EFP Car Collection by TECE will field two Audi R8 LMS again

• Sachsenring winners Elia Erhart and Pierre Kaffer will remain partners
• Florian Spengler gets new team-mate, Audi Sport driver, Mattia Drudi
• Car Collection Motorsport will provide technical back-up

Munich: Following last year’s sensational victory at the Sachsenring, EFP Car Collection by TECE aim to stir things up once more in the 2019 ADAC GT Masters. The team will continue to field two Audi R8 LMSs, driven by Elia Erhart (30, DEU) and Pierre Kaffer (42, DEU) plus Florian Spengler (31, DEU) and newcomer Mattia Drudi (20, ITA). The Super Sports Car League will start its new season on the weekend of 26th to 28th April in the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. SPORT1 will broadcast all races live and in full.

After a successful first season, the outfit set up by Elia Erhart and Florian Spengler will go on competing in the ADAC GT Masters, fielding two Audi R8 LMS of the latest generation. Erhart and Pierre Kaffer will drive the first GT3 sports car as they did last year. They caused a sensation in 2018 by winning Sunday’s race at the Sachsenring. “I’m really looking forward to the new season,” said Erhart. “After learning so much in our first year and making steady progress, I believe that we now have an exceptionally good framework that we can use in future. What’s more, I’m pretty certain that the new Audi R8 LMS will again have bags of potential. I think that we’re definitely good for one or two surprises this year.”

German driver Florian Spengler will continue to drive the second R8 LMS but with new partner, Mattia Drudi. The 20-year-old Italian won a race in the Italian GT championship in 2018 and was rewarded for his fine performance with a DTM test and promotion to the Audi Sport Customer Racing Team. “We achieved good results in 2018, our debut season,” said Spengler. “So it was a logical step for us to continue with our project, albeit with a few changes. What’s new, though, is that I will be sharing the car this season with Mattia Drudi, a young, talented driver with plenty of experience. But the main thing about him is that he’s very fast. I’m really looking forward to finally getting back into the car after the long winter break. I can’t wait to see how Audi’s upgrade kit performs but at the same time, know for sure that the car will have taken a step in the right direction again. We are well prepared and ready to achieve good results.”

Car Collection Motorsport will provide technical support and associated services for the two Audi R8 LMS. “The team managed by Peter Schmidt and Denis Ferlemann have made excellent progress during the last few years,” said Erhart. “I’m really looking forward to working with them this season and believe that we can achieve a great deal despite the tough competition. I would like to conclude by thanking Holzer Performance once again for all their hard work and successful input last year.”