Some ripping news for local Audi fans, with word from Speedcafe telling us that Audi Race Experience Team Joest will be sending two 2010 spec R8 LMS machines to compete in the 2011 Bathurst 12 hour.
Team Joest is effectively the Audi factory team responsible for the company’s nine Le Mans 24 hour victories. This is big news for local endurance racing. Lowndes will be joined by fellow V8 Supercar driver Warren Luff and Australian GT racer Mark Eddy. Of course, Eddy is already known to Audi after competing this year at the wheel of a 2009 spec R8 LMS (pictured above).
The second R8 will be crewed by Audi sportscar regular Marc Basseng, WTCC driver driver Darryl O’Young and 2009 FIA GT3 European Champion Christopher Heis. As you can see Audi means business.
“Racing in the Bathurst 12 Hour has been on the ‘to-do’ list for some time,” said five-time Bathurst 1000 winner Lowndes. “The R8 looks like a fantastic car and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel in February.”
The 2011 Bathurst 12 hour is scheduled for the weekend of 4–6 February.
[Source: Speedcafe]
5 replies on “Craig Lowndes to drive factory Audi R8 LMS at Bathurst 12 hour”
Great news! Is it too premature to think we will see some Pinot Gris sipping on the cutting next to the VB crew?
Read about this car in the latest Motor mag, up a couple of Kws on the standard V10, but down a whole lot of weight including the AWD setup and internals being removed. It would be a bit of a beast to drive and register for the road (hahah).
The sound of that thing on Conrod will be awesome! Cant wait for the 12 hour!
M@
[…] already brought you the news that Craig Lowndes, five-time winner of the Bathurst 1000, will be racing an Audi R8 LMS at the Bathurst 12 hour race this year. Just like the cars above which filled the furst four positions on the grid at last […]
that basseng team is a good line-up.