Press Releases
07 October 2012
Audi factory drivers in worldwide demand
- André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer at events of Audi partners
- Five DTM racers at “Sendung mit der Maus” event in Ingolstadt
- Mattias Ekström again serves on judging panel of “Golden Steering Wheel”
Five DTM racers and “die Sendung mit der Maus:” A total of around 800 children experienced an unforgettable day in Ingolstadt on Wednesday. At Audi, the fans of the popular German TV children’s program had the opportunity to take a peek into rooms that are normally closed to the public at the so called “Door Opener Day.” Whether at the wind tunnel, at the clay model in the design studio, in the color-and-trim department or as passengers of an Audi factory driver on the test track: the youngsters received some exciting insights into automotive development. Filipe Albuquerque, Miguel Molina, Mike Rockenfeller, Timo Scheider and Adrien Tambay on their part took great pleasure in dealing with the young fans.
Two appearances in Paris: Benoît Tréluyer was a guest at the event hosted by TAG Heuer Avant-Garde Eyewear on Wednesday. The company celebrated its tenth anniversary billed as “A decade of innovation inspired by motor racing.” The Audi factory driver received a special gift presented by Giorgio Sarne, International General Manager of TAG Heuer, and Pascal Brouard, Director General of Logo (responsible for production and sales of the eyewear products): a pair of the TAG Heuer Squadra Eyewear glasses engraved with “Benoît Tréluyer, Le Mans winner 2011 & 2012.” A day later, the Frenchman visited the booth of Akrapovič, a partner of Audi in motorsport like TAG Heuer, at the Paris Motor Show. An Audi R18 e-tron quattro could be admired at the muffler manufacturer’s booth as well.
Expertise wanted: Mattias Ekström is again a member of the judging panel for the “Golden Steering Wheel.” Audi’s two-time DTM Champion has been a member of this panel for several years. The accolade is awarded every year by “Bild am Sonntag” and “Autobild” and is one of the leading automotive awards. In Balocco, Italy, the Swede participated in the rating of important new automobiles last week. The award winners will be honored in Berlin on November 7.
Accolade for young racers: TAG Heuer rewarded the best Japanese young racer with an award at the “Japan Motor Racing Hall of Fame 2012” on Wednesday. The “Best Young Driver Award” was presented to Ryo Hirakawa at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Tokyo by Audi factory driver André Lotterer. Hirakawa had convinced the judges with his results in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship, in the Formula Challenge Japan and in a one-make cup.
Champion’s celebration postponed: After the penultimate race weekend of the Portuguese GT Championship at Estoril, César Campaniço and Carlos Vieira are now about to win the title. By finishing the first race in fourth place, Campaniço/Vieira barely missed the podium. Despite a drive-through penalty in the second race the front runners in the Audi R8 LMS ultra managed the leap onto second place. The season’s finale will take place at Jarama (E) on October 27/28.
In eager anticipation of the next weekend: Timo Scheider is again flinging himself into the TV Total Stock Car Crash Challenge 2012. Next Friday and Saturday, the DTM racer will be a guest at Stefan Raab’s TV show in the Arena in Gelsenkirchen.
A word from ... Rahel Frey
A week ago, at Valencia, you achieved your best performance in the DTM. You drove Dirk Werner into making a mistake, prevailed against World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx as well, and finished in seventh place. What was the nicest battle of your race weekend?
I’d planned not to drive so defensively any more this year. I think that in the battle with Andy Priaulx I put that plan on track pretty well. I’m definitely a little proud of this duel. In the DTM, you’ve simply got to counter. Because both of us had very little steering angle in this maneuver, there wasn’t much of a risk for the technology of our cars. Only the bodies were affected a bit. This nice competition has further boosted my self-confidence.
This has been your best personal result in qualifying, your best personal DTM race result, the first points scored by a woman in the latest DTM touring car generation and the first points of a female Audi driver in the DTM. Do any of these achievements mean more to you than the others?
All of these aspects are equally important to me. I’d been planning for some to time to make it into Qualifying 2. I also wanted to finish a race in the points. That it now turned out to be the first points for a woman in the latest DTM generation probably helps to further strengthen our position in this sport. All of these aims are important by themselves. To have achieved them on a single weekend makes it even better.
Your family was on location on the race weekend at Valencia. On Monday, you took a tour of Valencia together. Do this city and its race track now have a special place in your career?
My parents, my sister and a few friends from Switzerland had traveled to Spain with me. After the race weekend, we jointly experienced the city and visited the Oceanogràfic. Europe’s biggest aquarium is pretty impressive. Obviously, Valencia has a special meaning for me and I’ll always remember it. Just like the many congratulations. Not only my Abt squad but Teams Phoenix and Rosberg applauded as well. Even the security staff hugged me. An unforgettable weekend!
Coming up next week
Oct 13 Navarra (E), round 6, Blancpain Endurance Series
Oct 14 Fuji (J), round 7, WEC
Oct 14 Tarumã, (BR), round 6, Brazilian GT Championship
The Audi Group delivered 1,302,659 cars of the Audi brand to customers in 2011. In 2011, the Company posted revenue of €44.1 billion and an operating profit of €5.3 billion. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Győr (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). The Audi Q7 is built in Bratislava (Slovakia). In July 2010, CKD production of the Audi Q5 was added to the existing Audi A4 and A6 manufacturing operations in Aurangabad (India). At the Brussels plant, production of the Audi A1 has been running since 2010, while production of the new A1 Sportback began in 2012. The Audi Q3 has been built in Martorell (Spain) since June 2011. The Company is active in more than 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG’s wholly owned subsidiaries include amongst others AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft. (Győr/Hungary), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant’Agata Bolognese/Italy), AUDI BRUSSELS S.A./N.V. (Brussels/Belgium), quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm and the sports bike manufacturer Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna/Italy). Audi currently employs around 65,000 people worldwide, including around 48,000 in Germany. Between 2012 and 2016 the brand with the four rings is planning to invest a total of €13 billion – mainly in new products and the extension of production capacities – in order to sustain the Company’s technological lead embodied in its “Vorsprung durch Technik” claim. Audi is currently expanding its site in Győr (Hungary) and will start production in Foshan (China) in late 2013 and in San José Chiapa (Mexico) in 2016.
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Communications Motorsport
Jürgen Pippig
Tel: +49 (0)841 89 34200
E-mail: juergen.pippig@audi.de
www.audi-motorsport.info
Eva-Maria Veith
Tel: +49 (0)841 89 33922
E-mail: eva-maria.veith@audi.de
