WRT Planning Two-Car Entry for Remaining IGTC Races

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT is set to complete the Intercontinental GT Challenge season with at least two Audi R8 LMS GT3s at each of the remaining three rounds.

The team won the season-opening Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour earlier this month, putting Audi into the championship lead, but its plans for the rest of the series have been unclear.

Team principal Vincent Vosse has confirmed that his team will return for the races at Spa, Suzuka and Laguna Seca later in the season.

He plans to run two cars at every race with the possibility of a larger entry in July’s Total 24 Hours of Spa.

“I’m planning to do two cars in every round,” he told Sportscar365.

“We’ll have at least two cars at Spa but probably more, and probably two cars at Suzuka, which is not finalized yet.

“I’m working on it but hopefully I’ll be able to reach my goals. And two cars in Laguna Seca which is not fixed yet, but I’m working on it.”

It would be the first time the team has run the full season in the championship, which enters its third season this year.

Last year, it ran six Audi GT3s at Spa and one for the inaugural California 8 Hours at Laguna Seca.

Despite plans for a consistent entry throughout the season, Vosse says that the Bathurst-winning trio of Robin Frijns, Stuart Leonard and Dries Vanthoor are not confirmed for the remaining three races, which would have allowed them to fight for the drivers’ championship.

This is because of Frijns’ DTM commitments with Audi and  the Misano race taking priority over the Suzuka 10 Hours for the Dutchman.

Vosse was quick to praise the growth of the series and is especially excited for the Suzuka race, which is an effective replacement for the Sepang 12 Hours which was cancelled last year after receiving low interest.

“Intercontinental is something new from Stephane [Ratel] which is getting bigger and bigger,” he said. “I think Suzuka is going to be a big thing and Bathurst was a big race.

“Spa is, and I hope Laguna Seca will become one of those dates where you want to be. It was not last year but it was the first year and the date was [difficult] because you needed to get organized to get there as Barcelona was two weeks before.

“There are already teams from Europe which have committed to Intercontinental, like Strakka, like Bentley, like Porsche, like us. It will get big.

“Hopefully South Africa the year after and it will be perfect. Suzuka will be big, everyone wants to be in Suzuka. I have no doubt.”

WRT Set for Downsized Blancpain GT Effort

Vosse has also confirmed details of WRT’s Blancpain GT Series program, which sees a downsized yet still considerable commitment from the Belgian team.

The team will run two Audi GT3s with Pro lineups in the five Endurance Cup races, likely with an increased effort at Spa, and four cars in the Sprint Cup.

WRT’s two Endurance Cup entries were confirmed on the pre-selected entry list released on Tuesday, with the Pro grid limited to 26 cars this season.

It ran four cars in the Endurance Cup last year, with three in Pro and one competing in Pro-Am, expanding to a total of six cars at Spa, and five cars for the full Sprint Cup.

News on the driver lineups is expected in the next two weeks, around the time of the team’s test on March 6.