Garcia Joins WRT Audi for Partial Season Blancpain GT Program

Antonio Garcia will join Belgian Audi Club Team WRT in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup opener at Monza this weekend.

The GM factory driver will for the first time compete in an Audi R8 LMS GT3, replacing René Rast in the No. 28 entry he’ll share with 2015 Nürburgring 24 winner Nico Müller and former F1 driver Will Stevens.

“It was an unexpected call”, commented the 35-year-old. “It is nice to see that my experience is appreciated.

“When the best team in a championship calls you, it’s easy to say ‘yes’.”

The Spaniard already tested with the reigning Blancpain GT champions at Silverstone earlier this month.

“I have briefly tested the Audi R8 LMS at Silverstone, mainly to familiarize myself with the car, the controls and the tires,” he said.

“That should make adaptation quicker when I’ll take the track at Monza, and I know I can count on the team’s support for the set-up and strategy work in this first race.”

Garcia will also compete for the Belgian squad on two other occasions later this season, though the events haven’t been confirmed yet.

“For me, it’s a wonderful opportunity to race again in Europe and to discover such a competitive series as the Blancpain,” he said.

Garcia returns the favor between Chevrolet and Audi, as Mike Rockenfeller and Marcel Fässler raced with Corvette Racing at Daytona and Sebring.