New Audi Sport TT Cup Racer Cuts Grass Roots with Carbon Splitter

The one-make race series is set to feature 24 cars on the grid. 18 of those will be for regular drivers, the other six being reserved for VIPs, such as journalists or retired driving aces.

The TT Cup will replace the outgoing VW Scirocco R-Cup as Germany's grass roots motorsport activity. There will be a total of six DTM races, five of which will be in Germany and a sixth to be announced in another country during 2015. Each weekend will feature two 30-minute races and 2 hours of extra time for qualifying and practice sessions.

"The Audi TT Cup is a genuine race car, ideal for rookies, yet challenging to drive," said former Formula 1 driver Markus Winkelhock, who will act as a driver coach for the series. "You immediately feel that you're sitting in an Audi and recognize the close kinship with the brand's other racecars."

Audi Sport TT Cup specs

The racing car is based on the chassis of the production TTS, but has been stripped down to weigh just 1125kg (2,480 lb) in total. The 2-liter turbo engine makes the same 310 PS as it did on the steet car, but in order to encourage overtaking a 'push-to-pass' function has been installed that temporarily boosts maximum power by 30 PS. Racing kit also includes an electronically variable active differential and the PS1 safety seat from the R8 LMS ultra.