Audi 2015 Annual Report Download - page 109

The speedy “driving school car” has more power than one
would suspect. Thanks to lightweight construction, the race
version of the new TT weighs just , kilograms –  less
than the series-production model. When the  kW ( hp)
output is cut loose, there is only one direction : forward.
And to ensure that all of the power is delivered to the asphalt,
there is a button on the steering wheel for optimal traction :
Position  : dry surface, new tires, lots of grip. Position  : worn
tires, little grip. Position  : wet. Thanks to this button, there is
still an impressive amount of grip even without well-heated slicks.
Ideal conditions for being very fast. But faster than the others ?
That depends entirely on driving ability, because in the
Audi Sport TT Cup the cars are identical from a technical aspect.
For example, any driver can use the push-to-pass button. At
the push of a button on the steering wheel, engine output can
be temporarily boosted by  kW ( hp) for passing maneu-
vers. Depending on starting position, this extra power can
be called on up to  times. And the key is to use it at the
right place.
But it is not enough to impress on the track. How
the drivers present themselves on social media
platforms on the Internet is also important.
Mikaela : // In the Audi Sport TT Cup, there are
two ways to draw attention to yourself : The
most important, of course, is to be faster
than the others during the race. You have
to show that you can drive, that you can
fi ght and you want to win. But it’s
also important to be present in the
media and a popular fi gure in the
social web. The best thing for
you and your career, naturally,
is to impress in both areas. //
During the rest of our
walk, other questions
occur : Are there any special preparations for racing ? And what
is the greatest challenge posed by the Audi Sport TT Cup ?
Mikaela : // You’re actually always preparing and constantly work-
ing to get better. This is my second year in touring car racing.
Before that, I only drove a modifi ed series-production vehicle.
The TT cup, on the other hand, is a race car that has been spe-
cially built and prepared for this series. It’s the fastest car that
I have ever driven on the track. It has a lot of power. And brakes
that react really quickly. Adapting yourself to that is the great-
est challenge. //
Our walk around the Red Bull Ring is almost at an end. But it is
just the beginning for the young drivers. Practice, mental train-
ing, fi tness. Racing is a high-performance sport. If you want to
race in a higher class next season, you have to have a burning
passion for your sport – and be a fi ghter. As we turn into the pit
lane, Mikaela says : // We are like a family, we stick together and
discuss every corner. But when you are sitting in your car on the
starting grid, you have to block that out entirely. At that point
only one thing matters : winning. //
Saturday afternoon,  p.m. The light changes to green. Mikaela
fl oors the accelerator. The race car’s tires claw the asphalt. The
TT cup follows every turn of the wheel with absolute pre -
ci sion, driving as if on rails. It is virtually glued to the road.
Now the driver’s only thought is how to pass the car ahead.
, ,  meters – and there is the next corner.
Swapping the ski slope for the race track : Ski
racers Felix Neureuther, Marcel Hirscher and Aksel
Lund Svindal rode along during the Audi Sport TT
Cup in Spielberg. Discover here what the skiers shared
with the young race drivers.
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