FIA GT3 Championship
Audi develops GT3 challenger
© Audi Motorsport
For the first time, Audi Sport will offer a racing sports car specifically developed for customer use in the form of the powerful 500 hp plus GT3 version of the Audi R8 which will be available from autumn 2009. The logistics and factory space required for the AUDI AG customer programme will be created over the next few months in Ingolstadt, Neckarsulm and Györ.
“The R8 is the first production Audi bearing the name and genes of a successful racing sportscar and is therefore an excellent base from which to build up our first big customer sport programme,” explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. “Ever since the R8 was unveiled we’ve been inundated with enquiries about a race version. With the Audi R8 we will offer customers a racing sportscar equipped with high-calibre technology and the typical Audi qualities, but which is nevertheless easy to handle.”
The Audi R8 conforms to the production-based GT3 regulations allowing the car to be fielded in numerous national and international race series.
Because the GT3 regulations prohibit the use of four-wheel drive the Audi R8 comes with the typical GT rear-wheel drive. The power is transmitted via a newly developed six-speed sequential sports gearbox. The suspension uses almost exclusively components from the production line. A comprehensive list of safety equipment guarantees the highest-level of passive safety. A modified front end and a large rear-wing generate the required downforce for the race track.
The Audi R8, which bears the project name “R16″ within Audi Sport, was developed under the direction of Audi Sport. Mid August, the first prototype successfully completed a roll-out in the hands of Audi factory driver Frank Biela.
The first test races in various European racing series are scheduled for the 2009 season. Delivery to the customers is planned from the autumn of this coming year.
The customer cars are manufactured together by Audi Sport and the quattro GmbH, which is also responsible for production of the Audi R8 street version, and Audi Hungaria Motor Kft. (Györ).
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Wow, that looks mint! Now they need to make a gt1 car to, so it could enter le mans
I think they should’ve gave more development money to Reiter Engineering to upgrade the GT1 Murcielago GTR instead. Or completely take over that program from Reiter altogether.
Maybe we might see the GT3 R8 in the Rolex Grand Am series or the Speed GT Challenge.
But that’s not connecting Audi the Le Mans winner with Audi the car builder if you gave money for Retier to upgrade and update the Murcielago which is due an update anyway (production car).
Also GT1 is dead, done and I’m sorry for that. GT2 (We’ve been down this road before) will be the focus of the production classes and we’ll go down from 4 classes to just three.
That will leave the FIA GT with non-existent GT1 cars? Why build a new car for a dying class????????
New rules for the 2010 GT1 and GT2 class will be announced next month.
Why Audi GT3? why not just get a gallardo gt3?
GT1 is alive and well in FIA GT. The only reason GT1 in the ALMS is the way it is is because of corvette racing. Once they decide to leave you will see the tide turning.
One thing is also that GT1 is so technologically advanced that to be at the forefront you pretty much have to be able to manufacture some of your own parts and do your own engineering work, chassis design and on. Lots of research and testing.
But the catch is, it does not give you a chance at an overall win.
So the leading GT1 teams that can keep up with doing their own development work figure why not be in the class that gives more development freedom and also gives a chance at an overall standing (P1).
That’s why you have ex GT1 squads like Oreca, rollcentre, Racing Box, Creation, Aston Martin, etc in P1. Even Riley technologies in the Grand am series, were earlier developers of the C5R, now they manufacture their own Daytona Prototype chassis.
And some well known current GT1 teams are fabrication firms: Reiter, Pratt and Miller, Prodrive, team modena, etc. It would be pretty easy for these teams to go to P1 because they could develop their own components and they would have a shot at an overall win.
The argument is pretty much why race somebody’s car when I can make my own, with my name on it, and more accolades?