Audi Names Drivers for Fuji ‘Dream Race’

Photo: Audi

Rene Rast, Mike Rockenfeller, Loic Duval and Benoit Treluyer will drive for Audi in November’s joint ‘Dream Race’ between DTM and Super GT at Fuji.

The four drivers will be part of a seven-car DTM contingent for the race alongside regular Super GT entries from Honda, Nissan and Lexus.

Alex Zanardi was the first DTM driver confirmed for Fuji earlier this week as the first of BMW’s three drivers.

Audi’s quartet includes two DTM champions in Rast and Rockenfeller and two drivers with prior experience competing in Japan with Duval and Treluyer, who are both former Super GT champions.

Each car will be run by a different team, with Audi Sport Team Rosberg fielding newly-crowned DTM champion Rast’s car and Team Abt Sportsline running Rockenfeller.

Team Phoenix will field Duval, while customer outfit WRT, with support from Audi Japan and Hitotsuyama Racing, will run Treluyer’s Audi RS 5 DTM.

“Obviously, we’d have preferred taking all of our drivers with us to Japan,” said head of Audi Sport Dieter Gass.

“However, because of the concurrent Formula E season opener alone this wasn’t possible.

“I’m delighted that all three Audi Sport Teams will be on the grid at Fuji and that our customer team WRT also managed to carry out the commitment in Japan.”

Jake Kilshaw

Jake Kilshaw is a UK-based journalist. He is a graduate of Politics and International Relations.