Von Moltke, Haase Confirmed in Paul Miller Audi R8 LMS

Paul Miller Racing has confirmed its full-season lineup in its No. 48 Audi R8 LMS, the first full-season Audi entry confirmed for the 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship in the GT Daytona class.

Audi ace Christopher Haase returns for a second season as lead driver. Meanwhile Dion von Moltke takes over as the Silver-rated co-driver, replacing Bryce Miller for the full season.

“We enjoyed racing and working closely with Audi Sport customer racing to earn some strong results in 2014 and feel very encouraged about our second season with the R8 LMS and Christopher,” Paul Miller Racing Team Owner Paul Miller said.

“We’re delighted to have him back, he knows the tracks now and understands the team dynamic. He is obviously a huge driving talent and a great guy too, a real team player.”

Haase led PMR’s charge in 2014 and along with Bryce Miller and Matt Bell, won the season-ending Petit Le Mans to deliver the team’s and Audi’s first win in the TUDOR Championship. Haase and Miller finished second in the GTD driver’s championship.

Von Moltke comes over to PMR from Flying Lizard Motorsports, where he has raced for the last two seasons. This past year, he scored top-five finishes in the opening three races of the season and ended 11th in GTD points.

“We had the opportunity to watch Dion closely throughout this past season and have to come to rate him highly as a driver,” Paul Miller said. “We also rate him highly as a person, he’s serious about his craft, works hard and exhibits great character. He and Christopher will be a formidable combination.”

The team previously announced in November that Miller would step back to drive just in the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup rounds to focus on his business commitments.

Additionally, German ace and newly named Audi LMP1 driver Rene Rast joins the lineup for the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Rast was part of the 2012 Rolex 24-winning lineup; von Moltke part of the 2013 Rolex 24-winning lineup in the GT class.

Paul Miller Racing is also returning in 2015 with 100 percent of the same pit crew and engineering staff, led by team manager Mitchell Simmons.

“We have always felt stability was the most important dynamic for the program,” Simmons said. “For the other crew members and drivers it provides a platform where we know our strengths and weaknesses. It allows us to capitalize on these strengths and continue working on the weaknesses.”