Apex Motorsport: Difference between revisions

Apex Motorsport
Founded	1996
Founder(s)	Richard Lloyd
Folded	2014
Base	Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Team principal(s)	John Wickham; Harry Handkammer
Former series	British Touring Car Championship; FIA GT3 European Championship; British GT Championship; International GT Open
Noted drivers	Frank Biela; John Bintcliffe; Yvan Muller; Guy Smith; Stéphane Ortelli; Andy Wallace; Butch Leitzinger; Eric van de Poele
Teams'; Championships	1 (1996 BTCC)
Drivers'; Championships	1 (1996 BTCC)

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Apex Motorsport, formerly known as Audi Sport UK, was a British auto racing team founded in 1996 by former racing driver Richard Lloyd in partnership with the Volkswagen Group.^[1] Formed to bring Audi into the British Touring Car Championship, the team won the teams and manufacturers titles in their debut season, as well as the drivers championship for German Frank Biela with eight victories over the course of the season. Biela and Audi Sport UK finished the 1997 season in second for all three championships before the series banned the four-wheel drive systems that Audi utilized, forcing the team to redevelop a new car for 1998. The 1998 BTCC campaign was winless, and Audi Sport UK left the series at the end of the season to concentrate on sports car racing.

Audi Sport UK, in conjunction with Racing Technology Norfolk, developed and campaigned the Audi R8C for Audi's first attempt at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team failed to finish, in part due to a rushed schedule to complete the two cars. The team spent 2000 building cars for the American Speedvision World Challenge series^[2] but remained involved in Volkswagen's sports car program as Bentley, another Volkswagen Group brand, began developing their own entry for Le Mans.^[3] The team changed their name to Apex Motorsport and debuted the Bentley EXP Speed 8 in 2001 and finished with one car on the race podium. A fourth-place finish followed in 2002 before Apex joined with Joest Racing, who had been running Audi's continued Le Mans program, to campaign two cars in 2003 at the 12 Hours of Sebring as well as Le Mans. Third and fourth places were earned at Sebring, while Team Bentley scored a one-two finish at Le Mans, with Tom Kristensen, Rinaldo Capello, and Guy Smith driving the winning car.^{[citation needed]}

Bentley's program ended after the Le Mans victory, and Apex Motorsport was left without any Volkswagen Group programs and remained stagnant for two years. The team's assets were put up for auction in 2006 to no avail.^[4] Lloyd, along with racing driver and entrepreneur Harry Handkammer, approached Jaguar Cars to develop a Group GT3 sportscar program.^[5] Built around the Jaguar XKR, Apex and Jaguar agreed to build cars for the team as well as cars to be sold to customers to justify the cost of the program. The team first raced the cars late in the 2007 season for the international FIA GT3 European Championship and British GT Championship. While developing the Jaguars in March 2008, Lloyd and team member Christopher Allarton, along with racing driver David Leslie were en route to Nogaro Circuit for testing when their aircraft crashed near Biggin Hill. All three, plus two pilots, were killed in the crash.^[6] Despite the loss for the team, they continued their FIA GT3 campaign for the season, and pushed with further development of the car in 2009. However the project came to an early close in 2009 after no cars had been sold to customers and the team was dissolved by 2014.^[1]

Racing record

24 Hours of Le Mans

Year	Entrant	No.	Car	Drivers	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
1999	Audi Sport UK	9	Audi R8C	Christian Abt Stefan Johansson Stéphane Ortelli	LMGTP	55	DNF	DNF
1999	Audi Sport UK	10	Audi R8C	Perry McCarthy Andy Wallace James Weaver	LMGTP	198	DNF	DNF
2001	Team Bentley	7	Bentley EXP Speed 8	Martin Brundle Stéphane Ortelli Guy Smith	LMGTP	56	DNF	DNF
2001	Team Bentley	8	Bentley EXP Speed 8	Butch Leitzinger Eric van de Poele Andy Wallace	LMGTP	306	3rd	1st
2002	Team Bentley	8	Bentley EXP Speed 8	Butch Leitzinger Eric van de Poele Andy Wallace	LMGTP	362	4th	1st
2003	Team Bentley	7	Bentley Speed 8	Rinaldo Capello Tom Kristensen Guy Smith	LMGTP	377	1st	1st
2003	Team Bentley	8	Bentley Speed 8	Mark Blundell David Brabham Johnny Herbert	LMGTP	375	2nd	2nd

References

^ ^a ^b Newbold, James (30 March 2018). "Remembering a racing pioneer and deal-maker". Autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
^ "Audi to Provide Turnkey S4 Competition Racers". Motorsport Network. 24 March 2000. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
^ "Bentley Motors returns to Le Mans". Motorsport Network. 3 November 2000. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
^ "Apex Motorsport assets up for sale". Autosport.com. Haymarket Press. 7 February 2006. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
^ "Jaguar XKR GT3". Racecar Engineering. 19 December 2007. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
^ "Leslie and Lloyd killed in plane crash". Motorsport Network. 1 April 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2018.

[RLAutosport-1] Newbold, James (30 March 2018). "Remembering a racing pioneer and deal-maker". Autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 2 November 2018.

[Speedvision-2] "Audi to Provide Turnkey S4 Competition Racers". Motorsport Network. 24 March 2000. Retrieved 2 November 2018.

[Bentley-3] "Bentley Motors returns to Le Mans". Motorsport Network. 3 November 2000. Retrieved 2 November 2018.

[AutosportSale-4] "Apex Motorsport assets up for sale". Autosport.com. Haymarket Press. 7 February 2006. Retrieved 2 November 2018.

[RacecarEng-5] "Jaguar XKR GT3". Racecar Engineering. 19 December 2007. Retrieved 2 November 2018.

[PlaneCrash-6] "Leslie and Lloyd killed in plane crash". Motorsport Network. 1 April 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2018.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Racing team}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
+{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
 {{infobox motor racing team
 |name             = {{flagicon|GBR}} Apex Motorsport
@@ Line 8: / Line 11: @@
 |current series   =
 |former series    = [[British Touring Car Championship]]<br>[[FIA GT3 European Championship]]<br>[[British GT Championship]]<br>[[International GT Open]]
-|drivers          = {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Frank Biela]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[John Bintcliffe]]<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Yvan Muller]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Guy Smith]]<br>{{flagicon|MON}} [[Stéphane Ortelli]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Andy Wallace (racing driver)|Andy Wallace]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Butch Leitzinger]]<br>{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Eric van de Poele]]
+|drivers          = {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Frank Biela]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[John Bintcliffe]]<br>{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Yvan Muller]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Guy Smith (racing driver)|Guy Smith]]<br>{{flagicon|MON}} [[Stéphane Ortelli]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Andy Wallace (racing driver)|Andy Wallace]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Butch Leitzinger]]<br>{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Eric van de Poele]]
 |current drivers  =
 |website          =
@@ Line 17: / Line 20: @@
 '''Apex Motorsport''', formerly known as '''Audi Sport UK''', was a British [[auto racing]] team founded in 1996 by former racing driver [[Richard Lloyd (racing driver)|Richard Lloyd]] in partnership with the [[Volkswagen Group]].<ref name="RLAutosport">{{cite web | url = https://www.autosport.com/engineering/feature/8105/remembering-a-racing-pioneer-and-dealmaker | title = Remembering a racing pioneer and deal-maker | publisher = [[Motorsport Network]] | work = [[Autosport|Autosport.com]] | last = Newbold | first = James | date = 30 March 2018 | accessdate = 2 November 2018}}</ref>  Formed to bring [[Audi]] into the [[British Touring Car Championship]], the team won the teams and manufacturers titles in their debut season, as well as the drivers championship for German [[Frank Biela]] with eight victories over the course of the season.  Biela and Audi Sport UK finished the [[1997 British Touring Car Championship|1997 season]] in second for all three championships before the series banned the [[four-wheel drive]] systems that Audi utilized, forcing the team to redevelop a new car for [[1998 British Touring Car Championship|1998]].  The 1998 BTCC campaign was winless, and Audi Sport UK left the series at the end of the season to concentrate on [[sports car racing]].
 [[File:Audi Quattro A4 - Flickr - exfordy.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Frank Biela's 1996 British Touring Car Championship Audi A4]]
-Audi Sport UK, in conjunction with [[Racing Technology Norfolk]], developed and campaigned the [[Audi R8C]] for Audi's first attempt at the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]].  The team failed to finish, in part due to a rushed schedule to complete the two cars.  The team spent 2000 building cars for the American [[Pirelli World Challenge|Speedvision World Challenge]] series<ref name="Speedvision">{{cite web | url = https://www.motorsport.com/us/pwc/news/audi-to-provide-turnkey-s4-competition-racers/1793638/?filters%5Bdriver%5D%5B0%5D=3901 | title = Audi to Provide Turnkey S4 Competition Racers | publisher = [[Motorsport Network]] | date = 24 March 2000 | accessdate = 2 November 2018}}</ref> but remained involved in Volkswagen's sports car program as [[Bentley]], another Volkswagen Group brand, began developing their own entry for Le Mans.<ref name="Bentley">{{cite web | url = https://www.motorsport.com/us/lemans/news/bentley-motors-returns-to-le-mans/1849745/?filters%5Bdriver%5D%5B0%5D=3901 | title = Bentley Motors returns to Le Mans | publisher = [[Motorsport Network]] | date = 3 November 2000 | accessdate = 2 November 2018}}</ref>  The team changed their name to Apex Motorsport and debuted the [[Bentley EXP Speed 8]] in {{24hLM|2001}} and finished with one car on the race podium.  A fourth-place finish followed in {{24hLM|2002}} before Apex joined with [[Joest Racing]], who had been running Audi's continued Le Mans program, to campaign two cars in 2013 at the [[12 Hours of Sebring]] as well as Le Mans.  Third and Fourth places were earned at Sebring, while Team Bentley scored a one-two finish at Le Mans, with [[Tom Kristensen]], [[Rinaldo Capello]], and [[Guy Smith (racing driver)|Guy Smith]] driving the winning car.
+Audi Sport UK, in conjunction with [[Racing Technology Norfolk]], developed and campaigned the [[Audi R8C]] for Audi's first attempt at the [[24 Hours of Le Mans]].  The team failed to finish, in part due to a rushed schedule to complete the two cars.  The team spent 2000 building cars for the American [[Pirelli World Challenge|Speedvision World Challenge]] series<ref name="Speedvision">{{cite web | url = https://www.motorsport.com/us/pwc/news/audi-to-provide-turnkey-s4-competition-racers/1793638/?filters%5Bdriver%5D%5B0%5D=3901 | title = Audi to Provide Turnkey S4 Competition Racers | publisher = [[Motorsport Network]] | date = 24 March 2000 | accessdate = 2 November 2018}}</ref> but remained involved in Volkswagen's sports car program as [[Bentley]], another Volkswagen Group brand, began developing their own entry for Le Mans.<ref name="Bentley">{{cite web | url = https://www.motorsport.com/us/lemans/news/bentley-motors-returns-to-le-mans/1849745/?filters%5Bdriver%5D%5B0%5D=3901 | title = Bentley Motors returns to Le Mans | publisher = [[Motorsport Network]] | date = 3 November 2000 | accessdate = 2 November 2018}}</ref>  The team changed their name to Apex Motorsport and debuted the [[Bentley EXP Speed 8]] in {{24hLM|2001}} and finished with one car on the race podium.  A fourth-place finish followed in {{24hLM|2002}} before Apex joined with [[Joest Racing]], who had been running Audi's continued Le Mans program, to campaign two cars in 2003 at the [[12 Hours of Sebring]] as well as Le Mans.  Third and fourth places were earned at Sebring, while Team Bentley scored a one-two finish at Le Mans, with [[Tom Kristensen (racing driver)|Tom Kristensen]], [[Rinaldo Capello]], and [[Guy Smith (racing driver)|Guy Smith]] driving the winning car.{{fact|date=February 2023}}
-Bentley's program ended after the Le Mans victory, and Apex Motorsport was left without any Volkswagen Group programs and remained stagnant for two years.  The team's assets were put up for auction in 2006 to no avail.<ref name="AutosportSale">{{cite web | url = https://www.autosport.com/other/news/49455/apex-motorsport-assets-up-for-sale | title = Apex Motorsport assets up for sale | publisher = [[Haymarket Press]] | work = [[Autosport|Autosport.com]] | date = 7 February 2006 | accessdate = 2 November 2018}}</ref>  Lloyd, along with racing driver and entrepreneur Harry Handkammer, approached [[Jaguar Cars]] to develop a [[Group GT3]] sportscar program.<ref name="RacecarEng">{{cite web | url = http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/jaguar-gt3-3/ | title = Jaguar XKR GT3 | publisher = [[Racecar Engineering]] | accessdate = 2 November 2018}}</ref>  Built around the [[Jaguar XK|Jaguar XKR]], Apex and Jaguar agreed to build cars for the team as well as cars to be sold to customers to justify the cost of the program.  The team first raced the cars late in the 2007 season for the international [[FIA GT3 European Championship]] and [[British GT Championship]].  While developing the Jaguars in March 2008, Lloyd and team member Christopher Allarton, along with racing driver [[David Leslie (racing driver)|David Leslie]] were en route to [[Nogaro Circuit]] for testing when their aircraft [[2008 Biggin Hill Cessna Citation crash|crashed]] near [[Biggin Hill]].  All three, plus two pilots, were killed in the crash.<ref name="PlaneCrash">{{cite web | url = https://www.motorsport.com/us/btcc/news/leslie-and-lloyd-killed-in-plane-crash/2286534/?filters%5Bdriver%5D%5B0%5D=3901 | title = Leslie and Lloyd killed in plane crash | publisher = [[Motorsport Network]] | date = 1 April 2008 | accessdate = 2 November 2018}}</ref>  Despite the loss for the team, they continued their FIA GT3 campaign for the season, and pushed with further development of the car in 2009.  However the project came to an early close in 2009 after no cars had been sold to customers and the team was dissolved by 2014.<ref name="RLAutosport" />
+Bentley's program ended after the Le Mans victory, and Apex Motorsport was left without any Volkswagen Group programs and remained stagnant for two years.  The team's assets were put up for auction in 2006 to no avail.<ref name="AutosportSale">{{cite web | url = https://www.autosport.com/other/news/49455/apex-motorsport-assets-up-for-sale | title = Apex Motorsport assets up for sale | publisher = [[Haymarket Press]] | work = [[Autosport|Autosport.com]] | date = 7 February 2006 | accessdate = 2 November 2018}}</ref>  Lloyd, along with racing driver and entrepreneur Harry Handkammer, approached [[Jaguar Cars]] to develop a [[Group GT3]] sportscar program.<ref name="RacecarEng">{{cite news | url = http://www.racecar-engineering.com/articles/jaguar-gt3-3/ | title = Jaguar XKR GT3 | date = 19 December 2007 | newspaper = [[Racecar Engineering]] | accessdate = 2 November 2018}}</ref>  Built around the [[Jaguar XK|Jaguar XKR]], Apex and Jaguar agreed to build cars for the team as well as cars to be sold to customers to justify the cost of the program.  The team first raced the cars late in the 2007 season for the international [[FIA GT3 European Championship]] and [[British GT Championship]].  While developing the Jaguars in March 2008, Lloyd and team member Christopher Allarton, along with racing driver [[David Leslie (racing driver)|David Leslie]] were en route to [[Nogaro Circuit]] for testing when their aircraft [[2008 Biggin Hill Cessna Citation crash|crashed]] near [[Biggin Hill]].  All three, plus two pilots, were killed in the crash.<ref name="PlaneCrash">{{cite web | url = https://www.motorsport.com/us/btcc/news/leslie-and-lloyd-killed-in-plane-crash/2286534/?filters%5Bdriver%5D%5B0%5D=3901 | title = Leslie and Lloyd killed in plane crash | publisher = [[Motorsport Network]] | date = 1 April 2008 | accessdate = 2 November 2018}}</ref>  Despite the loss for the team, they continued their FIA GT3 campaign for the season, and pushed with further development of the car in 2009.  However the project came to an early close in 2009 after no cars had been sold to customers and the team was dissolved by 2014.<ref name="RLAutosport" />
+==Racing record==
+=== 24 Hours of Le Mans ===
+{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
+|-
+! Year
+! Entrant
+! No.
+! Car
+! Drivers
+! Class
+! Laps
+! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall Position}}
+! {{Tooltip|Class<br/>Pos.|Class Position}}
+|-
+!rowspan=2| [[1999 24 Hours of Le Mans|1999]]
+|rowspan=2 align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Audi Sport GmbH|Audi Sport]] UK
+| 9
+|rowspan=2 align=left| [[Audi R8C]]
+|align=left| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Christian Abt]]<br>{{flagicon|SWE}} [[Stefan Johansson]]<br>{{flagicon|MCO}} [[Stéphane Ortelli]]
+|rowspan=2| LMGTP
+| 55
+| DNF
+| DNF
+|-
+| 10
+|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Perry McCarthy]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Andy Wallace (racing driver)|Andy Wallace]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[James Weaver (racing driver)|James Weaver]]
+| 198
+| DNF
+| DNF
+|-
+!rowspan=2| [[2001 24 Hours of Le Mans|2001]]
+|rowspan=2 align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} Team [[Bentley]]
+| 7
+|rowspan=2 align=left| [[Bentley Speed 8|Bentley EXP Speed 8]]
+|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Martin Brundle]]<br>{{flagicon|MCO}} [[Stéphane Ortelli]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Guy Smith (racing driver)|Guy Smith]]
+|rowspan=2| LMGTP
+| 56
+| DNF
+| DNF
+|-
+| 8
+|align=left| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Butch Leitzinger]]<br>{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Eric van de Poele]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Andy Wallace (racing driver)|Andy Wallace]]
+| 306
+|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| '''3rd'''
+|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''1st'''
+|-
+! [[2002 24 Hours of Le Mans|2002]]
+|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} Team [[Bentley]]
+| 8
+|align=left| [[Bentley Speed 8|Bentley EXP Speed 8]]
+|align=left| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Butch Leitzinger]]<br>{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Eric van de Poele]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Andy Wallace (racing driver)|Andy Wallace]]
+| LMGTP
+| 362
+| 4th
+|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''1st'''
+|-
+!rowspan=2| [[2003 24 Hours of Le Mans|2003]]
+|rowspan=2 align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} Team [[Bentley]]
+| 7
+|rowspan=2 align=left| [[Bentley Speed 8]]
+|align=left| {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Rinaldo Capello]]<br>{{flagicon|DNK}} [[Tom Kristensen]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Guy Smith (racing driver)|Guy Smith]]
+|rowspan=2| LMGTP
+| 377
+|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''1st'''
+|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''1st'''
+|-
+| 8
+|align=left| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[Mark Blundell]]<br>{{flagicon|AUS}} [[David Brabham]]<br>{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Johnny Herbert]]
+| 375
+|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''2nd'''
+|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''2nd'''
+|}
 ==References==
@@ Line 33: / Line 110: @@
 [[Category:American Le Mans Series teams]]
 [[Category:Audi in motorsport]]
+[[Category:British racecar constructors]]
+[[Category:Jaguar in motorsport]]
+[[Category:Auto racing teams established in 1996]]
+[[Category:Auto racing teams disestablished in 2014]]