Two podium finishes for Audi Sport at the Slovakiaring
- Trophies for Jean-Karl Vernay and Frédéric Vervisch
- Five Audi drivers in the points
Audi Sport customer racing celebrated two more podium finishes at the sixth round of the WTCR – FIA World Touring Car Cup at the Slovakiaring. Jean-Karl Vernay from Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team took the best result of the weekend with second place in race one. Frédéric Vervisch from Audi Sport Team Comtoyou finished third place in race three after a great battle.
The race weekend close to the Slovakian capital Bratislava started with a strong performance from Jean-Karl Vernay. The 30-year old Audi Sport driver fought his way up to second place after starting race one in his Audi RS 3 LMS from fifth on the grid. As a result, he finished on the podium for the third time this season and moved up to fourth place in the standings. Three privateer drivers in the top-ten completed the successful weekend opener for the brand: Denis Dupont from Audi Sport Team Comtoyou finished eighth and was second best Audi driver. The 25-year old budding talent scored his first points of the season as a result. Close behind followed the two Frenchmen Aurélien Panis and Nathanaël Berthon from Comtoyou Racing. Berthon scored points for the fifth time this year, Panis for the fourth time.
While Jean-Karl Vernay retired from the second and third races, Frédéric Vervisch was the best Audi Sport driver on both occasions. The Belgian, who had previously shone in a stirring comeback drive from 21st place to sixth in the street race in Portugal, finished eighth in race two at the Slovakiaring with Audi Sport Team Comtoyou. He started the third race from seventh on the grid yet again as best driver of an Audi RS 3 LMS. Vervisch made up three positions immediately at the start and subsequently battled over many laps for third place with WTCC World Champion Thed Björk. In the end, the 31-year old Audi Sport driver mounted the podium for the fourth time this season. To date, the Audi drivers have taken seven podium positions.
“That was a successful weekend,” said Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. “Jean-Karl delivered yet another top performance with the Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team. Unfortunately his excellent series ended afterwards. He scored points 15 times in the first 16 races this year. Congratulations to Jean-Michel Baert’s Team Comtoyou. Frédéric Vervisch drove an impressive third race. It’s remarkable that three privateers from the team also scored points.”
After an eleven-week summer break, the FIA WTCR starts its overseas season on the last September weekend on the track in Ningbo, China. Four events in Asia are on the agenda up to November.
Additional information
Basic information Audi RS 3 LMS
FIA WTCR booklet
FIA WTCR photos
FIA WTCR results
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