Four skiing aces and four other professional athletes accepted the challenge of the two-time DTM Champion Mattias Ekström to test his near-580-hp Audi S1 EKS RX quattro from the FIA World Rallycross Championship before the Hahnenkamm ski races. Two 367-hp Audi RS 3 Sportback* cars were available as well for fast laps on a course of snow and ice specifically prepared by Audi for this purpose. Two athletes each formed a team.
Instructed by the two Swedish racing pros Mattias Ekström and Edward Sandström the sports stars battled each other and impressed initiator Ekström as well: “I was surprised to see how quickly these guys learned and the high level they drove on. However, sitting next to them in the passenger’s seat accelerated my heart rate pretty much.”
In the finale of the Audi quattro #SuperQ, Henrik Kristoffersen and Andrea Dovizioso won by a narrow margin against slalom star Felix Neureuther (Germany) and Enduro rider Tadeusz Błażusiak (Poland). In the duel of the ski stars, Neureuther, following a mistake by Kristoffersen, was in front at the last gate, as was Dovizisoso among the motor racers. In the crucial shoot-out, the skiers were in the passenger seats of the race drivers. “That was scary,” said Kristoffersen. “Andrea accelerated when I’d have long started braking. All in all, it was a tremendous day that was huge fun. Driving such a car was an impressive experience. And it’s my first victory in Kitzbühel – maybe I’ll be able to repeat it in the slalom on Sunday.”