Car Collection to Run Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo at Gulf 12H

Photo: Audi

Car Collection Motorsport will give the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo its endurance racing debut in next month’s Gulf 12 Hours, with the German squad confirming a two-car entry for the Dec. 15 event at Yas Marina Circuit.

Audi factory drivers Christopher Haase and Markus Winkelhock will share the wheel of a 2019-spec Audi with Dimitri Parhofer, with the Pro-Am lineup of Dirg Parhofer, Ali Capan, Isaac Tutumlu and Peter Schmidt set to pilot the second entry.

It will mark the Evo’s first long-distance race following outings in the final two VLN races of the season, which were each four-hour races.

The car’s competition debut in VLN8 came with Car Collection, which saw Haase and Jamie Green at the wheel.

“This is the perfect conclusion of the 2018 season for us,” said team manager Denis Ferlemann. “We’re looking forward to see the new Evo kit for the Audi R8 LMS during racing conditions.”

Car Collection joins a trio of Aston Martin Vantage GT3 entries and a factory McLaren 720S GT3 in all utilizing the Abu Dhabi race to sample its 2019-spec machinery.

In addition to the 12-hour race, Car Collection will also enter the remaining rounds of the inaugural Gulf Sportscar Championship, which rotates between Yas Marina and the Dubai Autodrome.

Dimitri Parhofer is so far the only confirmed driver for the championship, which concludes in February.

“If we find an additional driver, we might even enter our second car for the sprint race,” said Ferlemann. “The cars are already in the region and racing here in the Middle East is always something special.”

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