Photo: Audi
Mattia Drudi has been added to Audi Sport’s factory driver lineup, with the German manufacturer confirming on Wednesday its full 13-driver roster for the upcoming season.
Twenty-year-old Drudi competed in the Italian GT Championship for Audi Sport Italia and European Le Mans Series with Eurointernational last season, stepping up from various Porsche cup series.
Last month, he raced for Attempto Racing in the Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai, as part of a lineup that included factory driver Kelvin van der Linde.
Drudi will be one of a number of Audi drivers placed in one of the manufacturer’s ADAC GT Masters or Blancpain GT Series lineups, along with van der Linde, Christopher Haase, Pierre Kaffer, Christopher Mies, Frank Stippler, Dries Vanthoor, Frederic Vervisch and Markus Winkelhock.
Rahel Frey, meanwhile, will compete primarily in Asian GT3 races this year.
Audi has also confirmed that Haase, van der Linde, Mies, Winkelhock and Vervisch will compete for the full Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli season after driving for Audi Sport Team Valvoline in the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.
Robin Frijns is understood to no longer be a part of the Audi Sport customer racing roster, meaning he’s unlikely to compete in any GT races this year.
Frijns has already been confirmed in Audi’s DTM lineup, alongside Nico Mueller, Loic Duval, Mike Rockenfeller, Jamie Green and Rene Rast, while also competing in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship with Audi customer team Envision Virgin Racing.
Drudi is joined by Niels Langeveld in joining Audi’s works roster this season, although the Dutchman is set to focus on touring car programs.
Langeveld will join Vervisch, Jean-Karl Vernay and Gordon Shedden in Audi’s FIA WTCR lineup.
“Due to the extremely positive sales development, our customer racing program has rapidly grown in recent years,” says Chris Reinke, head of Audi Sport customer racing.
“We adjusted our driver lineup for the new season. Our previous drivers, who bring experiences from many worldwide commitments to our squad, will be supported by two international juniors.”
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