Munnich's World Rallycross Audi to make debut

World Touring Car Championship team owner and driver Rene Munnich will debut his brand new Audi S3 at this weekend's World Rallycross Championship round at the Estering in Germany.

The long-awaited Audi, built in-house in Munnich's German shops, has proved quick in testing. Experienced Supercar campaigner Munnich shook down the car for a final time in a national event in the Czech Republic last week in preparation for its first World RX outing, but retired at the first corner of the final with steering damage. Munnich will also race in the first Italian World RX round at Franciacorta next week.

"It took long time to build the Audi, but unfortunately we haven't managed to test and develop as much as we should have done," said Munnich. "I think the basis of the car is very good, but to be at the top it will need a bit more time.

"This year the races are just an extra test to see how we are compared to the other cars and then we will modify the car -- hopefully in the right way -- over the winter for next season.

"With the amount of starters in Germany, and the possibility in rallycross for things to not go your way, it would be nice to be in the top 20. At the tests we've done, we always did laptimes similar to those of the frontrunners, but a race weekend is more than just one or two quick laps."

The German racer, who contested the Swedish round of the championship in his Skoda Fabia II Supercar, is also hoping to race in the season finale in Argentina.

The All-Inkl-branded squad's 2015 plans are still up in the air until the WTCC and World RX calendars are released, but touring cars will again be Munnich's main focus.

"I will try to do Argentina, but November is really busy for us so I'm not 100 percent sure at the moment," said Munnich. "My main program in 2015 will be WTCC again, so I will only be able to the World Rallycross races that don't clash with WTCC."

Originally on Autosport.com