Allan McNish Blog

McNish Bids For Fourth Silverstone Race Victory

2010-09-03T15:54:00+01:00

Audi ace Allan McNish will be aiming for "home rule" again when Britain's former double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner contests a 1,000km endurance sportscar race at Silverstone on Sunday (12 Sep).

The 40-year-old Scotsman bids for a fourth victory in the Autosport 1000km of Silverstone after winning the corresponding race in 2004, 2005 and 2008 for Audi.

Dumfries-born McNish, who will have "Great Dane" Tom Kristensen as his co-driver in the Audi R15 TDI, is doubly determined for success as the Silverstone race marks the fifth and final round of the Le Mans Series and also the opening round of the three-race inaugural Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

"The Silverstone 1,000 km race is the first round of the 2010 Intercontinental Cup and so it is important Tom and I, and of course Audi, get off to a good start in that Championship as Peugeot, our main competition over the last three years, will be keen for revenge especially after Audi's 1-2-3 result at Le Mans in June," said McNish.

"Le Mans was my last race so it's been a long summer without racing but we have been very busy with testing and motivation is high. Silverstone marks the first time Audi and Peugeot have faced each other since Le Mans so you can expect fireworks and a titanic fight between us."

Allan and eight-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Kristensen plus Audi Sport Team Joest team-mates Dindo Capello, the Italian who has been McNish's regular co-driver since 2006, and Germany's Timo Bernhard, drive the Audi R15 TDI sports-prototype which claimed the top-three positions and set a new distance record at Le Mans.

For the Silverstone, Road Atlanta and Zhuhai races, the aerodynamics on the R15 TDI have been trimmed for higher downforce - the only modification compared to Le Mans.

The 170-lap, 1,000km race will last over five hours and will be staged on Silverstone's revised 3.666-mile "New Grand Prix" circuit.

McNish added: "The Audi R15 TDI has already won two out of the three races we've done this year and TK and I will be fighting hard to make it a third win on what is the R15 TDI's UK race début. It's effectively this car's final race on European soil this year.

"I always like racing at Silverstone. In fact, I had my first ever car race there and I have had success on all the variants of track since then. It has been quite a happy hunting ground throughout my career. With most of my racing taking place abroad these days, it's really nice to ‘come home' to catch up with fans and family that come along to watch.

"I have only seen the new track layout on television. It still has the long, fast section from Copse to Club and then the slower section back to the start-finish line. I don't think the track will be any easier but actually more complicated for set-up with aerodynamic grip and balance being important in the first part and mechanical grip and balance in the second part. I am sure it will, as always, produce a good, exciting race."

Kristensen, meanwhile, has won at Silverstone in Formula 3000 and the British Touring Car Championship but has not previously raced a sports-prototype at the Northamptonshire venue with his last race there being a BTCC victory in 1990.

The 2010 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup calendar comprises of the Silverstone race plus Petit Le Mans (Road Atlanta, United States, October 2) and the 1000 km Zhuhai (Zhuhai, China, November 7). Meanwhile, the 2011 calendar will comprise of these three races plus the 12 Hours of Sebring (Sebring, United States, March), the 1000 km Spa (Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, May), the 24 Hours of Le Mans (Le Mans, France, June 11-12) and the 1000 km Fuji (Fuji, Japan, October).

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McNish - Festival of Speed

2010-07-07T17:18:00+01:00

Dumfries-born Allan McNish drove an Audi R15 TDI sportscar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend (3 July). It was the same diesel-engined car that the Scotsman had swept to third place in the Le Mans 24 Hours last month (12-13 June) with co-drivers Dindo Capello (Italy) and Tom Kristensen (Denmark).

McNish's next race is scheduled to be a 1,000km race at Silverstone on September 12 - the final round of the Le Mans Series which Allan currently leads with Capello but also the first of three races counting towards the Intercontinental Cup. McNish won the corresponding Silverstone race in 2008.

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McNish Joined by Pink Floyd Drummer Nick Mason at Goodwood

2010-07-02T09:58:00+01:00

World's largest historic motorsport event

Audi's latest sports-prototype, Auto Union twin-supercharger Type D and Audi V8 quattro DTM taking part

The stage is set: from July 2 to 4, the Earl of March invites lovers of historic motorsport to join him for the annual highlight in the calendar, the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Once again 150,000 visitors are expected to make their way to the Earl's Goodwood estate in Sussex to witness outstanding motorsport vehicles throughout the ages.

Audi Tradition will again be present: Nick Mason, the legendary Pink Floyd rock group's drummer, is driving an Auto Union Silver Arrow again, while Britain's Allan McNish, a double Le Mans winner, will be at the wheel of an Audi R15 TDI - a sports-prototype which finished 1-2-3 in the Le Mans 24 Hours last month.

It's the fourth time that Nick Mason will climb into one of the legendary Auto Union Silver Arrows and thunder up the hill at Goodwood. People are already respectfully calling him "Auto Union's last works driver"!

Pink Floyd's drummer is a motorsport enthusiast and owns an exclusive collection of racing cars. This time he is driving a 1939 Auto Union Type D with twin superchargers, a car that Audi Tradition rebuilt a few years ago.

As Mason says contentedly: "It's a great feeling to drive at Goodwood every year but all the more so in an Auto Union racing car."

McNish, who finished third at Le Mans this year, will be reacquainted with his R15 TDI on Saturday. Co-driver Tom Kristensen, the Great Dane who has won Le Mans eight times, will also be present at the invitation of Lord March.

Meanwhile former Audi Sport "factory" driver Marco Werner, a three-time Le Mans winner himself, will be seen in the 1992-season Audi V8 quattro DTM.

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Big Al

2010-06-28T16:44:00+01:00

When Graham, one of my partners, produced a 6 foot high Allan for their UK in store promotion, I never thought he would turn up and party at Le Mans with the Daily Sportscar guys, never mind be signed by all drivers from the 2010 Le Mans grid and this year there were some real stars including;

14 Le Mans 24 Hours Winners, One former F1 World Champion (and Champcar Champion), 25 ex F1 drivers, 11 Rolex 24 Winners, 12 Spa 24 Hour Winners, 11 Nurburgring 24 Hours Winners, 14 Sebring 12 Hour Winners, 10 Petit Le Mans Winners, Two DTM Champions, Two A1 GP Champions and a three time World Touring Car Champion.

When Big Al got home he was auctioned off on Ebay, starting at 99 cents he finally went to a new home for $2025, with funds going to Malaria No More, a charity supported by Highcroft Racing.

To see where Big Al got to on his travels, check out www.justliftthelid.co.uk/followallan.asp and http://www.dailysportscar.com/ under Where's Al.

And a big congratulations to Graham, Daily Sportscar and Highcroft Racing for their charity contributions.

From Little Al

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Malaria No More - How You Can Help!

2010-06-22T17:15:00+01:00

Check out the larger than life size Allan McNish cut out signed by all drivers at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

This is available for bidding on E-Bay - all proceeds go to the Malaria No More foundation.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Signed-ALLAN-McNISH-cardboard-cutout-LE-MANS-/280521319137?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41505fa2e1

HOW YOUR BID SAVES LIVES - For more information follow the below link to the Malaria No More site http://www.milestoendmalaria.org/

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DBT McNish Racing at Formula Schools Final

2010-06-22T17:02:00+01:00

Stranraer Academy and Annan Academy have gained success at this years Formula Schools national schools competition.Stranraer in only their second year in the competition have grabbed the overall championship trophy. The points gained from engineering put the team in the top five but a fair gap behind past champions Serlby Park. But absolute domination at race day allowed the team get the F1-style 25 points for winning race day to catch and pass the opposition and to gain a two point advantage overall.

More awards came to the region as Annan High School came home with the trophy for the best Race Day Display. The all girl team were totally surprised but pleasantly pleased to take a trophy home, also in their second year at the competition at the Silverstone Race track in Northamptonshire.

Passed double winners DBT McNish Racing from Dalbeattie High School were also at the race day finals but this year they were acting as marshals. Ron Orr - regional organiser for Formula Schools said "I am so pleased that this year's competition has again been won by a school from our region. This means that for three out of the last four years the trophy has been won by schools from Dumfries and Galloway. This continues a rich tradition of motor racing success enjoyed by the region".

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Audi celebrates Le Mans victories in Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt

2010-06-22T14:52:00+01:00

Audi will celebrate its record victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours, which saw the highest speed in the history of the endurance classic that has been held since 1923, with its employees at the Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt locations.

Yesterday the victorious Le Mans squad visited the Neckarsulm plant where the more than 440-kW V10 TDI engine of the LMP1 sports car is being built. Mike Rockenfeller, at the age of 26 the youngest Audi driver who celebrated a victory at Le Mans, will pilot the Audi R15 TDI designated as car number "9" across the plant's premises. Afterwards, from 2 to 3 p.m., Rockenfeller and his driver colleagues Timo Bernhard, Dindo Capello, Romain Dumas, Marcel Fässler, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish signed autographs in public in front of the Audi Forum in Neckarsulm for one hour.

In the afternoon the winning squad travelled to Ingolstadt, the headquarters of Audi and Audi Sport. Today, Mike Rockenfeller will do a lap around the plant premises as well before the Le Mans winning #9 Audi R15 TDI and the other two Le Mans vehicles - cars #7 and #8 - will be showcased for public viewing at the Piazza in front of the Audi museum mobile. From approx. 10:15 a.m. the successful Audi drivers will be giving interviews and signing autographs. In Ingolstadt, Benoît Treluyer will be present as well. André Lotterer cannot attend on either of the two days due to a racing commitment in Malaysia.

At the Festival of Speed in Goodwood (United Kingdom) from July 2 to 4 and at the DTM race at the Norisring on the same weekend the Audi R15 TDI can be seen in action as well. Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish will be at Goodwood. Prior to the start of the DTM race at the Norisring the actual winning car of the Le Mans 24 Hours will do some demo laps on the 2.3-kilometer city street circuit along the Dutzendteich lake. The victorious Le Mans driver squad Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas/Mike Rockenfeller will be at the Norisring too and sign autographs.

Neckarsulm, Ingolstadt, Goodwood and Nuremberg are just four of numerous venues at which the Le Mans winners will be in action. Ever since they crossed the finish line, the phones in Ingolstadt and those of the three Le Mans winners have not stopped ringing. PR commitments and requests are continually increasing. Romain Dumas, for example, will join the crew of Jochen Schümann's yacht from the Audi A1 team as the "13th hand" to sail a regatta on the final day of the Audi MedCup in Marseille.

Mike Rockenfeller was appropriately received at his home in Altnau on Lake Constance on Monday night: his driver colleague and friend Lucas Luhr had arranged a spontaneous party for the brand new Le Mans winner.

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ELLIS SNATCHES EARLY ADVANTAGE IN JIM RUSSELL “RACE OF CHAMPIONS”

2010-06-16T17:24:00+01:00

Alex Ellis (St Catharines, Ontario, Canada) has snatched an early points lead in the Jim Russell "Race of Champions" shoot-out after placing first & second in the opening races at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma on Saturday June 12.

Ellis leads from fellow 2010 Future Driver Gary Carlton by two points after two of the scheduled six race invitational competition which runs June-August and sees the outright points winner claiming a seat in Round 9 of the Firestone Indy Lights at the Infineon Raceway.

Qualifying had been tight with the two Future Drivers filling the front row after 2008 & '09 JRCS champion Brett Smrz made a slight mistake on his best lap and would occupy the inside of row two aiming to put his JRCS experience to good effect in the two, twenty-five minute races.

Pole-setter Carlton led away Ellis at the green light of Race One with Smrz pressing the two "rookies" but the Canadian dived into the lead at Turn 2 with Carlton spinning down the field on the next lap allowing Smrz to close in on Ellis. Ellis maintained a 1.2secs advantage on Lap 10 while Carlton reduced a 18secs deficit and overtook Galante in Turn Seven on lap 11 before applying intense pressure to Altberg for third place.

In Race Two, pole-sitter Carlton and Ellis exchanged the lead on the opening lap, Gary taking the advantage when Alex lost time in Turn 9 while Liefooghe overtook Altberg for fifth position on lap four. Carlton extended his lead to 3.6secs by mid-distance before backing off while Smrz chased Ellis for second. Carlton took the checker 2.5secs ahead of Ellis who finished 1.4secs ahead of Smrz.

All drove identical FJR-50 single-seaters owned and prepared in house by the Jim Russell Championship Series ensuring equality and placing the emphasis of success on driver talent. The Lola-built Formula Three machines feature a carbon/kevlar fiber composite monocoque, a sequential five-speed gearbox and a two-liter, turbocharged Mitsubishi engine producing 300bhp.

The next two rounds are staged on July 9 with the concluding races on August 6 with the champion going forward to the Indy Lights Carneros 100 race at Sonoma on August 22.

Brett Smrz (Coeur d' Alene, ID) - 2009 JRCS Outright Champion:

Race 1 Result: 2^nd. Race 2 Result: 3^rd. Championship position: 3^rd, 15-points.

"I put the pressure on today but couldn't quite pull it out. I've knocked the rust off and Gary Carlton and Alex Ellis had better be looking out for me next month!"

Nick Galante (Novato, CA) - 2009 JRCS Masters Champion:

Race 1 Result: 5^th. Race 2 Result: 4^th. Championship position: 4^th, 11-points.

"It's great to finally get in the car this season. The level of competition and the car are bar none and I am definitely planning on giving those guys a run in the next couple of races."

Greg Liefooghe (San Francisco, CA) - 2009 JRCS Runner Up:

Race 1 Result: 6^th. Race 2 Result: 5^th. Championship position: 6^th, 9-points.

Aleksander Altberg (San Francisco, CA) - 2009 JRCS "Rookie of the Year":

Race 1 Result: 3^rd. Race 2 Result: 6^th. Championship position: 5^th, 11-points.

Gary Carlton (Marysville, CA) - Jim Russell 2010 Future Driver:

Race 1 Result: 4^th. Race 2 Result: 1^st. Championship position: 2^nd, 16-points.

"These were my first ever proper races in single-seaters. I've never been behind someone or had real pressure before so I learned a lot from the first race. I took what I learned and applied it to the second race, it was a steep learning curve but I pulled out the win so I am happy about that. I am definitely looking forward to the next races in July."

Alex Ellis (St Catharines, Ontario, Canada) - Jim Russell 2010 Future Driver:

Race 1 Result: 1^st. Race 2 Result: 2^nd. Championship position: 1^st, 18-points.

"It would have been nice to take both the wins today but I was really hot on my tires the entire first race. It left me with not much for the second race, the front tires were just about done, and I had to be really aware of that. That made it a battle to keep Smrz behind me the whole race and that became my focus. I can now look forward to next month and hope to maintain my championship lead."

Visit http://www.jimrussellusa.com/ for more information.

Results:

Qualifying (for Races 1 & 2);

1. Gary Carlton, 1.37.61

2. Alex Ellis, 1.37.98

3. Brett Smrz, 1.38.36

4. Nick Galante, 1.39.95

5. Gregory Liefooghe, 1.40.77

6. Aleksander Altberg, 1.41.07

Race 1:

1. Alex Ellis

2. Brett Smrz

3. Aleksander Altberg

4. Gary Carlton

5. Nick Galante

6. Gregory Liefooghe

Fastest Lap: Gary Carlton, 1:38.991

Race One Rostrum (l-r): Aleksander Altberg, Alex Ellis and Brett Smrz

Race 2:

1. Gary Carlton

2. Alex Ellis

3. Brett Smrz

4. Nick Galante

5. Gregory Liefooghe

6. Aleksander Altberg

Fastest Lap: Gary Carlton, 1:39.638

Race Two Rostrum (l-r): Brett Smrz, Gary Carlton and Alex Ellis

Jim Russell "Race of Champions" (latest standings):

1. Alex Ellis, 18-points

2. Gary Carlton, 16pts

3. Brett Smrz, 15pts

4. Nick Galante, 11pts

5. Aleksander Altberg, 11pts

6. Gregory Liefooghe, 9pts

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McNish Claims Another Le Mans “Rostrum” Placing As Audi Net 1-2-3

2010-06-13T22:58:00+01:00

Allan McNish steered his diesel engined Audi home in to third place after a spirited recovery in the Le Mans 24 Hour race which ended today (13 June) as the German manufacturer scored a dominant 1-2-3 result.

German Timo Bernhard and Mike Rockenfeller plus Romain Dumas, of France, claimed Audi’s ninth Le Mans race win since its début in 1999 – their Audi R15 TDI setting a new distance record of 3,361-miles in the 78^th running of the historic event in France.

“It’s an unbelievable result because we didn’t have the outright pace of Peugeot,” commented McNish. “But Audi had the efficiency and reliability plus the team, structure, drivers and engineers that knew from experience, how to win here.”

Audi’s fourth 1-2-3 victory at Le Mans after 2000, 2002 and 2004, completed at an average speed of 139.95mph, was a supreme combination of TDI turbo diesel efficiency and reliability but less than five hours in to the twice-around-the-clock marathon, the race had turned against former two-time race winner McNish.

The 40-year-old Scotsman, driving a latest specification Audi R15 TDI with Tom Kristensen and Dindo Capello – Audi’s previous Le Mans winners from two years ago – ultimately recovered to claim a “podium” position after losing three laps and dropping from being the highest-placed Audi in fourth to eighth.

McNish had started sixth on the 55-car grid and was up to fourth when after almost 4½hrs, co-driver Kristensen came across a slow-moving car which moved across in front of him.

Allan added: “Tom had to take avoiding action of a slow, wounded car that drifted across on him. TK ended up in the gravel having also lightly touched the guard rail. He was towed out of the trap and got the car back to the pits for repairs. In all we lost around three laps – the distance we finished behind our winning team-mates . . .”

The Bernhard (29/Germany)/Dumas (32/France)/Rockenfeller Audi finished one-lap ahead of the “sister” R15 TDI of Marcel Fässler (34/Switzerland)/André Lotterer (29/Germany)/Benoît Treluyer (23/France) with the McNish/Kristensen/Capello Audi third, a further two laps adrift.

“I’ve not been involved in a Le Mans like this one in my 10 previous starts here! It turned on its head two or three times. The result of our car was obviously dictated by Tom’s incident which was frustrating. But our fight back was intense and we can all be very proud - but that doesn’t mean to say that we can forget about the performance of our ‘French friends’ as we now must focus on the Intercontinental Cup which begins at Silverstone in September.”

Meanwhile Le Mans débutant Oliver Jarvis, from Cambridge, who shared his “customer” Audi R10 TDI with Christian Bakkerud (Den) and Christijan Albers (NED), started from the seventh row and lay a commendable seventh with three hours to run but a mechanical problem when seventh caused the car’s retirement in the closing stages.

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McNish Audi Fastest In Warm Up Session

2010-06-12T12:46:00+01:00

Audi Sport Team Joest has completed its preparations for the 78th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours with a fastest time in the warm-up session. On a wet track Allan McNish recorded the quickest time of all 56 participants in the number 7 Audi R15 TDI.

With 3m 51.401s the Scotsman was over a second faster than the best Peugeot. The two other Audi R15 TDI prototypes were also quick in the difficult conditions in positions four and five. All nine Audi drivers have been driving in the warm-up session, all of them being happy with the handling of their cars despite the slippery track. "The race can come, we are well prepared," said Allan McNish.

Dry conditions are forecast for the start of the race at 3 p.m. Allan McNish (#7), Marcel Fässler (#8) and Timo Bernhard (#9) have been nominated as start drivers for the three Audi R15 TDI prototypes. As usual the drivers will rotate in alphabetical order during the race:

#7 McNish > Capello > Kristensen
#8 Fässler > Lotterer > Treluyer
#9 Bernhard > Dumas > Rockenfeller

Before the race starts, the five-time Le Mans winner Frank Biela will pilot an Audi-e-tron technological show-piece based on the R8 around the race track. The high-performance electric sports car was presented on Friday evening in the pitlane of Le Mans.

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McNish Improves To Start Le Mans 24 Hours From Third Row

2010-06-11T12:33:00+01:00

Allan McNish starts his diesel-engined Audi from sixth position in the 78^th Le Mans 24 Hour endurance sportscar race on Saturday afternoon (2pm BST) after the Scotsman improved his fastest lap time in last night's (THURS) final time trials.

The 40-year-old Scotsman swept his latest Audi R15 TDI to a third-row start position on the 56-car grid in tonight's (THURS) final qualifying session. The Dumfries-born driver, who bids for his third and Audi's ninth Le Mans race win, set a personal fastest time on 3mins 22.176secs around the 8.47-mile circuit - 2.485secs slower than the pole-starting Peugeot of Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais (3:19.711) courtesy of a time set on Wednesday.

"Significant progress was made in the final qualifying sessions - not only in terms of improving my rid position but in getting a ‘comfortable' and consistent car for the race," commented Allan.

"Between Wednesday and Thursday everybody worked hard to use the three programmes and bring together some big improvements on the set-ups and the balance of the car. Overall Dindo (Capello), Tom (Kristensen) and I got a bit more of a feeling of what we wanted for a race car in the 24 hours - which in our opinion is more important than the qualifying."

McNish's latest achievement marks the 10^th time his car has started from the front three rows of the grid in his 11 race Le Mans history. The Briton shares his Audi with co-drivers Dindo Capello (45/Italy) and Tom Kristensen (42/Denmark) ) - the "Great Dane" gunning for his ninth Le Mans triumph - in the same driver combination for the past four years.

The similar "factory" entered Audi R15 TDI sportscars of Timo Bernhard (29/Germany)/Romain Dumas (32/France)/Mike Rockenfeller (26/Germany) plus Marcel Fässler (34/Switzerland)/André Lotterer (29/Germany)/Benoît Treluyer (23/France) start from fifth and seventh positions respectively. Thursday's qualifying session began with the track still damp but drying after a torrential rain storm earlier in the afternoon.

Meanwhile the Le Mans débutant Oliver Jarvis, from Cambridge, who shares his "customer" Audi R10 TDI with Christian Bakkerud (Denmark) and Christijan Albers (Netherlands), lines-up 13^th in a car type that McNish took to Audi's last Le Mans victory in 2008.

Forty-five minutes before the scheduled race start at 3pm (local) on Saturday afternoon, the 56 "starting" drivers will this year walk across the track to be strapped into their cars parked facing them in herringbone formation. They will then be strapped in with the help of their mechanics and then released one by one to take their places on the 56-car grid for the normal rolling start. The race, first run in 1923, traditionally began with drivers sprinting across the track and jumping in their racecars to mark the start of the race.

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McNish Nets Provisional Fourth Row Start Position For Le Mans 24 Hours

2010-06-10T15:13:00+01:00

The diesel-engined Audi sportscar of Britain's Allan McNish claimed a provisional fourth row spot by setting the seventh fastest time in the opening qualifying session for this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hours last night (WED).

The 40-year-old Scotsman, who shares the Audi R15 TDI with co-drivers Dindo Capello (Italy) and Tom Kristensen (Denmark), set a personal fastest time for their car of 3min 24.688secs around the 8.47-mile circuit. Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais (Peugeot) sits on provisional pole-position (3:19.711).

"It was a little disappointing to see the pace of the Peugeots," commented McNish. "Traffic played a little part but we weren't in a position to fight with them. We spent a lot of time working on a race set-up. We [Audi] do not spend a lot of time focusing on getting the car right for qualifying - it's the race that matters."

The similar "factory" entered Audi R15 TDI sportscars of Timo Bernhard (Germany)/Romain Dumas (France)/Mike Rockenfeller (Germany) plus Marcel Fässler (Switzerland)/André Lotterer (Germany)/Benoît Treluyer (France) set the fifth (3:23.578) and sixth (3:24.430) fastest times respectively.

The two-hour official time trial which ended at midnight followed on from a four-hour opening practice session which opened on-track proceedings for the 78^th Le Mans 24 Hours which sees Audi bidding to score its ninth victory since the German manufacturer's Le Mans race début in 1999.

Two further qualifying sessions to determine starting grid positions for the 56-cars are staged tonight (THURS). Former World Champion Formula One drivers Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost are contesting this year's race.

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TV & Radio Times 24 Hours of Le Mans

2010-06-07T17:17:00+01:00

Keep up to date with Allan's progress in Le Mans with the following TV & radio broadcast times.

SPEED Broadcast Schedule

(LIVE All Times Eastern - US)

Saturday, June 12

8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Le Mans - The Start SPEED

12:30 - 6:00 p.m. Le Mans SPEED.com

6:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m. Le Mans - Overnight SPEED

Sunday, June 13

6:00 - 9:30 a.m. Le Mans - The Finish SPEED

Eurosport

(French Time - CET)

Wednesday June 9th

16:00 - 20:00 Free practice

22:00 - 24:00 Qualifying 1

Thurs June 10th

19:00 - 21:00 Qualifying 2

22:00 - 24:00 Qualifying 3

Sat June 12th

09.00 - 09:45 24 Hours Warm-Up

11:05 - 11:50 Group C Legends Race

14:30 - 15.00 Grid

15:00 - 24.00 Race

Sun June 13th

00:00 - 16:00 Race

Radio Le Mans

(French Time - CET)

Sat June 12^th

15:00 24 Hours of Le Mans Race

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McNish - Larger than Life ...

2010-06-04T16:25:00+01:00

Graham, one of my sponsor partners has produced a life size McNish, well larger than life, 6ft! This is for their in store and online promotion, you can see the main picture on www.justliftthelid.co.uk

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Get the full Le Mans experience with Kangaroo TV!

2010-05-27T16:23:00+01:00

If you are coming to Le Mans and want the full experience, you should hook up with a Kangaroo TV. It has live TV pictures, the legendary Radio Le Mans commentary plus live lap times to give you the real race information. I don't think there is a better way to keep up with all the action and we have reserved ours already! It was only Euro 55 on line and you can collect at Le Mans.

All the information is on www.kangaroo.tv/kangaroo-sports/lemans.php

See you in a couple of weeks for a wee bit of fun!

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Scotland - Special Olympics

2010-05-11T14:34:00+01:00

Dumfries-born race ace Allan McNish was delighted to learn that the Scotland soccer team won the Fair Play Cup in the Special Olympics Monaco European Football Tournament last weekend (8 May). Allan's wife, Kelly, and young son, Finlay, were keen spectators at the tournament which Allan was forced to miss due to racing his Audi to third place in Belgium on Sunday (9 May).

The Opening Ceremony of the Special Olympics Monaco European football Tournament under the High Patronage and presence of our Honorary President

H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco last Thursday.

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McNish Audi Finishes Third In Bizarre Spa Le Mans Series Race‏

2010-05-09T18:46:00+01:00

Allan McNish gave himself a good warm-up to next month’s Le Mans 24 Hours when the Scotsman’s diesel-engined Audi finished third in an abnormal 1,000km sportscar endurance race at Spa-Francorchamps today (SUN).

Dumfries-born McNish, 40, started his Audi R15 TDI from sixth place on the 49-car grid and along with co-drivers Dindo Capello (Italy) and Tom Kristensen (Denmark) led convincingly before first a power cut and then rain returned to thwart Audi’s bid for victory in a bizarre Le Mans Series race.

“Rain fell just before the start and being on dry weather ‘slicks’, made it extremely difficult on the slippery surface,” reflected McNish. “The Audi team then made a good strategy call to pit me under a safety car period and I led at the end of my stint.

“But then a power cut brought the race to a temporary stop, something I’ve never previously experienced in my career, and then a further rain shower late in the race prompted us to bring Tom [Kristensen] in to change onto intermediate [part-treaded] tyres with 30mins remaining.

“Unfortunately it stopped raining soon afterwards, the track dried and we lost second place with just four minutes to run. But in terms of the performance, Audi can be pleased looking ahead to Le Mans which is why we ran our cars in Le Mans specification unlike Peugeot who chose to run in a higher downforce set-up more beneficial for Spa.”

The McNish/Capello/Kristensen Audi ultimately finished 86.215secs behind the winning Peugeot of Sébastien Bourdais/Simon Pagenaud/Pedro Lamy which had started from pole-position.

The Audi R15 TDI sportscar of Timo Bernhard (D)/Romain Dumas (F)/Mike Rockenfeller (D) started from the front row and finished fifth. The third “factory” Audi of Marcel Fässler (CH)/André Lotterer (D)/Benoît Treluyer (F) had been due to begin the race from fifth position but lost eight laps having repairs made in the pits after Lotterer spun off on the warm-up lap after drizzle made the track surface treacherously slippery. They recovered to finish 12^th.

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McNish Starts Audi From Third Row At Spa-Francorchamps

2010-05-08T20:05:00+01:00

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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McNish Welcomes Scotland's Special Olympics to Monaco

2010-05-06T11:46:00+01:00

Scotland’s Allan McNish has welcomed his country’s “Special Olympics” soccer team to his adopted “home” of Monaco.

The Dumfries-born race ace who bids for a third Le Mans 24 Hour race victory next month was on hand to show the Scotland soccer team around the Stadium Louis II in the Principality of Monaco where the three-day event begins today.

"I am pleased that Scotland is here in Monaco competing in the Special Olympics and I found the players to be rightly proud of representing our country, it was really nice to meet the team and witness their enthusiasm for the competition,” commented McNish who begins his Le Mans countdown by racing his diesel-engined Audi in Belgium this weekend (9 May).

“I’m competing in my last race before Le Mans on Sunday but my son, Finlay, has already told me he wants to watch the soccer matches and support Graeme [Lang], Steven [George], Craig [Sharratt], Gavin [Maule] plus either Craig Tyson or Terry Gray, who are the coaches, in the five-a-side games instead of watching me on television and quite right too - go for it boys!”

Prince Albert of Monaco is Honorary President of the Special Olympics that offers over 30 Olympic-type individual and team sports that provide meaningful training and competition opportunities for persons with intellectual disabilities.

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TV & Radio Times 1000km of Spa

2010-05-04T12:54:00+01:00

Follow Allan's progress at Spa this weekend with the following TV and Radio broadcast times!

British Eurosport (UK Times)

Sunday 9th

10:25 - 11:00

12:00 - 13:00

13:15 - 14:15

16:30 - 17:00

Radio Le Mans (UK Times)

Fri 7th, 11.00 - LMS Free Practice, Spa

Fri 7th, 15.15 - LMS Free Practice, Spa

Sat 8th, 08.30 - LMS Free Practice, Spa

Sat 8th, 12.40 - LMS Qualifying, Spa

Sun 9th, 07.50 - LMS Warm-up, Spa

Sun 9th, 09.50 - LMS Pre-race Show

Sun 9th, 10.30 - LMS 1000km of Spa

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McNish Aims To Give Audi A Star Performance In Le Mans "Dress Rehearsal"

2010-04-30T16:06:00+01:00

Allan McNish is intent on playing a leading role for Audi in Belgium on Sunday (9 May) when the German manufacturer undertakes a full "dress rehearsal" in preparation for next month's Le Mans 24 Hours.

McNish is joined by all eight of his fellow Le Mans drivers who will drive the latest "factory" Audi R15 TDI "plus" sports-prototypes in a 1,000km race at Spa-Francorchamps - five weeks before the Audi Sport team head for Le Mans bidding to score a ninth victory since its 1999 début.

The 40-year-old Scotsman will "pilot" the revised R15 TDI along with Dindo Capello (Italy) and Tom Kristensen (Denmark) around the historic and ultra-fast 4.35-mile Belgian track located 40-miles South East of Liege in the Ardennes.

"Audi Sport Team Joest enters three R15 Plus sportscars in a full-out ‘dress rehearsal' for the Le Mans 24 Hours," confirmed McNish. "All three cars will be in Le Mans trim driven by all nine of Audi's Le Mans drivers.

"We'll face our fiercest rivals for the first time this year, the ‘factory' Peugeot team which also has a three-car entry at Spa and then Le Mans in June. The 1,000km race in Belgium will effectively be like a ‘mini' Le Mans. It'll be the first time this year where the real performance of both Audi and Peugeot can be judged and compared."

Spa is the second round of the Le Mans Series, McNish and Capello having won the eight-hour Paul Ricard LMS "opener" (11 Apr). McNish has previously driven a petrol-engined Audi R8 (2004) and diesel-powered R10 TDI (2008) at the Belgian track - together with an Audi A4 DTM (2005) - but with little to show in terms of results.

McNish added: "Having won first time out with the R15 Plus at Ricard last month, another race win at Spa would be a tremendous fillip to the entire Audi team as we head towards Le Mans - not to mention the physiological battle.

"Spa is one of the best circuits in the world which feature the legendary corners of Eau Rouge, Blanchimont and Pouhon. It's a track that every racing driver loves. Situated in the Ardennes, it is often affected by inclement weather - it has its own micro climate - which you have to be very aware during the race. Everyone I'm sure will be hoping for dry weather.

"I began the final race of the 2004 LMS season leading the championship but my co-driver, Pierre Kaffer, tangled with a backmarker at the ‘bus stop' chicane with us 30-secs ahead in the race. Our Audi R8 caught fire so our title aspirations literally went up in smoke.

"In the German Touring Masters (DTM) race the following year I was heading towards a point-scoring finish but picked up a puncture three laps from the chequered flag. In 2008, I qualified on the front row but Dindo and I lost three laps with a unscheduled pit-stop for repairs when our Audi was hit from behind by a spinning Peugeot and we eventually finished fourth so I definitely have a score to settle with this particular track!"

Practice is staged for the mammoth 52-car entry on Friday (1105-1205 & 1525-1625) with a final session on Saturday 0845-0945) prior to a 20mins qualifying session later that day (1320-1340). The 621-mile race is scheduled to start at 1030 on Sunday.

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Spa Unofficial Entry List Is Out!

2010-04-23T16:06:00+01:00

Now this grid looks like it could be fun! Spa unofficial entry list is out! www.planetlemans.com/lms-2010-1000-km-of-spa-entry-list/

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Eurosport 8 Hrs of Castellet - Re-Play

2010-04-13T11:33:00+01:00

For those of you who missed Allan's race live over the weekend, you can catch it tonight on Eurosport at 22:45 UK Time.

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McNish Scores Dominant Début Victory For Latest Diesel Audi

2010-04-12T10:42:00+01:00

Allan McNish scored a magnificent début victory for Audi with its latest diesel-engined sportscar in the opening round of the Le Mans Series at Paul Ricard in France yesterday (Sunday 11 Apr).

McNish started his new Audi R15 TDI "Plus" from the front row of the 40-car grid after co-driver Dindo Capello had set the second fastest qualifying time the previous day but stormed in to the lead on the third lap.

By mid-distance in the eight-hour race the 40-year-old Scotsman, back behind the wheel after a solid stint by Capello, had extended the lead to a two-lap advantage over the second-placed Aston Martin around the fast, sweeping 3.6-mile track.

Having taken the lead after four minutes, the McNish/Capello "factory" Audi was never headed again at the former French Grand Prix circuit- their 5.5-litre twin-turbo diesel engined Audi eventually finishing five-laps, 18-miles ahead of the second-placed Aston Martin having completed 957-miles at an average speed of 119.49mph in a completely trouble-free run.

Capello set the race's fastest lap (1m 42.541s, 126.33mph) with 90mins remaining. The pole-position starting factory-assisted Oreca Peugeot lost 18mins in the pits with a problem in the opening hour and finished fourth - eight-laps behind the victorious Audi.

"It's fantastic to give the new R15 ‘Plus' its first victory in its first race which follows the Audi tradition of début race wins like we achieved with the R8, R10 TDI and R15 TDI - even if this one is a little unexpected - and not many manufacturers can claim this honour," commented an elated McNish.

"It's been a perfect race because we got the victory and also it was a perfect test for the engineers going towards Le Mans."

Just 37 days after the "roll-out" of the R15 "Plus", the Paul Ricard race at Le Castellet was a "test" under race conditions marking the next phase of its development programme. After aerodynamic tests at Homestead (Florida), a multi-day endurance test at Sebring (Florida) and tyre tests at Monza (Italy), Audi Sport Team Joest used the Ricard LMS race to begin the detailed race-setup work on the updated LMP1 sports-prototype.

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): "It is impressive that Audi Sport has developed a prototype for a fourth consecutive time which was able to win its début race: after the R8, the R10 and the R15 now the R15 plus. Of course we are very happy that the R15 plus has won the Le Castellet 8 Hours in its test entry.

"But even more important is the fact that the car is already very fast and reliable. We did not have the slightest technical problem here and without the rain shower in the end we would have completed the whole distance without any unscheduled pit-stop. This success is a small milestone on the way to Le Mans and a first reward for the hard work of the previous weeks and months. But we know very well that there is still plenty of work to do until Le Mans."

Dumfries-born McNish and the Audi team continue its Le Mans 24 Hour race (12-13 Jun) preparations with a full three-car "dress rehearsal" in a 1,000km race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), the second round of the LMS on 9 May.

Tom Kristensen partners McNish and Capello at Le Mans. The Dane tore the heel tendon in his left leg in January and decided to concentrate on his forthcoming testing commitments rather than contest the Ricard race.

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McNish starts Le Mans Series opener from front row

2010-04-10T21:00:00+01:00

Allan McNish starts his new Audi R15 TDI “Plus” from the front row of the grid for the opening round of the Le Mans Series at Paul Ricard in France tomorrow (Sunday 11 Apr).

The 40-year-old Scotsman’s co-driver Dindo Capello set a fastest time of 1min 41.632secs, an average speed of 128.58mph, around the ultra-fast 3.6-mile track in today’s (SAT) 20-minute qualifying for the 41-car field staged in warm and sunny conditions.

“Dindo and I have proven over the last two days that the R15 Plus has some good fast pace,” confirmed McNish who topped the times in the final practice session earlier today (1m 42.053s).

“This is a test session in race conditions for us. Our efforts are to improve the new car and its consistency. We’ll strive to get a nice and comfortable car to drive as we prepare for Le Mans.”

The eight-hour sportscar endurance race marks the race début for Audi Sport’s revised turbo-diesel Audi R15 TDI sports-prototype.

McNish, racing at the former French Grand Prix venue for the first time since 1988, shares the 5.5-litre Audi with Capello (Italy) who held provisional pole-position until Nicolas Lapierre (France) driving the Team Oreca Peugeot 908 bettered his time by 0.437secs.

Tom Kristensen (Denmark) partners McNish and Capello in the Le Mans 24 Hours (12-13 June) and tore the heel tendon in his left leg in January. He decided to concentrate on his forthcoming testing commitments rather than contest the Ricard race.

"I drove the new Audi R15 plus at Monza earlier this week and after just a few laps, felt really comfortable but using the clutch was the most painful thing for me because I can’t properly push down the pedal yet,” commented Kristensen.

“That’s why Audi Sport’s doctor, Christian John, the team and I decided that I would not race here at Ricard. The tests over the next few weeks are a lot more important for Audi and me than doing this race. Le Mans continues to be our big aim and we mustn’t lose sight of that.”

The Paul Ricard race starts at 10.00 (BST) tomorrow with rain showers forecasted for late in the race.

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TV & Radio Times 8 Hrs of Castellet

2010-04-08T16:39:00+01:00

Tune in to watch Allan race at Paul Ricard this weekend with the following broadcast times.

TV & Radio Times 8hrs of Castellet

Radio Le Mans (UK Time)

Friday 9th April

15:00 - Free Practice

Saturday 10th April

08:30 - Free Practice

12:30 - Qualifying

Sunday 11th April

07:15 - Warm-up

09:30 - Pre-Race Show

10:00 - Race

British Eurosport

Sunday April 11th (UK Time)

10.15 - 12.00 Live Grid and Start

13.00 - 13.30 Live

18.00 - 18.30 Delayed finish

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McNish To Race In 8hr of Castellet This Weekend

2010-04-07T17:55:00+01:00

Allan McNish and the "factory" Audi team begin their preparations for recapturing the Le Mans 24 Hour endurance race "crown" this summer by contesting an eight-hour race at Paul Ricard on Sunday (11 Apr).

Dumfries-born McNish, 40, débuts a revised diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI in the eight-hour race at the 3.6-mile track in Southern France - a venue the Scotsman has tested at frequently but only raced at on one previous occasion - over 20 years ago.

"Racing at Paul Ricard will be strange because the one and only time I actually raced there was in 1988 - my first ever season of racing [Opel Lotus Championship] in mainland Europe," reflected McNish who won the Le Mans for a second time in 2008 and finished third last year.

"I've been back pretty much every year since but only for testing which included Formula One commitments. So somewhat bizarrely, despite knowing the track inside out, my racing mileage there is very minimal which will be the same for Audi as although we've done a tremendous amount of endurance testing there, Audi has never contested a sportscar race at Ricard."

The Audi R15 TDI that raced for the first time last year has been further development in numerous details and internally bears the project name "R15 plus." It is the first second-generation diesel racing sports car to be powered by an Audi V10 TDI engine with a power output of over 590 600 bhp and features numerous technological innovations.

McNish only competed in three races last year, his last race being in September, and so is eagerly looking forward to the Paul Ricard race, the opening round of the Le Mans Series. It is currently planned Allan will share the latest R15 TDI along with co-drivers Dindo Capello (Italy) and Tom Kristensen (Denmark).

Allan added: "I'm eager to get back to racing after almost seven months. It'll be a tough race - especially with just one Audi competing. Dindo, Tom and I can't afford to make any mistakes on the track while the Joest team will really need to be focused on our pit-stops and strategy over the eight hour period.

"I like the Ricard track which has a fast, flowing sections, a tight and twisty part as well as the legendary long, long Mistral straight. It's a long drag up to Signes [corner] and when you get there, you take a sharp intake of breath as you approach at 320kph (200mph), attempting to go through the corner without a ‘lift' [on the accelerator], it's quite a sensation.

"Because we [Audi] missed Sebring, the Paul Ricard race is very important. It's the opening round of the Le Mans Series and runs to the same ACO regulations as the 24 Hour race in terms of car specifications, the number of crew working on our pit-stops so it'll get us prepared in that respect."

Efficiency has been the focal point during the R15 TDI evolution project - particularly in the complex area of aerodynamics. "This year, the Le Mans regulations prescribe air restrictors with a smaller diameter and reduced supercharging pressure for diesel-powered vehicles," says Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi Sport.

"Due to the reduction of engine power as a result of the regulations we have tried to make the car's aerodynamics even more efficient than before and to improve the Cd value and downforce parameters."

A late change in regulations that was announced only in November made the work of the engineers more difficult and forced Audi to completely modify the front section of the R15 TDI. Consequently, the diesel race sportscar that is internally designated as "R15 plus" now has a new, distinctive "face" featuring a split nose.

The entire shape of the R15 TDI's body has been revised for maximum efficiency. The same is true for the modified cooling and fuel tank system. The V10 TDI engine has been optimized for the smaller air restrictors and reduced supercharging pressure. "Our objective was to keep power loss to a minimum despite the limitations imposed by the regulations," explains Ulrich Baretzky, Head of Engine Technology at Audi Sport. "We managed to do that through a lot of detailed work." The 5.5-litre power plant continues to deliver more than 440 kW.

"After Le Mans 2009, our specifications for the R15 plus listed about 20 key items," says Dr. Martin Mühlmeier. "Efficiency and reliability were at the top of the list but we also looked at details like improved night time lighting of the track. We were able to meet this wish of the drivers with a new headlight concept."

The evolution version of the Audi R15 TDI completed its roll out on the Audi test track at Neustadt (Germany) on March 3. The vehicle was subsequently flown to the United States for two weeks of in-depth testing.

The 8hr Paul Ricard race is scheduled to start at 10.00 (BST) on Sunday, with qualifying for the estimated 44-car entry the previous day (13.10 BST) at the Paul Ricard venue situated 25-miles North-East of Marseille.

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Mobil 1 12h of Sebring Broadcast Schedules

2010-03-16T16:33:00+01:00

Here are the broadcast times for Sebring.

This year as we are not racing I will be watching or listening to Radio Le Mans and so should you!

Go for it Marino - Scottish patriotism, can't help it (-:

Mobil 1 12h of Sebring Broadcast Schedule(s)

Radio Le Mans / BST / CET / http://rlm08.0157.org/
Wednesday, 17th / 2000 / 2100 / Midweek Motorsport
Friday, 19th / 1430 / 1530 / Free Practice
Friday, 19th / 1845 / 1945 / Qualifying
Saturday, 20th / 1300 / 1400 / Warm Up
Saturday, 20th / 1500 / 1600 / Pre Race Show
Saturday, 20th / 1530 / 1630 / Sebring 12h

Speed TV / BST / CET / http://www.speedtv.com/
Saturday, 20th / 1500-1700 / 1600 - 1800 / Sebring 12h
Saturday, 20th / 1900-0400 / 2000 - 0500 / Sebring 12h

Motors TV / BST / CET / http://de.motorstv.com/
Friday, 19th / 1200 - 1230 / 1300 - 1330 / ALMS Preview - German BC
Friday, 19th / 1810 - 1840 / 1910 - 1940 / ALMS Preview - German BC
Saturday, 20th / 1400 - 0300 / 1500 - 0400 / Sebring 12h - International BC

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BRITISH SPORTSCAR ACE McNISH TO SPEARHEAD AUDI'S LE MANS 24 HOUR RACE ASSAULT

2010-02-04T17:33:00+01:00

Allan McNish will bid for a third career Le Mans 24 Hour race victory in June when the Flying Scotsman races an Audi in search of the German manufacturer's ninth triumph in the annual French sportscar endurance race.

Dumfries-born McNish will drive the latest diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI sports-prototype in the twice-around-the-clock encounter on 12-13 June. McNish, aged 40, became the first Briton to win the legendary Le Mans race in a diesel-powered sportscar in 2008.

Audi Sport has spent the winter further developing and refining the twin-turbocharged R15 TDI while McNish teams up with record eight-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy) for a fifth consecutive year in one of three Audi Sport Team Joest entries to spearhead Audi's assault.

"Winning the Le Mans 24 Hours is Audi's main objective this year," confirmed Monaco-based McNish. "Audi has finished on the winner's rostrum every year since making its Le Mans debut in 1999 but having won eight times, last year's third place which Tom, Dindo and I achieved was an under par performance.

"Audi and I have the same desire to go back to France this year and win but it will be a difficult challenge against Peugeot and Aston Martin. We'll need to be at our top level but with Tom and Dindo in my car, plus our team-mates in the in the other two Audis, I know that we have the best driver line-up, team personnel in the pits and car in the form of the latest specification Audi R15 TDI to do the job."

Audi will start the 78^th Le Mans 24 Hours with three diesel-powered racing sports cars. At a Press Conference of the race's organiser, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), in Le Mans (France), today (4 Feb) Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich announced Audi's driver line-up for the most important sports car race of the year.

The second Audi R15 TDI will be shared by Timo Bernhard (Germany), Romain Dumas (France) and Mike Rockenfeller (Germany). The two Porsche "factory" drivers Timo Bernhard (28) and Romain Dumas (32) made a strong showing in their first race for Audi at Le Mans last year. Audi "factory" driver Mike Rockenfeller (26) won the Le Mans Series in 2008 in the Audi R10 TDI and successfully began his 2010 season with an overall victory at the 24-hour race at Daytona (USA) at the end of January.

New signings Marcel Fässler (Switzerland), André Lotterer (Belgium) and Benoît Treluyer (France) have been selected to drive the third R15 TDI. Marcel Fässler (33) and Benoît Treluyer (33) have contested the 24-hour race at Le Mans several times before. André Lotterer (28) performed admirably last year on his Le Mans debut at the wheel of a privately fielded R10 TDI.

All three Audi R15 TDI cars are entered by Audi Sport Team Joest and designated as cars number 7, 8 and 9. The third sports-prototype will officially run as "Audi Sport North America," the name under which it was nominated.

"We are pleased that the ACO has accepted our three nominations for the world's most important sports car race and that we will again be able to compete with three cars," says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.

"Our stated goal is to bring back the Le Mans trophy to Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. Three cars mean three chances - and we feel that all three R15 TDI cockpits have been filled with top-class drivers. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our colleagues from Porsche for again making two of their best drivers - Timo (Bernhard) and Romain (Dumas), with whom we were very pleased at their first Le Mans race for Audi - available to us."

Eight victories in just eleven Le Mans races

Audi has been competing in the 24 Hour race at Le Mans since 1999 and, having started just eleven of the events, has won the French endurance classic eight times. By clinching its ninth win, the brand with the Four Rings would equal Ferrari's ranking in the race's roll of honour. Only Porsche has scored more victories in its long Le Mans history.

Audi has deliberately opted for a long-term commitment at Le Mans. In addition to speed, reliability and efficiency are the key factors of success in this race. Furthermore, the LMP1 class is unrivalled by any other motorsport category in terms of offering the opportunity to field production-derived technologies and to test them in racing conditions.

Audi's victorious campaign at Le Mans has been closely tied to technological innovations from the outset. In 1999, Audi clinched a podium result at its first Le Mans race thanks to reliable technology. In 2000, the pioneering Audi R8, which dominated the sports car scene for more than six years and celebrated a total of five Le Mans victories, made its debut.

From 2001 onward, a TFSI engine was used. Audi then successfully introduced the combination of gasoline direct injection and turbo-charging into production vehicles as well. Today, this technology has become an integral element of Audi AG's model range.

Triumph of TDI technology

In 2006, Audi made worldwide headlines by clinching the first victory of a diesel-powered racing sports car in the 80 plus year history of the Le Mans race. As with the Audi R8, Audi Sport Team Joest scored three successive Le Mans wins with the revolutionary Audi R10 TDI. This makes Audi the only automobile manufacturer in the world to "own" as many as two Le Mans trophies. Only a team that manages a hat-trick at Le Mans may keep the silverware.

In 2010, Audi again banks on TDI technology which continues to be considered the world's most efficient technology for the French endurance classic. The Audi R15 TDI that was fielded for the first time last year, has been subjected to further development in numerous details and internally bears the project name "R15 plus." It is the first second-generation diesel racing sports car to be powered by an Audi V10 TDI engine with a power output of over 440 kW and features numerous technological innovations such as a lithium ion battery and a higher-voltage onboard power supply system.

Racing debut at the 8-hour race at Le Castellet

The roll-out of the "R15 plus" is scheduled for the end of February. In March, an extensive testing program is on Audi Sport Team Joest's agenda, and the first racing commitment on April 11, at the 8-hour race at Le Castellet (France). As a dress rehearsal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi will contest the 1000-kilometre race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) on May 9 with three cars.

After Le Mans, Audi plans to participate in the newly incepted Le Mans Intercontinental Cup featuring races in Great Britain, the United States and Asia with two R15 TDI cars. The Cup will precede a worldwide racing series for Le Mans sports cars to be staged from the 2011 season onward.

The Audi Teams at Le Mans 2010

#7 Allan McNish (GB)/Dindo Capello (I)/Tom Kristensen (DK)

#8 Marcel Fässler (CH)/André Lotterer (D)/Benoît Treluyer (F)

#9 Timo Bernhard (D)/Romain Dumas (F)/Mike Rockenfeller (D)

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Audi Plans Test Run at Le Castellet

2010-02-02T12:23:00+01:00

Racing debut of latest specification Audi R15 TDI brought forward
Participation in 8-hour race at Le Castellet (France)
Total of three starts in 2010 Le Mans Series

To further prepare for the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi Sport is planning an additional racing commitment with the Audi R15 TDI that has undergone additional development. For April 11, the participation in the 8-hour race at Le Castellet in southern France is planned for testing purposes.

Originally, the diesel racing sports car that is internally designated as "R15 plus" was to make its racing debut at the 1000-kilometer race at Spa-Francorchamps. The Belgian endurance classic continues to be on Audi Sport Team Joest's race schedule as the final dress rehearsal for Le Mans. However, to complement these plans, Audi Sport also wants to use the season opener of the 2010 Le Mans Series (LMS) on the high-speed circuit at Le Castellet to test the "R15 plus" in racing conditions.

"We're on schedule with the additional developments we're making on the R15 TDI and so this race should be possible," says Head of Audi-Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "Le Castellet is a race track that lends itself pretty well to testing for Le Mans, and we've frequently used this circuit for our Le Mans preparation. The 8-hour race distance makes the race of further interest to us."

Purely for logistical reasons, Audi Sport Team Joest has registered for the 2010 Le Mans Series. "But this should not at all be interpreted to mean that we will be contesting all five LMS races," said Dr. Ullrich. "At the moment, we are only planning to race at Le Castellet, Spa-Francorchamps and Silverstone."

The 1000-kilometer race at Silverstone (Great Britain) on September 12 will mark the finale of the 2010 Le Mans Series and simultaneously kicks off the Le Mans Intercontinental Cup, which Audi Sport Team Joest will tackle with two R15 TDI cars.

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2011 “F2 PRIZE DRIVE” LURE SET TO FILL JIM RUSSELL SERIES GRID

2010-01-21T17:29:00+01:00

2010 Jim Russell Championship Series title winner gets fully-funded F2 "seat"

Future Driver Search winners Carlton and Ellis confirmed for 16-race series

Team USA Scholarship winner Smrz returning to compete for European series attraction

The Jim Russell Racing Drivers School organization welcomes the new decade in terrific style by opening entries and confirming details for its 2010 Championship Series that sees the champion earn himself a fully funded drive in next year's FIA Formula Two Championship.

The 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series features eight weekends comprising of two races staged on consecutive days between April-November utilizing a variety of configurations at the challenging Infineon Raceway (Sonoma, CA) - a venue which features Jim Russell Racing Drivers School's multi-million dollar facility.

The FJR-50 single-seaters are owned and prepared "in house" by the Jim Russell Championship Series ensuring equality and placing the emphasis of success on driver talent. The Lola-built Formula Three machines feature a carbon/kevlar fiber composite monocoque, a sequential five-speed gearbox and a two-liter, turbocharged Mitsubishi engine producing 300bhp.

Gary Carlton (Marysville, CA) and Alex Ellis (St Catharines, Ontario, Canada) are already confirmed on the grid having last month (22 Dec) been chosen as the winners of the inaugural Jim Russell Future Driver Search by Britain's double Le Mans 24 Hour sportscar race winner, Allan McNish, and his fellow judges, while Brett Smrz (Coeur d' Alene, ID), winner of the Jim Russell series for the past two years, has been tempted back by the phenomenal prize on offer.

The outright JRCS champion will compete in the 2011 FIA Formula Two series, a European-based series launched last year and featuring a Williams F1 developed single-seater. Inaugural 2009 FIA Formula Two Champion Andy Soucek (Sp) was awarded a test with the Williams F1 team last month as his prize for winning the F2 title. Indeed the top-three F2 Championship finishers qualify for an FIA Superlicence and thus are eligible to compete in Formula One.

"The addition of the Formula Two award to our series champion firmly sets the Jim Russell Championship Series as the premier developmental formula car series that provides an excellent path to the upper echelons of motorsport at an amazingly modest cost," said Chip Pankow, President of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.

"Our series has been designed to foster and identify talent with the emphasis on value for money. Our philosophy is that a career in motorsports should be as merit-based as possible, not purely a financial equation."

The Jim Russell Racing Drivers School was formed in Britain over 50 years ago helping to put Emerson Fittipaldi, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Scott Speed, Danny Sullivan and Jacques Villeneuve on the road to success. More recently 2009 Indy Lights champion J. R. Hildebrand (Sausalito, CA), the 2002 Jim Russell "Arrive and Drive" Sprint Kart Series and 2004 JRCS Champion, successfully tested for the Force India Formula One team last month.

The School offers a complete driver training program courtesy of some of the finest coaches in the world while the cost for a "seat" in the 2010 JRCS is $129,000 - which could, should he or she win the title, lead to a fully funded F2 drive in 2011 that is costing over $440,000 this year.

McNish commented: "The 2010 JRCS will be an exciting competition. The standard of drivers at Jim Russell's Future Driver Search event last month was extremely high and with ultimate winners Gary [Carlton] and Alex [Ellis] joining double JRCS champion Brett [Smrz], plus the other competitors, guarantees it'll be a hard fought 16-race series.

"They'll all be fighting for the title and the stunning prize of a fully paid F2 drive in 2011 that offers a clear plan for a driver and the prospect of knocking on the door of Formula One.

"The FJR-50 is essentially a F3 chassis with high downforce and 300bhp and is a perfect platform to develop a driver's talent. With a ‘common' chassis, each prepared to the same specification, allows for a driver's skills to shine through.

"The championship offers great value for money giving every driver a development program, both in and out of the cockpit, plus a clear career direction through to the very top for today's aspiring young drivers helping them on the road to becoming tomorrow's champions."

Ellis (age 18) commented: "My goal is to be fully prepared for the opening races enabling me to drive to my full potential and to capture the championship title and the prestigious FIA Formula Two ride."

Carlton (age 23) added: "I'm fully aware this will be the first time I've ever raced this type of racing car. If I get a good amount of testing under my belt before the first race I'm confident I will have a good shot at winning the championship which is of course my aim."

Meanwhile 2008 & '09 JRCS champion Smrz (19 next month), who earned himself a Team USA Scholarship last season, remarked: "The F2 prize will allow a driver to compete in Europe - essential if you want to make a career as an open wheel racer. It's a great opportunity for me and I am going to go after the championship with everything I've got.

"The FJR-50 cars are brilliant and are very even - you ‘draw' a different car to race on Saturday and Sunday. But it's the same chassis, the same engine, and the same [Yokohama] tires for everyone - the only difference is the person behind the wheel.

"Infineon is one of the hardest tracks in North America but the series helpfully allows you to compare data with Chief Instructor Nico Rondet so you can learn what you are doing wrong in the car, and importantly, what you are doing right!

"The championship is organized extremely well - a driver arrives at the track, hops in the car and races, and then goes home. A nice and simple ‘arrive and drive' system."

Each race weekend begins with practice and qualifying sessions (both 30-minutes) with the first race lasting 25-minutes. The second day features a 30-minute practice session, two-lap qualification run prior to a 30-minute race. Points are awarded for the top-10 finishes with 12pts going to the winner.

2010 Jim Russell Championship Series (JRCS)

17-18 April: Rds 1/2.

8-9 May: Rds 3/4.

12-13 June: Rds 5/6.

10-11 July: Rds 7/8.

7-8 August: Rds 9/10.

11-12 Sep: Rds 11/12.

16-17 Oct: Rds 13/14.

12-13 Nov: Rds 15/16.

Each double-header race weekend is preceded by a day's official practice while the first of five official testing days begins on Friday (22 Jan).

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SPORTSCAR ACE McNISH HEADS TO BIRMINGHAM FOR CHARITY KART RACE

2010-01-14T09:16:00+01:00

Double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Allan McNish leads an Audi Sport UK team in a Celebrity Karting Challenge event at Autosport International at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on Friday (15 January).

Dumfries-born McNish, who became the first Briton to drive a diesel-engined sportscar to victory at Le Mans when he scored Audi's eighth victory in 2008, contests a 90-minute multi- driver race to help raise awareness and funds for Malaria No More UK.

McNish, who recently turned 40 (29 Dec), competes in David Brabham's Racing4Charity event staged on a brand new 0.5-mile, 10-corner circuit in the Live Action Arena at the NEC. Five-time Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro (Italy), who is an ambassador for Audi Sport nowadays having scored Audi's maiden Le Mans triumph (2000), plus Audi DTM drivers Katherine Legge (Surrey) and Alexandre Prémat (France), also feature in the Audi Sport UK team alongside McNish.

"I'm delighted to support David's charity kart race in aid of Malaria No More UK and I'm really looking forward to the inevitable competition," confirmed McNish.

"Racing drivers always want to race even when it's a fun, charity event like this so it's likely to be an entertaining spectacle with everyone dusting themselves off after Christmas and New Year celebrations.

"It is all for a good cause and the event is a great concept, with fans and stars competing with and against each other at Europe's biggest motorsport show which I've been attending for a number of years."

McNish raced karts between 1981-6, finishing third in the 1985 World Championships. He was British Champion three times and Scottish Champion six times.

Audi Sport UK is one of over 20 teams comprising of four "celebrity" and two paying public drivers. The unique event is the only charity kart race in the country that hosts the international motorsport elite from across the racing echelons.

Britain's five-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Derek Bell flies in to Birmingham from his home in Florida to be the event's Race Director. Derek, who was awarded the MBE in 1986 for services to motorsport, raced an Audi quattro in America in recent years.

Members of the public can join the Celebrity Karting Challenge and support Malaria No More UK's outstanding work for just £300. The charity entrance fee also includes two tickets to Autosport International, on what is an exclusive trade day. Book your public place now by contacting Bill Williams at bill@racing4charity.com or call 0044 (0)7712 578263.

Autosport International trade visitors can take a grandstand seat and watch the Celebrity Karting Challenge action as a complimentary addition to their standard trade ticket. Trade tickets cost £24 per person, simply register via www.autosport-international.com/trade.

MSA licence holders can also attend Autosport International on both trade days, 14&15 January, as well as the public days, on 16 & 17 January. Simply register by visiting www.autosport-international.com/trade.

Event timetable:

15.00hrs - Free Practice

15.30hrs - Qualifying

15.45hrs - Refuelling

16.15hrs - Race Start

17.45hrs - Race End

17.50hrs - Presentation of Trophies

For more information on Allan McNish and Audi, please contact:

Martyn Pass, Audi UK Sport Press. T +44 1564 824600. M +44 7801 859502.

E audiuk-motorsport@earthlink.net

Skype martyn.pass

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JIM RUSSELL’S FUTURE DRIVER SEARCH 2010 REACHES HALFWAY STAGE

2009-12-22T06:21:00+01:00

Final 20 drivers bid for two fully funded 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series “seats”

Twenty drivers will spend the next two days trying to earn themselves one of two, fully-funded “seats” up for grabs in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series as the inaugural Future Driver Search program reaches its climax.

Almost 40 drivers, representing 10 different countries, have participated in the four-day selection process at the Infineon Raceway, Sonoma (CA) since Saturday (19 Dec).

Britain’s double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner, Allan McNish, and his fellow judging panel members, have now chosen 20 drivers who progress after two-days of detailed evaluation – today’s (SUN) phases taking place in changeable weather conditions.

The final two-day line-up is:

Bastien Graber (18), from Niddatal, GERMANY

James Kovacic (16), from Forresters Beach nr Gosford, AUSTRALIA

Brett van Blankers (22), New Westminster, British Columbia, CANADA

Xavier Coupal (19), Saint-Jean, Quebec, CANADA

Tyler Bennett (20), from Farmington, Utah, USA

Gregory Liefooghe (29), from San Francisco, California, USA

Yannick Mettler (20), from Kriens (Luzern), SWITZERLAND

Jordan Jadallah (17), from Hillsborough, California, USA

Mark Pombo (27), from Berkeley Lake, Georgia, USA

Jayson Clunie (40), from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, CANADA

Gustavo Menezes (15), from Coto de Caza, California, USA

Justin Gald (18), from Fresno, California, USA

Felipe Polehtto [nee Poletto Bastos] (20), from Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL

Logan Downing (17), from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CANADA

Nikola Radosavljevich (18), from Los Gatos, California, USA

Gary Carlton (23), from Marysville, California, USA

Alex Ellis (18), from St Catharines, Ontario, CANADA

Javier Echeverria (22), from Mexico City, MEXICO

Cody Hodgson (18), from Escalon, California, USA

Jeffrey Westphal (23), from San Carlos, California, USA

Judges will ultimately chose the best “all-rounder” on Tuesday evening while the second recipient of the 2010 JRCS “seat” will be the driver who has set the outright fastest lap time in a Jim Russell Racing Drivers School FJR-50 single-seater on Tuesday – a day which will see just six drivers battling for this spectacular prize after Monday’s continuing selection process.

The two “prize” drives could be the launch pad to a full-time career in motor racing. The 2010 JRCS champion gets a fully-funded prize drive in the 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship

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2nd ACO Award for McNish at BRDC Awards

2009-12-15T14:04:00+01:00

For the second time running, Allan McNish has been presented the ACO award by the BRDC. The award is presented to the highest-place British Driver finishing the Le Mans 24-Hour Race.

Tyler Bennett and Gustavo Menezes Awarded Jim Russell Future Driver Scholarship

2009-11-27T12:22:00+01:00

A successful weekend at the world's largest kart race, SuperNationals XIII, has awarded two young drivers a chance at launching their careers in motorsports. Utah's Tyler Bennett and Gustavo Menezes from southern California have each been awarded a scholarship to the 2010 Jim Russell Future Driver Selection with Allan McNish.

Bennett, racing in the Stock Moto S3 category, was recently ranked number one by Ekartingnews.com and backing up that ranking with his weekend's performance at the SuperNationals. A heat race win and two seconds put Bennett on the second row for the all-important start of the main event. A back and forth battle between the top seven drivers saw Bennett pushed back to 6th position after contact at the half way point.

Showing maturity beyond his age, Bennett passed his way back to finish a very impressive second. Equally impressive, was Gustavo Menezes pulling double duty competing in both TaG Senior and KF2. Like Bennett, Menezes qualified second in the ultra competitive TaG Senior field out pacing veteran drivers Dan Wheldon and Michael Valiante. Menezes showed very well in race form and appeared to be on route to the main event win before minor contact in the final corner moved him to second position.

"Both Gustavo and Tyler put in great performances at SuperNats - we saw great potential in these drivers and look forward to their competing against many talented drivers from around the world at the Future Driver 2010 Selection." Chip Pankow, President, Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.

Bennett and Menezes will travel to the Sonoma, California for the four-day Future Driver Selection that will take place December 19-22. The Future Driver Selection will see drivers compete in karts, Mitsubishi Evolutions sedans and the school's FJR-50. The two winners of the Future Driver Selection will be awarded full seasons of racing in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship series.

The Jim Russell Championship Series is a 16 Race season held in the school's Lola built, formula three derived FJR-50 in which the 2010 champion will be awarded a seat in the 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship season. More information available at www.jimrussellusa.com

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McNish adds his support to the Bone Steelers

2009-11-16T17:01:00+01:00

Scottish racing legend Allan McNish has today become an Ambassador of the Bone Steelers Rugby team, ahead of their participation at this year's Dubai Sevens.

The Scottish based side will compete in the VETS tournament from December 3-5 and will be sponsored by OKI Printing Solutions, Bone Steel, Eden Park, Hogmaneigh.com and Henderson International Group.

39-year-old McNish, who has been racing since the age of 11 has progressed up the motorsport ladder during an illustrious career. Having started in karting, he then progressed through the junior formula, Formula 3, Formula 3000 en route to Sportscar racing, Le Mans 24 Hours and F1.

He was on the starting grid for Toyota's F1 debut on 3 March 2002 following his appointment as the team's development driver the previous year.

McNish, who has become one of the world's most highly rated sportscar drivers, took his Porsche AG car to victory in the 1998 24 Hours Le Mans and then triumphed again in 2008 in an Audi R10 TDI.

The Bone Steelers have brought together some of the biggest names in Scottish rugby this year - including Gregor Townsend, Andy Nicol, Rowen Shepherd, Jim McLaren and Glenn Metcalfe.

And while they are in Dubai the squad will be helping to raise money for The Bone Steelers Foundation, which this year will be supporting Lance Armstrong's Livestrong charity.

The Bone Steelers are delighted to have fellow Scot Allan on board to help with their ongoing charity work.

Colin Bone, Founder of the Bone Steelers said today: "Allan is a legend in his sport and we are delighted to have his backing as we prepare the Bone Steelers for what is building up to be a fantastic occasion."

From his home in Monaco Allan McNish added: "It is an honour to become an Ambassador of the Bone Steelers. I used to watch a lot of these guys play and it will be fascinating to see how they get on in the Dubai event."

Bone Steelers Squad for 2009 Dubai Sevens (more TBC):

Duncan Hodge, Stuart Reid, Gareth Flockhart, Rowen Shepherd, Derrick Lee, Fergus Henderson, Glenn Metcalfe, Graham Shiel, David Boswell, James McLaren, Fergus Wallace, Ross McNulty, Gregor Townsend, Stevie Scott & John Kerr

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ALLAN McNISH CONFIRMED FOR AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL

2009-11-06T14:37:00+01:00

Allan McNish is the latest big name confirmed at the Autosport International Show being staged at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham early next year (14-17 January).

After helping Audi win the Sebring 12 Hours (March), Dumfries-born McNish secured podium finishes in both the Le Mans 24 Hours (June) and in the Petit Le Mans races (Sept).

The show will provide visitors with a rare opportunity to meet the Scottish sportscar ace whose position as a "factory" driver in Audi's hugely successful sports car programme ensures that much of his racing takes place on foreign soil.

As well as meeting and greeting fans, the double Le Mans 24 Hours winner will reflect on his 2009 season which saw Audi launch the new diesel-engined R15 TDI in its battle for sportscar supremacy.

Celebrating its 20th year in 2010, Autosport International gives fans the chance to meet their favourite drivers in person with McNish joining Formula One World Champion Jenson Button.

"Autosport International is one of the few chances for drivers like me, who race mainly outside the UK, to get close to the fans and vice versa," McNish said.

"The show is brilliant for enabling people to get close to the drivers, and - because there isn't the stress of a race weekend - it gives us a proper chance to relax and interact with the public. It is always a great start to the new season."

Autosport International Show Director Ian France added: "We are thrilled that Allan will be joining us again at the show in 2010. He is always a popular figure with the fans and is one of a number of big names we will be welcoming."

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JIM RUSSELL FUTURE DRIVER SEARCH 2010 WINNERS COMPETE FOR 2011 FIA FORMULA TWO CHAMPIONSHIP “SEAT”

2009-10-28T16:02:00+01:00

*Fully funded FIA Formula Two Championship drive in 2011 to winner of next year's Jim Russell Championship Series

*British Sportscar legend Allan McNish to award two early Christmas presents in the Jim Russell Future Driver Search 2010 Selection Process

*Cost-effective Future Driver Selection entry deadline is end of November

Two competitors selected in the Jim Russell Future Driver Search 2010 in December will find themselves battling for a fully funded prize drive in the 2011 FIA Formula Two Championship.

The F2 "seat" goes to the outright winner of the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series (JRCS) - a 16-race series which the two successful candidates from the Future Driver Search Selection process over 19-22 December will contest as their "prize".

The European-based F2 series was launched this year and features a Williams F1 developed single-seater. The F2 champion is awarded a test with the Williams Formula One team while the top-three finishers in the FIA F2 Championship qualify for an FIA Superlicence and thus are eligible to compete in F1.

It effectively means that either of the two chosen Future Driver Search drivers could, should he or she ultimately win the 2010 JRCS, land the F2 "prize drive" for just US$7,995 - the registration fee for the Future Driver Search Selection initiative which reaches its entry deadline at the end of November.

"The addition of the Formula Two award to our series champion firmly sets the Jim Russell Championship Series as the premier developmental formula car series that provides an excellent path to the upper echelons of motorsport at an amazingly modest cost thereby putting the emphasis on talent, not budget" commented Chip Pankow, President of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.

"It's possible that a driver could win two seasons of racing courtesy of our Future Driver Search. The first in our JRCS next year and then in F2 the following season - and perhaps a shot at a Formula One test with Williams F1 should that driver win the F2 title - all for an investment with us of US$7,995."

The Future Driver Search program is an international initiative created this year to find the best young talent from the worlds of karting and "junior" formula car racing. It is designed to be a merit-based competition that rewards the two best young drivers with a fully-funded season of racing in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series (JRCS).

Ex-Formula One driver and double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner, Allan McNish, the Chairman of the Judges and his fellow panel members will choose two drivers (19-22 Dec) on a variety of criteria both in and out of the car, at an intensive four-day selection process at the world famous Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California (USA) - a venue formerly known as Sears Point 40-miles north of San Francisco which features an impressive state-of-the-art 16,000 sq. ft. Jim Russell Racing Drivers School complex.

The emphasis in the selection process for the first of the two prize-drives is on the most "well-rounded" individual who shows the best potential to succeed in professional motorsports. The second prize will go to the driver setting the fastest lap in the Final.

"We'll be looking at elements including speed, precision, car control, application of feedback, technical understanding of the vehicle, strategy, media awareness and also fitness for the one successful candidate," confirmed Dumfries-born McNish.

"But the second ‘seat' will simply be for the fastest driver in the Final. Sometimes, and I've seen it throughout my career, a driver may not be particularly polished in all areas because of never having the experience. They're a rough diamond but have natural feel and they just drive - fast!

"The Future Driver Search initiative offers incredible value-for-money - especially with the F2 ‘seat' on the horizon for the winner of the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series."

All participants will be involved in kart practice, auto-cross, skid pad and practice laps in the Jim Russell FJR-50 single-seaters over the opening two days (19-20 Dec), The top-20 finalists are then invited to race karts and practice the cars (21 Dec) with the final six contesting three qualifying sessions in the FJR-50 on the fourth and concluding day (22 Dec).

The car used in the Future Driver Search program and JRCS is the FJR-50 single-seater based on the Formula Three championship winning Lola B06-30. Powered by a turbocharged two-liter Mitsubishi engine delivering 300bhp through a five-speed sequential gearbox, the Lola-built chassis is made from carbon-fiber and runs on Yokohama "slick" tires.

Being a racing school first and foremost - an operation that was established by Jim Russell in Britain over 50 years ago and that put the likes of newly crowned Formula One World Champion Jenson Button, Emerson Fittipaldi, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Scott Speed, Danny Sullivan and Jacques Villeneuve on the road to success - the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School offers a complete driver training program courtesy of some of the finest coaches in the world. The cost for a "seat" in the 2011 JRCS is US$129,000.

For more information, please contact:

General enquiries, Jim Russell Racing Drivers School

Telephone +1 877 229 9855 or +1 707 939 2755 outside the US

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McNish Visits Knockhill for SMRC Event

2009-10-19T12:01:00+01:00

Allan McNish re-visited his roots last weekend (18 Oct) when the Dumfries motor racing ace visited the Knockhill circuit in his role as President of the Scottish Motor Racing Club.

Audi "factory" driver McNish is arguably the world's best sportscar driver and attended the SMRC's final race meeting of the year for a "behind the scenes" look at what it takes to organise an event.

The car racing scene in Scotland has never been stronger with yesterday's (18 Oct) programme offering a superb range of action-packed racing from a variety of classes - and McNish came away mightily impressed with not only the driving skills of competitors but also the enthusiasm and commitment of the volunteer organisers.

"I had an absolutely fantastic day and saw how a race meeting was organised from behind the scenes," confirmed Allan who became the first Briton to win the Le Mans 24 Hours driving a diesel-engined sportscar in 2008 at the wheel of an Audi R10 TDI.

"It started at 7.30am with a marshals briefing for the 160 volunteers, male and female and of all ages, who stand out in all weather to ensure the event runs safely - if it wasn't for those guys we couldn't race.

"I visited the stewards office where, as a driver, you never want to be invited because it normally means you've done something wrong, the official timing facility where each car is timed both electronically and manually as a back up and observed the ‘technical' scrutineering of the cars. It made me appreciate and understand more fully what these guys do for us racing drivers from early in the day until late at night.

"During the day I walked around the paddock and I was greatly impressed with the enthusiasm of the competitors - it was a very informative and interesting day for me."

SMRC spokesman Mike How added: "Allan's presence was a great boost for all involved both on and off the track. The SMRC has had one of it's most successful years of racing despite the economic recession.

"We have an extremely loyal band of competitors who have put on some great racing and have attracted more individual sponsorship on cars than for some years due to all our Championships being televised on Motors TV."

The SMRC Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony will be staged at the Sheraton Hotel, Festival Square, Edinburgh, on 5 December and is open to members and guests (£55 per ticket). E-mail How for further details (m.how@smrc-uk.com).

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AutoWeek - McNish Leads Jim Russell Driver Search

2009-10-01T16:03:00+01:00

Check out the article on AutoWeek about Allan's involvement with the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School 2010 Future Drivers Search.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090928/MOTORSPORTS/909289985

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Petit Le Mans Race Report

2009-09-27T11:43:00+01:00

Britain’s Allan McNish came tantalisingly close to achieving his fifth Petit Le Mans race victory at Road Atlanta on Saturday (26 Sep) and maintaining Audi’s 100% winning record in the annual American sportscar endurance race since the German manufacturer’s debut in 2000.

The Dumfries-born double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner and Italian co-driver Dindo Capello led for the opening 4hrs before the Scotsman suffered two spins and dropped to third place on the treacherously wet and slippery track in Georgia - moments before the race went in to a Safety Car period and was ultimately stopped with almost five hours run.

After a further delay of almost four hours and near constant heavy rain, organisers decided not to re-start the event which in any case was limited to 10 hours or 1,000-miles, leaving the McNish/Capello diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI classified third, a mere 3.465secs behind the winning Peugeot (Franck Montagny/Stephane Sarrazin).

"It was a disappointing way for the race to end, it was the correct decision due to the adverse track conditions but I feel robbed and frustrated,” reflected McNish who set the race’s fastest lap.

“I made a good start in the wet and the car adapted well to the drying conditions. I had been very close to putting the second-placed Peugeot a lap down but a Safety Car period nullified that opportunity for us.

“Dindo then led throughout his stint before I took over again. I was leading but spun down to third on a greasy track after light rain during another Safety Car period when my slick tyres became cold running at slow speed and lost their grip.

“I pitted soon afterwards for wet tyres as the rain intensified but then aquaplaned out of second place and down to third again. The rain was torrential and far too dangerous to continue. My Audi was floating on the track as opposed to driving on it which was all but flooded and the organisers made the correct decision, if not five laps late, as there would have been no cars left on the track in those conditions.”

The McNish/Capello Audi had started from third place on the 27-car grid but McNish swept in to the lead on the opening lap. The “sister” R15 TDI of Lucas Luhr/Marco Werner began from fourth place, a position the German duo were classified in, one lap down on the top-three, when the race was declared over. Meanwhile the McNish/Capello Audi won the efficiency award “Michelin GreenX Challenge” – a trophy awarded to the most environmentally friendly car.

Audi unexpectedly contested a third race of the year to collect further race information about its new sports-prototype in preparation for the Le Mans 24 Hours next June.

Allan concluded: “Despite the race being cut short, we’ve learned a lot and gathered valuable race data which we will be very helpful for next year - and that was our ultimate aim for coming here.”

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Petit Le Mans Friday Qualifying Report

2009-09-26T08:53:00+01:00

Allan McNish starts his diesel-engined Audi from third place for the Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta today.

McNish’s Italian co-driver, Dindo Capello, set a 1:08.200 personal fastest time – an average speed of 134.076mph around the 2.54-mile track in Georgia – in today’s (FRI) qualifying session for positions on the 30-car grid.

“It’s going to be a big fight,” confirmed McNish. “The weather forecast is giving heavy rain showers for the race which will be another aspect to consider.”

Dumfries-born McNish, aged 39, has already won the 1,000-mile Petit race four times – including for the last three years – while Audi has a 100% winning record since making its debut in 2000.

The annual Petit event marks the third race for the new Audi R15 TDI sports-prototype. The “sister” R15 TDI of German duo Lucas Luhr/Marco Werner qualified fourth fastest (1:08.228, 134.021mph) with the Peugeot of Nicolas Minassian/Pedro Lamy in pole-position (1:06.937, 136.606mph).

Allan added: “Peugeot locked out the front row and have an advantage in one-lap qualifying trim but we [Audi] showed earlier today in final practice that we can match their pace in race set-up. It’s going to be an interesting and entertaining 1,000-mile race.”

The race begins at 16:15*.

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Petit Le Mans Wednesday Practice News - McNish Fastest

2009-09-24T11:50:00+01:00

Allan McNish warmed up for this weekend's 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans race today (WED) in perfect style by posting the fastest time in the opening practice session at Road Atlanta.

The 39-year-old Scotsman posted a 1min 08.308secs lap time, an average speed of 133.864mph, in his diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI around the 2.54-mile track in Georgia.

The double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner is bidding for his fifth Petit Le Mans race win to maintain Audi's 100% winning record in the annual endurance sportscar race since 2000.

Dumfries-born McNish commented: "We arrived at a reasonable set-up and we're in the ball park but everyone was just finding their feet. We've still a lot of work to do before qualifying on Friday and the race. The track is also still ‘green' meaning it still lacks proper grip after unusually heavy rain here in recent days."

McNish's fastest time was 0.169secs faster than the second-placed Peugeot. Qualifying for grid positions is on Friday (19:55-20:20*) with the race getting underway at 16:15* on Saturday.

* BST times quoted, +5hrs local

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Petit Le Mans - TV & Radio Times

2009-09-24T11:47:00+01:00

Petit Le Mans is here!

Keep up to date with Allan's progress with these TV & Radio times.

Get live timing on http://www.americanlemans.com/

RADIO LE MANS

Wednesday September 23rd

14:00 EST [19:00 UK] Test Session - American Le Mans Series (LM P1/LM P2)

14:30 EST [19:30 UK] Test Session - American Le Mans Series (All Classes)

15:30 EST [20:30 UK] Test Session - American Le Mans Series (GT2)

16:10 EST [21:10 UK] Midweek Motorsport Special Live From Petit Le Mans

Thursday September 24th

10:00 EST (15:00 UK] ALMS Practice

15:15 EST (20:00 UK] ALMS Practice

19:15 EST [00.15am:] ALMS Night Practice

Friday September 25th

09:00 EST (14:00 UK] ALMS Practice

14:15 EST (19:15 UK] Petit Le Mans Qualifying

Qualifying will also be simultaneously cast with live video on http://www.speedtv.com/ and http://www.radiolemans.com/

Saturday September 26th

08:00 EST [13:00 UK] Petit Le Mans Warm Up

11:00 EST [16:00 UK] Petit Le Mans Powered by the Mazda 6 (also broadcast on XM Channel 142 and Sirius 126 in the USA and flag- to flag on Motors Tv in Europe using Radio Le Mans commentary)

MOTORS TV

Watch the Petit Le Mans LIVE on Motors TV (Sky Channel 413, Virgin Media 545) on Saturday 26 September at 4pm (BST).

Enjoy!

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McNish to Judge for Jim Russell 2010 Future Drivers Search

2009-09-22T16:28:00+01:00

Allan McNish and the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School join to announce the 2010 Future Driver Search. Allan McNish will lead the judging panel for the global driver search for young racing talent. The search will culminate in a competition held at Infineon Raceway on December 19 - 22, in which two drivers will each be awarded a full season in the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series. Applications and information packets are now available at jimrussellusa.com.

The Future Driver Search will set out to discover young drivers throughout the world who contain the raw talent and dedication needed to become a modern racing driver. Unlike other programs, the Future Driver Search will judge applicants across multiple disciplines, including karting and track time in the FJR-50. The judging panel, led by Allan McNish, will analyze the driving style and associated skill set of each driver. Drivers will be judged on speed, car control and mechanical knowledge. In addition, off-track attributes will be considered, including character, strategy, media interviews and physical/professional presentation.

"In my career, I was fortunate enough to have been given the guidance and opportunities to show and develop my potential, and today, I strongly feel that there are few things as important as the cultivation of the next generation of young talent," said Allan McNish. "The Jim Russell programs offer drivers from around the world unrivalled assets, and the tools necessary to take the next step in their racing career."

The announcement reinforces Emotive and McNish's dedication to the development of driving skills within the racing community. The four-day competition begins December 19 through 22 at the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School state-of-the-art facility at Infineon Raceway, Sonoma CA. Once selected, the drivers will compete in the full 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series in the Lola FJR-50 Formula 3 based race car . With the Future Driver Search, Jim Russell continues to expand the talent pool for the Jim Russell Championship Series with international drivers.

"This is the opportunity of a lifetime for a young driver," said Chip Pankow, president, Jim Russell Racing Drivers School. "The Future Driver Search provides aspiring drivers from around the world the opportunity to be evaluated by Allan McNish and a panel of industry experts, with the two-best drivers being awarded a full season in our 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series."

For more information about the 2010 Jim Russell Championship Series Future Driver Search, or to download the information packet and application, in the U.S., please call 1-877-229-9855; outside the U.S. dial 1-707-939-2755; or visit www.jimrussellusa.com.

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McNish to Race at Petit Le Mans

2009-08-25T15:37:00+01:00

Allan McNish will unexpectedly contest a third race of the year when the Scotsman competes for Audi in the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in America next month (26 Sep).

The 39-year-old Dumfries-born ace drives a "factory" Audi R15 TDI along with co-driver Dindo Capello (Italy), the duo along with Tom Kristensen (Denmark), having scored a début R15 TDI victory in the Sebring 12 Hours (21 March) and then third place in this year's Le Mans 24 Hours (13-14 June).

McNish commented: "I'm personally very pleased, as are Audi Sport, that we are back racing again and especially to be going to Petit which has become one of the biggest sportscar races on the calendar.

"It shows Audi's commitment to sportscars and the American Le Mans Series and I'm personally delighted to be racing in America again."

Audi Sport will glean valuable data from this 1,000-mile race - an event McNish has already won four times - concerning its new R15 TDI sports-prototype in readiness for the 2010 season. Meanwhile the scenic and challenging, undulating 2.54-mile, 12-corner Road Atlanta circuit is a favourite of McNish who won by just 4.512secs in his Audi from Peugeot after a near 10 hour epic battle last year.

Former triple American Le Mans Series champion McNish, who has won Petit for the last three years, will face the similar diesel-powered Peugeot cars that defeated Audi at Le Mans in June - only the third time the German manufacturer had been beaten in the twice-around-the-clock race since its début in 1999.

"At Le Mans, we saw how much Peugeot had moved forward from our race with them at Sebring and I expect that to have continued," added Allan. "Acura have been racing regularly in ALMS so they will have developed their car significantly since the ALMS season opener which we won first time out with the R15 TDI. But everyone at Audi is really looking forward to the challenge."

The annual 1,000-mile/10-hour sportscar classic, the penultimate round of this year's American Le Mans Series, has run since 1998 and saw a record attendance of 113,000 fans last year. Audi remains undefeated since first contesting the race in 2000.

Allan continued: "I raced in the first ever Petit in 1998 and when I think of last year with over 110,000 spectators witnessing a spectacular race, including my novel way to the starting grid and such a close finish, and with the teams and drivers line-up for ‘09 it looks like it will be just as much fun."

Britain's double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner lost control of his Audi R10 TDI on his "out" lap en route to take up his front row grid position last year - starting the race two laps down in 36^th place after major repairs with the race three minutes old.

"I enjoy the Road Atlanta track, it is one of the old style tracks with fast corners that follow the natural flow of the land - it's a track that sorts the men out from the boys," added McNish.

German duo Lucas Luhr and Marco Werner will drive a "sister" Audi Sport Team Joest R15 TDI while Audi's regular DTM driver, Mike Rockenfeller (Germany) is the team's reserve driver in Georgia.

"The race at Road Atlanta already marks the first part of our preparation for the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2010," explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "We want to use it as an opportunity for our engineers to learn even more about the new Audi R15 TDI in direct competition with strong rivals. A lot of things can be simulated on test rigs and in track tests. But nothing can replace the experience gathered in actual racing events."

Allan McNish "Petit Le Mans" Formguide (4 wins from 6 starts):

1998 (Porsche 911 GT1): Qualified - 1^st (AM). Race - Retired

1999 (Porsche 911 GT1 EVO): Qualified - 15^th. Race - 7^th

2000 (Audi R8): Qualified - 1^st (AM). Race - 1^st+ AM fastest lap (1:11.782, 127.386mph)

2006 (Audi R10 TDI): Qualified - 2^nd (AM). Race - 1^st

2007 (Audi R10 TDI): Qualified - 3^rd. Race - 1^st+ AM fastest lap (1:09.195, 132.148mph)

2008 (Audi R10 TDI): Qualified - 2^nd (AM). Race - 1^st

Audi "Petit Le Mans" Formguide (9 wins from 9 starts):

2000 (Audi R8): 1^st(Allan McNish/Dindo Capello/Michele Alboreto)

2001 (Audi R8): 1^st (Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro)

2002 (Audi R8): 1^st (Dindo Capello/Tom Kristensen)

2003 (Audi R8): 1^st (Johnny Herbert/JJ Lehto)

2004 (Audi R8): 1^st (JJ Lehto/Marco Werner)

2005 (Audi R8): 1^st (Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro)

2006 (Audi R10 TDI): 1^st (Allan McNish/Dindo Capello)

2007 (Audi R10 TDI): 1^st(Allan McNish/Dindo Capello)

2008 (Audi R10 TDI): 1^st (Allan McNish/Dindo Capello/Emanuele Pirro)

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Truth In 6 Minutes - A Video Recap of Le Mans

2009-07-20T14:31:00+01:00

Audi TV Releases Artful Video Recap of Le Mans
Check it out at the following link:

http://www.fourtitude.com/news/publish/Motorsport_News/article_5108.shtml

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Audi Ace McNish Awarded Prestigious Segrave Trophy

2009-07-14T16:11:00+01:00

Allan McNish has been awarded the prestigious Segrave Trophy in recognition of the Scotsman's historic Le Mans 24 Hour race victory last year combined with his "exceptional endeavour in motorsport".

The 39-year-old Audi sportscar ace succeeds reigning Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton and was presented with the trophy by Sir David Prosser, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club, at an awards luncheon at The RAC club in Pall Mall, London, today (14 July).

McNish, who became the first Briton to win Le Mans driving a diesel-engined sportscar last year, received the Segrave Trophy - named in honour of the world land and water speed record holder Sir Henry Segrave and is awarded to a British subject for outstanding achievements in transport on land, water or in the air.

"I'm very proud to receive the Segrave Trophy," commented Dumfries-born Allan. "When I look at the achievements of Sir Henry Segrave himself, he really does epitomize the spirit of adventure, all the qualities that any racing driver would love to have.

"When you add into that the list of people like Sir Malcolm Campbell, Sir Jackie Stewart, Barry Sheene, and others who have actually been presented with this award on two and four wheels, on land, sea and in the air, it's really a who's who of sport and adventure.

"I feel very honoured that my name has been added to that list, especially after a long career and also after a fantastic 2008 season. To cap it all off with this fantastic award I feel very privileged."

Ben Cussons, Chairman of the Segrave Trophy Nominations Committee, added: "Allan [McNish] is an exceptional individual who has successfully established himself at the forefront of sportscar racing across the world and with wins in every major sportscar race in Europe and North America, his record speaks for itself."

Former Segrave Trophy recipients present today included Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, Martin Brundle, world land speed record holder Andy Green, and Scottish lady rally driver Louise Aitken-Walker.

Audi Sport "factory" driver McNish has clearly demonstrated these qualities in a motorsport career spanning almost 30 years. A former triple British Kart Champion, Allan won the 1988 Formula Vauxhall Championship, narrowly missed out on winning the 1989 British Formula 3 title and was an "official" Formula One test driver at McLaren and Benetton.

While performing his test driver duties, McNish turned his attention to sportscars and success quickly followed taking his first overall win at Le Mans in 1998 as well as victory in the Daytona 24 Hours.

In 2000, Allan claimed the first of three American Le Mans Series titles - his first season with Audi - and signed later that year as Toyota's F1 test driver, making his F1 Grand Prix debut in 2002. After two years in F1, Allan returned to Audi and sportscar racing in 2004 and quickly re-established himself as a leading driver, with victory in the Sebring 12 Hours as well as wins in the LMES 1000km races at Silverstone and the Nurburgring in an Audi UK supported R8 sports-prototype.

He went on to lift the ALMS titles in 2006 and 2007 - each courtesy of pioneering Audi diesel engine technology and added a second overall 24 Hours of Le Mans title in 2008.

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Another Cool Audi R8 Advert

2009-07-09T14:19:00+01:00

Another cool Audi R8 advert:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6rj5jisB7g

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McNish Celebrates Audi's Centenary In Style at Goodwood Festival of Speed

2009-07-07T16:48:00+01:00

Allan McNish thrilled massive crowds at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend.

The Dumfries-born ace reaquainted himself with the Audi R8 "Crocodile" sportscar in which he won the 2000 American Le Mans Series title as well as driving a 2007 Audi A4DTM and the diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI in which he won and finished third in the Sebring 12 Hour and Le Mans 24 Hours races respectively this year.

Audi, which formally began life as a car manufacturer on July 16 1909, wheeled out its "stars and cars" as part of its Centenary celebrations.

The German manufacturer has supported the annual motorsport extravaganza for the past 13 years and fittingly was the "featured marque" at this year's "True Grit - Epic Feats of Endurance" themed event attended by 150,000 spectators over all three days.

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Le Mans 24 Hours Race Report - Podium Finish for McNish

2009-06-14T15:03:00+01:00

Allan McNish missed out on claiming his Le Mans 24 Hour “hat trick” and a second consecutive win when the Briton steered his new diesel engined Audi home third in this year’s race today (14 Jun). The 39-year-old Scotsman driving a “factory” entered Audi R15 TDI had been aiming to repeat last year’s victory along with co-drivers Dindo Capello (44, Italy) and Tom Kristensen (41, Denmark) in the twice-around-the-clock race won by the Peugeot of Marc Gene (Sp)/Alexander Wurz (A)/David Brabham (Aus). “Overall we can be relatively happy with third place,” reflected Dumfries-born McNish who has now finished on the top-three podium at Le Mans six times from 10 starts. “Obviously it was our aim to win and retain Audi’s fantastic Le Mans record, it had to stop at some point as all good things do. The competition from Peugeot had been fierce for the past two years but we came out on top. This time they got the better of us but everyone at Audi Sport and Team Joest,as well as us drivers, will go home, regroup and rebuild and come back next year even stronger.” McNish started from second on the 55-car grid – only the R15 TDI’s second race after the same driver “combo” scored a début race win for the car in the Sebring 12 Hours (21 Mar) – but slipped to fourth before briefly leading in the opening hour and thereafter remained in the top-three for the duration. The Briton drove for a total time of 8hrs 16mins on three separate occasions – setting his car’s fastest lap (3min 26.632, an average speed of 147.54mph) at 11am today – 30mins before losing 13mins with suspension and electronics issues but still retaining third place in front of a crowd of over 250,000. Additionally the intercoolers mounted in the sidepods of the R15 TDI became so dirty and clogged with debris that they had to be cleaned repeatedly. Due to the increasing intercooler temperature the engine power had to be reduced occasionally. The 77th Le Mans 24 Hours included two other “factory” Audi R15 TDI sports-prototypes aiming to score Audi’s ninth victory from just 11 starts. Joining McNish/Capello/Kristensen in driving the latest V10 diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI – which achieved Audi’s 20th Le Mans top-three podium – were Lucas Luhr (29/Germany), Mike Rockenfeller (25/Germany) and Marco Werner (43/Germany) plus Timo Bernhard (28/Germany), Romain Dumas (31/France) and Alexandre Prémat (27/France). The Luhr/Rockenfeller/Werner R15 TDI started from sixth position but crashed out of third place after 6½hrs. Meanwhile the Bernhard/Dumas/Prémat R15 TDI lined-up seventh at the start but lost over two hours having an injection pump system replaced after five hours when ninth. The trio recovered from 47th to claim 17th.

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Le Mans 24 Hours Qualifying Report - McNish Second on Grid

2009-06-12T10:15:00+01:00

Allan McNish lines-up his diesel-engined Audi second on the capacity 55-car grid for the Le Mans 24 Hours which begins on Saturday (2pm BST). The Dumfries-born Scotsman who is bidding for a “hat trick” of wins in the legendary sportscar race – his second consecutive Le Mans triumph in the annual twice-around-the-clock event in France - was denied pole-position in the dying moments of qualifying last night (THURS). McNish was in line to net his second personal Le Mans “pole” and a maiden pole-position for his new Audi R15 TDI until 11 minutes from the end of Thursday evening’s four-hour qualifying session. Allan had stopped the clock on 3min 23.650secs, an average speed of 149.70mph around the 8.47-mile circuit comprising of closed public roads, at the halfway stage in the time trials – ultimately 0.762secs slower than the pole-starting Peugeot of Stephane Sarrazin (3:22.888) who co-drives with Franck Montagny and Sebastien Bourdais. “I’m delighted with our overall performance – pole-position would have been nice, it was a nip and tuck battle with [Stephane] Sarrazin and fun to monitor on the timing screens in the pits at the end,” commented McNish. “But the reality was that we needed to concentrate on getting a good handling car for the race rather than battle it out for ‘pole’ in the final two hours. “Le Mans is the new R15 TDI’s second race and the first time it turned a wheel here [at Le Mans] was in Wednesday’s six-hour rain-affected practice. Peugeot is our main rival and their car is racing here for a third year so is a known factor in terms of dialling in their car to this track. “Like Wednesday’s practice, all Audis concentrated on race set-up in Thursday’s qualifying – as opposed to out and out qualifying laps. All three cars worked on different elements, like collecting important tyre wear data for example.” Audi has won the French marathon eight times (2000-02/04-08) since making its Le Mans début in 1999 and is the only car manufacturer to have won with a diesel-engined sportscar Audi (2006-08). Two other “factory” Audi R15 TDI sports-prototypes will battle for honours. Joining McNish plus co-drivers Dindo Capello (Italy) and Tom Kristensen (Denmark) in driving the latest V10 diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI are Lucas Luhr (29/Germany), Mike Rockenfeller (25/Germany) and Marco Werner (43/Germany) who qualified sixth fastest (3:25.780) plus Timo Bernhard (28/Germany), Romain Dumas (31/France) and Alexandre Prémat (27/France) who start the race from seventh spot (3:27.106).

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Le Mans Opening Practice News - McNish Fastest

2009-06-11T12:13:00+01:00

Allan McNish swept his diesel-engined Audi to the fastest time in the opening practice session for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours last night (WED). The 39-year-old Scotsman, who won last year’s twice-around-the-clock race, set a fastest time of 3min 30.708secs around the 8.47-mile track in the six-hour session affected by varying degrees of rain throughout. McNish shares his brand new Audi R15 TDI with Dindo Capello (Italy) and Tom Kristensen (Den) and headed an Audi 1-2 in the trials with German Marco Werner second quickest. “It was damp in places when I set the fastest time early in the session but there was no grip so it’s an unrepresentative time as to what can be achieved in qualifying,” said McNish. “It was the first time our new R15 TDI had run a lap at Le Mans and we’ve learned a lot tonight, collecting valuable data from all three cars.” Official qualifying for the 77th running of the famous Le Mans race is staged tonight (THURS, 5-11pm BST) with the race starting at 2pm (BST) on Saturday.

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TV and Radio Broadcast Times for 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans

2009-06-09T16:07:00+01:00

TV & Radio Broadcast Times for 77th Annual 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans EUROSPORT CET times (+1hr BST times) Wednesday, June 10 18:00 – 19:00 Eurosport 2 19:15 – 24:00 Eurosport 2 20:35 – 20:50 Eurosport Thursday, June 11 19:00 – 21:00 Eurosport 2 20:35 – 20:45 Eurosport 22:00 – 24:00 Eurosport Friday, June 12 22:35 – 22:45 Eurosport Saturday, June 13 08:30 – 09:15 Eurosport 14:30 – 15:30 Eurosport 15:30 – 19:00 Eurosport 2 17:10 – 17:15 Eurosport 17:55 – 18:00 Eurosport 19:00 – 20:30 Eurosport 20:30 – 22:30 Eurosport 2 21:55 – 22:00 Eurosport 22:30 – 24:00 Eurosport Sunday, June 14 00:00 – 11:00 Eurosport 11:00 – 13:15 Eurosport 2 12:05 – 12:15 Eurosport 13:15 – 15:15 Eurosport SPEED Live Coverage of the 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours Broadcast in UK Time. Friday, June 12 9:00 – 11:00 p.m. - Truth in 24 Saturday, June 13 8:00 a.m. - Le Mans Pre-Qualifying on SPEED* 8:30 a.m. - Noon - Le Mans 24 Hours on SPEED (Live – The Start) Noon - 4:30 p.m. - SPEEDtv.com streaming coverage with RadioLemans.com 4:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. - Le Mans 24 Hours on SPEED (Live – Day Into Night) 10:00 p.m. – Midnight - SPEEDtv.com streaming coverage with RadioLemans.com Sunday, June 14 Midnight – 10:00 a.m. - Le Mans 24 Hours (Live – The Finish) Radio Broadcast Times: RADIO LE MANS www.radiolemans.com Broadcast in UK time. Wednesday 11am - Scrutineering Report John Hindhaugh reports from the Quinconces Des Jacobins Wednesday 11:15-11:45am – Interview with Allan McNish Wednesday 4pm - Free Practice Live Coverage Thursday 2pm - Le Mans Legends Bruce Jones and Charles Dressing look at the cars and drivers taking part in this year's Legends race. Thursday 5pm - Qualifying Live Coverage Saturday 4pm – 24 Hours of Le Mans Race Live

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Le Mans 24 Hour Race Preview

2009-06-05T14:27:00+01:00

Allan McNish will bid for a second consecutive Le Mans 24 Hours race victory when the Briton drives a new diesel engined Audi in this year’s race next weekend (13-14 June). The 39-year-old Scotsman drives a “factory” entered Audi R15 TDI aiming to repeat last year’s victory which earned Dumfries-born McNish his second and the German manufacturer an eighth Le Mans win. “It was fantastic to finally score another Le Mans victory, especially after duelling with Peugeot for 23 hours and 45 minutes, but I am conscious that the competition is always getting stronger and as reigning champions, we are the ones everyone else is aiming to shoot down,” commented McNish. “I believe this race will be even tougher than 2008 because Peugeot want revenge, Aston Martin want to prove they have what it takes and we [Audi] want to continue our incredible winning streak.” The Monaco-based Scotsman’s co-drivers are again Dindo Capello (44/Italy) and Tom Kristensen (41/Denmark) – the “Great Dane” gunning for his ninth Le Mans triumph – the same Le Mans driver combination for the past three years. The trio scored a début race win for the R15 TDI in the Sebring 12 Hours (Florida) in March – the new sports-prototype’s only race so far – which marked Allan’s third consecutive race win. “I’ve won three of the four races I’ve done since winning Le Mans last June,” added Allan. “I won at Silverstone [September] and Road Atlanta [October] last year and then at Sebring [March], so I’d very much like to continue that winning sequence – especially in what is the biggest sportscar race in the world. “We have a new car, the R15 TDI, again a diesel but utilising a smaller, lighter V10 engine that while, still producing good power and torque, allows for a better handling chassis – a big benefit in the faster corner sections at Le Mans. “Le Mans is an F1 season’s racing in 24 hours, is now a flat out ‘sprint’ race from start-to-finish and requires absolutely everyone, the mechanics, engineers and drivers to make a perfect, mistake-free race to be in with a chance of winning, and the one thing you can be sure of, is to expect the unexpected at Le Mans.” The 77th Le Mans 24 Hours will feature 55-cars – including three “factory” Audi R15 TDI sports-prototypes – plus two R10 TDI cars entered by the “customer” Team Kolles – battling for honours around the 8.47-mile circuit comprising of closed public roads. Allan added: “Although the R15 TDI has only contested one race, we’ve spent the last three months vigorously testing it throughout Europe. There was no official test day unusually at Le Mans this year, which means the first time we see what ‘true’ speed everyone has will be in qualifying on Thursday evening.” Joining McNish/Capello/Kristensen in driving the latest V10 diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI will be Lucas Luhr (29/Germany), Mike Rockenfeller (25/Germany) and Marco Werner (43/Germany) plus Timo Bernhard (28/Germany), Romain Dumas (31/France) and Alexandre Prémat (27/France).

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Dalbeattie High School Claims National Title - AGAIN

2009-06-04T13:54:00+01:00

Dalbeattie High School was crowned the Formula Schools Model Car Champions for the second time in three years in the Finals staged at Silverstone (2 June).

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DALBEATTIE HIGH SCHOOL GUNS FOR NATIONAL TITLE IN FORMULA SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIP

2009-05-26T16:51:00+01:00

Dalbeattie High School heads south for the Formula Schools Model Car Championship Finals at Silverstone on Tuesday (2 June) determined to recapture the National title the Kirkcudbrightshire educational institution claimed on its debut in 2007. Ron Orr, the Technology teacher at Dalbeattie High School, and his 12-student team will be supported in their efforts by Scotland’s race ace Allan McNish at the famous motor racing venue in Northamptonshire. McNish, who will head to the Le Mans 24 Hours later next month (13-14 Jun) to defend his title in the twice-around-the-clock title in the world’s most prestigious sportscar endurance race for Audi, has supported the school since the outset. This year’s DBT McNish Racing team comprises of Alex Sweet, Ross Kennedy, Susie Clarke, Pascale LeGrice and Katy Watt (all 15-years-old) plus Zoe McMillan, Laura Reid, Alisdair Brann, Cordiel Sinclair, David Gibson, Tom Niven and Laurence Nix (all 14). “Our main aim is to return the championship trophy back to Dalbeattie,” confirmed Mr Orr. “We won it on our debut in 2007 but lost out on retaining it by just 3.5 points last year. We are determined that nothing will be left to chance this year in regaining our trophy!” The students have designed and constructed a brand new model which Mr Orr describes as “definitely the best car ever” with emphasis on new suspension and braking systems while the engine and transmission layout has also been modified to improve the model’s handling. Mr Orr added: “The project is primarily about engineering while 80% of the total points that can be earned are awarded at pre-judging which recently took place at our school. From a maximum of 108 points available on the day, we collected 104.5 covering Engineering, Body & Aerodynamics plus Teamwork. “There are now a maximum of 30 points available from race day. These are awarded for the finishing positions achieved in the three finals at Silverstone. We’ve historically done well on raceday and with Alex [Sweet] driving, we have a fantastic chance in regaining the title. “Normally the finals at Silverstone coincide with the Le Mans race week so Allan has been kept up to date with our progress via the telephone but to have him attending this year will be an incredible boost for the students.” For the first time, Dalbeattie High School will not be alone in representing Scotland with other schools from Annan, Stranraer plus St Joseph's and Maxwellton Schools from Dumfries competing. Allan McNish commented: “I’m very proud to be involved again. Dalbeattie High School was originally the only Scottish school but because of their involvement, other Schools from our area are now competing. “A very small technical problem deprived Dalbeattie of retaining the title last year but they’ve already done incredibly well in pre-judging. “The competition involves designing, developing, building a model through to quality control, getting sponsors, marketing the project and then go racing – a complete 360 degree look at how a racing team operates. “Some of the students from the past two years are not necessarily now heading for a career in motorsport but they now have a ‘direction’ of what they want to do and to me that already makes the event a winner.”

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Pressure Builds in the Third Race of the Jim Russell Championship Series Season

2009-05-11T12:04:00+01:00

Master Champion Earns Overall Win

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Mistakes Highlight Round Four Race of the Jim Russell Championship Series Season

2009-05-11T11:46:00+01:00

LeDuc Goes from Green to Checker to Win

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Young Champions of the Future - 2009 JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SEASON OPENER

2009-04-20T12:22:00+01:00

I thought I would keep you in touch with some of the young champions of the future! Check out the new blood in the 2009 JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SEASON OPENER. Warm temperatures and clear skies greet a mix of newcomers and former race champions to the 2009 Jim Russell Championship Series season opener at Infineon Raceway on Saturday April 18. 2007 Jim Russell Championship Series competitor, Nic LeDuc earned pole position. Sean Rayhall, at only 14 years of age, posted the second best qualifying lap. Jim Russell rookie Greg Liefooghe graduate of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School, qualified in third position. Saturday’s race started clean through Turn 1 and 2. Nic LeDuc took the green flag and held off Nick Galante, the 2008 Jim Russell Masters Champion, for the entire race to earn the race win. The battle for third was the most heated battle, as Thomas Asseo pursued and passed Aleks Altberg and Liefooghe during the race. Rayhall was able to hold Asseo off to earn his well-deserved second place in his first race with Jim Russell. Asseo and Altberg pushed hard at the last turn of the last lap culminating in a very close finish. The two competitors were separated by only one-tenth of a second at the finish line. “This race was a lot of fun,” said Nic LeDuc. “The changes Jim Russell has made to the race car are awesome and you can really drive into the corners.” “I like the direction Jim Russell is going with the competitiveness of the cars,” said Nick Galante, 2008 Champion. “The cars are more stable through the turns and you can come out of the corners at a much faster speed.” “I am delighted to be racing with great competitors and awesome cars,” said Sean Rayhall about his first weekend in the Jim Russell Championship Series. “I look forward to competing in more races.” Each race car is prepared equally by meticulous effort by race engineers, instructors and mechanics. The effort that goes into testing and preparation is like no other in the racing school industry. About the FJR-50 JRCS participants race in the Jim Russell FJR-50, which is one of the most advanced racing cars available. The FJR-50 is purpose-built to be the ideal learning platform for drivers, providing a modern, relevant link between the existing levels of motorsport; with special attention to the transition that young drivers will make from karting to a formula car. The FJR-50 is also fitted with an integrated state of the art Pi Research data acquisition system. Coaches and drivers review driver inputs to help facilitate the most effective evaluation of each drivers progress. By training and racing in this car, drivers are better prepared for the upper levels of motorsport as the FJR-50 is based on the successful and proven Lola B06-30 championship winning Formula 3 car. Sean Rayahll: www.seanrayahll.com Nic DeLuc: www.nicleducracing.com Nick Galante: www.nickgalanteracing.com About The Jim Russell Championship Series: The Jim Russell Championship Series (JRCS) is the official racing series of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School. The series is designed to foster and identify talent from the pool of graduates and competitors. As a competitive racing school, Jim Russell offers a complete driver training program that includes instruction from some of the finest coaches in the world, technical instruction from industry leaders, and educational seminars on being a complete racing driver. Seminars and additional educational opportunities are conducted during the course of each race weekend. Many drivers use the Jim Russell Championship Series as a launch pad for their careers in professional open wheel and sports car racing throughout the world. www.jimrussellusa.com About Emotive Group: Emotive is a marketing agency that creates events delivering that very special moment when a person experiences the product difference for themselves. They live it, they breathe it, they own it. This experience is the start of brand ownership that leads to brand loyalty. Last year more than two million people were convinced by Emotive events. Emotive has offices in Sonoma, California; London, England; and Munich, Germany. Connecting people with cars. www.emo.tv

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Allan McNish : Peugeot Hunter

2009-04-01T10:29:00+01:00

Allan McNish : Peugeot Hunter

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Truth IN 24 - Le Mans 2008 Documentary

2009-03-25T13:20:00+01:00

Truth IN 24, an incredible documentary of our Le Mans 2008 is available on iTunes. Check it out.

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Audi Bags Sebring Victory

2009-03-22T09:23:00+01:00

Allan McNish became the most successful British driver in one of America’s oldest motor races when the “Flying Scotsman” earned his new diesel engined Audi a sensational and hard fought debut victory in the Sebring 12 Hour endurance sportscar race in Florida tonight (Sat 21 Mar).

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ALMS: Audi's Allan McNish on Sunday's Wind Tunnel live from Sebring

2009-03-21T13:03:00+01:00

2008 Le Mans 24 Hour winner Allan McNish is to appear as a featured guest live from Sebring Sunday night on SPEED's Wind Tunnel Talk Show. Fans can email questions for Allan to windtunnel@speedtv.com or can send in questions LIVE during the show via Chat at http://www.speedtv.com/programs/wind-tunnel-with-dave-despain

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Emotive and Allan McNish Announce Exclusive Partnership

2009-03-21T12:09:00+01:00

Today Emotive and Allan McNish announced their exclusive partnership at the 57th running of 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race. The strategic alliance will involve McNish’s participation in various Emotive-produced automotive events, including the all-new Jim Russell Racing Drivers School and Jim Russell Championship Series, the Audi Driving Experience, and the Audi Sportscar Experience.

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Audi R15 TDI on the front row on its debut

2009-03-20T16:53:00+01:00

Ingolstadt/Sebring – Good debut for the Audi R15 TDI: The all-new diesel-powered sports car from AUDI AG will start its first ever race from the front row of the grid. Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen (Denmark) missed the pole position for the 12-hour race at Sebring (US state of Florida) by just 0.082 seconds. Almost as fast was youngster Mike Rockenfeller (Germany) who qualified fourth with the second R15 TDI. The five fastest prototypes were covered by only 281 thousandths of a second in Thursday afternoon’s qualifying session. Literally in the very last moment Scott Dixon from New Zealand in the Acura/Honda snatched the pole position from Tom Kristensen. The Dane recorded his fastest lap only on lap seven after he caught traffic on his previous attempts. In the end he qualified second as the fastest driver of a diesel-powered sports car. Mike Rockenfeller also got stuck in traffic on his first flying lap. With his second lap he jumped to the top of the field. The team, however, decided to save the tires for the race and not to try another qualifying attempt. The 12-hour race at Sebring serves Audi Sport Team Joest mainly as a test for the Le Mans 24 Hours on June 13/14. The Audi squad used all practice sessions since last Saturday to learn as much as possible about the new diesel sports car and to try different setup options. Both cars ran basically without any major problems so far. The race, which begins on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. local time (3:30 p.m. in Germany), will be a test under race conditions for Audi Sport Team Joest. Following the race, the crew will stay for three further days at Sebring to complete a further twelve hours with the two R15 TDI prototypes. Mike Rockenfeller (car number 1) and Allan McNish (car number 2) are nominated as start drivers for Saturday’s race. Audi has won the 12 Hours of Sebring eight times so far in ten events. Quotes after qualifying at Sebring Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): "The grip level in qualifying was not at the same level as the previous practice sessions. I would also like to reiterate that we are here to prepare for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Therefore, we have not spent any time setting the car up specifically for qualifying. We have seen here at the very first meeting that the various vehicle and car concepts are very closely matched. We will now try to make a good race collecting as much experience as possible for Le Mans." Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest): "So far it actually went quite well. We have been faced with surprisingly few problems so far and have worked well through our program. In qualifying, the fastest cars were covered by less than three tenths of a second – which is unusually tight. This promises a very good and close race." Dindo Capello (Audi R15 TDI #2): "Sebring is just one small step behind Le Mans for me in terms of importance and the most historic and important endurance sports car race in the US and to be a part of this great event is something very special. Sebring has been kind to me with three wins already and every race here I have very special memories. My very first race here in 1999 I was driving with two Formula One heroes of mine – Stefan Johansson and Michele Alboreto. Sebring has always been, and always will be, very important preparation for Audi for Le Mans. The fast and bumpy track is very hard on car and driver. Survive 12 hours here and you’re in good shape for Le Mans." Tom Kristensen (Audi R15 TDI #2): "Wow! It would have been really cool to have made a debut pole for the R15 TDI. We had pole but it was snatched away on the last lap of qualifying which was very close and exciting. Our focus is for the race and a successful warm-up for Le Mans but as a driver, of course I wanted the pole. I could have been luckier as it took until my seventh lap before I had a clear lap out of traffic. I had to back off and make space. Thankfully I had enough diesel in the car so I could do the extra laps. Well done to Scott (Dixon). We’re eagerly looking forward to the race." Allan McNish (Audi R15 TDI #2): "The V10 engine in our new R15 TDI gives a different and improved power response compared to the R10 TDI. It’s most noticeable at the hairpin (Turn 7) while the better weight distribution from the smaller and lighter engine allows the car to be more agile. We benefit from this element especially in the Esses section (Turns 15 &16) but we can also throw the car around in the higher speed corners. We can place the car a little better too. For the 12 hour race, we’ve a comfortable car to drive over the bumps and through the high-speed corners. It’s going to be a tough race with the first five cars covered by less than three-tenth’s of a second." Lucas Luhr (Audi R15 TDI #1): "The R15 TDI is a brand new car, our baby. We are all very pleased and happy with the car. It reacts to changes, which is very positive. We are of course still in its infancy. The R10 TDI was developed over three years and fully exploited. The R15 TDI is still, let’s say, like a new-born child. We will for sure face minor problems. But our aim is Le Mans, and we’ve still got some time until then. Sebring is the perfect platform to test the car for Le Mans. And so far it looks very good." Mike Rockenfeller (Audi R15 TDI #1): "Our starting position does not satisfy me even if it is not so important from where you start in a 12-hour race. Unfortunately we’ve narrowly missed the pole with both our cars. Tom (Kristensen) was two tenths faster than me, but he did significantly more laps. It was a shame to sit in the pits and watch losing the first position. But on the other hand I now have the fresher tires for the race." Marco Werner (Audi R15 TDI #1): "Basically the work with our R15 TDI just starts here. The tests in Europe were completed mostly in the rain and in cold temperatures. This here is the real world, and actually it looks very good so far. We know that we have a fast car. There was certainly a little bit more possible in qualifying. But the pole is not so important during a long race. Our car is fast, the rest we’ll see in the race." The starting grid at Sebring 1 de Ferran/Pagenaud/Dixon (Acura/Honda) 1m 45.278s 2 Capello/Kristensen/McNish (Audi R15 TDI) 1m 45.360s 3 Minassian/Lamy/Klien (Peugeot) 1m 45.462s 4 Luhr/Rockenfeller/Werner (Audi R15 TDI) 1m 45.551s 5 Sarrazin/Montagny/Bourdais (Peugeot) 1m 45.559s 6 Brabham/Sharp/Franchitti (Acura/Honda) 1m 46.504s 7 Fernandez/Diaz (Acura/Honda) 1m 49.686s 8 Dyson/Smith/Lally (Lola-Mazda) 1m 51.534s 9 Willman/McMurry/Burgess (Lola-AER) 1m 51.598s 10 Leitzinger/Franchitti/Devlin (Lola-Mazda) 1m 51.840s

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Sebring 12 Hours Qualifying Report

2009-03-20T10:40:00+01:00

Allan McNish starts his brand new diesel powered Audi from the front row of the 28-car grid in the Sebring 12 Hours race in Florida on Saturday (2.30pm GMT). The 39-year-old Scotsman is bidding for a hat-trick of victories in the historic American race with Audi aiming for a perfect “warm-up” for a successful Le Mans 24 Hour race defence – McNish becoming the first Briton last year to win the French race driving a diesel engined car. McNish’s co-driver Tom Kristensen clocked the second fastest lap in today’s (THURS) qualifying session staged at the 3.7-mile track after setting a 1min 45.360secs (126.424mph). The “Great Dane” held pole-position until the final seconds in the 25-minute session. Record eight-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Kristensen, McNish and Dindo Capello (Italy) drive the latest turbo diesel Audi R15 TDI. “Tom had looked good for pole but it was snatched away from us in the dying moments by 0.082secs,” reflected Dumfries-born McNish. “We’ve a comfortable car to drive over the bumps and through the high-speed corners. It’s going to be a tough race with the first five cars covered by less than three-tenth’s of a second. “There is no better pre-Le Mans ‘test’ than to race our new R15 TDI here at Sebring – a race that will be run in very hot weather conditions and on a bumpy track.” A hat-trick of Sebring victories would make the Dumfries-born Scotsman the most successful British driver in the 57-year history of the Sebring sportscar endurance race with Audi bidding for a ninth Sebring win since its 1999 début. A second Audi Sport Team Joest entered R15 TDI driven by German trio Lucas Luhr, Mike Rockenfeller and Marco Werner starts from fourth place (1:45.551).

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First major challenge for the Audi R15 TDI

2009-03-19T17:20:00+01:00

First major challenge for the Audi R15 TDI • New diesel racing sports car debuts at Sebring (USA) • 12-hour race in Florida acts as endurance test for Le Mans • Strong competition in the LMP1 class Ingolstadt/Sebring – Now it’s serious: After tests in Spain and Italy, the first race looms for the new Audi R15 TDI. During the 12-hour race at Sebring (Florida, USA) on Saturday, March 21, the new diesel racing sportscar meets the competition from Acura/Honda, Peugeot and others. For Audi Sport Team Joest, the US endurance classic acts specifically as an endurance test and to gauge the level of competiveness for the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 13/14, 2009. At the same time, the team under Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich aims to continue the brand’s impressive run of results at Sebring around the demanding race track in the heart of Florida: Audi has won eight times to date –in just ten races. It is tradition that new prototypes from AUDI AG make their debut at Sebring: Audi started its first ever sports car race at Sebring on March 20, 1999. At that time Michele Alboreto, Dindo Capello and Stefan Johansson claimed third position first time out with the Audi R8R fielded by Audi Sport Team Joest. A year later on the debut of the Audi R8, Frank Biela, Tom Kristensen and Emanuele Pirro, took Audi’s first victory in a sports car race. Another 62 wins would follow and make the R8 one of the most successful LMP1 sports cars in history. On March 18, 2006, Audi wrote another new chapter in motorsport history: Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish scored the first victory for a diesel racing sports car in an important international endurance race on the debut of the Audi R10 TDI. The trio, which was victorious at Le Mans last year, remains in the same formation for the debut of the new Audi R15 TDI. Lucas Luhr, Mike Rockenfeller and Marco Werner drive the "sister" R15 TDI. The six Audi factory drivers have the opportunity to gain experience with the new LMP1 racing sports car under race conditions for an entire week – and this on one of the world’s most difficult race tracks in temperatures expected to reach some 30 degrees Celsius in the shade. These are entirely new conditions for the R15 TDI which until now tested almost exclusively in cool temperatures and was often running in the rain at the tests in Europe. The 12-hour race at Sebring is also the first event in which the new technical regulations for Le Mans prototypes are valid. In contrast to last year, the width of the rear wing is reduced by 40 centimeters. Furthermore, the diesel powered cars must compete with smaller engine air intakes and less turbo pressure and, as a consequence, less engine power. Audi Sport has attempted to compensate as much as possible with many technical innovations for the restrictions imposed by the new regulations. Comments before the race at Sebring Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): "Sebring is an important test for the 24 Hours of Le Mans for us. Experience shows that the track is very hard and mercilessly reveals any problem a car has. Therefore it’s particularly important to compete with a newly developed car here. It goes without saying that we hope to be able to gauge the performance of our new Audi R15 TDI from the race, you can only do this when you compete against your competition – and this is the case at Sebring." Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest): "We are not as well prepared as we would like to be – but this is actually always the case with a new car. Unfortunately, it hurt us a lot this year that the tests in Europe were affected constantly by bad weather and we have not run in hot conditions like we can expect at Sebring. Furthermore, for the first time we did not test at Sebring before the race – which means we have no experience whatsoever with the Audi R15 TDI on the track. Luckily there is an additional test on the Saturday before the race which we will use. The grid isn’t particularly large at Sebring this time, but the quality is incredible, especially in the LMP1 class. Two Audis, two Peugeots, two Acura/Hondas as part of a grid of 28 cars – it’ll be a hot race!" Lucas Luhr (Audi R15 TDI #1): "I’m really looking forward to Sebring! It’s a race of great tradition. It’s a great feeling to compete as defending LMP1 champion at the opening race of the American Le Mans Series season. The target is clear: We want to win! But it won’t be easy. The Audi R15 TDI is in action for the first time in race trim. The competition is strong. We come to Sebring with a few question marks and we’ll see for real exactly where we stand next week. I’m convinced that the R15 TDI will handle even better in Sebring than the R10 TDI. The R10 TDI wasn’t a bad car, but whoever knows Audi knows that every new Audi is even better." Mike Rockenfeller (Audi R15 TDI #1): "I was involved in the development of the Audi R15 TDI for the first time from the very beginning. It was a new and fantastic experience for me. I’ve driven in three tests but we were very unlucky with the weather. We had a hard time during the Sebring race week last year. I hope that we’ll be in a significantly better position this year with the new R15 TDI. It’s clear that Sebring is another test for us, but it’s time to compete against the others on track. I’m interested to see who has made the best of the change in regulations." Marco Werner (Audi R15 TDI #1): "We await Sebring with enormous interest and especially in two respects: Sebring traditionally opens the season, but is also the first race for our Audi R15 TDI. We are really intrigued to see just where we stand with the new car compared to the competition. To start with such a long and hard race is obviously a challenge. Nevertheless, we are targeting the ninth Sebring victory for Audi. It would be fantastic to win the race. I’ve driven six times at Sebring and have won half of my races." Dindo Capello (Audi R15 TDI #2): "Sebring is the first real test for our new Audi R15 TDI. We’ve previously had fantastic debuts at Sebring, both with the R8 and also the R10 TDI. Our goal is to continue this streak. However, we know that it will be particularly difficult this year. We are a behind schedule with our test program since we had bad weather at almost every test. The conditions in Sebring will be completely different. I’m convinced that the R15 TDI will immediately be quick but we have a lot of work as far as the fine tuning is concerned. My personal goal is clear: After three Sebring victories I want to get the ‘Poker’ – which is what we call four wins in Italy." Tom Kristensen (Audi R15 TDI #2): "Sebring is a very special race held in incredible surroundings with a great atmosphere, a race I have been able to win four times. I sat in the winning car on the debut of both the Audi R8 and Audi R10 TDI – obviously I also hope to be in the same position on the race debut of the new Audi R15 TDI. Dindo (Capello), Allan (McNish) and my other team mates are just as impressed with the R15 TDI as I am. The car is pretty cool. Sebring will show who did their homework properly over the winter and where we stand in comparison to Acura/Honda and Peugeot – obviously also with regard to Le Mans. I’m also really looking forward to Friday evening: The film ‘Truth in 24’ which documents so impressively our Le Mans victory is shown on ESPN. We’ll all watch it as preparation for the race." Allan McNish (Audi R15 TDI #2): "My target is to claim the first victory for the Audi R15 TDI on its debut. This means that we cannot afford to make any mistakes as the competition is very, very tough this year. We’ll have to run at a fast pace. The new Audi R15 TDI has a smaller, lighter engine, but there is an enormous amount of work going on in the background to compensate as best as possible for the restrictions enforced by the regulations. The new car has a better weight distribution and it more agile as a result. The aerodynamics have also been optimized. The R15 TDI is a huge step compared to the R10 TDI which won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times in succession. I’m looking forward to Sebring and its unique atmosphere with more than 160,000 spectators, the majority of which camp at the track throughout the entire week. Sebring is the world’s second biggest sportscar race." Facts and figures Trivia: Audi has competed ten times at Sebring and has celebrated eight overall victories and nine class wins in the process ... Audi won eight times in succession between 2000 and 2007 ... Audi was accepted into Sebring’s "Hall of Fame" in 2007 ... Reinhold Joest’s team has won six times at Sebring to date, four times with the Audi R8, twice with the Audi R10 TDI ... Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen drove their first races for Audi in March 2000 at Sebring ... Sebring is the oldest "road" circuit in the USA ... The first 12-hour race at Sebring was held on March 15, 1952 ... 2009 is the 57th edition of the race ... Audi holds the distance record at Sebring with 370 laps, set in 2001 ... Marco Werner holds the track qualifying record (set in 2007) ... With four wins each, Tom Kristensen and Frank Biela are the most successful drivers in the history of the race ... With eight overall victories Audi lies in third place in the all time winners’ list behind Porsche (18) and Ferrari (12) ... Lucas Luhr celebrated five class victories to date at Sebring (GT2 and LMP2) ... The two Audi R15 TDI prototypes can be distinguished at Sebring by their extra red (start number 1) and silver (start number 2) colors. The Audi results at Sebring 1999 3rd place (Alboreto/Capello/Johansson) Audi R8R 2000 1st place (Biela/Kristensen/Pirro) Audi R8 (402) 2001 1st place (Capello/Alboreto/Aiello) Audi R8 (502) 2002 1st place (Capello/Pescatori/Herbert) Audi R8 (602) 2003 1st place (Biela/Peter/Werner) Audi R8 (604) 2004 1st place (Biela/Kaffer/McNish) Audi R8 (603) 2005 1st place (Kristensen/Lehto/Werner) Audi R8 (605) 2006 1st place (Capello/Kristensen/McNish) Audi R10 TDI (101) 2007 1st place (Biela/Pirro/Werner) Audi R10 TDI (202) 2008 3rd place (Capello/Kristensen/McNish) Audi R10 TDI The Audi driver teams for Sebring 2009 Audi R15 TDI #1 (chassis number 102) Race engineer: Dominic Zeidtler (D) Lucas Luhr (D): * 07/22/1979 in Koblenz (D); residence: Ermatingen (CH); married to Claudia, one daughter (Georgina), one son (Gianluca); height: 1.85 m; weight: 72 kg; Audi driver since 2007; Sebring overall wins: 0 (best result: 6th place); Le Mans overall wins: 0 Mike Rockenfeller (D): * 10/31/1983 in Neuwied (D); residence: Altnau (CH); single (partner Susanne); height: 1.75 m; weight: 67 kg; Audi driver since 2007; Sebring overall wins: 0 (best result: 6th place); Le Mans overall wins: 0 Marco Werner (D): * 04/27/1966 in Dortmund (D); residence: Ermatingen (CH); married to Annett, one daughter (Janina); height: 1.75 m; weight: 66 kg; Audi driver since 2002; Sebring overall wins: 3; Le Mans overall wins: 3 Audi R15 TDI #2 (chassis number 103) Race engineer: Howden Haynes (GB) Dindo Capello (I): * 06/17/1964 in Asti (I); residence: Canelli (I); married to Elisabetta, one son (Giacomo); height: 1.72 m; weight: 66 kg; Audi driver since 1994; Sebring overall wins: 3; Le Mans overall wins: 3 Tom Kristensen (DK): * 07/07/1967 in Hobro (DK); residence: Monaco (MC); single (partner Hanne), two sons (Oliver and Oswald), one daughter (Carla Malou); height: 1.74 m; weight: 72 kg; Audi driver since 2000; Sebring overall wins: 4; Le Mans overall wins: 8 Allan McNish (GB): * 12/29/1969 in Dumfries (GB); residence: Monaco (MC); married to Kelly, one son (Finlay), one daughter (Charlotte Amelie); height: 1.65 m; weight: 58 kg; Audi driver since 2000 and since 2004; Sebring overall wins: 2; Le Mans overall wins: 2 The Sebring Schedule Saturday, March 14 10:15 – 11:45 Test session 13:30 – 14:45 Test session 15:45 – 17:00 Test session Monday, March 16 09:10 – 10:40 Test session (GT cars) 10:50 – 12:20 Test session (prototypes) 14:30 – 16:00 Test session (GT cars) 16:10 – 17:40 Test session (prototypes) Tuesday, March 17 13:00 – 13:30 Test-Session (GT cars) 13:30 – 14:30 Test-Session (all classes) 14:30 – 15:00 Test-Session (prototypes) Wednesday, March 18 10:45 – 11:40 Free practice 14:40 – 15:35 Free practice Thursday, March 19 10:20 – 11:15 Free practice 14:45 – 15:10 Qualifying (GT cars) 15:15 – 15:40 Qualifying (prototypes) 19:15 – 21:00 Night practice Friday, March 20 09:55 – 10:55 Free practice Saturday, March 21 08:00 – 08:25 Warm-up 10:30 – 22:30 Race (12 hours) Media Appointments Thursday, March 19 15:50 Qualifying Press Conference (Media Interview Area) Friday, March 20 13:15 – 14:00 Audi Press Conference (Audi Hospitality in the paddock) 14:00 – 15:00 Meet the Audi Team (Audi Hospitality in the paddock) Saturday, March 21 ca. 23:30 Winners Press Conference (Media Interview Area)

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TV & Radio Times - 2009 American Le Mans Series 57th Annual 12 Hours of Sebring

2009-03-17T14:42:00+01:00

Keep up to date with my progress at Sebring with the following radio and television schedule.

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Sebring 12 Hours Race Preview

2009-03-16T11:06:00+01:00

Allan McNish aims to record his Sebring 12 Hours race win “hat-trick” in Florida on Saturday (21 Mar) and earn Audi the perfect “warm-up” for a successful Le Mans 24 Hour race defence. The 39-year-old Scotsman débuts Audi’s brand new diesel-engined sports-prototype in the American race which McNish has contested six times since 2000 scoring five podiums including two wins. “I’ve had two wins, two seconds, plus third and fourth place finishes already at Sebring so I’ve had my fair share of podiums but I’m hungry for more success,” confirmed Dumfries-born McNish. “My goal is trying to achieve a début victory for the R15 TDI but make no mistake, the opposition is very, very tough this year. We’ll need to race harder, faster and for longer than we’ve ever done if we want to be successful this year. “I won my last two races of ’08 with Dindo [Capello] at Silverstone and Atlanta, so there would be no better way to blow away the winter cobwebs than to keep the winning momentum going into the new season.” McNish, together with Dindo Capello (Italy) and Tom Kristensen (Denmark) – his co-drivers in this year’s Sebring race – scored the first major international sportscar race victory for a diesel-engined car in Florida three years ago. Now after three Le Mans victories and multiple championship success for the Audi R10 TDI – the only diesel-engined sportscar to win the Le Mans 24 Hours – the German manufacturer has designed and built the R15 TDI. New LM P1 regulations include a smaller air restrictor – reducing power output – plus a downsized rear wing which reduces downforce. Allan continued: “This year’s race marks the third time I’ve débuted a brand new Audi at Sebring. I drove the Audi R8 in 2000 then the pioneering R10 TDI in ’06. I won the latter which was a historic achievement. “The R15 TDI features a new smaller and lighter engine but a lot of work has also been done to minimise the losses with regards the new regulations. The new car features better weight distribution which in turn helps the agility. The aerodynamics have also been improved. “We’ve tested the R15 TDI a number of times since just before Christmas,” added Allan. “It’s a large improvement over the R10 TDI which achieved three Le Mans victories plus four championship titles over the past three years.” A hat-trick of Sebring victories would make the Dumfries-born Scotsman the most successful British driver in the 57-year history of the Sebring sportscar endurance race previously contested by famous Britons Derek Bell, Peter Collins, Mike Hawthorn and Stirling Moss. McNish concluded: “There’s a unique atmosphere at Sebring with a crowd of over 160,000 present, the vast majority camping out for almost the entire race week. It’s the second biggest sportscar race in the world and is legendary with the likes of Stirling Moss having won there.” A second Audi Sport Team Joest entered R15 TDI is driven at Sebring by German trio Lucas Luhr, Mike Rockenfeller and Marco Werner with Audi bidding for a ninth Sebring win since its 1999 début. Audi Sebring 12 Hours Formguide (Début: 1999 – 8 wins from 10 races) 1999: 3rd (Alboreto/Capello/Johansson) Audi R8R. Also 5th. 2000: 1st (Biela/Kristensen/Pirro) Audi R8. 360 laps (1,332 miles), 110.692mph. Also 2nd. 2001: 1st (Capello/Alboreto/Aiello). Audi R8. 370 laps (1,369 miles), 113.983mph. Also 2nd, 3rd & 4th. 2002: 1st (Capello/Pescatori/Herbert). Audi R8. 346 laps (1,280.2 miles), 106.507mph. Also 2nd & 5th. 2003: 1st (Biela/Werner/Peter) Audi R8. 367 laps (1,357.90 miles), 113.097mph. Also 2nd & 6th. 2004: 1st (McNish/Biela/Kaffer) Audi R8. 350 laps (1,295 miles), 107.711mph. Also 2nd & 3rd. 2005: 1st (Kristensen/Lehto/Werner) Audi R8. 361 laps (1,335.70 miles), 111.028mph. Also 2nd. 2006: 1st (McNish/Capello/Kristensen) Audi R10 TDI. 349 laps (1,291.30 miles), 107.319mph. 2007: 1st (Biela/Pirro/Werner) Audi R10 TDI. 364 laps (1,346.8 miles), 112.039mph. Also 4th o/a (2nd LM P1). 2008: 3rd (McNish/Capello/Kristensen) Audi R10 TDI. Also 6th (Luhr/Rockenfeller/Werner) Audi R10 TDI. Allan McNish Sebring 12 Hours Formguide (Début: 2000 – Five podiums including 2 wins from 6 races all with Audi) 2000: 2nd (39.111 seconds behind winning Audi). 2004: 1st (Qualified 2nd). 2005: 2nd (6.365 seconds behind winning Audi – closest margin of victory for this race). 2006: 1st (Qualified 1st, 1:45.828secs*, 125.865mph + Fastest Race Lap, 1:48.373* 122.909mph). 2007: 4th. 2008: 3rd (Pole, 1:43.195secs*, 129.076mph). * Track Record EVENT TIMETABLE Wednesday 18 March 1045-1140 Practice 1440-1535 Practice Thursday 19 March 1020-1115 Practice 1515-1540 Qualifying 1915-2100 Practice Friday 20 March 0955-1055 Practice Saturday 21 March 0750-0815 Warm Up 1030-2230 57th Sebring 12 Hour Race * Note that the above timings are Florida “local” times and are -4hrs UK time

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Allan McNish Returns to Motor Racing Legends Dinner

2009-02-24T12:26:00+01:00

The Motor Racing Legends Annual Dinner, on Friday 13th February at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall, saw the return of Allan McNish as guest speaker. McNish gave a thrilling from-the-cockpit account of Audi’s victory in the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours. The roomful of guests was held spellbound as McNish described the challenge faced by Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and McNish himself – along with the whole Audi team – in setting their three-year-old Audi R10 TDI sports-prototype against the might of Peugeot. “At the Test Day,” he explained, “Peugeot turned up with a beautiful, slick new aero package and, in a nutshell, they were five seconds a lap faster. So we thought about it laterally: we had to try to wear them down over the course of 24 hours. “For the race itself, I qualified fourth on the grid, with three Peugeots ahead of me. At the start, I took a big risk because I had to be ahead of at least one of them by the start of the Mulsanne – for no other reason than to put down the marker: to say that for 24 hours we’re going to be here, we’re going to be nagging at your heels…” In a dialogue with Master of Ceremonies, Tony Dron, McNish described the early hours of the race, when one Peugeot had a problem, then another dropped out. “In Hour 3, I saw the pit board: P1 + 20. I thought then that if we did everything perfectly – 100% spot-on – every pit stop, every driver change, every decision, then we’d be in with a shout. At 4am, my rain dance finally worked and that’s when we had them. Because that was Peugeot’s one weakness; whatever they did to make that car fantastically quick in the dry, in the wet it didn’t work.” Genuinely modest, McNish played down his role during that wet spell, though he admits that his driving stint from 6am to 9.20am was “one of the hardest drives of my life”. And then, 15 minutes before the end of the race [McNish was now in the pits], “The heavens opened again and Peugeot made the wrong call…When the chequered flag fell, we had beaten the faster car with a clever strategy and good teamwork.” “And some really amazing driving…,” added Tony Dron. The Motor Racing Legends Annual Dinner has a history of fascinating and high-profile guest speakers, but this was the first time that the previous year’s Le Mans-winning driver shared his story. It was a great privilege and pleasure for everyone who attended. We wish Allan – and the new Audi R15 TDI – the very best for Le Mans 2009. New Motor Racing Legends Identity The annual black-tie dinner is always a highlight of Motor Racing Legends’ year and, as well as welcoming such a prestigious, fascinating – and remarkably modest – guest speaker, the evening gave Duncan Wiltshire the chance to share the latest news of the 2009 historic racing calendar. To mark the occasion, he was able officially to launch the new Motor Racing Legends brand ‘identity’. “Motor Racing Legends has come a long way since its origins in 1982,” explained Wiltshire, “and especially in the last seven or eight years. Our new, fresh identity reflects those changes and sets us up for the future; but, identity aside, there will be no changes to the way we operate, our dedication to the service we provide nor our enthusiasm for historic motor racing.”

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Allan McNish to début Audi’s latest diesel powered sportscar in the Sebring 12 Hour race

2009-02-10T15:36:00+01:00

Allan McNish will début Audi’s latest diesel powered sportscar in the Sebring 12 Hour race in Florida next month.

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Audi factory drivers Allan McNish, Oliver Jarvis and Katherine Legge at Winter Camp in Ofterschwang

2009-02-02T17:19:00+01:00

Ingolstadt/Ofterschwang – Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich left the traditional Audi Winter Camp in Ofterschwang, Bavaria, at which the AUDI AG factory drivers prepared for a week together with their team bosses between 24 and 31 January for the 2009 motorsport season, extremely satisfied.

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DUMFRIES Star of Tomorrow Ross Wylie

2008-12-12T15:25:00+01:00

Ross Wylie is following in the wheel tracks of hero and fellow Dumfries motor racing ace Allan McNish. The 17-year-old from Thornhill, secured the BRDC “Stars of Tomorrow” Junior Rotax Kart Championship and West Of Scotland Club Champion Junior Rotax titles this year.

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AUDI’S McNISH COLLECTS PRESTIGIOUS MOTORSPORT AWARDS IN HONOUR OF LE MANS VICTORY

2008-12-08T16:33:00+01:00

Audi ace Allan McNish has collected two prestigious awards in recognition of his brilliant Le Mans 24 Hour race victory this year. Dumfries-born McNish, 39 later this month (29 Dec), has won the Autosport "British Competition Driver of the Year" Award and the British Racing Drivers’ Club ACO Plate. McNish picked up both awards from record Le Mans 24 Hour race winner and Audi Sport co-driver Tom Kristensen in London. The BRDC ACO Plate is presented annually to the highest-placed British driver in the French twice-around-the-clock sportscar endurance race. McNish and “Great Dane” Kristensen (41), who has won Le Mans eight times, plus Italian Dindo Capello (44), scored Audi’s third consecutive Le Mans victory with its diesel-engined sportscar this year (14-15 Jun). Audi has now won the Le Mans race eight times since making its debut in 1999. McNish, President of the Scottish Motor Racing Club, also picked up the BRDC’s Silverstone - Le Mans Challenge Award – awarded to the driver(s) who achieved the highest combined finishing record in the combined results of the Silverstone Le Mans Series race and the Le Mans 24 hour race, at the Cafe Royal today, which was attended by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown (Mon 8 Dec). McNish and Capello had also steered their Audi R10 TDI to victory in the Autosport 1,000km of Silverstone (14 Sep). “I’m extremely proud to have claimed these awards, especially after this year’s Le Mans which was one of the best races in recent history and definitely the hardest fought for a decade, while winning at Silverstone was very satisfying,” said McNish. “But these Awards are as much for our guys at Audi Sport and Joest Racing as it is for me. Dindo, Tom and I were only one part of a great team.” The previous evening (Sun 7 Dec) Allan was voted "British Competition Driver of the Year" by readers of Autosport, an award presented annually to "an outstanding British driver in any class at International level". Previous winners have included John Watson, Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill. McNish, who was also nominated for the "International Racing Driver of the Year" Award last night, was a former winner of the British motorsport magazine's "British Club Driver of the Year" Award while the Audi R10 TDI - the first and still the only - diesel-engined car to win the Le Mans 24 Hours won the Autosport "Pioneering and Innovation" Award two years ago. The R10 TDI was nominated for the Autosport "Racing Car of the Year" Award this year. Two-time Le Mans winner McNish was appointed as an Ambassador for the Motor Sports Association’s Go Motorsport campaign earlier this year and was recently voted the “Driver of the Decade” in the American Le Mans Series and Audi Driver magazine’s “Audi Personality of the Year” for a third consecutive year.

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Allan McNish has been voted “Driver of the Decade” in the American Le Mans Series

2008-11-14T17:14:00+01:00

The Audi ace, who won the 2000, ’06 and ’07 ALMS championship titles, received the most votes cast by fans of the North American-based endurance sportscar series.

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ALMS Petit Le Mans Race Report

2008-10-04T08:52:00+01:00

Allan McNish brought the curtain down on his 2008 racing activities in spectacular style when the Scotsman steered his diesel-powered Audi to victory in the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta tonight (Sat 4 Oct) for a fourth time to maintain his 100% winning record in the annual race.

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ALMS Petit Le Mans Qualifying Report

2008-10-04T08:51:00+01:00

Allan McNish lines-up his diesel-engined Audi on the front row for today’s (SAT) Petit Le Mans endurance sportscar race at Road Atlanta.

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ALMS Petit Le Mans Live on TV

2008-10-02T11:58:00+01:00

Britain’s Le Mans 24 Hour race winner, Allan McNish, has been drafted in to strengthen Audi's American team for the 10th round of the American Le Mans Series in the Petit Le Mans race. The 1,000-mile/10-hour race in Road Atlanta, Braseldon, GA is scheduled for 4.15pm (uk time) on Saturday 4th October.

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Allan McNish to strengthen the Audi Squad at Petit Le Mans

2008-09-20T09:30:00+01:00

Britain’s Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Allan McNish has unexpectedly been drafted in to strengthen the Audi's American team for next month’s Petit Le Mans 1,000-mile race at Road Atlanta (4 Oct).

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Dalbeattie High School Pupils Visit Race Ace McNish At Silverstone

2008-09-16T11:30:00+01:00

Pupils and staff from 2007 Formula Schools Model Car Championship winners Dalbeattie High School attended the Le Mans Series race at Silverstone last weekend (13-14 Sep) as guests of Audi ace Allan McNish.

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LMS Silverstone Race Report

2008-09-14T23:53:00+01:00

Allan McNish made a spectacular and triumphant homecoming when the Flying Scotsman steered his diesel-engined Audi to an amazing victory in the Autosport 1,000km of Silverstone today (SUN).

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LMS Silverstone Qualifying Report

2008-09-13T22:34:00+01:00

Allan McNish lines-up his Le Mans 24 Hour race winning Audi in third place on the 46-car grid for the pioneering diesel engined sportscar’s British race début at Silverstone tomorrow (14 Sep).

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LMS Silverstone Live on MotorsTV

2008-09-12T20:07:00+01:00

The fifth and final round of the Le Mans Series gets under way this weekend on the 3.19-mile Grand Prix circuit in Northamptonshire. Allan is eager to get back in his Audi R10 TDI to contest in the Autosport 1,000km of Silverstone which promises to be an exciting race in view of the extremely mixed weather conditions predicted over the weekend.

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New Arrival, Charlotte Amélie McNish

2008-09-08T14:08:00+01:00

Allan and Kelly are delighted to announce the birth of their baby girl Charlotte Amélie, and Finlay is so proud of being the big brother.

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LMS Silverstone Race Preview (13-14 Sept)

2008-09-05T16:16:00+01:00

Allan McNish aims to mark the British race début of Audi’s pioneering and history making diesel-powered sportscar by making a triumphant homecoming and win the fifth and final round of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone on Sunday (14 Sep).

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Nurburgring Race Report

2008-08-18T13:36:00+01:00

Allan McNish steered his diesel-engined Audi home to fourth place in the penultimate round of the Le Mans Series at the Nürburgring today (17 Aug).

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Nurburgring Qualifying Report

2008-08-16T21:24:00+01:00

The diesel-engined Audi of Allan McNish starts the fourth round of the Le Mans Series from fifth place on the 45-car grid at the Nürburgring tomorrow (17 Aug).

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LMS Nürburgring live on TV

2008-08-13T15:56:00+01:00

The fourth Le Mans Series round of the season gets under way this weekend in Nurburgring and promises to be an exciting race event with Allan predicting that Peugeot will be out for a revenge after he and team mates Dindo and Tom went to France and took the coveted Le Mans winner’s trophy.

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LMS Nurburgring (17 August) Race Preview

2008-08-11T11:12:00+01:00

Le Mans 24 Hours race winner Allan McNish is bracing himself for a backlash from Audi’s main competitor at the Nürburgring on Sunday (17 Aug).

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Free entry voucher for this weekend’s race meeting at Knockhill

2008-07-30T12:51:00+01:00

The Scottish Championship Car Racing event is taking place this weekend at the Knockhill racing circuit on Sunday 3 August. A 15 race program will feature double races for Formula Ford 1600, Fiesta XR2's, Saloons & Sports Cars, Classic Sports & Saloons, 3 races for the Legends and the first ever 3 race format for the smartycars.com Mini Coopers (for more details please visit www.scottishcoopercup.co.uk).

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Go Motorsport Ambassadors out in force at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

2008-07-24T15:05:00+01:00

A number of the high profile Go Motorsport Ambassadors were present at this year’s magical Festival of Speed including Murray Walker, Allan McNish, Jenson Button, Damon Hill, Malcolm Wilson and Vicki Butler-Henderson.

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The Goodwood Festival of Speeds gets under way this weekend, 11th-13th July 2008.

2008-07-10T13:58:00+01:00

Allan is a big fan of the Festival of Speed as it is the biggest and most diverse annual celebration of the history of motor sport and car culture. Once again Allan has happily accepted Lord March’s invitation to this key event in the motorsport social calendar and will be one of many high profile motorsport personalities attending the classic event. Unfortunately, this year, due to an overwhelming number of commitments with his Audi team following his great Le Mans win, Allan is only able to attend the event on Saturday 12th July.

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MSA launches Let's Go Karting

2008-06-25T16:37:00+01:00

John Surtees OBE, Gary Paffett, Colin Hilton, David Brabham and Rod Taylor join children at Buckmore Park to celebrate the launch of Let's Go Karting Stars from the world of Formula One and motor sport were at Buckmore Park on Monday 23 June to give the green light to the Motor Sports Association`s (MSA) Let`s Go Karting campaign, which will enable children to experience the thrill of Karting for just £5.

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Dalbeattie Finish Runners-Up in National Model Car Title Race

2008-06-19T11:56:00+01:00

Reigning champions Dalbeattie High School were dethroned in the Formula Schools Model Car Championship at Silverstone last week (Thursday 12 June) but netted the next best placing.

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Le Mans 24 Hours Race Report

2008-06-15T22:15:00+01:00

Allan McNish became the first Briton to drive a diesel engined sportscar to victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours today (15 June) when the Scotsman’s Audi scored an emotional and hugely popular win.

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Le Mans 24 Hour Final Qualifying Report (12 June)

2008-06-13T16:41:00+01:00

Allan McNish leads Audi into a battle for the 76th Le Mans 24 Hours tomorrow (SAT, 2pm BST) adamant that the German

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Allan congratulates DBT Racing’s fine performance

2008-06-13T16:30:00+01:00

Congratulations to DBT McNish Racing. Dalbeattie High School has again finished on the podium at the British Formula

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Le Mans 24 Hours Qualifying 1 Report (11 June)

2008-06-12T15:38:00+01:00

Britain’s Allan McNish set the fourth quickest time at the wheel of his diesel-engined Audi in the opening qualifying sessions for this weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours (14-15 June).

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AUDI ACE McNISH INVOLVED IN GO MOTORSPORT CAMPAIGN

2008-06-11T15:27:00+01:00

Scotland’s Allan McNish is to play a leading role in an initiative to encourage new people into motorsport which was launched by Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton today (11 June, 12 noon).

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