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Fassler to Make Australian GT Debut

Audi factory driver set for part-season campaign; first race at Australian GP…

Photo: Audi

Three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Marcel Fassler will make his CAMS Australian GT Championship debut this year with the Jamec Pem Audi squad.

Fassler, 41, has been confirmed behind the wheel of an Audi R8 LMS GT3 alongside defending series champion Geoff Emery.

The pair will contest the season-opening round at the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix on March 22-25, as well as the three endurance events at The Bend, Phillip Island and Hampton Downs.

Emery won the 2017 title with support from Audi factory driver Kelvin van der Linde, although the South African is set to skip this year’s championship because of clashing commitments in the Blancpain GT Series.

“I’m really excited to be back in the Audi with Audi Sport Customer Racing Australia, and even more excited to be in with Marcel,” said Emery.

“It was great to be partnered with Kelvin and it’s a shame he can’t come back, but I’m excited to instead have such a good driver like Marcel.

“I’m looking forward to meeting him and learning as much as I can.”

Fassler is set to balance his Jamec Pem role with appearances in the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup with Corvette Racing.

The Swiss driver stayed with Audi as a works GT driver after the manufacturer’s LMP1 exit at the end of 2016.

During his time in prototypes he won Le Mans three times with teammates Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer, as well as the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship title.

Last season Fassler competed in the Blancpain GT Series with the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT squad, winning two Sprint Cup races and finishing fifth in the standings.

Daniel Lloyd is a UK-based reporter for Sportscar365, covering the FIA World Endurance Championship, Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, among other series.

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