MTM Audi R8 LMS - chased in the GT sprint series‏

MTM Press Release

The MTM team was obliged to contest the first race of this series, run at the beginning of April in Monza, with all its talent for improvisation and a thick wadge of experience garnered on the world's fastest tracks, since the decision to take part in this competition having been made at very short notice. "Top performance is best demonstrated in sports. That is part of our company philosophy" was how MTM boss Roland Mayer explained his recent involvement in an international competition. Olivier Mayer, an old stager of the Ingolstadt "pedal to the metal" guild and no relation of the MTM founder, whether by blood or marriage, fought his corner creditably, impressively demonstrating the potential performance of an MTM Audi R8 LMS in the face of the overmighty Ferrari 458 and Porsche 997.

The Wettstetten team has hit its competitive stride before the second race of the series, to be held next weekend in Brünn in the Czech Republic, and will be taking on its competitors with fresh drivers, new livery and a large racing car transporter. Thomas Schöffler, last year the stand-out rookie of the Superstar Series, and old hand Johan Kristofferson will each be driving an R8 LMS fielded by MTM. The phalanx of competitors should take the two Audi racing cars with their 10 cylinder naturally aspirated engines seriously. They have demonstrated their enormous performance in numerous races in every corner of the globe. With Schöffler's and Kristofferson's intervention in the GT Sprint Series action we have two drivers who are always in contention for podium places.

After the second race in Brünn there are another six races in the programme before the title is awarded. Slovakiaring, Zolder, Portimao, Donington, Imola and Vallelunga.

Photo credit: MTM

GT Sprint: MTM Audi R8 LMS performed well at Monza

By Johan Laubscher

The Superstars GT Sprint championship saw a new Audi entry this weekend. MTM Motorsport entered a single Audi R8 LMS driven by Oliver Mayer and Thomas Schöffler

The team’s red and silver car performed very well this weekend, round one of the championship. The duo placed well during practice and qualifying, each time placing within the top eight.

Race one saw the #45 MTM R8 LMS finish in seventh. The good result from race one was improved even further with a brilliant showing during race two. Thomas Schöffler was running near the front and as high as third at one point. He was running in fourth when he came in for the driver change. Oliver Mayer re-emerged onto the track in fourth after the pitstop. He eventually dropped to fifth and maintained the position to the finish.

The next GT Sprint round takes place alongside the Superstars Championship at Brno in May.  

Photo credit: Superstars Series

Superstars: Audi Sport Italia and MTM with three Audi RS5 quattro

By Tarek Ramchani

The International Superstars Series 2013 will start at Monza this weekend . It's the tenth edition of the Italian based touring car series open for production based big V8 coupes and sedans. Audi, the 2012 series champions, will have three Audi RS 5 quattro cars.

A major change at Audi this year is the departure of the 2012 driver champion Johan Kristoffersson. The Swedish ace will drive for Petri Corse with a Porsche Panamera.

The Audi teams for this season's competition are Audi Sport Italia and Audi Sport MTM. Audi Sport Italia will field a pair of RS 5 quattros for the team's star Gianni Morbidelli and Ferdinando Geri. MTM's car will be in the hands of the returning Thomas Schoffler. Last year the RS 5 was the best of the field, forcing the series organizers to give it major handicaps with extra weight and smaller restrictors yet Audi won the title in a dramatic finale at Pergusa.

Three old B7 Audi RS 4 were announced to enter the 2013 Superstars Series but they are not on Monza's round 1 entry list. The cars are from PRS NOS Racing.

A two-day format with both free and qualifying sessions set for Saturday, while the two races will take place on Sunday.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Italia / MTM

STS in Pergusa - Kristoffersson wins the Title - Schöffler breaks into Top Ten

MTM Press Release

The stage was set for the finals of the Superstar Series 2012 at the seasoned Pergusa race track, which surrounds the same-named volcanic lake on the island of Sicily. Many race pilots, regardless of what car they were driving, would have rather stepped on the gas at a more modern venue. Here, the deck was stacked against them - especially to the disappointment of the Audi drivers - while it brought safety risks for all participants.

The handicaps for the three RS 5s were mainly a result of the extra weight ruling for winning brands.
This affects acceleration as well as braking, at top speed, and has an especially adverse effect when hitting the curb. The additional weight pulls on the suspension, which is subjected to the most extreme endurance tests, particularly on two chicanes in Pegusa. In this respect, the 14th position of the candidate for the title, Johan Kristofferson, was not the result of a sudden loss of competence b ut rather the sum of all things - which easily tipped the scales. Thomas Schöffler, in the MTM RS 5, and Gianni Morbidelli were also not able to conjure up any magic against the laws of physics. The only thing that the Audi trio could count on, were position improvements due to failures by the competition. And the race brought it on: Kristofferson came in at fifth place in the first race, former Formula 1 pilot Gianni Morbidelli took sixth position and Thomas Schöffler fought his way into the top ten. Good prospects for a cockpit career can be expected for this 19-year-old newcomer, whose race alongside the experienced international players saw him come in at ninth place, which translated into eighth place when all chips were down.

Kristoffersson had to sweat to keep his narrow lead in the second run of the championship, especially since he was "torpedoed" from behind in the Pineta chicane, which ultimately totaled his RS 5. For safety reasons, Audi team manager Radaelli called the two remaining RS 5s, from Morbidelli and Schöffler, into the pit. When the day was over, Kristoffersson took the title, with a four-point lead.