Audi Sport GT recruit Bortolotti and Niederhauser for 2020

The big news comes in the shape of Mirko Bortolotti who will join the Audi ranks following six years as a factory Lamborghini driver. The 29-year-old Italian comes with tremendous pedigree which includes titles in the Blancpain GT Series and Endurance Cup during 2017.

His fellow new arrival is 28-year-old Swiss driver Patric Niederhauser who steps up to a full-time role with Audi following a title-winning assault on this year’s GT Masters series. Niederhauser comes with a diverse career history and experience that also includes significant Blancpain GT Series experience having competed in the championship during 2016 and 2018.

The two newcomers will form part of a 12-strong line-up of Audi GT racers, with all 10 of the brand’s 2019 representatives retained for another year. They include several Blancpain GT Series regulars, such as Dries Vanthoor, Christopher Haase, Kelvin van der Linde, Chris Mies and Markus Winkelhock. The line-up is completed by Mattia Drudi, Rahel Frey, Frank Stippler, Pierre Kaffer and Frédéric Vervisch.

“A warm welcome to both drivers. They’re a perfect complement to our team,” said Audi Sport customer racing boss Chris Reinke.

“Mirko has been a professional race driver for many years and for Patric this promotion is a nice reward for the title success in Germany. There’s no doubt in our minds that Mirko and Patric are a great fit for us in terms of personality and racing.”

Audi is expected to confirm the teams with which its drivers will race in the early part of 2020, with several set to compete in the newly-named GT World Challenge Europe.

In other news, Bentley has revealed an exciting new driver development initiative that will place three talented hopefuls in the GT World Challenge Europe during the 2020 season.

The Bentley Motorsport Academy will run in partnership with customer outfit Team Parker Racing, with the aim of nurturing new talent and providing a pathway to professional GT competition with the brand. The selected trio will receive a race programme in the British squad’s Continental GT3, including all five races in next season’s GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup.

The selection will take place following final test runs at Portimao this week from 11 to 13 December. The chosen trio will train alongside Bentley’s existing factory line-up and receive a tailored racing educational programme. In addition to the five-round Endurance Cup – which includes the marquee Total 24 Hours of Spa – Academy members will also be active participants in the Continental GT3’s testing programme.

Team Parker Racing has fielded Bentley machinery since 2016 and won the 2017 British GT Championship with the brand. They have since run the Continental GT3 for two seasons of Endurance Cup competition, scoring a brace of Pro-Am class runner-up finishes in 2018.

Paul Williams, Bentley’s Director of Motorsport, commented: “The programme will focus on driver progression, with a clear link where they can race with Bentley. The Bentley Motorsport Academy will be a training ground for developing new and exciting GT racing talent as the next generation of Bentley Boys.”

The three inaugural members will be revealed at the Autosport International Show in January 2020.