Belgian Audi Club Team WRT out in force in Blancpain GT Series

Belgian Audi Club Team WRT out in force in Blancpain GT Series

Reigning Blancpain GT Series team champion Belgian Audi Club Team WRT will again be out in force this season. The Belgian squad will enter five cars in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup and four in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup. For the Total 24 Hours of Spa a fifth car will be present. No less than six different nationalities are represented in the driver line-up.

At a press conference at its headquarters in Baudour, Belgium the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT unveiled its plans for 2016. To defend the four titles conquered in 2015 (Teams' and Drivers' crown in the Blancpain GT Series and the Teams' titles in both Endurance and Sprint Cups) the squad has gathered an impressive line-up.

Defending Blancpain GT Series champion Robin Frijns will again race in both endurance and sprint races, but with a different team-mate. Frijns will now share the car with Dries Vanthoor, Laurens' younger brother, in the Sprint Cup and join Michael Meadows and Stuart Leonard in the Endurance Cup. The two Brits are new in the team and will compete together in the Sprint Cup as well.

The same goes for Brazilian duo Sérgio Jimenez and Rodrigo Baptista. The experienced GT driver and the single-seater talent will get the company of Felipe Albuquerque for the long-haul races. The Portuguese driver has some Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup experience, having competed in the opening two seasons of the series.

Having missed the opportunity to fully defend his 2014 title last year, Laurens Vanthoor is more motivated than ever to shine in the Blancpain GT Series. In the Sprint Cup he will get the company of Belgian countryman Frédéric Vervisch. Vervisch made his WRT debut in Zandvoort last year, claiming two podium finishes. In the endurance races the quick pairing will get the company of Dries Vanthoor. The younger of the two racing brothers, who will be 18 in April, makes his GT debut this year. Another Belgian driver, Enzo Ide, continues his partnership with Christopher Mies in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup.

In the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup the Belgian squad has succeeded in getting the services of two very experienced GT drivers: Peter Kox and Pierre Kaffer will share the fourth Audi R8 LMS of the team with Belgian Adrien de Leener, who made his Blancpain GT Series debut last year.

As is custom with the Belgian squad, the line-up for the Total 24 Hours of Spa is a bit different than for the other races, with a fifth car joining the line-up. That machine, entered under the Audi Sport Team WRT-banner, will be driven by René Rast and Nico Müller, who will share the R8 LMS with Laurens Vanthoor.

And Team WRT is also active in the Blancpain GT Sports Club. In the second year of the SRO-promoted GT championship for gentlemen drivers, Team WRT will be participate with two Audi R8 LMS ultra. Jean-Michel Baert and Louis-Philippe Soenen will be the drivers of these two cars.

 
Line-up summary : 

In the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, five Audi R8 LMS will be entered with the following line-ups:

Laurens Vanthoor (B) – Frédéric Vervisch (B)
Michael Meadows  (GB) – Stuart Leonard (GB)
Sérgio Jimenez (BR) – Rodrigo Baptista (BR)
Dries Vanthoor (B) – Robin Frijns (NL)
Enzo Ide (B) – Christopher Mies (D)

In the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, there will be four cars entered, with the following line-ups: 

Laurens Vanthoor (B) – Dries Vanthoor (B) – Frédéric Vervisch (B)
Michael Meadows (GB) – Stuart Leonard (GB) – Robin Frijns (NL)
Rodrigo Baptista (BR) – Sérgio Jimenez (BR) - Filipe Albuquerque (P)
Adrien de Leener (B) – Peter Kox (NL) – Pierre Kaffer (D)