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That’s why the Audi R8 must now, in the intervening period, manage with less power (approximately 550 instead of the original 610 hp) and a narrower rear wing. Nonetheless, the Audi R8 is still in a class of its own particularly over the race distance. The importance of the model designation “R8” was puzzled over for a long time. The explanation is simple: Since the legendary original quattro, Audi has numbered all internal vehicle projects consecutively. With the R8, the project name also became the official vehicle name and is now synonymous for the world’s most successful Le Mans prototype.

GT3 sports car from Audi wins GT America and 24H European Series Audi RS 3 LMS in front in Belgium, Germany and Italy Audi R8 LMS GT4 leads the standings at European level Customer teams all over the world were victorious with the Audi R8 LMS in GT3 and GT4 versions as well as the Audi RS 3 LMS at the end of May. In addition to overall successes at European level and in America, a wealth of good class results enriched Audi Sport customer racing’s balance sheet. Audi R8 LMS GT3 Victories in America and Italy: Memo Gidley took the first victory for SKI Autosports in the Audi R8 LMS in America. In the GT America powered by AWS racing series, the experienced sports car driver started the first race at the fourth event on the Sebring circuit in second place. He overtook an opponent’s BMW, which had started from first place, in the early stages of the race and built up a lead. However, an infringement of the regulations by his team in the pre-start phase meant a five-second penalty for the private Audi driver. Gidley managed to make up for this disadvantage during the 40-minute race. In the end, he won by 0.364 seconds ahead of BMW driver Justin Rothberg. Gidley finished second in the second race. Two Audi customer teams celebrated a successful weekend at the third round of the 24H European Series. Team Haas RT achieved overall victory at the 12h Misano, after an Audi R8 LMS had already prevailed at this event a year earlier. Peter Guelinckx/Matisse Lismont/Jef Machiels crossed the finish line in the Haas RT Audi R8 LMS after 416 laps with a lead of just under a minute. Victory in the GT3-Am class and fourth place overall went to Juta Racing with the driver trio of Arunas Geciauskas/Nicola Michelon/Tim Müller. Continental Racing by Simpson Motorsport provided the third-best amateur team on the Italian Adriatic coast with David Pogosian/Andrey Solukovtsev/Vasily Vladykin in another R8 LMS.

DTM Champion adds to his car pool Sportscar in colours of DTM championship winning car Car handed over at Audi Forum Neckarsulm After Tom Kristensen, Mattias Ekström now drives the most sporting Audi day-to-day: For winning the DTM title the Swede treated himself to a blue-silver Audi R8, which adds to his personal car pool. “It’s not just the colour scheme that reminds me of my Red Bull Audi A4 from the DTM,” explains the 29-year old. “The Audi R8 is a fascinating sportscar which is great fun to drive. After I was allowed to drive an R8 from Lake Constance to Sweden in the summer it was clear to me: Such a thing must be in my garage!” The Audi factory driver collected his personal R8 the day after the DTM Championship party in the Audi Forum Neckarsulm. Jörg Felske, Head of Sales Germany at AUDI AG, insisted on handing over the powerful 420-hp sportscar personally to his well-known customer. Mattias Ekström, who, like his DTM team mates, drives an Audi RS 4 as company car has one concern: “I hope that I don’t collect too many points for the championship in Flensburg with the R8…”

Customer teams in New Zealand win endurance classifications Audi private teams provide variety in Italian touring car racing Debut for “Dakar Chronicles” in Paris The International Motorsport customer team celebrated a strong winning streak in New Zealand with a well-deserved title win for its Audi R8 LMS. The brand’s customers also remain the benchmark in touring car racing, as the halfway point of the TCR Italy season proves. A film premiere with the Audi RS Q e-tron drew a lot of applause in the city center of Paris. Audi R8 LMS GT3 First title successes of the season in New Zealand: The North Island Endurance Series completed the last two of its three championship rounds in the space of just one calendar week. After 2016, 2017 and 2023, the title in the 3-hour category was decided in favor of an Audi customer team for the fourth time. Sam Fillmore and Jonny Reid won both races with Team International Motorsport (IMS) in the Audi R8 LMS, having already prevailed in the season opener. This is Fillmore’s second title after 2023 and Reid’s third after 2016 and 2023. The second event at Hampton Downs turned out to be a thrilling comeback race. After a spin and a safety car period, Fillmore was one lap down. One of the strategic moves that made the success possible was a pit stop during which the team only changed the tires on the left side of the car, which were subject to higher loads. After three hours of racing, Sam Fillmore/Jonny Reid achieved a narrow victory with a lead of 0.851 seconds. Second place went to another Audi team: Steve Brooks/Ryan Wood were the best pursuers in the Audi R8 LMS from Wolfbrook Motorsport. Wood continued to close the gap, but was unable to overtake the leading Audi. The final race, again held at Hampton Downs, took place a week later. At 21.1 seconds, Fillmore/Reid’s lead was bigger than ever before this season. The two New Zealanders then celebrated their title win with a 23-point lead.

The chassis of the Audi R8 LMS is produced at the “Böllinger Höfe” site on the same manufacturing lines as the Audi R8 production model. There is a close kinship between the two sports cars as the race car uses 50 percent of the components and component assemblies of the production model, including the near-unchanged V10 FSI engine.

Dindo Capello and Allan McNish have vivid memories of their event with the Audi R8 in Texas: In 2000, temperatures in excess of 40 degrees ruled during the race in Dallas – and during the night. In general, however, it is not quite as hot in Houston in May. Quotes before the races in Houston and Mid-Ohio Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “Dindo and Allan won’t have things all their own way with the additional 35 kilograms of ballast. However, the pair should nevertheless collect as many points as possible with the R8 in the next three races. The R8’s reliability and low fuel consumption should help along the way. The race in Houston certainly adds a little spice to the American Le Mans Series, and let’s not forget that many things can happen on a street circuit.” Dindo Capello (Audi R8 #2): “I’m looking forward to competing in the American Le Mans Series after a three year break, and to be able to drive the fantastic R8. Because of the restrictions it certainly won’t be a stroll for us, but we will bank on the R8’s legendary reliability. We want to score big points at the next races, and fight for the title after Le Mans with the R10 TDI.” Allan McNish (Audi R8 #2): “We don’t know exactly how strong the competition will be because they had several reliability based problems in Sebring. Our R8 has been reined in by the regulations, which means we might have to set our sights a little lower and just collect points. However, this isn’t actually my goal – I always go out to win.” Dave Maraj (Team Director, Team Audi Sport North America): “Houston is our first event with the R8 as an Audi ‘factory’ team. We are looking forward to it and don’t want to disappoint Audi. In Allan (McNish) and Dindo (Capello) we have a very potent driver line-up, who already demonstrated in 2000 just how strong they can be. Obviously it would be fantastic to give the R8 another win before it officially retires. It deserves it.”

Audi R8 (2006-2024) In its 17 years, the Audi R8 captured hearts and celebrated successes in equal measure. After 45,949 units produced, the final R8 rolled off the line at Böllinger Höfe in March 2024.

Mid-engine sports car serves as safety car Début for Audi R8 racing taxi Double début at the Norisring in Nuremberg: This weekend, the Audi R8 will be used as the official DTM safety car for the first time – and as a racing taxi as well. quattro GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of AUDI AG handed over two of the 420-hp mid-engine sports cars to the German Motorsport Association (DMSB) on the occasion of the “Norisring Speed Weekend”. The two Audi R8 cars were prepared specifically for use as safety cars by quattro GmbH at the Neckarsulm plant. “There were not many modifications required, though, because the R8 possesses the genes of a perfect sports car,” says Werner Frowein, managing director of quattro GmbH. Another Audi R8 was carefully prepared by quattro GmbH for use as a racing taxi.