Audi starts into 2013 DTM season with strong global partners

Ingolstadt, 11-4-2013 — /europawire.eu/ — In the 2013 DTM season, Audi Sport can rely on strong partners. Numerous renowned companies with worldwide operations have commitments alongside the brand with the four rings, including global players such as Red Bull, Schaeffler or Audi Financial Services. At the Hockenheim tests starting on April 9, four other RS 5 DTM cars will be sporting their final graphics on the race track for the first time.

In 2013, the fans of the most popular international touring car series will again be seeing two cars of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline in the colors of Red Bull. Alongside Mattias Ekström, new signing Jamie Green now belongs to the energy drink producer’s driver family. Clearly visible red (Ekström) and yellow (Green) markings make it possible for fans to quickly tell the two drivers apart who will be sharing a garage in the pit lane.

Audi Financial Services has extended its commitment. The financial services provider will be featured on Filipe Albuquerque’s Audi RS 5 DTM. “We’re supporting Audi in the DTM because we’re firmly convinced of this strong squad’s success,” says Managing Director Anthony Bandmann. “For us, a commitment in this multi-faceted sport together with this superb Audi team is a natural choice.” Albuquerque’s team-mate in Audi Sport Team Rosberg, Edoardo Mortara, will be on the grid sporting the colors of quattro GmbH and Playboy magazine like last year.

Audi Sport Team Phoenix is adding even more color to the DTM in 2013. While Mike Rockenfeller again drives the race car featuring the yellow-green graphics of the Schaeffler Group with its INA, FAG and LUK brands, Miguel Molina in a fiery-red car advertises the production counterpart of his race car: the Audi RS 5. “I find my Audi RS 5 DTM in this color simply great,” says the pleased Spaniard. “This way, I’ll always be easy to spot in the DTM field.”

Timo Scheider’s large fan community will also have to get used to a change. Although the special-interest magazine AUTO TEST continues to partner with the two-time DTM Champion the basic color of his RS 5 DTM now is black. The color change was a personal wish expressed by Scheider: “I clinched both of my titles in a black car – maybe that’s a good omen for the new season.” Together with Scheider, Adrien Tambay competes for Audi Sport Team Abt. Like last year, his RS 5 DTM displays the Audi ultra logo as a reference to AUDI AG’s lightweight design technology.

Akrapovič as a long-standing partner of Audi Sport has further extended its commitment this year. Since 2009, the company has been supplying the exhaust systems for Audi’s sports prototypes. Six of the RS 5 DTM cars will be competing with the Akrapovič logo. “After our successful cooperation in the sports car area, it was actually just a question of time when we’d be working together in the DTM as well,” says Managing Director Uroš Rosa.

Alpinestars, the leading company for high-performance motorsport wear, Audi Top Service, watch manufacturer TAG Heuer, the sports magazine Kicker, the Würth Group plus spring manufacturer Eibach and wheel expert O.Z. together with the Gerolsteiner and Hofmühl beverage brands as co-sponsors complete the list of partners.

“I’m proud of the diversity of our sponsors and would like to thank all our partners for supporting our DTM commitment,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “Without the backing of these strong partners we wouldn’t be able to be active in motorsport on this level. I’m particularly pleased to see that the companies truly ‘live’ the DTM topic and are involved with passion – this provides our teams and drivers with a big dose of additional motivation to reciprocate this enormous trust by delivering good results.”

The Audi teams in the 2013 DTM

Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline
Mattias Ekström (Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM)
Jamie Green (Red Bull Audi RS 5 DTM)

Audi Sport Team Abt
Timo Scheider (AUTO TEST Audi RS 5 DTM)
Adrien Tambay (Audi ultra RS 5 DTM)

Audi Sport Team Phoenix
Mike Rockenfeller (Schaeffler Audi RS 5 DTM)
Miguel Molina (Audi RS 5 DTM)

Audi Sport Team Rosberg
Edoardo Mortara (Playboy Audi RS 5 DTM)
Filipe Albuquerque (Audi Financial Services RS 5 DTM)