Christoper Mies has revealed that he is leaving Audi Sport after a hugely successful 15-year stint as a factory driver. This weekend’s World Challenge Australia meeting at Adelaide, he says, will be his final race event with the German marque.
During his time at Audi, Mies claimed many significant wins and titles, including the 2009 FIA GT3 European Championship and 2016 ADAC GT Masters title. He also has two Bathurst 12 Hour and Nürburgring 24 Hours victories and a Dubai 24 triumph on his CV with the brand.
“Danke for 5 championships across the globe. Danke for 2x 24h Nurburgring wins. Danke for 2x 12h Bathurst wins. Danke for the Petit Le Mans win. Danke for the 24h Dubai win. Danke for multiple pole positions and podiums together, for all the memories, for making me the driver I am today. I’ll be forever thankful,” he wrote on social media today.
Thank you @audisport for the past 15 years together ❤️
Today marks the day I go into my last race weekend as an Audi Sport driver.
Thank you for everything and see you on track next year ❤️ pic.twitter.com/wGJ4evmLe1
— Christopher Mies (@MiesChris) November 24, 2023
“Joining Audi as a customer in 2009 and straight kicking it off becoming a FIA GT3 champion made a dream come true. For the past 15 years I was the proudest represent of Audi Sport you can imagine, I fulfilled my dream of becoming a factory driver of one of the biggest brands in Motorsport history.
“Mostly nothing is forever and today marks the day I will go into my last race weekend as an Audi Sport driver.
“Inside of me, I still have some dreams I want to achieve. You might think all the success we had together was everything I ever dreamed of, and you’re right!
“All of it has been a dream. But I still feel like I’m not done yet, I still feel the hunger and I still have some certain goals.
“Therefore I’ve decided to take on a new challenge and fulfill those goals
“To end the career with Audi Sport in the country I immediately fell in love with once I touched ground and Audi sent me as a young kid to win Bathurst 12h twice and the Australian GT championship is a dream for me. Danke dafür.
“Danke Werner Frowein, Romolo Liebchen, Armin Plietsch, Rolf Michl, Chris Reinke, Dirk Spohr, every single person at Biberach and Neuburg. You’ve been my family away from family.
“To all the amazing teams I was allowed to race for: thank you for everything, you have a special place in my heart forever!
“See you all on track in 2024.”
Mies is one of many Audi drivers that have departed the brand over the past 12 months, as it reduces its factory-supported GT3 activities ahead of the 2024 season.
However, speaking to DSC earlier this month, Chris Reinke, the head of Audi Sport Customer Racing, rebutted the suggestion that the German make’s customer sport division is ‘winding down’.
“We have worked hard to keep the whole team together, we still have the same numbers as we did before the board’s decision and we are busy on current, future, and potential future projects,” he said.
“I am continuing to report progress on the areas we have been asked to report on and the results are very positive. I’m doing all I can, together the excellent team we have at Audi, to continue to impress the board.”
Featured image courtesy of Audi Sport
