When racing legends like Stuck or Pirro race against each other in young cars
10/17/2017
Take 16 cars, 16 racing legends and a racetrack and let them drive for 25 minutes regardless of loss. The result is motorsport of the highest order. To mark the end of the one-make cup after three years, Audi invited some of its most famous drivers from decades past to a guest race. A total of 25,000 euros was raised for the "Big help for little heroes" foundation. This foundation now finances 19 projects and therapy services at the SLK Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine in Heilbronn.
Christian Abt, Filipe Albuquerque, Frank Biela, Dindo Capello, Rahel Frey, Marcel Fässler, Jean-Marc Gounon, Lucas di Grassi, Vanina Ickx, Tom Kristensen, Lucas Luhr, Stephane Ortelli, Emanuele Pirro, Frank Stippler, Hans-Joachim Stuck and Marco Werner enjoyed competing against each other in the modern Audi TT Cup racing cars and personally contributing to the donation.
In preparation for qualifying and the race, the 16 legends received support from the regular participants from the Audi Sport TT Cup, which Philip Ellis had won the day before. One junior accompanied each legend and gave practical tips on handling the 340 hp racing car.
In qualifying, Frank Stippler put his TT on pole position ahead of Frank Biela with the fastest lap time. Stippler pulled away right after the start, while Filipe Albuquerque and Frank Biela dropped out directly behind him due to an accident in the first corner, which also sent Tom Kristensen spinning. The Le Mans series winner finished the corner backwards in the field before he had to leave his car in the tire pile with a slight puncture.
Lucas di Grassi, tenth on the grid, fought his way forward in a spectacular race as the best pursuer. The current Formula E champion kept his chance of victory alive until the final lap, even briefly getting alongside Stippler, but was ultimately beaten by 0.8 seconds.
Marcel Fässler, who had been battling with the Brazilian for several laps, completed the podium in third place.
As the fastest woman in the field after Rahel Frey's retirement, Vanina Ickx moved up from 16th on the grid to seventh place, overtaking former DTM champion Hans-Joachim Stuck in the process.
Until her own retirement, Swiss driver Rahel Frey kept men like Jean-Marc Gounon, Emanuele Pirro and Christian Abt safely at bay.
The participants were unanimous: "It was simply great fun."
Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing, said: "That was a worthy conclusion to our one-make cup."
