Audi Sport customer racing is relying on a mix of experience and youth for its 2023 driver squad. In addition to established drivers, the brand also includes two former customer drivers in the driver squad, Simon Gachet and Max Hofer.

 
 

The 24-year-old Italian Mattia Drudi’s greatest success to date was winning the Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo Endurance in 2021. The talented youngster has also showed good performances in strategic endurance races. Last year, 22-year-old Luca Engstler, who previously won TCR touring car titles, managed to clinch a win both in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie and the South African Endurance Series at the first attempt in his debut season in the Audi R8 LMS. The Swiss driver of the same age, Ricardo Feller, winner of the 2021 ADAC GT Masters in an Audi, has also been part of the Audi Sport customer racing driver squad since last year. He has made a name for himself as a particularly fast and reliable driver.

Christopher Haase from Germany is 35 years old and has been a permanent fixture for Audi for more than ten years. In addition to two championship titles, the Bavarian has already clinched four 24-hour overall victories for Audi: he was successful twice at the Nürburgring and once each at Spa and Dubai. His 46-year-old compatriot Pierre Kaffer has already driven sports prototypes, DTM race cars and GT3 models from Audi in his career. The winner of the 2019 Nürburgring 24 Hours who won a European title in the 24H Series last year together with Gentleman drivers is a teammate particularly appreciated by privateers. Gilles Magnus won the rookie classification in the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup in 2020 and the Trophy classification for privateers in the following year. Since 2022, the 23-year-old Belgian has been part of Audi Sport customer racing’s driver line-up and, in addition to victories with the RS 3 LMS, has also raced the Audi R8 LMS. Dennis Marschall started his career in the Audi Sport TT Cup. Last year, the 26-year-old German was the best-placed Audi Sport driver in the demanding ADAC GT Masters.

At 33, Christopher Mies has already won five championship titles for Audi, spread across Germany, Europe and Australia. Three 24-hour overall victories – two at the Nürburgring and one in Dubai – underline the German’s versatility. Swiss Patric Niederhauser is 31 years old. After his title win in the 2019 ADAC GT Masters he has proven for Audi with a victory in the 2021 Indianapolis 8 Hour, second place in the Intercontinental GT Challenge and other good results that he is also one of the best GT3 drivers internationally. Frank Stippler not only lives near the Nürburgring, but is still a benchmark on this legendary circuit. As a two-time winner of the 24-hour race, he is still a sought-after and successful teammate on the Nordschleife at the age of 47, whether in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie or the 24-hour race.

 
Article source: www.audi-mediacenter.com