With this recurring column, ooooIYKYK aims to summarize activities of Audi racing campaigns and competition endeavors. This weekly series brief updates of results, preparation, happenings and rumors pertaining to on track activities. See a full calendar of motorsport activities involving Audi Sport factory, customer and Sauber F1 teams maintained HERE.
OPEN WHEEL RACING
FORMULA 1 ROUND #7, F1 AWS GRAN PREMIO DEL MADE IN ITALY E DELL’EMILIA-ROMAGNA 🇮🇹
Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix Preview
This weekend, the F1 machine heads to Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Yes, it’s the same Imola after which Audi’s Imola Yellow is based. It’s also effectively the home track for Ferrari, one Audi’s key manufacturer rivals when it enters F1 next year as a brand. The course is old-school track and a fitting location for Sauber to celebrate its 600th race in Formula One.
F1 Movie Main Trailer Drop
The final and main trailer ahead of the premiere of the F1 movie released this week. The movie debuts only in theaters on June 27.
Audi F1 Signs Deal with Mechachrome, Former Alpine F1 Engine Partner
Mechachrome, a supplier of competition engines over the years for Williams, Benetton and most recently an exclusive agreement with Alpine F1, has just recently inked a deal to supply components to Audi F1. The firm’s tie-in with Alpine just recently ended when the French team decided to bring all engine production in-house. And since Audi is designing and producing its own engines, it appears that Mechachrome will not operate as engine supplier.
For Mechachrome, the break with Alpine marks the end of a 40-year run as supplier to Renault, the manufacturer behind Alpine F1. Alpine had already signaled the end to its F1 program, though engine production for Renault’s WEC program was ongoing.
Mechachrome is a French company, headquartered in Aubigny-sur-Nère, 170km (105 miles) south of Paris. The firm also operates in other areas of high-precision assemblies including aerospace, defense, naval and energy industries. The firm’s automotive premium and motorsport work compromises about 18% of the company’s total work.
A deeper dive on this subject can be found at The-Race.com.
Audi F1 is apparently hiring. The team, should you follow them on LinkedIn, shared this image and a link this week. It states, “Every athlete begins as a rookie with a vision. At the Audi F1 Project, our passion drives innovation and now it’s your turn to make an impact. Ready to engineer your future? Apply Now!”
Sound interesting to you? Then click their link HERE.
NEXT ROUND 23-25 F1 TAG Heur Grand Prix de Monaco 🇲🇨
SPORTSCAR RACING – GT3, GT4 & TCR CUSTOMER RACING
Worth noting, Audi Sport has begun publishing weekly customer racing race summaries. As a result, the race updates on ooooIYKYK will become even more inclusive now that updates on all customer racing activities are emanating from the team itself. Thanks to Audi Sport customer racing for continuing to keep fans up to date on Audi Sport customer racing activities around the world.
IMSA MICHELIN PILOT CHALLENGE ROUND 4, TIRERACK.COM MONTEREY SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP, WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA, CA 🇺🇸
RS 3 LMS TCR action continued in the USA, with the Michelin Pilot Challenge returning to Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca. Here, Precision Racing LA showed impressive pace with the RS 3 LMS of Ryan Eversly and Celso Neto qualifying second then pushed down to 16th after a post qualifying penalty was levied. Eversly and Neto were able to climb into the Top 10 for an 8th place finish, while teammates Ron and Megan Tomlinson also finished in the Top 10, netting 9th just behind their teammates.
Also for Laguna Seca, Racing to End Alzheimer’s made a return in their first-generation RS 3 LMS TCR, with Monterey native Nick Galante alongside Luke Rumburg. The car was fielded by RVA Graphics Motorsports by Speed Syndicate, and raced with their signature “names livery” – a tribute to loved ones affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia. This car narrowly missed a Top 10 finish, nett 11th in the final standings.
24 HOURS OF NÜRBURGRING (GT3), NÜRBURGRING NORDSCHLIEFE 🇩🇪
Eastalent Racing Confirms 24H Nürburgring Entry, Reveals Special Livery
Eastalent Racing of the GT Open Series has confirmed it will be part of this year’s 24 Hours of Nürburgring race complete with full Audi support. The team teased a green-liveried R8 LMS GT3, think a green-striped take on their GT Open red livery. A driver team was not confirmed, but it’s likely Eastalent’s GT Open drivers of Simon Reicher and Christopher Haase will likely play a part. “With full Audi support” may also point to other Audi contracted drivers as teams running in the Nürburgring 24H tend to be larger, with some drivers occasionally driving for multiple teams in the same event. Look for more details here as the race grows nearer.
CAMPIONATO ITALIANO GT ENDURANCE (GT3) ROUNDS 3 & 4, MISANO 🇮🇹
📺 Watch Race Here: Race 1, Race 2
Strong Season Start for Audi Customers at Misano
Audi Sport customers enjoyed a strong start in Italy. Tresor Attempto Racing, having logged pole position, also won the Misano round in their R8 LMS. The team of Riccardo Cazzaniga, Rocco Mazzola and Fabio Rauer won by 1.2 seconds. Cazzaniga led early in the race, though the car fell to second place following the driver change to Rauer. Mazzola would reclaim the lead, which Tresor Attempto retained to the end.
Third place in the race went to the Audi R8 of Team Haas RT driven by Ramez Azzam, Omar Jackson and Axcil Jefferies. The trio made up 13 positions during the race having started on 16th. They also won the Pro-Am class ahead of ten other competitors.
Audi Sport Italia was also a contender for the podium util lap 45 when the R8 LMS driven by Alessandro Bracalante, Andy Cantu and Nano López running in third place and second in Pro-Am slid into the gravel after hitting a patch of oil put down by a competitor.
GT WORLD CHALLENGE EUROPE (GT3) ROUND 2 BRANDS HATCH 🇬🇧
📺 Watch Race Here: Race 1, Race 2
Podium Finishes for Audi R8 LMS in GT World Challenge Europe
Brands Hatch in England was the venue for the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Sprint Cup, where Audi Sport customer racing teams logged four class podium results. Dane Sebastian Øgaard and Leonardo Moncini finished third in the Gold Cup for Tresor Attempto Racing in both of the two one-hour sprint races. Alex Aka and Ezequiel Perez Companc narrowlyy missed victory by o.676 seconds in the second race and had to settle for second place after 37 laps. The Audi R8 of Lorens Lecertua and Ivan Klymenko followed by 1.1 seconds, nabbing third place in the Saintéloc Racing GT3 entry.
GT WORLD CHALLENGE ASIA (GT3) ROUNDS 3 & 4 MANDALIKA 🇮🇩
📺 Watch Race Here: Race 1, Race 2
Podiums Across Two Rounds in Mandalika
The GT World Challenge Asia powered by AWS headed to Mandalika, Indonesia for its second event of the season, which included rounds three and four. FAW Audi Sport Asia Team Phantom took home third place with drivers Cheng Congfu and Yu Kuai in the Silver class in the first race. In the second race, Uno Racing Team also took home second place with drivers Rio and Shaun Thong. This pair made up 12 places in the race, an impressive feat.
SPEZIAL TOURENWAGEN TROPHY (GT3 & GT4) ROUNDS 1 & 2 HOCKENHEIM 🇩🇪
Podiums and Class Wins in Hockenheim
The Spezial Tourenwagen Trophy kicked off the 2025 season in Hockenheim where Team Up2Race finished third with drivers Pierre Lemmerz and Alexander Kroker in the first race. In the second race, the Land-Motorsport R8 LMS driven by Stefan Wieninger took home second, while the Lemmerz / Kroker R8 LMS finished third.
The weekend also saw podiums for club racing R8 GT4s. Team Up2Race took home two podium results. Jürgen Hemker nabbed second in his class in the first race, and was winner of Class 3 in the second round.
NÜRBURGRING LANGSTRECKEN-SERIE (GT3 / TCR) ROUND 3, NLS3: 56. ADENAUER ADAC RUNDSTRECKEN TROPHY 4 HOUR, NÜRBURGRING NORDSCHLIEFE 🇩🇪
GT3 and TCR Dominance at the Nürburgring Nordschliefe
SP9 Am Class victory went to Team équipe vitesse in the 10.05.2025 NLS3: 56. Adenauer ADAC Rundstrecken-Trophy 4 Hour, the third round of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie. The R8 LMS GT3 of Michael Heimrich, Arno Klasen and Eric Ullström enjoyed a two-lap lead over the second place Lamborghini at the finish.
In the meantime, the Møller Bil Motorsport RS 3 LMS of Anders Lindstad, Kenneth Østvold and Håkon Schjærincontinued their dominance of the TCR class with a win and a two-lap lead over their nearest competitors in a Cupra after four hours.
TCR ITALY ROUNDS 1 & 2, MISANO 🇮🇹
📺 Watch Race Here: Race 1, Race 1 DSG, Race 2, Race 2 DSG
Domination at TCR Italy in Misano
The Audi RS 3 LMS teams at TCR Italy proved unstoppable in the 2025 season opening round. No less than eleven Audi RS 3 LMS make ups field of 20 entries. The marque enjoyed a 1-2-3-4 victory in the first race, with Nicolas Taylor from PMA Motorsport in first, Matteo Poloni from Gear Works in second, Pietro Alessi from BF Motorsport in third and Nicola Baldan from Aikoa Racing in fourth. Taylor also won the Under 25 age classification ahead of Alessi. Denis Baubuin with Planet Motorsport lost third place overall due to a ten second penalty for false start, but still managed to win the Master class in his RS 3 LMS ahead of two other Audis on that class podium driven by Sandro Pelatti of PMA Motorsport and Francesco Cardone of Aikoa Racing. Carlo Alberto Bocca of BF Motorsport was also victory in the Rookie Class, with Zekai Özen from the Texaco team third.
In the second round, Nicola Baldan took advantage of the reverse grid, securing pole position – a strong position he was able to keep over 18 laps for the win. Petro Alessio took third place, also winning the Under 25 class ahead of Nicolas Taylor. Denis Baubuin enjoyed his second victory of the day in the Master Class, and Bocca enjoyed his second win of the Rookie Class, with Özen taking third again.
TCR Italy also has a DSG-specific race for cars fitted with the dual clutch transmission. Here, Gustavo Sandrucci took home third overall for Casals Motorsport. He also won the Master Class ahead of Alessandro Berton of Planet Motorsport. Mattia Lancelotti from Planet Motorsport finished third in the Under 25 Class.
In the second TCR race, Lancelotti took home second place overall and also in the Under 25 Class. Alessandro Berton finished second in the Master Class. Carlotta Fedeli from RC Motorsport won both sprints in the Women’s Class, with Turkish-born Seda Kacan from the Texaco Team won the class in the second sprint, nabbing second best rookie over all participants as well.
COPPA ITALIA TURISMO ROUND 2, MUGELLO 🇮🇹
Multiple RS 3 Victories in Coppa Italia Turismo
Elsewhere in Italian TCR competition, the Coppa Italia Turismo headed to Mugello where Fulvio Ferri of BF Motorsport won the first sprint with 12.5-second lead over his nearest competitor and fellow Audi RS 3 driver Adriano Visdomini. In the DSG class, Giacomo Orioli of Planet Motorsport took home another Audi victory with fellow Audi driver Temel Camlidag of BF Motorsport nabbing third.
In the second round, victory went to Adrian Visdomini, with Ramazan Kaya of BF Motorsportfinishing third. Kamil Cat of H2K Motorsport Italia won the DSG Class, while Temel Camlidag finished third.
TCR MEXICO ROUND 3, 500 KM ARISTOS, AUTÓDROMO MIGUEL E. ABED, PUEBLA, MEXICO 🇲🇽
Victories in Mexico City for Zesati RS 3 LMS
TCR Mexico’s third round saw the Team Zesati Racing VP Garage 34 RS 3 LMS with driver Carlo Zesati taking home two trophies after the third racing weekend of the series. Zesati won the first and third races on the Mexico City track.
TCR CHINA / TCR CHINA CHALLENGE ROUND 2, NINGBO INTERNATIONAL TRACK, CHINA 🇨🇳
📺 Watch Race Here: Race 1, Race 2
Audi RS 3 TCR Victories in Ningbo, China
In the second round of the TCR China Championship at Ningbo, Team 326 Racing took home third place Am Class in the first race with Lai Jingwen. Jingwen moved to second place in the second race.
Int eh TCR China Challenge race, Chang Chien Shang won the first round, with Liu Chao and Delta Artek Racing Team winning third in the Cup class. In the second round, Liu Zichen won for 326 Racing Team. Third place in the Cup Class also went to 326 Racing Team and driver Qiu Yiheng.
RALLY & HILLCLIMB RACING
RSQ e-tron with Red Carpet Appearance in Madrid, Spain for Dakar Documentary Premiere
Audi in a movie: Universal Documentaries and Red Bull Studios have collaborated on a documentary film project. Under the name “Dakar: Race Against The Desert”, director Jalil Lespert has made an impressive film about the 2023 Dakar Rally, which focuses on the commitment, teamwork and determination of various participants. The film’s protagonists include former Audi factory driver Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard, four-time winner of the desert classic, was present at the screening at the Cine Capitol in Madrid, as was his former rally car, the Audi RS Q e-tron. Since its release, fans have been able to experience the film for a fee on various digital platforms.
UPCOMING ROUNDS WEEK 20 (MAY 11-MAY 18)
Sidenote: See full season calendar HERE.
13-14 – GT World Challenge Europe, Crowdstrike 24 Hours of Spa Prologue, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium – GT3
16 – TCR Europe, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium – TCR
16-18 – F1 AWS Gran Premio Del Made In Italy e Dell’Emilia-Romagna, Autodromo Internazionale Enzo E Dino Ferrari, Italy – F1
16 – 18 – GT World Challenge / GT America, Sebring International Raceway, USA 🇺🇸 – GT3
16 – 18 – GT World Challenge / GT World Challenge Europe, Sprint Cup, Circuit Zandvoort, Netherlands – GT3
17-18 – International GT Open, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium – GT3
17-18 – TCR UK, Silvertone National, Towcester, UK – TCR
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