Strong Audi presence at 2011 Race of Champions

Strong Audi presence at 2011 Race of

Champions

􀀁 Four Audi “factory” drivers to contest the race in Düsseldorf

􀀁 DTM racer Filipe Albuquerque will compete as title defender

􀀁 Audi R8 LMS is the most powerful competition vehicle

Ingolstadt, November 25, 2011 – Audi will be represented at the 2011 Race of

Champions at the ESPRIT arena in Düsseldorf on December 3 and 4, 2011 with its

strongest line-up ever. As many as four Audi “factory” drivers will compete with

Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel & company. In addition, the brand with the

four rings is deploying the 525-HP Audi R8 LMS to the meeting of the world’s

best race and rally drivers as the most powerful competition vehicle in the field.

Filipe Albuquerque (Portugal), Mattias Ekström (Sweden), Tom Kristensen

(Denmark) and Timo Scheider (Germany) were invited to participate in the eagerly

awaited meeting that attracted more than 64,000 spectators last year.

Consequently Audi has good chances of providing the best of the best at the Race of

Champions yet again.

Three times the two-time DTM Champion Mattias Ekström has previously won the

title at the Race of Champions. In 2006, at the finale in Paris, the Audi factory driver

sensationally defeated local hero Sébastien Loeb, who has meanwhile become the

eight-time World Rally Champion. Both in 2007 in London and in 2009 in Beijing,

the Swede prevailed against Michael Schumacher. In 2010, Ekström was unable to

run due to a conflicting commitment in the DTM finale at Shanghai (China). Yet last

year it was again an Audi racer – at that time still employed by Audi Sport Italia –,

the Portuguese Filipe Albuquerque, who prevailed against the world’s elite.

“The successes of our drivers at the Race of Champions show the high level of

driving skills that exist at Audi,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.

“I think this was made obvious by our triumphs in the DTM and at the Le Mans 24

Hours as well.”

At the Race of Champions a select group of the world’s best race and rally drivers

traditionally competes against each other in identical vehicles. The most powerful

competition vehicle in 2011 is the Audi R8 LMS that already impressed the

participants at last year’s event in Düsseldorf. With a track record of more than 110

victories in just three years, the mid-engine sports car from quattro GmbH has

meanwhile become one of the world’s most successful GT3 vehicles. This year,

among other events, the Audi R8 LMS won the 12-hour race at Bathurst (Australia)

and the 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) in which over 60 GT3 sports

cars competed.

In Düsseldorf, the Audi R8 LMS will run on an about one-kilometer parallel track

that is being specifically set up for the Race of Champions at the ESPRIT arena.

Featuring a width of 7.5 meters, the circuit is the widest one in the history of the

event that dates back all the way to 1988.

Tom Kristensen, who with eight victories under his belt is the most successful Le

Mans racer of all time, has been competing at the Race of Champions since 2001,

and thus longer than any other entrant. “The Race of Champions is a fantastic event,

that’s why I always enjoy returning to this race,” says the Audi factory driver. “The

audience is enthusiastic and I look forward to competing again with Mattias

(Ekström) in the ROC Nations Cup.”

In 2005, Ekström and Kristensen as “Team Scandinavia” won the Nations Cup on the

eve of the single event. Most recently, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel

prevailed four consecutive times. Aiming to break the winning streak of “Team

Germany” are not just Ekström and Kristensen but also the two-time DTM Champion

Timo Scheider who together with Formula One racer Timo Glock is forming the

“SAT.1 Team Germany 2.” “Obviously, Team Germany with two Formula One World

Champions has the favorite’s role,” says the Audi factory driver. “But I’m sure that

Timo (Glock) and I will not just have a lot of fun in Düsseldorf but will be

competitive too.”

This also applies to title defender Filipe Albuquerque. The second-best newcomer of

the 2011 DTM season, who achieved his first DTM podium at Valencia at the start of

October, was the sensational winner of last year’s ROC in Düsseldorf. “I’m really

looking forward to compete again in the Race of Champions and to defend my title,”

explains the Portugese.

The comeback of Mattias Ekström, who will contest the Race of Champions again

after a one-year break, is being awaited with particularly eager anticipation. “In

2010, it was pretty painful having to watch the action from a distance,” says the

Swede who won three DTM races and the Spa 24 Hours this year – the latter at the

wheel of an Audi R8 LMS by the way. “I’m very much looking forward to being part

of it again this year.”

Audi Sport.

DTM comeback for Tom Kristensen

DTM comeback for Tom Kristensen

• Mike Rockenfeller sits out Lausitzring
• Complete recovery has priority for Audi
• Le Mans record winner as substitute

Ingolstadt, June 16, 2011 – Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen (43) will make
a comeback in the DTM this coming weekend at the Lausitzring. The Dane replaces
third in the standings Mike Rockenfeller (27) at the wheel of the E-POSTBRIEF
Audi A4 DTM for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline.
Mike Rockenfeller is recovering quickly but Audi wants to be completely sure that he
has sufficient time to fully regenerate following his heavy accident at the 24 Hours
of Le Mans. “Knowing well that Mike is fighting for the DTM title this year his full
recovery has absolute priority,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.
“After prior consultation with our team doctor I have decided to rest him this
coming weekend and also for the 24 hour race at the Nürburgring for this reason.”
With Tom Kristensen an old hand returns for one race to the Audi Sport Team Abt
Sportsline squad. The eight-time Le Mans winner competed between 2004 and 2009
for Audi in the DTM before concentrating solely on the sport prototype program.
Although he considers the Lausitzring not to be one of his favorite circuits, the Dane
has fond memories of the circuit: he mounted the podium as best Audi driver there
in 2005 and 2006. “Tom K.” has won four DTM races in his career to date.
“First of all I’m sorry for ‘Rocky’ that he will miss this race. I wish him a speedy
recovery. After being out of the DTM for two years it will certainly be very tough to
come back. But when Dr. Ullrich called me it was self-evident for me to help Audi
Sport in this situation,” says the Dane. “I’m looking forward to seeing all the old
friends again and will try to substitute ‘Rocky’ as well as possible.”
Audi Sport.

Mattias Ekström clinches podium for Audi

Mattias Ekström clinches podium for Audi

• Second place at the DTM season opener at Hockenheim
• Three Audi A4 DTM cars on top five positions
• Martin Tomczyk is best driver of a year-old car

Ingolstadt/Hockenheim, May 1, 2011 – 58,000 spectators (throughout the
weekend) at the Hockenheimring saw a thrilling DTM season opener and an
impressive performance by Audi driver Mattias Ekström. Just 73 days after he
broke his left wrist in a sporting accident the Swede clinched second place and
thus a podium result for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline.
With three Audi A4 DTM cars on the top five positions the brand with the four rings
achieved a clearly better start into the season than last year when not a single Audi
driver mounted the podium. In addition to Mattias Ekström, Timo Scheider and
Martin Tomczyk shone in particular. They saw the checkered flag on positions four
and five, just barely missing the podium.
For many fans, the hero of the race was Mattias Ekström. The Swede had not even
been sure about being able to pull through the entire 37-lap race distance at the
Hockenheimring. But the two-time DTM champion gritted his teeth and brought his
Audi A4 DTM across the finish line as the runner-up. “Toward the end I was
beginning to lose some of the strength in my left hand,” said Ekström. “I’m glad to
have made it.”
The Swede had even taken the lead after a good start but was overtaken on the
outside of the track in turn one by Bruno Spengler. After a safety car period Ekström
did not completely agree with the behavior of the subsequent winner either: “Bruno
hit the brakes before the re-start. He was the quicker driver today, but this type of
thing shouldn’t happen.”
On the last race lap Ekström had another moment of shock: “I felt like I was having
a puncture of the left rear tire and almost had a heart attack. After the race it turned
out that I had a defect on the rear suspension.”
Ekström was able to bring the car safely across the line in a photo finish barely
ahead of Ralf Schumacher who made a mistake on the final lap and was almost
intercepted by Audi driver Timo Scheider. The two-time DTM champion missed the
podium by just 0.671 seconds.
Martin Tomczyk drove a strong race as well. He finished his first run for Audi Sport
Team Phoenix in fifth place and thus as the best driver of a year-old car. Tomczyk
through no fault of his own triggered a safety car period because the fuel can got
stuck on his Audi A4 DTM during the second pit stop and subsequently fell onto the
track.
The safety car period deprived several other drivers of better positions because they
had not yet made their second pit stop – particularly Mike Rockenfeller, who had to
stop for the red light at the pit lane exit and dropped to eleventh place. Edoardo
Mortara (Audi Sport Team Rosberg) as well was thus bumped out of the top ten. His
team-mate Filipe Albuquerque had to sit a drive-through penalty after failing to
notice the red light at the pit lane exit. Before the incident he had been turned
around by a rival in the hairpin.
Miguel Molina was another driver to suffer misfortune. After his mechanics had
worked late into the night replacing the entire cable harness of his Audi A4 after
electronic problems in qualifying. He was running in the points before being
attacked by Gary Paffett and subsequently turned around by Oliver Jarvis in an
unfortunate incident.
A solid performance was shown by Rahel Frey. The young Swiss drove a flawless race
on her DTM debut, which she finished in 15th place.
“Naturally, I’d have been happier with first place,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr.
Wolfgang Ullrich after the season opener. “But only one driver can finish at the top.
This time, unfortunately, it wasn’t us. Next time we want to be at the very front.
We’ve fought with our rivals on an equal footing. The opening round has confirmed
that we can expect a very exciting, well-balanced DTM season.”

Audi Communication Sport/for autorized and acreditated media press.