Audi enters TCR with RS 3 LMS

Audi has previously been represented in TCR in 2015, as the TCR International Series had made a specific exemption to allow Team Engstler to field Audi TTs in the early rounds of that campaign.

The four-door sedan RS 3 LMS is to compete in the International Series from 2017 onwards, although it has not yet been announced which teams will field Audi's new customer racing machine.

"Audi has been active in motorsport at the highest level for generations," said Audi Sport managing director Stephan Winkelmann.

“With the [GT car] Audi R8 LMS, Audi, in a very short time, managed to build a successful customer sport program alongside the factory commitments in the WEC and the DTM.

"The Audi R8 LMS has since become the market leader in its segment. We have the same plans for the Audi RS 3 LMS, which offers customers an attractive opportunity to get started in fascinating Audi racing.”

Audi's head of customer racing Chris Reinke added: "The TCR market has even larger potential than that of the GT3 category. In 2016, there were ten TCR series with races in 18 countries, and more and more series are being added.

"With the TCR version of the RS 3 we’re also reaching countries where no GT3 races are held. The costs for a TCR car are very low. As a result, we’re going to win new customers for Audi Sport as well."

In joining TCR, Audi will be lining up against fellow Volkswagen Group manufacturers SEAT and Volkswagen, whose cars have been a dominant force in the category since its inception.