Jean-Karl Vernay hopes to regain endurance

Barring a completely missed meeting at Sepang this weekend, Jean Karl Vernay will finish as the best representative of the Audi Sport clan in WTCR this year. But the Frenchman is not satisfied with a 2019 campaign with his current ranking at tenth in the championship before the final organized in Malaysia.

A round which will take on a particular flavor for the former 2010 Indy Lights champion, since Team WRT, which oversees the entry of its Audi RS3 LMS under the Audi Sport Leopard Racing banner, will not extend its TCR commitment in 2020, in parallel with Audi Sport's announcement to withdraw all support at the stables next year.

“It's the last race of the season, and also the closing of a very beautiful chapter of my career, four seasons in TCR and with the team, so I would really like to finish in style, comments Vernay. It hasn't been an easy season, but we've always managed to make the most of every situation.

Theoretically, we can still fight for fifth place in the drivers' standings. This year it has been quite difficult to predict how competitive Audi will be on each track, and we know we no longer have the advantage we had on the straights, but I think it should be fine, let's take all the odds. »

Asked about his hopes for the future on the sidelines of the Macau event, Jean-Karl Vernay hoped to continue in WTCR in 2020, but did not hide his desire to return to Endurance. Competed by Team WRT in GT World Challenge Europe Endurance in 2015, Vernay had only competed in two sprint rounds in GT3 this year with Phoenix Racing.

“My priority objective is to stay in WTCR, the Frenchman admitted to us at that time. The championship is great, and Eurosport is doing a good job at exhibition level.

This year, the team really took a step forward to continue to progress. I've been with Team WRT for five years, I feel at home there, and I think it's one of the best teams in the world. They proved it again in 2019 by launching into the DTM, and staying at the top in GT. 

When I had the opportunity to drive for Audi, it was also to hope to drive in Endurance. This is a sector where I think I am still in the game, perhaps more than in tourism. We will see. »