The Audi R8 LMS Cup, the first one-make series from the brand with the Four Rings, will race the all-new Audi R8 LMS car in 2016. The announcement came during the Cup’s penultimate race meeting of the 2015 season, as the series joins forces with the Audi Sport motorsport family this weekend in support of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Next year, the international sprint-race series will feature both the new R8 LMS as well as the current Audi R8 LMS Cup car. In addition to the overall and Amateur Cup, the series will feature a new Masters Cup, for non-professionals racing the current Cup car. The expanded 2016 grid is expected to feature a similar number of new and current generation cars.
The next generation of the Audi R8 LMS, which won the Nürburgring 24 Hours earlier this year, features improved aerodynamics, the Audi lightweight technology expertise and delivers up to 585 hp. Following in the footsteps of its successful predecessor, the Audi R8 LMS was developed specifically for GT racing and is suited for both sprint and endurance races.
Following today’s qualifying and Superpole sessions, defending champion and current Drivers Classification leader Alex Yoong of Audi TEDA Racing Team took pole position for tomorrow’s Round 10. So close was the competition that the top six drivers in Superpole were separated by less than six-tenths of a second, but Yoong’s time of 1:41.476 proved unbeatable, giving the Malaysian his first pole position in two years. Rival Marchy Lee of Audi Hong Kong Team was second fastest in the Superpole shoot-out and will start alongside Yoong, albeit with an extra 50 kgs of weight due to his victory in last month’s Round 9.
Lining up on the second row for Round 10 will be Audi Korea driver Kyong-Ouk You and Starspeed Racing driver Shaun Thong. Thong joins the Cup for the second time this season and is currently competing in the Audi Sport TT Cup as part of the Audi Sport customer racing Asia Young Driver Development Programme. Fifth fastest in Superpole was FAW-VW Audi Racing Team driver Cheng Congfu.
India’s Aditya Patel of Team Audi R8 LMS Cup will start Round 10 from the back of the field, after he pushed a little too hard after exceeding track limits on his only flying lap in the first qualifying session.
With seven different winners in the past nine races and the top six drivers separated by just 27 points, tomorrow’s 16-lap Round 10 is sure to feature wheel-to-wheel battles throughout the field. Fans at home and around the world can catch the Audi R8 LMS Cup with a live stream on the brand new official home of the Audi R8 LMS Cup at www.audir8lmscup.com. While the English live stream is available on the official website, Chinese live streams are available on Cup partner sites LeTV and PPTV. Series partner sport auto will stream the race over Chinese platform Xiaomi.
Rounds 10&11 of the Audi R8 LMS Cup take place tomorrow in support of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
