Felix Baumgartner - daredevil, the man who fell to earth - has found his next big challenge: the 24-hour face at the Nürburgring at the wheel of an Audi R8 racer with the factory team. The German company has confirmed Baumgartner's participation in the fearsome Nürburgring event on 21st/22nd June this year. The Austrian gained worldwide fame for skydiving from 39 kilometres and reached supersonic speeds of Mach 1.25 (1,357.64 km/h) in October, 2012. He became the first person to ever break the sound barrier without motorised power.
By training with the Audi Race Experience and obtaining a racing licence, Baumgartner is set to pilot the Audi R8 LMS ultra as a guest entrant alongside teammates Frank Biela (already a five-time Le Mans winner), Marco Werner and Pierre Kaffer. The race-ready Audi R8 sports car pushes out 570hp and is what the German manufacturer describes as a 'pure bred' GT3 race car.
An ever-ebullient Baumgartner spoke this week: "This task is totally exciting and I'm looking forward to driving an Audi. During initial tests in the road-going Audi R8 I got to know the Nürburgring, and in the Audi R8 LMS ultra I've clocked a few kilometres on various tracks as well. But it's also clear that I'm basically starting from scratch because this sport is new for me."
Team Audi has been keeping a watchful eye on the Austrian. "Felix is approaching his new task in the manner that is the hallmark of a pro," said former professional rally driver, Josef 'Sepp' Haider. "He's eager to learn, has good judgement of the physical conditions, and is totally motivated. All team members have come to respect him in the initial tests."
Anything else?
Getting Baumgartner into the Audi Race Series as a guest driver was made possible by the Audi driving experience. Essentially, this allows budding Audi owners entry into the world of racing. Baumgartner's race career starts on 21st March with tests and shakedowns. The big race itself is on the third weekend of June.