Audi India signs on driver Aditya Patel

Mumbai: India`s promising motorsport driver Aditya Patel on Friday inked a three-year deal with German luxury car manufacturer Audi.

Via their well-established motorsport links, Audi has secured Aditya a seat with a team called Pro-Handicap e.V., in the challenging VLN endurance series in Germany. The series will provide him with much-needed exposure to international racing and he will become the first Indian to race in the 24 hours of Nrburgring. Pro-handicap e.V is a highly experienced team and is renowned for the reliability of their car, the Audi TT (sport model), having completed the 24 hours of Nrburgring all seven times that they have entered. Aditya has already successfully tested with them and will now participate in his first four-hour endurance race on the April 14. Commenting on the association, Michael Perschke, Head, Audi India said, "The talent pool of race car drivers in India is growing rapidly and we plan to develop young racers by providing them with the right opportunities to make a career in international motorsport. Aditya is a talented racer and our support to him is a testament to that vision." Aditya`s motorsport career began at an early age with the JK Tyre National Racing Championship in 2001 when he was 14. Consistent performance and support from long-term sponsors like JK Tyre, MAS Holdings and Petra Energy saw him go through the ranks and later into more advanced formats such as the VW Polo R Cup and the VW Scirocco R Cup in Germany, where he finished 5th overall in 2011. PTI