The ABT Sportsline squad is embarking on its title defence project: The Kempten-based team around last year’s champion Christian Abt will contest the popular German sportscar series with two Audi R8 LMS cars and is banking on an equally prominent and strong driver line-up.
Luca Ludwig and Christopher Mies will share a 500-hp R8. Jens Klingmann along with another new driver to be signed soon, will pilot the second car. For the first time in his career Christian Abt will switch from the cockpit to the pit wall on the ADAC Masters weekends to support the four drivers as team boss.
‘I’m looking forward to this new challenge and my responsibility as team boss,’ says Christian Abt. The 42-year-old racer from Bavaria’s ‘Allgäu’ region not only clinched the ADAC GT Masters title and class victory in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring last year but was previously involved in the entire development of the new sportscar as well. ‘Now I’d like to pass on as much of my experience to our drivers as possible. There’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll become a strong team.’ Still, 2010 will not be a year completely without racing for Christian Abt either: ‘I’m already looking forward to personal highlights like the 24-hour race on the Nordschleife.’
Luca Ludwig, who finished last year’s GT Masters as the runner-up behind Christian Abt, is the most prominent new team member. ‘He’s a great and fast guy,’ says the new team boss. And adds with a smile on his face: ‘The DTM still saw me fighting fierce duels with Klaus Ludwig – now his son is competing for ABT Sportsline. Somehow the wheel is turning full circle here.’ This is true for the 21-year-old native of Bonn (Germany) as well: ‘The guys have received me with open arms. ABT Sportsline is a big name in motorsport. For a young racer like me it’s a great honour to drive for this team. Ludwig has already clearly defined his goals: ‘Of course it’s difficult to make predictions at this stage of the game. But I definitely want to compete for the championship title and feel that we’ve put together a good package both in terms of the team and the drivers.’
Luca Ludwig will partner with Christopher Mies. Despite his young age the 20-year-old has suddenly become the squad’s seasoned campaigner: he is the only driver to have run in races at the wheel of the Audi R8 LMS by ABT Sportsline. ‘Alright, so now I’m the one they’re going to ask. But I don’t mind that because as a team you’re always faster than as a single fighter.’ In 2009 Mies contested four races alongside Christian Abt and thus had a major part in Abt’s title win. ‘Driving with Luca is a great chance because his basic speed is enormous. It’s too bad that Christian will no longer be with us as a driver – a guy like him is great for any racing series.’
The cockpit of the second sportscar will be filled by Jens Klingmann. The 19-year-old from Leimen (Germany) can hardly wait for the season to start. ‘The GT Masters is a series with absolute dream cars any auto fan would give their left eye tooth for,’ raves Klingmann who like his three team colleagues gathered initial experiences with the vehicle and the squad while testing in Spain. ‘What I really like about ABT is the relaxed yet extremely professional way they deal with each other.’
Klingmann’s partner is to be signed soon. ‘We’ve set our sights on a couple of quick guys. Our aim is to put the strongest and most harmonious team together,’ says Christian Abt.
The new ADAC GT Masters season will start on 10 and 11 April at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben.
- ABT Sportsline Motorsport
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