleeves“ and make the best of the situation. “
The two privately used Audi R8 LMS came through the qualifying sessions without any problems. The drivers were able to increase their lap times lap by lap. Stefan Aust started from position 37 with the Audi R8 LMS GT3 #15. The Audi R8 LMS GT4 entered the race with Guillaume Roman from rank 73. Throughout the race, the drivers made no mistakes and worked their way up position by position. Stefan Aust, Oliver Bender, Christian Bollrath and Jean-Louis Hertenstein finished the ADAC Total 24H race at the Nürburgring on an outstanding 16th overall position and P5 in the PRO-AM class. The Audi R8 LMS GT4 also wound up the laps like clockwork, reaching overall 40th and also fifth place in the SP10 (GT4) with Guillaume Roman, Thierry Blaise, Olivier Baharian and Mathieu Sentis.
The Audi R8 LMS GT3 #14, which entered the race under the „Audi Sport Team Car Collection“ application, started this race with a bad starting position. Marcel Fässler, Christopher Haase, René Rast and Markus Winkelhock started a race that resembled a 24-hour sprint race. A clever pit stop strategy put them back in the Top 10 after only 5 hours. At the end of the 24-hour distance, the four Audi Sport drivers crossed the chequered flag in 4th place.
Peter Schmidt: “I am overjoyed and relieved! It is the best result in the team history of Car Collection Motorsport at the legendary 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. I never expected it in advance. Even if you always say that the starting position in a 24-hour race is not so important, it has meanwhile changed at the Nürburgring. There are so many top GT3 cars at the start and for years it’s like a 24-hour sprint. So the starting position is already enormously important, but also a flawless performance. We have almost delivered these and I am extremely proud of my team and the drivers. I would also like to thank Audi Sport customer racing once again for their confidence in this mission. Last but not least, my congratulations goes to Ernst Moser and his team from Phoenix Racing for this magnificent victory!“
