He returned from the Nürburgring with more points, but Niels Langeveld wasn’t getting anything for free in the WTCR round at the old Nordschleife. Having crashed heavily on the first day, the Audi Sport driver had to pull out all the stops to fight back from a position in which he seemed well and truly beaten. The fact that Langeveld nevertheless managed to salvage some points makes him optimistic for the remaining rounds of the FIA World Touring Car Cup.
 
It’s arguably the most remarkable round in the series: 26 TCR touring cars not competing on the regular modern-day Nürburgring, but on the full circuit that includes the 20km long old Nordschleife – laps of more than 25km, lap times of over 10 minutes, each race consisting of just three laps, all in support of the famous Nürburgring 24 Hours. For Niels Langeveld, the entire experience would be completely new. "I went there knowing that I missed the track knowledge that others have on this circuit. On the other hand, it’s a circuit that favours talented drivers who can quickly adapt to circumstances. Because of the long laps, there is limited time and limited opportunity, but for all you know you are the one to spring a surprise."
 
At first it most certainly looked that way, as Langeveld proved to be a major player in the first free practice session and went even quicker in the second session. "I could only do two timed laps in the first session, but was still tenth fastest. In the second free practice session I bolted on fresh tyres - and immediately set fastest lap! That was truly incredible, nobody expected that. I was flying! The car felt good, I had a lot of confidence behind the wheel, so I decided to have one more set of new tyres fitted."
 
However, in his new flying lap it all went wrong for Langeveld in the corner known as the 'little Karussell'. "An annoying turn of events: a brief technical issue in exactly the wrong place on the track caused me to crash really hard. That turned my whole weekend into a mess." Langeveld’s first hot lap proved to be good enough for P3 in the session, but that was no help to the Dutchman. His team Comtoyou Team Audi Sport faced a race against time to get the car ready for the races. "I was forced to miss Q1 entirely. I did take to the track in Q2, but the car’s damage was so extensive that it still wasn’t at 100% and proved quite difficult to drive. This meant I had to start all three races from the back."
 
Langeveld had no choice but to try and make the most of it – and that’s exactly what he did. From 26th and last on the grid, the Audi Sport driver made up no less than 12 places, finishing the first race in a very respectable 14th position. "I passed so many cars! In the turns as well as on the straight, as the Audi’s top speed is just huge."
 
The second race resulted in 20th position. "I couldn't do any more. I was a bit unlucky at the start and after that I got stuck behind a car that had about the same speed." For the final race of the weekend Langeveld was eager to give it all just one more time. Continously fighting in a group of seven he managed to salvage 12th place – and more points – from a weekend that had seemed lost after his practice crash. "I went like mad! With a bit more luck I could have ended up eighth or ninth, but at the start I got tapped which caused me to accidentally hit the pit limiter. That lost me a few places."
 
Langeveld regrets the missed opportunities as he had the pace to be fighting at the front, yet prefers to draw positive lessons from what he did achieve in the weekend. He also thoroughly enjoyed his three races on the old Nordschleife, driving on a knife’s edge all the time. "I loved the racing, but yes, it’s such a pity. Because of that setback, I suffered a weekend of frustration and emotion, but you learn to deal with that. It is what it is, and I'm still feeling positive about it. With the experience I've gained I'm sure I'll be even faster here next season."
 
Langeveld is now preparing for the WTCR meeting on the Portuguese street circuit of Vila Real on 6-7 July. Like the Nürburgring it's a circuit he has never raced on. "That means starting from scratch for the most part, but I'm happy to take on the challenge. This weekend I showed my pace and proved that I’m capable of making up lots of places. The pay off is bound to come."

​Niels Langeveld has scored his first WTCR points of the season with a couple of strong races at the Slovakia Ring, ending up as the best Audi Sport driver in two of the three races. As the meeting progressed, the Dutchman found himself very much on an upward curve to claim a fine fourth in the third and final race. Langeveld’s remarkable progress in Slovakia gives him every confidence for a good performance at his home track of Zandvoort next weekend.
 
Langeveld travelled to the Slovakia Ring in good spirits, determined to show well in the third round of the series. Along with his team Comtoyou Team Audi Sport and his race engineer Herman de Jager, Langeveld had developed a detailed test plan for the Audi RS3 LMS, the points of which would be ticked off almost minute by minute. However, a few setbacks in the free practice sessions caused them to lose some valuable time.
 
Due to their challenging start Langeveld and the team were left to play catch-up into the first qualifying session. "I came up a few tenths short – and then you’re down in 16th, as the field is so bunched up. I lost all of my time in a succession of two lefthanders, first a slow one, then a fast one. We analysed the problem for a long time, but the schedule was tight – second qualifying was approaching fast."
 
Fortunately, Langeveld embarked on the session in circumstances in which talent and timing are more important than the ultimate setup.  "It had just rained and we were forced to qualify on a drying track. My race engineer Herman made me wait for quite a long time at the end of the session, and I went out at just the right moment. It was a good lap, good enough for 12th, which for the first time allowed me into Q2 for the top-12 drivers. The track was still damp and I managed to end up in seventh. On the reversed grid for race 2 that meant starting from fourth!"
 
Disappointingly, Langeveld's first race was over less than a minute after it started, as on the first lap Langeveld got involved in the aftermath of several cars crashing into each other at turn 6. Suffering from a broken steering rod, one of Langeveld’s opponents slammed into his side at the next corner. "Such a shame as I had a super start and moved up from P16 to P10”, Langeveld said. He dropped down to 25th but still managed a comeback drive to 16th and his first WTCR point.
 
A time penalty handed to one of his opponents meant that the Dutchman was able to start from third on the grid for the second race, but sadly couldn’t extract the maximum from that opportunity. “I finished the second race in eighth place, having been unable to follow the pace set by the leaders. But on the upside – eight more WTCR points!"
 
Langeveld then made a small setup change going into the final race of the weekend from seventh on the grid. "Suddenly I had a car that allowed me to fight! We still can’t quite keep up with some of the other cars in the series but it was nice to be able to claim fourth place. Yes, just off the podium, but I'd rather be on the podium in the best way that I can. So on the top step, and preferably next week, at home at Zandvoort!"
 
Langeveld and Comtoyou Team Audi Sport now have to make a quick transfer, as the WTCR’s next round is scheduled to be at the Jumbo Race Days on May 17-18 when tens of thousands of Dutch fans flock to Zandvoort to not only cheer for Max Verstappen, but also to applaud their local WTCR heroes. "I go to Zandvoort with lots of confidence. The Slovakia Ring was a good weekend that allowed me to score a big dollop of points. I want to extend this progress to a great performance at my home track. I know it will work – I just get so much energy from the vision of Zandvoort’s dunes packed with Dutch fans."

Niels Langeveld was forced to endure an unfortunate WTCR meeting at the Hungaroring last weekend, as a disappointing qualifying session for the Dutch driver led to a best result of 18th in the third race of the weekend. On the upside, Langeveld and his Comtoyou Team Audi Sport outfit have identified the cause of their poor performance, and together they are looking forward to the meeting at the Slovakia Ring in two weeks' time.

Langeveld was in confident mood going to the second WTCR meeting of the season. The Hungaroring had no secrets in store for the Audi Sport driver, as the Budapest circuit is a track where the Dutchman has previously excelled. "I really felt that we could do well here and that I could at least be the fastest Audi driver. I had a good feeling about it in free practice, in which I ended well up the order."

It all failed to materialise in the crucial qualifying session, however. "I made four attempts, but neither of them worked out. I just couldn't get below the 1.53.8 mark. Of course, I did all I could to analyse the problem along with the team and my race engineer Herman de Jager, leaving late at night and returning to the track early in the morning, as I didn’t want to leave any stone unturned. But I failed to produce the result, so I'm very disappointed in the weekend."

Langeveld wasn't the only one suffering from a challenging race meeting. Despite his disappointing results, the Dutchman left several big touring-car names in his wake. "That’s the moment you realise you are in a world championship. Drop a few tenths here and there, and you’re nowhere – even the guys with several touring car titles. Everyone has a hard time in the WTCR, we all have to fight our own corner."
 
Langeveld tried to get the best out of the three races, but that was anything but easy, racing at the back on a drying track. His second race ended prematurely when a teammate left him little space, their wheels interlocking before the pair went off. "In that one race altogether I've been hit more times than in the whole last season in TCR Germany combined! I've collected a lot of knocks at the Hungaroring, so at the Slovakia Ring it's time to hand them out."

''Personally I can't wait, if it were up to me we’d race there tomorrow! I had a great two-day test at the Slovakia Ring, and with the team we found out why we lacked performance. That's why I'm going to Slovakia with a very positive feeling. Hungaroring  was not the weekend I had hoped for, so let's reset and recharge – and then we'll go for it with renewed spirit!"

​Audi Sport driver Niels Langeveld’s WTCR debut has failed to live up to his expectations. On the streets of Marrekech the Dutchman dropped out from the first race while in the second and third races he gathered no more than two 18th places. However, Langeveld feels that his tough baptism on the world touring-car stage has a silver lining.
 
Having been signed by Audi for his first season in the FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) this winter, Langeveld was eagerly awaiting his debut appearance in the Audi RS3 LMS of Belgian outfit Comtoyou Team Audi Sport. The WTCR’s format – very different from what he was used to in TCR Germany – didn't worry him in the least. "Last season I drove 14 races in seven weekends, now I have 30 races in ten meetings. That’s more than double – but I love it! I'm happy with the additional track time, which can only be advantageous to a rookie like me. The fact that practice, qualifying and the races follow each other shortly is also fine by me. Waiting often makes me sluggish and then the nerves start to build up. So it's great that you don't hang around too much!"
 
The Marrakech street circuit would be the backdrop for Langeveld's debut. Not just a circuit he had never driven before, but also a circuit that is very different from what he is used to. "I drove a lot in the simulator and watched videos. That way I could imagine what it would be like ‘in real life’. For the rest I just let it happen. Actually it turned out to be easier than I thought. That is, easier to keep the car away from the wall! As it turned out, there wasn't much chance of that happening. There is run-off almost everywhere if you misjudge your braking."
 
However, it turned out to be anything but easy to get the vital last few tenths out of the Moroccan street circuit. Langeveld was hampered by a first free practice session that started in the wet. "How about a drying track for getting to know the circuit and getting a feel for the car for the rest of the weekend! As a rookie, I was one step behind from the start, as qualifying would be about tenths, even hundredths. For that you have make it click – and for that, experience does count."
 
According to Langeveld, making it click is what needed for a place in top-12 qualifying. This time, however, the Audi Sport driver failed to do better than 18th while team mate Jean-Karl Vernay was just three tenths faster and qualified seventh. "Yes, it was that close. Getting into the top-12 is crucial in WTCR – it makes or breaks your weekend, especially at Marrakech, where overtaking is notoriously difficult. I made mistakes in the first two runs, which meant I had just one run left to do it all. If that goes perfectly, you're in the top 12. I think the problem is a combination of me not being able to squeeze out the maximum and the car not being 100% either yet."
 
Langeveld feels his first race was reasonable nonetheless, despite not making the finish. "I got stuck behind Gordon Shedden, an Audi teammate, so you have to be more careful. Towards the end of the race the car developed braking problems. I rammed into the back of poor Augusto Farfus, who fortunately was able to continue. My fortune was that hitting Farfus rubbed off my speed, otherwise I would have ended up in the wall..."
 
A parc fermé error after qualifying meant that Langeveld had to start at the back of the grid for the second and third race, finishing 18th in both. "At that moment, the weekend was effectively over for me. So I had to set new goals: an entire delegation from Audi had come over and I wanted to show them that I’m able to finish races. The second race I had a very good start, and I immediately made up a few places. In the third race the start wasn’t that good. I rattled off the laps nice and clean but already my mind was on the next championship round at the Hungaroring."
 
In all, Langeveld endured a tough WTCR baptism but he still sees a silver lining. "It didn’t go as I had imagined. But I know the reasons why. The team and I know exactly what we need to improve in order to be there next time. That's why I'm stepping away from this weekend with confidence – a weekend we will just have to forget about. I will be on the pace at the Hungaroring. I know the place. There, my teammate will benefit from me, and I will benefit from him."

​Sassenheim, February 7, 2019 – It’s a long cherished dream come true for Niels Langeveld. On the back of two strong ADAC TCR Germany seasons that delivered Audi’s first TCR Germany win, Audi Sport Customer Racing decided to sign Langeveld for the top-level touring-car championship in the world – the FIA WTCR. “My world has completely changed! This is fantastic recognition for my achievements in the past two seasons”, says a happy Langeveld.
 
To his surprise, Langeveld was approached by Audi Sport last month. His ADAC TCR Germany results had made such an impression that Audi made him an amazing offer. “They offered me a contract as an Audi Sport driver in the FIA WTCR presented by Oscaro. I grabbed it with both hands. I’m a professional racing driver now”, he says with a smile.
 
Langeveld will join the Comtoyou Team Audi Sport, with the experienced Frédéric Vervisch as his team mate. Both will race the Audi RS3 LMS that is so familiar to Langeveld. “Each manufacturer will field four cars. The other two Audi racecar will be piloted by Jean-Karl Vernay and Gordon Shedden and entered by the Leopard Racing Team Audi Sport – both drivers with an impressive track record in touring cars. The same applies to the FIA WTCR as such, by the way – it has the best touring-car drivers in the world, and it’s a great feeling that I will now be fighting them.”
 
After 11 years in motorsport, this step has allowed Niels Langeveld to reach the level that he dreamed of as a child. The dream started by playing TOCA on the game console and began to take shape when he joined the Suzuki Swift Cup in 2008. Having taken the series’ crown in 2010, Langeveld showed that he is capable of fighting for the title in every championship in which he subsequently competed. In 2012, he was champion in the Renault Clio Cup Netherlands before landing the 2015 Renault Clio Cup Benelux title. In 2016, Langeveld proved that he was equally capable at an international level by claiming the highly competitive SEAT Leon Eurocup at his first attempt.
 
In 2017, Niels switched from one-make championships to a multi-manufacturer touring-car series for the first time, taking on more than 40 other touring cars in ADAC TCR Germany. The Audi RS 3 LMS was a very particular choice as Audi hadn’t managed to take a win in any TCR championship. Langeveld changed this by claiming a stunning victory at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben in Germany. That was no coincidence as Langeveld dominated the entire weekend to win again in his home event at Zandvoort.
 
These were the results that Audi needed, and soon a strong bond developed between Langeveld and the German manufacturer. In his second TCR Germany season in 2018, Langeveld claimed seven podiums and two wins, and finished every race. It speaks volumes for the competitiveness of the series that these results were not enough to lift the crown.
 
A look at Niels Langeveld’s performance statistics shows that Audi made a considered decision to sign the Dutchman. Langeveld has taken part in 143 races and won no less than 36, a win ratio of over 25%. In over half of the races he ended up on the podium. 40 times he started from pole position.
 
Herman de Jager has been working closely with Niels Langeveld for ten years, and will join him in the FIA WTCR. It’s a big change for De Jager too – ten circuits around the world instead of seven events close to home. "It’s the crowning glory on our hard work. Fantastic that Comtoyou allows us to continue as a team. Niels and I can say everything to each other, not just if things go well but also if it doesn’t work out. That is important, as we bring out the best in each other – that’s necessary to be able to perform at a top level. I am really looking forward to next season and am curious to see if we can occasionally spring a surprise amongst all those big names. Seeing how Niels has performed so far, it would not surprise me at all", says a proud Herman de Jager about his pupil.
 
Starting Sunday, February 17, Niels Langeveld will present his own TV show on RTL7, in which he shows what is needed to forge a career in motorsport. "I will be taking the viewer along in my final season in TCR Germany, giving them a unique view behind the scenes", promises Langeveld.   
 
Niels Langeveld is at the beginning of a fantastic new challenge, the highlight of his motorsport career so far. "I would like to thank everyone who has supported me all along for giving me their trust. The people around me know how much I appreciate them, it is a special feeling to know that they believe in me. It’s fantastic that Audi Sport has offered me this unique opportunity. I am sure that I can show some amazing things. My next move is to prepare myself for the first tests in the Audi RS 3 LMS. The season will get going in Marrakech on April 5. It’s my goal to make my presence felt right there", says Langeveld with a combative spirit.

As a result of two great races at the Hockenheimring Niels Langeveld has concluded the ADAC TCR Germany championship in third. The Dutch racing driver crossed the finish line in fourth on Saturday while a hard-fought second position in the second race on Sunday brought his points total up to 403. With that, Langeveld completed a very strong season with a podium position in the final standings. Harald Proczyk is the 2018 champion, with Luca Engstler finishing as the runner-up. Langeveld is proud of his achievements this season: "Harald is the true champion as he made the least mistakes. I have been on the podium seven times in fourteen races, won twice and finished all the races. That this was not enough for me to claim the title says all about the competitiveness of ADAC TCR Germany!"
Trailing Luca Engstler by eleven points and Harald Proczyk by six, Niels Langeveld knew that he wasn't in control of winning the championship at the final round at the Hockenheimring. Getting the most out of the weekend would be his goal and so a top result in qualifying was of great importance. In the first session that worked out fine, Langeveld taking second in his racing one Audi and going on to the second session. In this session, the top-twelve qualifies for the first race and, very importantly, the top-ten also determines the reversed starting grid for the second race. In the second session, however, the Audi RS3 LMS’s tyre pressure wasn’t what it was supposed to be, leaving Langeveld to be satisfied with eighth starting position for race one and third for race two.
An engine change for Luke Wankmüller and a penalty for Benjamin Leuchter allowed Niels Langeveld to start the first race from sixth. His start was perfect, the Dutchman gaining two positions on the first lap. This meant that the top three were within reach but just when he was ready to attack his title opponent Luca Engstler he came under fire from Antti Buri. Langeveld had to make every effort to keep the Finnish street fighter behind him and that worked out fine, even though Buri was able to put his Audi's nose next to the racing one Audi every now and then. Langeveld, however, drove excellent lines and was able to stave off every attack. Then, on lap 12, Buri made contact with the car behind him and got stuck in the gravel. That took away the pressure from behind and Langeveld was able to fight his way back to the top three again. He closed the gap to Engstler but could not pass the lighter Hyundai so had to settle for fourth. Proczyk won the race and took the championship lead ahead of Engstler.
In the final TCR Germany race of 2018 still a maximum of 40 points were to be gained. Langeveld had to do the maths on the score that would still secure him the title and that turned out not to be an easy task. A win for himself with Proczyk no higher than seventh and Engstler no better than fifth would still hand the title to Langeveld.
 
A perfect start from third moved Langeveld straight into the lead. He managed to create a small gap, but saw this evaporate immediately when the safety car came out after the first lap. With an excellent restart Langeveld immediately opened up a gap but had to surrender it once more as the safety car returned yet again. After a few more laps to keep the tyres warm, Langeveld repeated his strong restart and took off from his pursuers for the third time. Behind him, however, Proczyk and Engstler had also emerged, Proczyk in third, Engstler in sixth. The young German had made his way forward from the back of the grid and was lucky not to get punished by race control.
 Another safety-car situation in the closing stages of the race allowed Mike Halder to get hold of the rear of Langeveld's car, forcing the racing one driver to fight hard in order to keep the lead. He drove the ideal lines, but a big hit from Halder pushed Langeveld off the track, dropping the Audi down to fourth. Astonished that this action went unpunished, Langeveld first fought his way back up to third behind Proczyk. In the last lap, he went by the Austrian with a beautiful pass but leader Halder was to far away to go for the win. Langeveld finished second, giving him third place in the championship. Proczyk took TCR Germany 2018 title.
Langeveld: "I would like to congratulate Harald, he is the rightful champion. Of course I would have liked to reach my goal of winning the TCR Germany title. But I've raced so many great races this season, showing that this series is really competitive. On the final day of action, four drivers were still able to become champion in a field of 28 drivers, I think that says it all.  Everything has to be 100% to be champion. I've been on the podium 7 out of 14 races, won twice and everyone knows I'm a serious candidate for the title now. We are going to make plans for next season. All options are open, so that will be another exciting period. One thing is certain however, I want to fight for the title somewhere."
Results race 1
1. Harald Proczyk (O); 2. Mike Halder (D); 3. Luca Engstler (D); 4. Niels Langeveld; 5. Benjamin Leuchter (D); 6. Pascal Eberle (Zwi).
 
Results race 2
1. Mike Halder (D);  2. Niels Langeveld; 3. Harald Proczyk (O); 4. Luca Engstler (D); 5. Luke Wankmüller (D); 6. Niko Kankkunen (Fin).
 
Championship TCR Germany 2018
1. Harald Proczyk (O) 421
2. Luca Engstler (D) 414
3. Niels Langeveld 403
4. Mike Halder (D) 366
5. Antti Buri (Fin) 259
6. Max Hesse (D) 247

Racing the heavy Audi RS3 LMS at the German Sachsenring with an extra 30 kg of success ballast, Niels Langeveld knew it would be difficult to maintain the series lead in TCR Germany. In qualifying, the racing one-driver finished in tenth and that was good news as this gave Langeveld pole position for the second race. In the first race, the Dutchman finished sixth. In the second race, Langeveld was in the lead until the final lap when he was forced offline and, to his disappointment, fell down to fifth. The battle is on as in the season-closer at the Hockenheimring the three title candidates will have to give their best to be crowned 2018 ADAC TCR Germany champion.
The Sachsenring in the German state of Saxony is one of the oldest circuits in Germany and known to be unsuitable for the Audi. The circuit, with a length of 3,671 km and 14 turns, is a fast and challenging track but as the Audi RS3 LMS is 50 kg heavier than most of its competition and Niels Langeveld was carrying another 30 kg of additional ballast because of his good results at Zandvoort. The racing one racer knew everything had to be perfect to do well here.
In the first qualifying session, Langeveld set an eleventh time and that allowed him into the second session. With a few minutes on the clock in the second session, the Audi was tenth – a great result. Although the first race would be difficult, this meant the pole position for the second race because of the reversed grid for the top ten. The final minutes of the second session were teeth-grinding for Langeveld and his team racing one as any improvement by someone else would immediately turn the promising starting position into a position outside the top ten. Fortunately, that didn’t happen and Langeveld was assured of the best starting position for the second race.
The first race on Saturday started well, Langeveld immediately climbing to seventh. There he got stuck behind Michelle Halder in the Hyundai i30. With 80 kg more weight, Langeveld could not get past Halder, and was even pressured from behind, had to defend and lost a position. In the closing stages of the race Langeveld got lucky as two opponents in front of him went off track, helping him to finish the first race in sixth.
On Sunday, Langeveld knew he would have to pull out all the stops to keep the lead in the race. Very focused, he made a perfect start and immediately opened up a small gap to second-placed Michelle Halder. Title competitors Harald Proczyk and Luca Engstler also had good starts and moved forward quickly but a safety car was dispatched after the first lap because of various cars stuck in the gravel. At the restart, Langeveld surprised Halder with a brilliant diversion ploy giving him a lead of one and a half seconds. However, the Audi could not hold on to this gap, as little by little Langeveld saw his lead on the chasing group evaporate. On lap 15, with five more to go, Langeveld saw the Hyundai close up in his mirrors and he knew that a small miracle was needed to win the race.
When Luca Engstler, who had also won the first race, passed Halder, the lighter Hyundai was soon on the back of the racing one Audi. A great battle that lasted into the last lap was the absolute climax of this race, Engstler passing Langeveld several times on speed but each time the Dutchman managed to reclaim by driving better lines. However, the final lap would be his downfall because Langeveld couldn't close the gap in time for another overtaking attempt, going too far off line and taking the speed out of the Audi. Several drivers benefited, resulting in Langeveld dropping down to fifth.
 
"I am satisfied with the first race, that was the best possible result for us here. The fact that the last lap of the second race cost me so many points is very disappointing. The whole race I was really fighting with the car and the tyres, the race just lasted one lap too long. But everything is still possible. The three of us are very close and it's going to be a great fight at the Hockenheimring to see who will be champion", said Langeveld with a fighting spirit.
 
Niels Langeveld is now third in the standings, eleven points behind Luca Engstler and six behind Harald Proczyk. With the points for qualifying (a maximum of 5) and the two races (a maximum of 80) the battle is still completely open and on 22 and 23 September at the Hockenheimring a titanic battle will determine whether Niels Langeveld can win his sixth career title.
Results race 1
1. Luca Engstler (D); 2. Mike Halder (D); 3. Harald Proczyk (O); 4. Antti Buri (Fin);
5. Michelle Halder (D); 6. Niels Langeveld.
 
Results race 2
1. Luca Engstler (D); 2. Michelle Halder (D); 3. Pascal Eberle (Zwi); 4. Harald Proczyk (O);
5. Niels Langeveld; 6. Theo Coicaud (F).
 
Standings TCR Germany 2018
1. Luca Engstler (D) 349
2. Harald Proczyk (O) 344
3. Niels Langeveld 338

​Sassenheim, .. March 2018. Niels Langeveld has just one goal for his second TCR
Germany season: to be the champion along with his team Racing One. "This will be
my tenth season in motorsport and until now I have managed to be champion in every
series in which I have participated. Last season we had a difficult start as we were
trying to find the right set-up for the Audi RS3 LMS but later we showed several times
that we are able to win in this competitive series. We have learned a lot, have come
very well integrated now and are aiming for nothing less than the 2018 title in TCR
Germany this time", says a combative Niels Langeveld.
Ten years ago, Niels Langeveld made his motorsport debut in the Suzuki Swift Cup, a
stepping-stone class for young racing talent. In his first season he raced to the rostrum four
times and in 2010 the fast Dutchman became champion. His next step was the Dutch
Renault Clio Cup, in which Langeveld managed to the title in his second season. In 2015, he
followed up with the title in the Benelux Clio Cup while in 2016 Langeveld proved how he has
grown as a racing driver by immediately winning the prestigious SEAT Leon Eurocup title as
a rookie among highly experienced SEAT drivers.
In his first TCR Germany season Niels Langeveld initially experienced a few setbacks in the
extremely large field of 44 TCR cars of varying makes but as soon as Langeveld along with
his Racing One team and coach/engineer Herman de Jager found a good set-up for the Audi
RS3 LMS they took a fantastic first TCR victory for Audi. On his home circuit at Zandvoort,
Langeveld also proved to be an unbeatable combination in his Racing One Audi.
In 2018, the FIA ​​will enter the TCR and that is a huge boost for Langeveld. "The Balance of
Performance, in which the cars are adjusted to each other, is becoming much more serious.
This will more of less even out the performance of the TCR cars, which is an advantage for
the relatively heavy Audi. We now expect to be able to fight for the title."
For the 2018 season Langeveld had to make a choice between participating in the ADAC
TCR Germany or the TCR Europe Trophy. "TCR Europe is a new championship and I first
want to see how that is developing. And I still have work to do in TCR Germany since until
now I have taken the title in every championship in which I participated," says a smiling
Langeveld.
Langeveld is particularly pleased that he will once again race for Racing One next season
while also working with his coach and engineer Herman de Jager again. "Besides that, I am
very proud that thanks to my loyal sponsors, and also including some new ones now, I
continue to be able to race at such a high level. As a bit of news, I will also be working for my
team this season, acting as a team manager in the GT4 European Series with two Racing
One Audi GT4s - a great new challenge in my racing career!"
Late-March, Niels Langeveld will be able to test the Audi RS3 LMS during three test days at
the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben. There, the four-time champion and his team will
optimally prepare themselves for the start of the season on that same German circuit with
races on 14 and 15 April.

​Sassenheim, August 6, 2018. Niels Langeveld has scored his fourth podium finish of the
2018 ADAC TCR Germany season. At the Nürburgring the racing one driver from
Sassenheim in the Netherlands claimed the third position in the first race of the weekend,
scoring valuable points for the championship. In the second race the Audi RS3 LMS driver
was less successful and finished eleventh. Langeveld, the number two in the championship,
closed the gap to leader Harald Proczyk from 22 to 10 points, and with three events to go,
and the next two races at Circuit Zandvoort, the ADAC TCR Germany title fight will go down
to the wire.
The German Nürburgring was host to round four of the prestigious ADAC TCR Germany
championship. After his commanding victory at the Red Bull Ring, Niels Langeveld was
determined to continue his string of successful races at the world famous Eifel track.
In free practice Langeveld immediately had the right pace and with a third and seventh
position the Audi RS3 LMS driver was in the top of the 26-car field. In qualifying session one
a tenth position was enough for the driver from Sassenheim in the Netherlands to advance to
the second part of qualifying in which the top twelve competes for the best twelve starting
positions. Langeveld once again proved he can perform extremely well under pressure and
claimed the fourth starting position for race one, and with the reversed top ten, the seventh
starting position for race two.,
From fourth position on the grid, Langeveld didn’t have a very good start and lost one
position. But before the end of lap one, the Audi driver was back in fourth and gained another
position when the driver in front of him was penalized with a drive through penalty for a jump
start. The racing one Audi couldn’t match the pace of the top two and lost contact in the
second part of the race. Langeveld had some pressure from the drivers behind him, but it
was never that much that he had to defend his position very hard. After twenty laps
Langeveld finished in third position, his fourth podium finish of the season. Because Harald
Proczyk, his closest rival in the title race, scored no points, Langeveld retook the lead in the
championship with a four points margin over the Austrian driver.
In the second race Langeveld had to start from seventh position, and with Proczyk in fifth
position, the racing one driver knew it would be a tough fight. The race didn’t go according to
plan for Langeveld. After the start the Audi driver remained in seventh position, but got
caught up in a battling group and lost a few positions. Langeveld was in eleventh position
when the safety car came out and the race was red flagged after an accident had caused
severe damage to the safety barriers in one of the corners of the track. Thus Langeveld
didn’t get the chance to retake some positions and finished eleventh. As Proczyk finished in
fifth position, Langeveld lost some points compared to his closest rival in the title race. But
looking at the race weekend overall, Langeveld closed the gap to the leader from 22 to only
10 points.
“A weekend of mixed feeling. In the first race it was already difficult to keep the pace and
there was pressure from behind all the time. We changed a few things in the setup of the car
for race two, but that didn’t work out. First of all, the Nürburgring is not an Audi circuit, but we
didn’t have the pace I had hoped for, especially not in race two. But we know where we went
into the wrong direction and still we could close the gap to the leader. We are in the title race
and it will be close until the last race of the season,” said Langeveld about his weekend at
the Nürburgring.
The next round of the ADAC TCR Germany championship is one Langeveld is really looking
forward to. From August 18 to 19 Circuit Zandvoort is host to round number five of the series.

Zandvoort is Langeveld’s home track and most favourite circuit and it’s also the track where
he achieved so many successes. With the support of the Dutch spectators and under the
watchful eye of his fans and partners, Langeveld will do everything he can to make the
Zandvoort race one to remember. “Zandvoort suits the Audi much better, and after we won
the second race there last year, we are definitely looking for more,” said a competitive
Langeveld.

​Niels Langeveld has convincingly taken his first ADAC TCR Germany victory of the
season at the Red Bull Ring. In both free practice and qualifying, the Dutch driver was
the fastest man on the Austrian Formula 1 circuit before going on to claim a dominant
victory in the first race on Saturday. In Sunday’s second race Langeveld had to start in
tenth, due to the reversed grid, after which a bad start made him have to settle for
eighth. In the TCR Germany standings Langeveld is now runner up, just a short
distance away from Harald Proczyk.
 
After six weeks of waiting, Niels Langeveld was hungry for success. Knowing that the Audi
RS3 LMS had been equipped with a new engine and turbo, the racing one driver and his
team started the free practice sessions on the 4.3 km Formula 1 circuit in good spirits. They
weren’t disappointed, as Langeveld was on top form and proved to be the fastest driver in a
huge field of 30 TCR Germany cars.
  
"It's great when you're fastest in free practice," said Langeveld, "but it has to be done in
qualifying." In his first run he set fifth time, but gradually dropped down to eighth. That was
sufficient in itself for continuing to the second qualifying session for the top twelve, but
Langeveld decided on a second run to clock the fastest time. In the final seconds of this
session, the Finn Antti Buri managed to improve that time by a thousandth of a second but
Langeveld was able to start the second session with a good feeling. In this session he left no
doubt that the racing one-racer was the man to be beat at the Red Bull Ring, taking pole
position for race 1. This also meant Langeveld had to start in tenth for the second race, due
to the reversed grid for the top ten.
 
Langeveld was planning to create a gap to the Audi of his direct pursuer Antti Buri as soon
as possible, to avoid giving the Finn a chance to get into his slipstream. Langeveld’s start
was good and his plan of attack succeeded, as the racing one Audi soon opened up a gap,
allowing Langeveld to focus on setting consistent lap times. A safety-car period after
incidents on the track brought the field back together and this meant Langeveld had to start
all over again. His restart was perfect and again he did not allow Buri to get into his
slipstream. With great lap times, all within a margin of three-tenths of a second, his
opponents were unable to threaten the fast Dutchman for a moment and so Langeveld
convincingly scored his first victory in TCR Germany 2018. "Great that everything is finally
right, I knew this victory was coming," said the racing one driver with a smile.
 
In the second race, it was important to quickly move forward from his tenth starting position.
This plan unfortunately failed to succeed as Langeveld made a bad start. "My own fault",
Langeveld confessed. "I let go of my clutch too early, got the power down too late and
instead of winning positions I lost four."
Patiently Langeveld had to fight to make his way forward again and that worked well in the
beginning of the race. In eighth, however, he got stuck behind an opponent and had settle for
that position. "Very bitter, since my strongest opponent Harald Proczyk won the race and
scored valuable points. But there are four more events, including at Zandvoort, and I'm
confident that securing the ADAC TCR Germany 2018 title is still possible for me."
Again Langeveld must be patient, however, as the next races in TCR Germany are at the
Nürburgring in Germany in early August. Two weeks after that event, Langeveld will take on
his strong German competition at his favourite home track.