Phoenix Racing

24-hour races – a Phoenix domain

They’re like an addiction, a deep passion – particularly for Phoenix Racing. 24-hour races pose a tremendous challenge, for “man and material”. Ernst Moser and his squad succumb to this attraction, again and again. And 24-hour races have long become the chapter of success in the history of Phoenix Racing that dates back to 1999.

Three times Phoenix Racing has been able to triumph at a 24-hour race:

• The 2000 victory right on the debut at the Nürburgring 24 Hours with the Porsche 996 GT3, driven by Uwe Alzen, Michael Bartels, Altfrid Heger and Bernd Maylände
• The 2003 victory as Opel Team Phoenix with the Opel Astra V8 Coupé from the DTM, driven by Manuel Reuter, Timo Scheider, Marcel Tiemann and Volker Strycek
• The 2007 victory at the Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours in Belgium with a Chevrolet Corvette C6R and drivers Jean-Denis Deletraz, Mike Hezemans, Marcel Fässler and Fabrizio Gollin

The tally of three overall victories is complemented by five further top-five finishes.

Since 2009 Phoenix Racing has continued its success story at 24-hour races with the Audi R8 LMS. Two years ago, Marc Basseng, Marcel Fässler, Mike Rockenfeller and Frank achieved a strong but unfortunate fifth place at the Nürburgring, about two months later the Phoenix-Audi and the driver quartet of Marc Basseng, Marcel Fässler, Henri Moser and Alex Margaritis shone with a much-noted third place overall in the a field of more powerful Gt1 and GT2 vehicles.

In 2010, Phoenix Racing was able to celebrate another podium finish. At the Nürburgring, Luca Ludwig, Dennis Rostek, Mark Bronzel and Markus Winkelhock drove the Phoenix-R8 to third place overall.

In the 2011 season, Ernst Moser’s ambitious team was again contesting both 24-hour races and finished at the Nürburgring third and four. Contrary to previous runs, the team was fielding two Audi R8 LMS at both events under a factory commitment, as Audi Sport Team Phoenix.

Ernst Moser knows the factors that are necessary to be successful at a race twice around the clock: a team that is used to working together and highly motivated, each member being driven by the racing bug, optimum preparation, perfect logistics, experienced drivers who don’t have to prove anything to anybody, a reliable and fast racing car. “And in addition to hard work, you also need a good dose of luck,” adds the team boss.

In 2012 Phoenix Racing is competing at the Nürburgring 24 Hours for the ninth time. For the first time, Audi Sport Team Phoenix will be representing Audi's colors at the 24-hour race in the Eifel as the only factory team.