Filipe Albuquerque will join Audi’s LMP race program for June’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, moving to the manufacturer’s endurance squad after three years in DTM with the brand.
The Portuguese, a former winner of the Race of Champions event, will join Audi’s FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) for the Six Hours of Spa Francorchamps (May 3) as well as the official test day for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the race itself.
“I can hardly wait,” he said. “I’m going to compete at Le Mans in the Audi R18 e-tron quattro, in other words in the best car in the biggest race of the world. Hybrid, quattro, traction control – I’m getting to know many exciting technologies that are new to me. It’s good that I’ll be able to draw on the know-how of experienced team-mates. That’ll accelerate my familiarization.”
The precise driver line-ups for the races are yet to be confirmed.
As well as the WEC outings Albuquerque will join Audi’s stable of factory GT drivers, racing in the R8 LMS in major series around the world, such as the Total 24 Hours of Spa and the Nurburgring 24 Hours.
However, his season will start at the Rolex 24 at Daytona where he is set to join Flying Lizard Motorsport, one of several teams to bring the R8 LMS to the GT Daytona class of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Albuquerque was part of the Alex Job Racing team that gave Audi their first Rolex 24 class victory last year alongside fellow Audi GT drivers Oliver Jarvis and Edoardo Mortara, as well as US sportscar regular Dion von Moltke.
Albuquerque’s place in Audi’s DTM squad will be taken by Nico Muller, who moves into the series after finishing fifth in the Formula Renault 3.5 points standings in 2013.
