Vivien Keszthelyi continues her career in Audi Sport Seyffarth R8 LMS Cup

Vivien Keszthely, the young driver of Audi Sport racing academy faces a huge challenge now, as after contesting the Audi Sport TT Cup last season with a front-wheel drive, TCR-category car, she continues her career in „Grand Touring” category, with a rear-wheel drive car having 5200 ccm and nearly 500 horsepowers.

Audi Sport TT Cup where she competed in 2017 is also considered to be a very strong series among the front-wheel drive ones. She could experience the battle of high-performance cars races, under the same technical conditions, in an experienced, international field.

Subsequently, according to the decision of the academy and the managing team of the driver, Vivien Keszthelyi takes a step forward and continues her career in GT category this year – where she has the chance to compete with great, experienced, international rivals under equal technical conditions again. The most important goal is to continue to develop and gain experience, as Vivien Keszthelyi still has a lot of time to reach her final goal, the DTM. She could be the first ever Hungarian to do so. Driving in the GT-category means a higher level in all respects for the 17-year-old driver. Due to the lower traction force and way more horsepowers, she will almost have to learn car racing again.

The new series is a support series of DTM, the German Touring Car Championship which is also featuring rear-wheel drive cars at the top of the range. Thanks to this, on the first weekend of June, Hungarian fans can also see the driver at her home race at Hungaroring.

At the end of season 2017, Vivien Keszthelyi had several options – the Volkswagen Group’s Asian and European series has been also considered –  but the management found the new European series to be the biggest challenge and best option for the racer.

Vivien Keszthelyi has made 60 podium finishes from 73 races since 2014, and in 2016, at the age of 15, she was the absolute Hungarian champion of the -2000 cm3 category both in sprint and Endurance. Last year, having competed in Audi Sport ABT TT Cup, she became the youngest ever Hungarian scorer in the history of international competitions.

The Audi R8 LMS GT Cup will have 12 races in total, with two qualifications and two races every weekend, meaning the best alternative for Vivien for further development. The series starts in Hockenheim, Germany, in May, followed by Lausitzring, arriving to Hungaroring in June at the third race weekend, followed by the races in England and Italy and the season closing at Nürburgring.