Audi Taking “Race by Race” Approach to IGTC Participation

Photo: Jules Benichou/SRO

Audi Sport is taking a “race by race” approach to its participation in this year’s Intercontinental GT Challenge powered by Pirelli season according to its head of customer racing Chris Reinke, who admitted that the Indianapolis 8 Hour will be the “most challenging” one to put together.

The four-time and defending manufacturers’ champion has been registered as an IGTC manufacturer alongside Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG and Lamborghini although Reinke said the current worldwide logistical hurdles facing the industry could impact its involvement in the American round.

Audi, which is the only manufacturer to have participated in all IGTC races since its inception in 2016, won last year’s Indianapolis 8 Hour with its factory-supported effort from Sainteloc Racing.

“We had years where we made a clear commitment from the beginning on. This year we’re doing it race by race,” Reinke told Sportscar365 during last weekend’s TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa.

“We had a late commitment into Bathurst. We had a late setup of how we approach Spa. We will take the next decision following Spa.

“Obviously we won Indianapolis last year, so I’d love to go back and defend that.”

When asked if the German manufacturer currently has a plan to enter at least one car in the event — as it did in 2020 with a joint effort between Team WRT and Hardpoint — Reinke said: “A plan gives a statement of certainty. I would say it’s our desire to go.

“We need momentum inside Audi to go. I think teams would be interested to go.

“But it’s not just another race. We have to ship stuff over because obviously the American market isn’t our strongest at the moment. For us it’s quite an effort to do.”

Reinke said he expects the newly announced IGTC season finale at the Gulf 12 Hours will be easier to manage due to existing teams already committed to the established Middle Eastern enduro.

“Attempto has raced there in the former years,” said Reinke. “We have quite some investors who take their cars down to the Middle East for the winter anyway.

“I think for me the most challenging is Indianapolis.”

Team WRT, which has been Audi’s longest-running IGTC participant, hasn’t ruled out participation in the final two races according to team principal Vincent Vosse, who spoke prior to the Spa race.

“It’s not impossible,” Vosse told Sportscar365. “Let’s see what happens in this race [at Spa]. It’s not in my hands.

“We are still suffering from the two years we had behind us. People seem to forget that we’ve already been to Kyalami this year, which was part of last year’s championship.

“All of this has an effect on manufacturers, teams, drivers, contracts and so-on.

“I hope that 2023 will be a new starting point and Intercontinental will start again with the right races.”

“Brave Move” for IGTC to Return to Five Rounds

Reinke said SRO Motorsports Group’s decision to return to five rounds for the 2023 season is a “brave move” given the continued worldwide challenges.

He has also questioned whether increased support at the Gulf 12 Hours will have as big of an impact on the market given Audi’s already large presence at the Hankook 24H Dubai.

“We like Kyalami because we felt like we could really generate a future market there,” Reinke said. “If I talk of the Audi perspective, we had one GT4 in the market before and now going a couple of times into Kyalami, we now have six GT cars running in South Africa.

“The Middle East market we already covered through the 24H Dubai, at least from the strategic OEM point.

“On the other side, if we have to abandon [Kyalami] because of next year’s calendar, Stephane has some logic why we had to avoid the race this year.

“If you go for labels, as Stephane is doing that very well, I believe it’s a good race because the Gulf 12 Hours is an established event so therefore you pick something interesting.”

When asked if IGTC is ready to return to five races, Reinke said:  “It’s a brave move because I think we’re all challenged with intercontinental travel with freights and so-on.

“To go straight away back into five IGTC activities will be challenging for all of us. If it was perfect in time, we’ll know afterwards.”

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