Audi to Produce Evo Kit for GT3 Car in 2022; Eyeing Electric GT

Photo: Audi

Audi will produce an Evo kit for its existing R8 LMS GT3 Evo to comply with the new GT3 regulations due to debut in 2022.

The German manufacturer, which rolled out with an Evo to its championship-winning GT3 model in 2019, will follow the same path as sister brand Lamborghini in offering an update to its existing car instead of an all-new package.

GT3 manufacturers have the choice of building a car specific to the new regulations, which BMW has done with its new M4 GT3, or adapting its existing model, which has appeared to be the more favorable option among legacy brands.

“The homologation period of our current R8 LMS runs from 2019 to 2021,” Head of Audi Sport customer racing Chris Renike told Endurance-Info.

“For the next homologation period, from 2022 to 2024, we will develop an Evo kit to comply with the new rules.”

Audi has been the most successful GT3 manufacturer in the platform’s history, with more than 300 wins globally.

Having celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2019, Audi Sport customer racing has produced more than 500 race cars, including GT3, GT4 and TCR-spec machinery.

Audi Eyeing FIA’s Proposed Electric GT Series

While Audi recently announced a refocused motorsports program, including plans for a return to top-level prototype racing in LMDh, Reinke said the manufacturer is also keeping an eye on developments on the FIA’s planned new Electric GT championship.

The technical regulations for the new class were recently approved in the latest World Motor Sport Council meeting, with expressions of interest ongoing in the selection of a promoter for the new competition.

Few details have emerged on the proposed new series, although Audi is one of several manufacturers to offer a high-performance all-electric production car in the upcoming Audi e-tron GT.

“Audi’s role in motorsport is always to have pioneering technology,” Reinke said.  “So we clearly have an eye on the latest electric championship developments in the GT segment.

“We recently announced our program for tomorrow and are focused on implementing it for now.

“But we will continue to assess what we can do the day after tomorrow. ”

Laurent Mercier contributed to this report

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John