A word with Audi’s Markus Winkelhock

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 08:10 AM PDT

Audi R8 LMS ultra #3 (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) Marc Basseng/Christopher Haase/Frank Stippler/Markus Winkelhock

Exactly six weeks ago you won the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring in the Audi R8 LMS ultra. How often do these moments come back to your mind now?

“Very often. Especially this weekend when I was a guest at the DTM an incredibly large number of people mentioned this to me and expressed their congratulations. And then the authentic winning car was showcased at Audi’s location and I had the chance to do some show laps in it – that was truly a goose bump feeling…”

With a bit of a distance, how do you rate this victory?

“Very far at the top. Of course the first victory in Formula 3 was great too, and there were also some nice experiences in Formula One or the DTM. But victory at such a famous event as the 24-hour race on the Nordschleife has been and will always be very special.”

Audi R8 e-tron: world record on the Nurburgring Nordschleife, June 26, 2012

Now you’ve set a world record in the Audi R8 e-tron` on the Nordschleife. Was this a new experience?

“A completely new experience. I’ve never had a record drive in a production vehicle before and even sat in an electric car for the first time. That’s really a strange feeling, when there’s no sound from the engine whatsoever. It took three laps before I was able to properly judge acceleration and speed. We were successful and of course now I’m hoping that our record will last for a long time.”

First the 24-hour victory and then the world record – the Audi R8 has got to be your absolutely favorite car now…

“Yes, it is. Somehow we seem to fit together well. Of course I’m now hoping that we’ll be clinching a lot more successes together in the future.

Winkelhock to drive All-Inkl Lamborghini

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Belgian Audi Club Team WRT wins at Paul Ricard BES

Posted: 02 Jul 2012 06:00 AM PDT

ONEIGHTURBO

Champagne for the Pro Cup Winners, Belgian Audi Club Team WRT

Gallery after the jump!

After the double victory at Nogaro, during the opening round of the FIA GT1 World Championship, the Belgian team won the Paul Ricard circuit on his first win of the season Blancpain Endurance Series. Christopher Mies, Christopher Haase and Stephane Ortelli imposed their Audi R8 LMS ultra under the checkered flag after a superb fight for victory. The trio in the no1 Audi now hold down second place in the championship, with 12 points ahead of their teammates Vanthoor/Sandstrom/Bonanomi, who were forced to retire early in the race. The withdrawal of the no2 Audi R8 LMS ultra was the only negative note of a weekend that promises to bode well for the next Total 24 Hours of Spa.

“We really wanted this win and it has a special flavor,” smiled Vincent Vosse, Team Principal. “It has indeed reward efforts of the entire team! Needless to say how our three drivers have done a superb job. And the battle fought by Stephane Ortelli during his last stint, where he had yet to manage a small advance on a pilot with the likes of Maxime Martin, kept us in suspense in the booth. But everyone has really done a great job: the engineers, mechanics, pilots … We were able, as a team, to return a situation which was however complicated by early weekend. The strategy was perfect and the pit stops were perfect place. For all these reasons I am proud of our men and this is the best we could do before we go to Spa for the 24 Hours, which are undoubtedly the most important race of our season! “

Stephane Ortelli / Marco Bonanomi - Belgian Audi Club Team WRT

The weekend had not yet begun ideally as the team struggled to find the right settings, particularly because of the extra weight imposed by the Balance of Performance. Things improved a bit in qualifying with the 11th place of Edward Sandstrom in the no2 Audi R8 ultra, and the 15th position with Stephane Ortelli in the no1.

Unfortunately, the best placed Audi stopped suddenly after only four laps. “I do not know what broke, but the car suddenly left in a spin,” explained Edward Sandstrom, driving at the time of the incident.

Conversely, the no1 Audi R8 LMS ultra had an uneventful race. After a few laps, Christopher Mies had already moved up into the top 10. 36 minutes in, the safety car gave the team its first pit stop. A decision that would be paid quickly and allowed Christopher Haase, constantly on the attack, to gain many positions. Stephane Ortelli drove the final stint and was in command with 12 seconds ahead of Maxime Martin’s BMW.

no1 Belgian Audi Club Team WRT Audi R8 LMS Ultra / Winner Pro Cup

“It was a fantastic relay and at the same time very stressful,” explained the Monegasque delighted to win this to go almost home for him. “The difference really was not great and there were many traffic and yellow flags. Therefore, according to individual circumstances, my lead continued to grow or decrease. But it worked and I was able to pass under the checkered flag about six seconds before Maxime. We can be happy with this victory because it is the result of a great race, especially when we remember where we started. This weekend reminds me of Monza, but this time we won thanks to a superb team effort. Everybody played a role and deserve this success! “

In less than four weeks, the Blancpain Endurance Series will present the Total 24 Hours of Spa, where the WRT Team will defend its title won last year. However the team will visit Algarve for the 5th round of the FIA GT1 World Championship.