Audi stars pay tribute to former engineer Leena Gade

The 6 Hours of the Nurburgring marked the first time the #7 Audi team raced without Gade, who left Audi after the Le Mans 24 Hours to take up a management position at Bentley’s customer programme.

Taking three wins at the French endurance classic in 2011, 2012 and 2014 along the way, Gade - who has served as race engineer to the #7 crew since 2011 - left quite the legacy in Ingostadt.

“Of course we miss Leena, it hasn't sunk in yet that she isn’t part of the team any more,” Andre Lotterer told Motorsport.com. “It’s been so long, it just feels like she was absent [for one race].

"She’s still on our group chats, following closely with the mechanics and engineers, still sending us jokes – it still feels like she’s part of the team and we carry her spirit around. 

"It was an amazing chapter with her, an unforgettable one."

Teammate Marcel Fassler joined his colleague singing Gade’s praises after a decade with Audi Sport, telling Motorsport.com: "Leena did a really great job over the years with us.

"We have to be really thankful to her because she helped us win Le Mans three times and also a world championship. We had a lot of success and really good times with her, but life is always changing.

"It was her decision to leave and for sure we wish her all the best to continue with the succes she’s had with us at the new place."

Head of Audi Sport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich commented: "She was one part of a big team. She was running the #7 car for many years, quite successfully. She has now decided to move.

"It’s in the family, so it’s fine. She’s going to make a step upwards there in the organisation. It’s understandable she wanted to do that."

Schuivens steps in

Gade's replacement at the helm of the #7 Audi crew is former Sauber F1 man Erik Schuivens, who had his first race as race engineer to Lotterer and Fassler at the Nurburgring after spending the first three races of the WEC season working alongside Gade.

"It feels like he has been with the team for a long time," said Lotterer of Schuivens. "He’s got a lot of confidence and has a lot of knowledge. He’s bringing a lot of new input to the team.

"Sometimes it's good to have someone from the outside that can bring fresh input, this is what’s happening. So far it has been running well, the communication is really good."

Fassler added: "Hearing another voice on the radio was a bit different, but Erik suits our line-up really well. You can feel that he has a lot of experience.

"For sure everyone does the job a little bit different, he’s doing that as well. We really worked well together."