Having registered its new Audi RS 3 LMS for the Hankook 24H PORTIMAO, reigning Overall TCE Teams’ champion Wolf-Power Racing confirms driver seats are still available for the event.
Words – James Gent
Images – Petr Frýba
Three-time Overall TCE Teams’ champion Wolf-Power Racing has at least one seat available in its Audi RS 3 LMS for the upcoming Hankook 24H PORTIMAO.
Wolf-Power Racing has confirmed that its maiden season with the second generation TCR Audi will continue at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve on 8-9-10 July, the Swiss team having already confirmed that reigning TCE Ladies Cup winner Jasmin Preisig and Ivars Vallers will once again be on driver detail.
Notably, and in collaboration with Autorama Motorsport, Wolf-Power Racing has taken overall TCE victory at the two most recent editions of the Hankook 24H PORTIMAO in 2019 and 2020. Jasmin Preisig was also part of the winning line-up in 2020.
Interested parties can continue the team directly via [email protected] and/or +41 (0)55 450 20 05, and on the 24H SERIES ‘Marketplace.’
Heading into the penultimate European round of the 2022 season, Wolf-Power Racing will be keen to secure a strong result at the Hankook 24H PORTIMAO, both to boost its championship chances and to put a luckless showing at the recent Hankook 12H HOCKENHEIMRING to bed: despite qualifying a strong 3rd in-class, the #116 Audi suffered significant suspension and gearbox damage after just eight laps after contact with the MANIACK-Racing Mercedes-AMG GT4 at turn three. Ironically, the Mercedes was being run at the event by Autorama Motorsport, with whom Wolf-Power Racing secured its hattrick of TCE titles in the 24H SERIES between 2019 and 2021.
“We made an effort and tried everything to get our Audi back on the track [in Hockenheim], but the damage was too great,” the team explained post-event. “It's unfortunate, but we lose together and we win together, as a team! Nevertheless, during the course of the weekend, we were able to collect a lot of important data that will be useful to us during the next races. We remain optimistic!”
Having finished a bittersweet 6th at the season-opening Hankook 24H DUBAI – the Audi had been on-course for a podium finish after starting from pole position only for a gearbox issue to lose the team several hours in the garage – Wolf-Power Racing went on to take a strong 3rd in Mugello back in March. Poor fortune would strike the team at round three at Spa-Francorchamps: having gone into the event’s overnight intervention in 3rd, the Audi was pitched into the gravel trap just moments after the event’s restart the following morning, and would end up losing three laps during its recovery.
The team’s hard-earned 4th at Spa-Francorchamps and podium in Mugello means Wolf-Power Racing currently lies 4th in the TCR European standings, albeit just two points adrift of Lithuania’s GSR Motorsport. Concurrently, Wolf-Power is 3rd in the TCR Championship of the Continents standings, four points shy of 2nd-placed Holmgaard Motorsport.
