Home » Blog » News » McNish Starts Audi From Third Row At Spa-Francorchamps

08 May 2010 | Posted in News

Allan McNish starts his diesel-engined Audi from sixth position in a 1,000km sportscar endurance race at Spa-Francorchamps tomorrow (SUN).

The 40-year-old Scotsman’s co-driver Tom Kristensen set a personal fastest time of 1:59.795, an average speed of 130.79mph, around the 4.35-mile Belgian track in today’s (SAT) 20-minute qualifying session. Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais (Peugeot) will start from pole-position after setting an outright fastest time of 1:57.884 (132.91mph) in the time trials held in overcast but dry weather conditions.

“We’re right in the thick of the mix with the Peugeots and we’ll be shaking things up when the race gets underway,” said McNish. “Tom [Kristensen] suffered with traffic on his fastest lap and a had a small collision with an errant car which upset the rhythm of our qualifying session especially considering the limited grip you get around the long Spa circuit.

“But I’m very encouraged after qualifying especially taking into account the ‘sister’ Audi of  Timo [Bernhard] being so close to the pole-starting Peugeot time-wise.”

McNish and eight-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Kristensen also share their revised R15 TDI with Dindo Capello (Italy) in a race the German manufacturer has earmarked as a full “dress rehearsal” in preparation for next month’s Le Mans 24 Hours (12-13 Jun).

Allan continued: “The race could be dictated by changing weather conditions as opposed to outright speed. The forecast suggest it’ll be dry at the start with rain coming in which will spice things up. So us drivers and the entire team will need to be on our toes and 100% focussed in making the right pit calls.”

The “sister” Audi R15 TDI sportscar of Timo Bernhard (D)/Romain Dumas (F)/Mike Rockenfeller (D) Audi set the second fastest (1:58.519) with the third Audi of Marcel Fässler (CH)/André Lotterer (D)/Benoît Treluyer (F) fifth (1:59.707) on the 50-car grid.

 The 621-mile race is scheduled to begin at 1030 (BST) on Sunday.

 

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