Land Motorsport has gained factory status for this year’s Nürburgring 24, with the German squad replacing Phoenix Racing in the manufacturer’s increased four-car works-supported effort, which includes the return of WRT.

The reigning ADAC GT Masters champions, which finished runner-up in January’s Rolex 24 at Daytona, will enter two Audi R8 LMS cars, alongside WRT’s pair of factory entries, marking an increase over Audi’s two supported cars in the event last year.

The driver lineup for the the effort, meanwhile, features six previous winners.

Christopher Haase and Pierre Kaffer will share the first Land car, while Kelvin van der Linde and Markus Winkelhock are listed in the team’s second entry.

Christopher Mies and Connor De Phillippi, meanwhile, are listed in both Land Audis.

In the WRT entries, Marcel Fassler and Robin Frijns are in the team’s first entry, with Frank Stippler and Frederic Vervisch in the second car.

Nico Mueller and Rene Rast are set to join both WRT teams.

The lineup includes six previous winners of the N24: Haase, Mies, Mueller, Rast, Stippler and Winkelhock, while De Phillippi and van der Linde are previous ADAC GT Masters champions.

Blancpain GT Series champion Frijns and three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans victor Fassler are also present in the lineup.

“We’re poised for fierce competition with a strong lineup,” commented Chris Reinke, head of Audi Sport customer racing.

“In addition, we’re again expecting several customer teams to be competing in the Audi R8 LMS this year.”

No word has been given on Audi’s reason to drop longtime factory partner Phoenix, with the Ernst Moser-led team yet to announce its 2017 program.