Seven weeks before the Audi Sport TT Cup season opens at Hockenheim from May 5 to 7, the current driver field for the 2017 season began its training program. In the areas of fitness and teambuilding, the young talents completed a schedule of activities consisting of professional performance diagnostics, training recommendations and fitness units, and were provided with insight into the basics of sports medicine. Besides the three Britons Jack Manchester, Finlay Hutchison and Philip Ellis, the Spaniard Mikel Azcona, the German Simon Wirth, the Dutchman Milan Dontje, the Italian Tommaso Mosca and the Swiss Yannik Brandt took part in the camp. Also on this year’s grid are two women, the Hungarian Vivien Keszthelyi and Fabienne Wohlwend from Liechtenstein. Keagan Masters from South Africa and Drew Ridge from Australia had traveled the longest distance to take part in the camp.
The nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen visited the training camp in the Allgäu as well. The Dane welcomed the juniors, provided input to their fitness training and talked about his own career during a presentation. Following the camp, the young drivers from ten countries are traveling directly on to Audi Neuburg where experts in the field of race preparation are going to explain the utilization of data, the technical background and the handling of the race car in theory and practice. Subsequently, the juniors will have the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned in the cockpit of the near-340-HP Audi TT cup car. At that time, two more Cup participants, Kevin Arnold and Mike Beckhusen, will be joining them in Neuburg.
“We look forward to the 2017 year group – with many international talents on the grid once again,” says Chris Reinke, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. “By the time of our season preparation course at Hockenheim on April 11 and 12 we will have signed the last agreements and are then going to announce a complete entry list. We’re expecting an exciting season with plenty of variety on the podium.”