ISR Racing Makes Series Return with Audi in Endurance, Sprint

ISR Racing will return to Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS after a four-year absence with a two-car Audi program in the Endurance and Sprint Cups.

The Czech squad is entered under the ISR Team Italia banner, referring to a partnership between former Audi Sport Italia team principal Ferdinando Geri and Igor Salaquarda who runs ISR.

Salaquarda’s team last appeared in GTWC Europe back in 2017, but has largely focused on ADAC GT Masters since then.

Its GTWC Europe comeback will utilize the new Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II which is being globally introduced to customer racing teams from the 2022 season.

Drivers and classes for the two-car GTWC effort have yet to be announced. Testing has been taking place this week at Circuit Ricardo Tormo near Valencia, which is one of the tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule.

Geri’s former team Audi Sport Italia teamed up with ISR in the Italian GT Championship this year, but the GTWC Europe program only involves the latter outfit.

“The announcement of such a high-level challenge brings huge satisfaction and responsibility,” said Geri.

“To represent Audi Sport in Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS is a great honor and we will produce our best to get results.

“The level of the championship is extremely high, but we will have huge support from the technical management of Igor Salaquarda, which will grant continuous developments throughout the year.

“We will try to get the most of our competencies and determination and convert them into good results on the track.”

During its previous GTWC Europe tenure, ISR was selected to operate as a factory-backed Audi Sport team at the 2017 TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa, where it finished seventh with Frank Stippler, Pierre Kaffer and Kelvin van der Linde driving.

The team’s more recent three-year spell in GT Masters was highlighted by a 2018 victory for Stippler and Filip Salaquarda at the Nürburgring.

“Being back on the most important circuits of Europe is a huge satisfaction and I am happy to share this new adventure with Ferdinando Geri, with who we have great mutual respect,” commented Igor Salaquarda. 

“ISR Team Italia has been designed to leave its mark: we will compete in some of the most prestigious races in the world like the Paul Ricard 1000km and the TotalEnergies 24 Hours of Spa, the competition that each GT driver dreams to run at least once in his life.”

This article was updated at 11:18 a.m. ET on Thursday, December 9. A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Audi Sport Team Italia was involved in the entry.