Winning Aim for Magnus Racing at 12 Hours of Sebring Return

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (March 13, 2018) – Returning to the site of their 2014 triumph, Magnus Racing will arrive for this Saturday’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in search of repeat victory in the GT Daytona (GTD) class. Returning after a year in another series, the combination of John Potter, Andy Lally, and Andrew Davis in the No. 44 Audi Tire Center Audi R8 LMS should prove formidable.

“It’s always exciting to return to Sebring,” stated team owner and co-driver John Potter. “This year’s Daytona 24 was one of the most unique races we’ve ever been a part of, and returning to Sebring should hopefully return to a more normal flow for everyone. The GTD class is as competitive as ever, and after our most recent test we’re all confident that the program is as good as ever. The guys have been putting in a lot of time to get us prepared, and we’re coming in with a lot of confidence to return to form. 

After a competitive Rolex 24 at Daytona in January, a race that ran for an unprecedented amount of green flag laps, the team would demonstrate speed, but never quite challenged for victory. Heading in to the tricky and notoriously bumpy confines of Sebring, the Audi should be well suited to the former airfield, and with all three drivers having a strong history at the venue.

In 2014, the first year of the re-organized IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar championship, Magnus took their first-ever win at the circuit, using a combination of speed and strategy to best the competition in a close fought finish. At their most recent visit in 2016, a strong run would be highlighted by an incredible push at the end by Andy Lally, taking a podium position in the closing laps.

“After our most recent test we know we’re in a strong spot,” stated Lally. “It’s so tough to really know where you stand in testing, and with the field as close as it is you can’t afford to miss anything in the setup, but the guys have really put in the work to get everything dialed in, and we’ll arrive as prepared as anyone.”

For Andrew Davis, who will be with the team for the entirety of the North American Endurance Championship, a strong opportunity to win is one he relishes.

“Sebring is a race that every driver wants to win,” stated Davis. “This is as unforgiving as any event we go to, and a race that I’ve come close to in the past. Magnus Racing’s history here is really strong, and there’s no doubt I’m hoping this could finally be the year.”

Practice for the 12 Hours of Sebring will begin this Thursday, March 14, with the race on Saturday, March 17. Coverage in the U.S. will begin on FOX Sports 1 at 10:30AM ET, followed by FOX Sports 2 at 12:30PM, and the closing five hours at 6PM on FOX Sports 2. Continuous radio and international coverage will be available via imsa.com, or via the FOX Sports Go mobile app for US viewers. 

John Potter, Magnus Racing, Disappointed in IMSA Decision

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (February 12, 2018) – Following the recent announcement by the World Endurance Championship (WEC) to move their October race in Fuji to honor one driver’s schedule, Magnus Racing and owner/co-driver John Potter would like to express their strong displeasure in IMSA’s unwillingness to do the same for his wife’s delivery schedule.

With wife Emily Potter due to give birth to their second child in May, Potter is beyond upset that the series schedule, which has been set for six months now, won’t arbitrarily be changed just because he threw a fit.

“This is beyond acceptable,” stated Potter. “We’ve been asking IMSA to change their schedule for four days now, and they won’t budge. There’s clearly a precedent, and I asked for it, so that should be all there is to it. I don’t understand what other considerations IMSA needs to look at, I asked for it… so it should happen!”

Voted IMSA’s most popular team in 2014, the draw of Magnus Racing is without question. Boasting nearly 150,000 viewers in their most recent Daytona webcast, the group is notoriously highly engaging with fans, with up to as many as 12 more fans attending each race due to the team’s participation.

Unofficially ranked as Audi’s second-favorite GT3 team in the USA, and sixth among all U.S. customers, the team plays a large role in Audi’s 2018 plans, and in such, the team expects the series and manufacturer to do everything they ask for, regardless of how reasonable it is. 

“If the series doesn’t do what we ask for, we may leave,” stated Potter. “Some may say ‘well we might leave anyway,’ but that’s irrelevant. It’s far easier to get what you want when your threats have nothing to do with your plan of action already in place. I want what I want, and the series needs to give it to me. I’m one of a few dozen paying customers, and what I say should matter more than those other pleebs.” 

Expecting their second child at the beginning of May, Magnus Racing’s attendance at the heralded return to action at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is likely not in doubt. Somehow the cars will still race, the fans will still come, and whether John Potter is personally there or not, the team is still confirmed to participate and entertain the crowd.

While no official response has been given from IMSA, one off-the-record series official cited the fact the schedule came out before the couple became pregnant, and the fact it may conflict with plans from every other team, manufacturer, driver, and fan.

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FULL REPORT: Audi Sport Magnus Racing Takes Victory in Intercontinental GT Challenge Debu

SALINAS, Calif. (October 16, 2017) – Continuing their heritage as one of the best teams in endurance racing, Magnus Racing, operating as Audi Sport Team Magnus as a result of a factory-partnered program for the race, would take a daring late victory in their Intercontinental GT Challenge debut during Sunday’s California 8 Hour. Running as a fully supported effort with Audi Sport, the No. 44 Audi R8 LMS and drivers Pierre Kaffer, Markus Winkelhock, and Kelvin van der Linde would run as a continued threat throughout the first seven hours, with van der Linde making a bold pass in the final 20 minutes to take the win at the historic Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

“This was an incredible day for our team,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “It was an honor to be named as an Audi factory program to begin with, and to walk away with a victory shows our ability to fight with some of the best teams in the world. I couldn't be happier with everyone on this team, who in an entirely new series were prepared for this with very little lead-time. Our drivers fought all race long and never gave up, and it's great momentum to head in to the off-season. Of course none of this would have been possible had it not been for the tremendous partnership of Audi Sport, and we appreciate the opportunity."

The Intercontinental GT Challenge is an international series spotlighting GT3 and GT4 specification cars, with four races occurring on four continents. With Sunday’s eight-hour race serving as the first-ever visit to the United States, Audi Sport and Magnus Racing would team up as a factory-run program for one of three Audi R8 LMS entries. Working in partnership, the foundations that began in 2015 would be played to their maximum during the weekend, with the “Audi Sport Team Magnus” crew and engineers operating the entry but strongly supported by Audi Sport personnel.
 
With Markus Winkelhock qualifying on the front row, the immediate pace of the car was obvious, with the team comfortably holding on to second throughout the opening of the race.
 

Once settled in to a pace, the race would actually prove fairly uneventful. Following a strong opening stint by team veteran Perre Kaffer, duties were then handed to Winkelhock, who would continue the team’s hold on second, maintaining his gap to the leader and building over second.

With Kelvin van der Linde proving much of the same, a series of yellow flags would occasionally bunch the field back up, but the No. 44 seemed fairly solid with second, giving major consideration to strategy as time went on to see how they might be able to jump ahead of their competitors.
 
Critical to the event, despite being a brand-new series and set of rules for the team, zero mistakes were made in the pits, over a total of seven pit stops, which would ultimately prove invaluable for the end as the team served zero penalties.

 
 
Following final pit stops, Kelvin van der Linde would be tasked with the job of finishing the race, and ultimately earning his place as one of the most promising young talents on the scene. Giving chase to the leading pair of Audis, the South African would close the gap lap-after-lap, and when contact between the leading pair of Audis, the race would change things entirely. With the leading No. 29 and No. 11 Audis getting caught up in a fight through traffic, resulting contact would lead to a timely yellow, and position van der Linde perfectly for a late-race charge.
 
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Kelvin and the No. 44 would chase down the leading No. 29 throughout the final 30 minutes, glued to the back of the leader and doing everything he could to pass safely. Finally, with 18 minutes remaining, a run between Turns Four and Five would position him to make a bold move around the outside of Turn Five, which he’d pull off with perfection, never looking back on his way to the checkered flag.
 

It would prove a popular victory for the American team, as well as the second victory in three races for Audi Sport.
 
“I’m super-happy. We fought hard because the (No. 29) Audi was incredibly strong,” said van der Linde who at the age 21 is the youngest of the nine Audi drivers. “A sincere thank you to Audi Sport and the Magnus Racing squad that gave us a tremendous car. This was my first race in the United States. After my brother, Sheldon, won with Audi in the Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta last weekend, the pressure on me was particularly high.”
 
While the specifics are still to be announced, Magnus Racing is already hard at work in preparation for their 2018 plans, which will be announced in the coming weeks.

Magnus Racing, Audi Ready for California 8 Hours

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (October 11, 2017) – As previously announced, Magnus Racing’s ventures with a factory supported Audi Sport program will officially kick off tomorrow, with practice and testing for “Audi Sport Team Magnus” beginning for this Sunday’s California 8 Hours at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, the first-ever United States round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge.

“We’re all really looking forward to kicking off the weekend,” stated Magnus Racing team owner John Potter. “We’ve of course enjoyed a great relationship with everyone at Audi over the years, and to take part in a factory-supported effort during this weekend’s eight hour race is just a further testament to the collaboration. It will be a very different look and feel for the team this weekend, but we have a great lineup and everyone is ready.” 

As part of a four-race endurance series that takes part on four different continents, the 2017 Intercontinental GT Challenge will enjoy its third round on Sunday, featuring an eight hour race that will campaign similar GT3 and GT4 specification cars seen in this season’s Pirelli World Challenge.

Bearing a different look from the traditional Magnus Racing livery and driver lineup, the team will fly the factory colors of Audi Sport for the No. 44 Audi Sport Team Magnus Audi R8 LMS, with drivers Pierre Kaffer, Markus Winkelhock, and Kelvin van der Linde. Pierre Kaffer is of course a Magnus alumni from this season as well as a winner of endurance races including Le Mans, Sebring, and beyond, Markus Winkelhock is a winner of multiple 24 hour races including Nurburgring and Spa, and Kelvin van der Linde is coming off an incredible race at Petit Le Mans just five days ago, where his team took a commanding win.

Official practice begins this Friday, October 13, with race action taking place on Sunday, October 15. CBS Sports Network will cover the first two hours of the race at 12:20PM ET, followed by the last hour at 7:20PM ET, with all eight hours streamed live via MotorTrend on Demand.