[h=2]INDUSTRY: Audi names Gass to succeed Ullrich[/h] Friday, 16 December 2016


RACER staff

Audi has announced that Dieter Gass will succeed Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (pictured at right, above, with Gass) as head of Audi Motorsport. Gass, 53, has served under Ullrich for the past five years, and will now take charge of all factory-backed Audi commitments, currently comprising FIA Formula E and the DTM. Ullrich will remain with Audi in an advisory role until the end of 2017.


"Dieter Gass is going to lead Audi Sport through the upcoming transformation stage and continue to write Audi's success story in motorsport," said Ullrich, 66. "He knows Audi Sport like few others do. From November 1994 to March 2001, he worked there as an engineer – initially in the super touring car and subsequently in the sports prototype program. Afterwards, he held leading positions in Formula 1 for 11 years. In that period, he gathered a wealth of know-how that Audi Sport has been benefiting from ever since his return in 2012.
"Following one year as Head of Racing Commitments and four years as Head of DTM, he is now taking his next, carefully planned step. I will be assisting him in this role in an advisory capacity, but not in the operational side of the business. I know that Audi's motorsport commitment is in good hands with Dieter Gass."
"The footsteps left by Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich are very large," said Gass. "He was at the helm of Audi Sport for 23 years and is credited with exceptional achievements during this long period of time. In addition to the global development of partnering teams and countless championships in super touring car racing, the 13 victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and numerous DTM titles stand out as lasting milestones. But I'd be remiss not to mention the development of customer racing at Audi and Audi Sport's move to the modern Competence Center Motorsport in Neuburg designed for today's needs. Careers like these are very rare in motorsport."


"I very much enjoyed my 23 years at the helm of Audi Sport," added Ullrich. "We celebrated major successes and I had the opportunity of working together with many great people whom I'd like to sincerely thank. The same applies to our teams and partners. The Management Board had faith in us even during difficult stages, and I believe we justified this trust over and over by claiming great victories and championship titles."