Audi Sport in the shape of Phoenix Racing won the opening round of VLN at the Nürburgring.
Dane Anders Fjordbach and German Frank Stippler was the 2 drivers behind the wheel of the white and blue Audi R8 LMS GT3.
This was the first general victory for Fjordbach while Stippler took his 12th.
They won the race ahead of teammates Laurens Vanthoor and Christopher Haase while Black Falcon Mercedes AMG GT3 with Bernd Schneider, Adam Christodoulou, Maro Engel and Manuel Metzger finished 3rd.
It was another Audi who started in Pole Position. Land Motorsport with Timo Scheider, Mike Rockenfeller, Connor De Phillippi and Marc Basseng was the fastest car in the 173 car big field.
Even though the race only lasted 4 hours, several of the teams decided to run their complete line up ahead of the big highlight of the year – Nürburgring 24 hours. A race that is held at the final weekend of May. The race itself is not part of the VLN championship, but the rules are that you must compete in at least 2 rounds of the VLN before you can participate in N24. Also if you have won other major races or championships.
The likes of Marco Sørensen, Fernando Rees and Nicolaj Møller Madsen are among those.
Sørensen and Rees shared an Aston Martin in the SP8 class and claimed 3rd position in class, while Møller Madsen drove a Porsche Cayman in the V5 class and finished 3rd as well.
For N24 Aston Martin Racing will field 2 SP9 cars with Richie Stanaway, Jonny Adam, Fernando Rees and Mathias Lauda in the 006 car and Nicki Thiim, Marco Sørensen, Darren Turner and Pedro Lamy in 007. Thiim and Lamy are already overall winners of the big race, while their teammates hope to be added to that list this year.
The next round of the VLN will be held on April 30th.