ADAC GT Masters: Rahel Frey and Markus Winkelhock join Prosperia C.Abt Racing in an Audi R8 LMS ultra

By Tarek Ramchani

Prosperia C.Abt Racing will enter a third additional Audi R8 LMS ultra for the 2013 ADAC GT Masters. The car will be shared by Audi regulars Rahel Frey and Markus Winkelhock.

Rahel Frey will debut in the top German GT series and in the team as well. The Swiss factory Audi driver is having a very busy 2013 season with the Audi R8 LMS ultra. In addition to the ADAC GT Masters she is racing in the Blancpain Endurance Series for Belgian Audi Club Team WRT and in the Asian based Audi R8 LMS Cup.

During 2011 Markus Winkelhock competed at selected events in the ADAC GT Masters, with the Swiss Novidem team. He and Rahel Frey will both be debuting with Prosperia C.Abt Racing. He is also taking part in the Blancpain Endurance Series for team Phoenix Racing. Markus Winkelhock is of course the reigning FIA GT1 World Championship champion and the 2012 overall winner of the Nürburgring 24 Hours with Audi.

Both drivers are joining a world class effort at Prosperia C.Abt Racing, the other two cars are in the hands of René Rast/Christopher Mies and Chrisitan Mamerow/Christer Jöns. The ADAC GT Masters season opener is set at Oschersleben next weekend. No doubts that Prosperia C.Abt Racing will be among the big favourites.

Photo credit and more information:
Prosperia C.Abt Racing

Blancpain Endurance Series: A word from ... Rahel Frey

Audi Press Release

In two weeks from now, at Monza, you will be running for the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT in the Blancpain Endurance Series (BES) for the first time. Are you looking forward to this new challenge in the Audi R8 LMS ultra? 

Yes, absolutely. The winter break was long and I used it to optimally prepare for my new tasks. Two weeks ago, I was at Le Castellet for the official BES tests and really enjoyed my first laps in the Audi R8 LMS ultra. Now I can hardly wait for the season to start.

As a former DTM racer, how did you manage the switch to a GT3 sports car?

I managed well right away. The weight of the Audi R8 LMS ultra is a bit heavier and it has systems such as ABS and traction control. I’ve also got to make more compromises with respect to the set-up because I’m sharing the car with two other drivers. But I’ll soon feel at home in the GT world.

Your team is starting into the BES season as the title defender. To what extent are you benefiting from the squad’s experience?

WRT’s extensive experience will no doubt make it easier for me to get started in the Blancpain Endurance Series. I’m very thankful for being backed by such a good team. By the same token, I’d be happy if I could pass on some of my experiences to WRT. From a sporting perspective, the level in the DTM that I come from was obviously top-class and I got to know the processes in a factory-backed team. I want to continue to build on that.

You are sharing the cockpit with the Austrian Nikolaus Mayr-Melnhof and the New Zealander Matthew Halliday. Are you happy with this driver pairing?

It’s nice to come into contact with other nations as well. We get along well and all of us are motivated and ambitious. The whole WRT squad is very open-minded. If you’ve got a wish as a driver or want to change something on the car they listen to you. There’s a lot of discussion taking place and that allows the entire team to move forward. On the whole, we’re three well-balanced and competitive Audi driver teams at WRT. It’ll be a thrilling battle.

In 2013, the BES is running on five European race tracks. Which one do you like best?

My fondest memories are those of the track at Monza. Being Swiss, this is my home track in a way and I was able to win a Swiss Formula Renault race there in the past. And of course I’m very much looking forward to the 24-hour race at Spa. That’ll no doubt be a highlight.