The team: Q Motorsport

“It has become clear that it is incredibly valuable to have such an experienced partner as Sven Quandt in such an unpredictable off-road sport,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Rolf Michl. “With his knowledge, he is an important point of reference and a source of experience. When it comes to race strategy, he knows how we can make optimum use of the strengths of our technical concept and our drivers. Everyone in the team is a thoroughbred motorsport enthusiast, as are the experienced car chiefs, for example. They have a connection to the drivers, which is important to me, because it’s not just about the technology. I particularly appreciate the commitment of our mechanics in this project – together with Q Motorsport, they have to make the best possible use of a highly complex vehicle under the toughest conditions.”

Sven Quandt founded Q Motorsport GmbH with his two sons Thomas and Tobias Quandt. As a driver, Sven Quandt won the T1 Marathon Cup in 1998. In the same year, his team GECO Raid celebrated a triple success in the T1 classification of the Paris–Dakar Rally. From November 2002 to the end of 2004, Quandt was Head of Motorsport at Mitsubishi Motors. At the same time, he began to build up the X-raid team, which celebrated six victories in the Dakar Rally and won the FIA World Cup for cross-country rallies eleven times.

“Audi has always chosen new, bold paths in racing. This also applies to the RS Q e-tron as a particularly complex car,” says Quandt. For the team boss, the Dakar Rally is one of the biggest challenges in motorsport – and the best test for technologies suitable for everyday use. “You have everything that is also important for a production vehicle: different terrains, tough conditions, high and low temperatures, rain, sun and many kilometers per day. The Dakar is the best test: if the technology passes this rally, it will be successful everywhere.”

Audi Sport has brought a great deal of expertise from its previous projects to the partnership with Q Motorsport. “In some areas, the Audi RS Q e-tron is more of a circuit car,” says Quandt. “The question is: what can you bring from the circuit into a cross-country rally car? What is the best compromise? We have both learned from each other.” Both partners have now developed a great deal of routine in terms of technology and processes. Nevertheless, in 2024 they are again looking forward with respect to the most unpredictable and toughest of all rallies.