Audi Sport Team Phoenix: Back to former strength

Although Mike Rockenfeller in 2017 broke his left foot in an accident on the Norisring that was not his fault he had chances of winning his second DTM drivers’ title up until the finale. Accordingly, Team Director Ernst Moser summed up the season positively: “Except for Mike’s accident, the season was really enjoyable again. The most important reason for this was the new Audi RS 5 DTM, but also the many changes to the regulations that made really thrilling DTM races possible again.”

Audi and Phoenix Racing have been partners in the DTM since 2006. Twice, in 2011 and 2013, the squad based in Neuspath near the Nürburgring in the Eifel provided the DTM Champion in Martin Tomczyk and Mike Rockenfeller and the best Audi driver in the overall classification four times. Having been active in the DTM since the racing series’ comeback in 2000, the team headed by Team Director Ernst Moser and Team Manager Dirk Theimann is of the most experienced squads in the series.

A responsible role in the DTM team this year has been assumed by Frédéric Ruat, a specialist in the field of tires which is extremely important in the DTM. Loïc Duval’s new race engineer is Gabriele Delli Colli, a former engineer of Rubens Barrichello at Ferrari in Formula 1 and currently the chief test engineer in Audi’s DTM program. As before, Laurent Fedacou takes care of Mike Rockenfeller’s RS 5 DTM.

Phoenix Racing’s second pillar is GT racing. In Europe and Asia, the team in 2018 is fielding the GT3 and the GT4 versions of the Audi R8 LMS.

Major successes of Phoenix Racing
1st DTM drivers’ classification: 2011, 2013 (all Audi)
1st DTM teams’ classification: 2013 (Audi)
1st 24 Hours of Nürburgring: 2000, 2003, 2012 (Audi), 2014 (Audi)
1st 24 Hours of Spa: 2007, 2012 (Audi)
1st Bathurst 12 Hour: 2012 (Audi)
1st FIA European GT3 Championship 2009 (Audi)
1st Belgian GT3 Championship: 2009 (Audi)
1st Touring Car GP Macau: 1999 (Audi)