Allan McNish Blog

McNish Slips To Second Place In World Endurance Championship After Latest Race In Belgium

2012-05-06T11:33:00+01:00

Scotsman finishes fourth on Audi turbo diesel hybrid race début after claiming pole-position

Allan McNish swept his brand new diesel hybrid to fourth place in the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship tonight (5 May).

Dumfries-born McNish, along with co-drivers Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy), gave Audi’s revolutionary Audi R18 e-tron quattro a stunning race debut in the near 700-mile Spa Six Hours staged in first wet then dry weather conditions.

McNish, who had made history the previous day by securing the first-ever pole-position for a diesel hybrid sportscar – the Scotsman having netted the maiden “pole” for a diesel sportscar in 2006 – finished a lap down around the 4.35-mile Spa-Francorchamps track on the winning Marc Gene (SP)/Romain Dumas (F)/Loïc Duval (F) Audi R18 ultra sportscar.

The result places McNish, who won the opening WEC in Florida two months ago, second in the series – just two points down on Duval and Dumas.

“Spa throws up a lot of things and we knew that this race was going to be tricky with the weather and we knew that it was going to be a learning curve for our R18 e-tron quattro,” reflected McNish.

“Unfortunately it was more difficult than we expected in terms of the balance of our Audi. We tried various things to overcome a performance disadvantage.

“Today was a big difference from Friday when I was able to claim pole-position. But Audi Sport will now go away and improve the Audi R18 e-tron quattro for Le Mans.”

The Audi R18 e-tron quattro is the first Audi race car no longer accelerated exclusively by a combustion engine. Both the R18 e-tron quattro and the R18 ultra feature a V6, 3.7-litre turbocharged diesel engine.

The third round of the WEC is the highlight on the eight race calendar, the Le Mans 24 Hours (16-17 June) – a race which sees Audi bidding for an eleventh win. An official one-day test for all invited race entries is staged at the French track on 3 June.

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McNish Claims “Pole” In Revolutionary Audi For World Endurance Championship Race In Belgium

2012-05-04T19:27:00+01:00

McNish nets first-ever pole-position for diesel hybrid on its maiden outing

Jarvis Audi to start Spa Six Hour race from front row: Audi 1-2-3-4 on grid

Allan McNish starts Audi’s revolutionary diesel hybrid from pole-position with fellow Briton Oliver Jarvis alongside on the front row of the 41-car grid for the second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship tomorrow (5 May).

Dumfries-born McNish, who will be partnered by Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy), in the Spa Six Hour race, swept his “factory” Audi R18 e-tron quattro sports-prototype to the outright fastest time in today’s (FRI) qualifying session.

McNish stopped the clock at 2min 01.579secs (128.87mph) around the 4.35-mile Spa-Francorchamps track.

“Qualifying was tense but I’m obviously delighted to have made history by claiming ‘pole’ with Audi’s brand new diesel hybrid sportscar,” commented McNish. “The balance of my Audi was good in qualifying and I managed two good laps.

“I claimed pole-position in the debut race for the diesel [R10 TDI] in 2006 so getting this is very special. Audi Sport has done a fantastic job with everyone working extremely hard in a very short timescale.

“The race will be tough. There are three other Audi sportscars that are capable of winning with drivers hungry for success as well as Tom, Dindo and I. Whatever it will be a good dress rehearsal for next month’s Le Mans.”

Jarvis, from Burwell, Cambridge, shares his “non hybrid” Audi R18 ultra with Marco Bonanomi and it was the Italian who clocked the second fastest time (2:02.093s) in today’s 20-mins time trials.

“Marco [Bonanomi] did a stunning job in qualifying,” remarked Oliver who, like Bonanomi, makes his Audi “factory” sportscar race debut in Belgium.

“Practice over the past couple of days has gone well so I’m very optimistic of having a good race.”

The Audi R18 e-tron quattro of 2011 Le Mans 24 Hour race winners Marcel Fässler (CH)/André Lotterer (D)/Benoît Tréluyer (F) starts third (2:02.232) with the Marc Gene (SP)/Romain Dumas (F)/Loïc Duval (F) R18 ultra fourth (2:02.705).

The race begins at 1.30pm (UK time) tomorrow (SAT).

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TV & Radio Times 1000km of Spa

2012-05-02T09:53:00+01:00

Tune in to watch Allan race in Spa at the following times.

EUROSPORT 2 (UK)

Saturday 5 May

18:00 – 19.30 (Live) WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP: SPA

MOTORS TV (UK)

Saturday 5 May

13.00 – 20.00 (Live) WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP: SPA

RADIO LE MANS (www.radiolemans.com)

Thursday 3 May

10.45 – Free Practice

15.15 – Free Practice

Friday 4 May

08.45 – Free Practice

14.00 – Qualifying

Saturday 5 May

09.00 – Warm Up

13.00 – WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP: SPA 6 hour

For live streaming of the race, please click here

www.fiawec.com

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World Endurance Championship Leader McNish Aims For More Points In Belgium

2012-04-30T09:23:00+01:00

Scotsman débuts Audi’s new turbo diesel hybrid: the R18 e-tron quattro in Spa Six Hour race

Allan McNish aims to extend his FIA World Endurance Championship lead by steering Audi’s revolutionary diesel hybrid to success in Belgium on Saturday (5 May).

Dumfries-born McNish, along with co-drivers Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy), drives one of two “factory” Audi R18 e-tron quattro sports-prototypes making its race début at the Spa Six Hours.

McNish, who is contesting the entire eight-race WEC, got his title aspirations off to a flying start by winning the opening race in Florida.

But the two-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner is under no illusion that Spa, the one and only “dress rehearsal” race before this year’s 24 hour race in June, will be a learning curve driving a brand new car, bristling with new technologies.

“Everybody is excited heading to Spa,” confirmed McNish. “It marks the first time this year we will be racing all four of our 2012 cars competing, two R18 e-tron quattro and two R18 ultra sports-prototypes on the grid at both Spa and Le Mans, so the Belgian race gives us one, vital opportunity to ‘test’ in a race scenario prior to Le Mans which is very, very important.

“The Spa race will enable us drivers and team to get a better understanding of the e-tron quattro – how it works in race trim, its effectiveness and where we can also start to develop it. It’s still very fresh, very new, and as much as I think the potential of the car is high, I firmly believe we will learn so much at Spa that cannot be acquired in testing due to the many variable situations that are encountered in a race.”

The Audi R18 e-tron quattro is the first Audi race car no longer accelerated exclusively by a combustion engine. A warning lamp and sticker stipulated by the regulations are the only external differences between the R18 e-tron quattro and the R18 ultra which both feature a 3.7-litre turbocharged diesel engine.

Allan added: “When braking in to a corner, the energy created is stored in a flywheel system, then under acceleration out of the corner, as soon as the car is above the regulation 74.5 mph [120 kph], the stored energy is sent via electric motors to the front wheels giving an extra 200 hp [150 kw] of power.

“However, the regulations stipulate a maximum amount of energy that can be stored and a limit on track sectors where you can use that extra boost. This effectively means that after a few seconds of the e-tron quattro boost, the system is discharged and we are back to ‘standard’ rear-wheel-drive only power.”

The magnificent, fast and sweeping 4.35-mile Spa-Francorchamps track is one that McNish has raced at in various formulae since 1988. Always competitive in races at Spa, often made even more demanding by the fickle weather in the Ardennes region of Belgium, Allan has never won at this track.

He says: “Changeable weather must always be taken into account and I have always enjoyed racing at Spa. It’s beautiful, very fast and flowing. It lends itself to racing and overtaking manoeuvres – a circuit made for my driving style.

“In terms of Spa memories, I have so many. Whether it’s going there to watch [motorcycle] races with my mom and dad when I was a little kid, or claiming ‘pole’ by a second in Formula 3000 [Aug 1995]. That kind of [time] gap was unheard of and was probably one of my best ever laps around Spa.

“I’ve finished third in my last two sportscar races there and Spa has certainly been good to me in terms of speed but I have still to achieve my first ever win there.

“Heading to Spa leading the [FIA World Endurance] Championship is a very nice feeling after scoring my fourth Sebring 12 Hour win in March which sets me up in a positive frame of mind.

“But it’s early in the championship, we have a lot of rounds to go and so I am taking each round individually and certainly not looking too far ahead. Right now, I am concentrating on Spa as a race on its own but also as a ‘warm-up’ for Le Mans.”

In addition to the McNish Audi, the four-car Audi Sport line-up is completed by 2011 Le Mans winners Marcel Fässler (CH)/André Lotterer (D)/Benoît Tréluyer (F) in a similar R18 e-tron quattro while Marc Gene (SP)/Romain Dumas (F)/Loïc Duval (F) plus Oliver Jarvis (GB)/Marco Bonanomi (It) drive the R18 ultra sportscars.

Practice begins on Thursday with qualifying for the anticipated 42-car entry on Friday (2.40pm UK time). The race begins at 1.30pm (UK time) on Saturday.

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McNish Gets World Championship Title Assault Off To Winning Start

2012-03-18T05:30:00+01:00

Scotsman claims his fourth and Audi’s 10^th Sebring 12 Hour race victory to earn maximum points in title quest in Audi 1-2 at Sebring 12 Hours

Britain’s Allan McNish got his FIA World Endurance Championship assault off to a flying start in Florida today (Saturday 17 Mar).

The Scotsman claimed maximum points in the opening round of the eight-race series after steering his diesel-powered “works” Audi R18 TDI to a dominant four-lap victory in the Sebring 12 Hours with co-drivers Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy).

McNish snatched the lead on the opening lap and his Audi went on to lead all but 66 of the 325-laps clocked-up at an average speed of 101.263mph in a race featuring 11 full course safety cautions.

Dumfries-born McNish has now won North America’s oldest surviving sportscar race four times with Audi victorious 10 times in just 13 starts.

“It’s a superb way to begin my world driver’s championship assault,” commented McNish. “The race was superb from start to finish. We did a good job setting the car up for the race and not focussing particularly on qualifying. We knew it would be difficult with so many cars on track so concentrated on making the Audi agile and consistent in terms of handling which we achieved.

McNish had begun the 12 hour race from second position on the 64-car grid – the first time the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hour race winning turbo diesel Audi Coupé had raced at the bumpy but fast 3.7-mile, 17-corner Florida track. He went on to complete three “stints” totalling almost five hours in hot and humid weather conditions.

The similar 2011-specification “factory” Audi R18 TDI of Romain Dumas (F)/Timo Bernhard (D)/Loïc Duval (F) earned Audi a fine 1-2 despite losing time for repairs in the final hour after a collision with a slower car.

Meanwhile the “pole” starting Audi of 2011 Le Mans winners Marcel Fässler (CH)/André Lotterer (D)/Benoît Tréluyer (F) recovered to finish 16^th overall – sixth in the P1 class – after losing 30mins for repairs following an electronics issue concerning the gearbox after seven hours.

Allan added: “Our R18 TDI was the best I’ve ever had in a race and so it’s a fitting way for it to go into retirement. I'm now looking forward to the future and driving the R18 e-tron quattro hybrid sportscar.”

McNish remains at Sebring next week to test the Audi R18 e-tron quattro in readiness for the new Le Mans prototype’s race début on May 5 in the 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) – the second round of the WEC.

McNish/Kristensen/Capello race together at Spa and then fight for overall victory at Le Mans (June 16-17) with the new hybrid diesel Audi.

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McNish Starts From Second Position In World Championship “Opener”

2012-03-16T22:37:00+01:00

Allan McNish starts the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship from the front row of the massive 64-car grid tomorrow (SAT).

The Scotsman’s co-driver Tom Kristensen posted the second fastest time for the Sebring 12 Hours in today’s (FRI) 15-minute qualifying session in the diesel-powered “works” Audi R18 TDI.

Kristensen, the record eight-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner, set a personal fastest time of 1min 46.215secs, an average speed of 126.762mph around the bumpy 3.74-mile, 17-corner Florida track.

“I’m very happy to be starting from the front row,” commented McNish. Tom [Kristensen] did a really good job in qualifying. We’ve worked very hard on setting up our car for the race over the past five days.”

McNish, who shares his diesel Audi Coupe with Kristensen plus Dindo Capello (Italy), is aiming for his fourth Sebring race win and Audi’s 10^th since 1999.

Allan continued: “Sebring is proving not to be easy due to the large number of cars on the track – it's going to be a very busy race in which we need a ‘clean’ run.”

Audi Sport enters three 2011-specification R18 TDI sports-prototypes in North America’s oldest sportscar race which sees the Audi of 2011 Le Mans 24 Hour race winners Marcel Fässler (CH)/André Lotterer (D)/Benoît Tréluyer (F) start from pole-position.

Lotterer posted a lap 0.395secs faster than Kristensen while Romain Dumas (F), who shares with Timo Bernhard (D) and Loïc Duval (F), made it an Audi 1-2-3 clean sweep in qualifying.

The 60^th Twelve Hours of Sebring begins at 2.30pm UK time tomorrow (SAT).

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ALLAN McNISH SIGNS UP TO ALL-STAR DEVELOPMENT TEAM AT SIMRACEWAY

2012-03-15T20:11:00+01:00

Double Le Mans Winner Adopts Key Roles at New Online Racing Game and its Real-World Driver Training Facility

Ignite Game Technologies (“Ignite”), the gaming company creating a completely new online racing experience -- Simraceway (http://simraceway.com/) -- today unveiled legendary sports car and ex-Formula One driver Allan McNish as the latest professional racer to join its talented development team.

McNish will take up a dual role assisting with the development of the game’s vehicle physics and training a new generation of real-world drivers at its racing facility, the Simraceway Performance Driving Center (formerly the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School).

The Scot, who made his mark on endurance racing history with two 24 Hours of Le Mans triumphs and three American Le Mans Series titles, will focus on ensuring the authenticity of Simraceway’s vast range of sports cars. He joins a talented development team that is already benefiting from the experience and expertise of four-time IndyCar Series winner Dario Franchitti and double Indianapolis 500 Champion Dan Wheldon, who played a key role in the title’s development before his death in October 2011.

Ignite CEO Jonathan Haswell was delighted to have added McNish to Simraceway’s list of pro racers. “When we began our search for a driver to help us perfect Simraceway’s sports car physics, Allan’s name was right at the top of our list. The sheer depth and breadth of his knowledge and ability will provide us with an unparalleled resource which we can call on to help make Simraceway the most authentic racing game on the market. Thanks to Allan and Dario’s presence on the team, and Dan’s invaluable legacy, I feel like we are perfectly placed following our public beta launch in November.”

McNish, a central figure in the Jim Russell Future Driver Search, established in 2009 to discover the world’s finest young racers, will also assist with driver development programs at Simraceway’s real-world racing school, the Simraceway Performance Driving Center. The former F1 driver will spend time at the Infineon Raceway-based facility, calling on his three decades of competitive experience to train the students there. His unrivalled expertise will form part of a revolutionary program that utilizes real-world training methods alongside Simraceway’s simulation-grade software.

“It’s a thrill to be teaming up with Ignite on such an exciting project,” said McNish. “Through both Simraceway and the Simraceway Performance Driving Center, I’ll be able to achieve something that has always been very close to my heart: helping to develop the next generation of driving talent.”

About Ignite Game Technologies

Ignite Game Technologies is a Silicon Valley-based online gaming company founded in 2008 by skill-quantification expert Jonathan Haswell to produce a new kind of racing game. The result, Simraceway, was launched in public beta in November 2011. The company counts four-time IndyCar Series winner Dario Franchitti and double Le Mans champion Allan McNish among its physics development team and benefited from the expertise of two-time Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon before his death in 2011. It also has the distinction of being able to leverage a permanent real-world racing facility—the Simraceway Performance Driving Center, based at Infineon Raceway—for R&D. To date Ignite has raised $17.5 million.

About Simraceway

Simraceway is a free-to-play online racing world that offers live, person-to-person racing, utilizing highly-accurate, simulation-grade driving physics. It leverages a client-server model similar to those on popular online games such as World of Warcraft™ and features current and historic licensed content from a variety of auto and racing brands including Bentley™, Bugatti™, Mitsubishi™, and Saleen™. Its continually-evolving racing environment is constantly supplemented with new features and content to fully reflect the fast-moving, real-world motor racing scene.

About Allan McNish

Allan McNish is a Scottish racing driver whose reputation as one of the world’s best endurance racers has been secured by two 24 Hours of Le Mans victories (in 1998 and 2008) and three American Le Mans Series triumphs (in 2000, 2006, and 2007). McNish also drove in the 2002 Formula One Season but it’s his feats behind the wheel of a sports car, including three 12 Hours of Sebring victories and four Petit Le Mans wins, that have etched his name into racing history.

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TV & Radio Times Sebring 12 Hours

2012-03-13T11:44:00+01:00

Tune in to watch Allan race at the following times.

MOTORS TV (UK)

Live broadcast times are in GMT:

Saturday 17 March

14.15 – 19.00 WEC Sebring Race – Live
21.30 – 02.45 WEC Sebring Race – Live

EUROSPORT (UK)

Live broadcast times are in GMT:

Sunday 18 March

0.00 – 02.30 WEC Sebring Race – Live

RADIO LE MANS (www.radiolemans.com)

Friday 16 March

19.00 WEC Sebring Qualifying – Live

Saturday 17 March

16.00 WEC Sebring Race – Live

The race can also be watched live on

www.fiawec.com

http://www.americanlemans.com/index.php

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Allan McNish Sets The Fastest Lap Time In Testing

2012-03-13T09:52:00+01:00

Sunny (am), overcast (pm) warm and humid. Track “rubbered in” during afternoon with Allan McNish setting the fastest outright lap time for the day after André Lotterer topped the time sheets during the opening morning test. Fifty-eight cars of the anticipated 64-car entry tested today.

Monday (two sessions of 4hrs each, aggregate times)

1. #2 Audi R18 TDI (Allan McNish) 1min 47.187secs (pm)

2. #1 Audi R18 TDI (André Lotterer) 1m 47.545s (am)

3. #3 Audi R18 TDI (Loïc Duval) 1m 48.294s (pm)

4. #6 HPD ARX-03a (Luhr/Graf/ Pagenaud) 1:50.231 (pm)

5. #12 Lola B12/60 Toyota (Prost/Jani/ Heidfeld) 1:52.338 (pm)

6. #15 Pescarolo Judd (Moreau/Baguette/Kraihamer) 1m 52.864s (pm)

* Qualifying lap record: 2007, Audi R10 TDI (Marco Werner) 1m 44.974s

* Race lap record: 2009, Peugeot 908 HDI FAP (Sebastien Bourdais) 1m 43.272s

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McNish Hungry For Sebring Success To Bag Valuable World Championship Points

2012-03-12T09:19:00+01:00

“Flying Scotsman” aims for a fourth Sebring 12 Hour race win

Allan McNish bids to get his FIA World Endurance Championship aspirations off to a flying start in Florida on Saturday (17 Mar).

The Scotsman competes in the Sebring 12 Hours sharing his diesel-powered “works” Audi R18 TDI with Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy).

McNish, a winner of the Sebring race on three previous occasions, will contest the entire eight-race WEC with the Dumfries-born ace focussed on winning the world “crown”.

"My aim this year is to win the Driver's World [Endurance] Championship and help Audi claim the Manufacturer's title,” confessed McNish.

“I contested the 2002 FIA World Formula One Championship but the only World title I've ever previously been in real contention for was the 1985 Junior World Karting title when I ultimately finished third – one place behind Michael Schumacher.

"I've won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice and the American Le Mans Series title three times but to win the World title would be the icing on the cake in my 30-year motor racing career."

Audi Sport enters three 2011-specification R18 TDI sports-prototypes in North America’s oldest sportscar race with McNish switching to a hybrid-diesel Audi R18 e-tron quattro for the next WEC races at Spa in Belgium (May 5) and the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.

Allan added: “It will be the first time we have raced the R18 TDI at Sebring which is a little bizarre as we’ve been racing it since last May.

“The track, climate and intensity of the race are all very good tests for the car, team and a driver. Audi Sport has used it [Sebring] each year, bar one, since its début in endurance sportscar racing [1999] as an important part of our preparation for Le Mans and not just for car reliability, speed and performance.

“It’s used for the way that we work as a team – drivers, engineers and mechanics. A big ‘heavy’ race at the very beginning of the year gets you into the system and an early feel for everything.”

The bumpy, fast 3.7-mile, 17-corner Florida track is not only a stern test for man and machine but features a unique atmosphere attracting a huge crowd.

“I have always enjoyed racing against this ‘circuit’ as well as the fierce competition,” continued McNish. “I raced in the 12 hours at Sebring for the first time in 2000 and this year’s race marks my ninth and is always fast, aggressive and intense often run in hot and humid weather conditions.

“Normally there are over 150,000 fans gathered around the track over the four days of the event. Many camp out for the entire event with some having been at the circuit to get the best available vantage point in their motorhomes and camper vans since the turn of the New Year.

“Additionally there is the incredible history surrounding this race first run in 1952. Derek Bell, Juan Fangio, Mike Hawthorn, Jacky Ickx and Stirling Moss are previous winners with Audi chasing Ferrari and Porsche in terms of overall wins.

“This year’s race has an extra special incentive for Audi and me as a driver as it’s the opening round of the new FIA World Endurance Sportscar Championship.

“Audi Sport and its drivers have wanted a World Championship to aim at for a long time. It will be a cracking start to the season.

“As an Audi Sport driver, I go to every race with a very good chance of success – Audi and I don’t head to races to finish second. Unfortunately one of our biggest rivals, Peugeot, has pulled out of sportscar racing but Toyota has now joined in.

“I drove for the Japanese manufacturer in Formula One and so know only too well that one of the biggest car companies in the world has now joined us in the WEC. They [Toyota] will not be at Sebring because it is too early in their programme but there will be at least two HPD [Honda] cars in the field.

“And those suggesting that Audi is set to run away with Sebring now that Peugeot has gone should remember that an HPD finished second first time out in last year’s corresponding Sebring race – half a minute behind the winner – with minimal testing which was a stunning performance.

“I am very cautious about making predictions. Knowing this race and taking into account the speed we have had in previous races at Sebring and not won combined with the speed of our competition – it’s going to be tough this year especially as we will be penalised with a 15kg weight penalty due to us running our R18 TDI in 2011 spec.”

McNish raced regularly in the American Le Mans Series in 2000, ’06 & ’07, winning the driver’s title on each occasion, and the Scot has fond memories of the North American-based series.

Allan added: “I always thoroughly enjoy racing in America but unfortunately Sebring is the only U.S. race on the WEC calendar. I’ve won three American Le Mans Series titles and have had a lot of fun and enjoyment Stateside.

“The American market is massive for Audi. We’ve been racing diesel sportscars there since 2006 – three years before Audi of America started importing diesel engined road cars. North America is now the third biggest market in the world for Audi. It’s a big player and I think it’s got real significance for both me as a driver, Audi Sport and also for Audi as a car company in what we’ve done to ‘showcase’ TDI technology on racetracks over there”.

Practice is staged on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday with qualifying for the anticipated 60-car plus entry on Friday (8.10pm UK time). The 60^th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fuelled by Fresh From Florida race begins at 2.30pm UK time on Saturday.

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Audi brings the quattro back to the race track

2012-03-01T09:37:00+01:00

· World premiere in Munich: the new Audi R18 e-tron quattro

· Four-wheel driven diesel hybrid for the 24 Hours of Le Mans

· Audi ultra lightweight as base for the application of hybrid technology

Motor sport is used yet again by AUDI AG to pioneer new technology: the brand with the four ring’s new Le Mans race car is the world’s first LMP1 car to combine a highly-efficient TDI with a hybrid system. quattro drive also celebrates its comeback to the race track with the prototype - in a entirely new form.

Audi R18 e-tron quattro is the name of the new Le Mans prototype that makes its race debut on May 5 in the 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) and fights for overall victory at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans (France) on June 16/17. Audi unites two technologies in a fascinating way to create a new type of drive, which is also already being tested for future use in production cars: e-tron quattro.

Hiding behind this description is the next generation four-wheel drive with which Audi combines the advantages of the proven quattro drive with the potential of electromobility. To this end one vehicle axle is powered conventionally, the second by electric motors.

"Audi has always consciously selected championships and categories in racing that have a close relationship to production and therefore have technical relevance for the Audi customers," explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, who personally drove the new Audi R18 e-tron quattro onto the stage on Wednesday evening during its world premiere in the Audi Training Centre at Munich airport - electrically and almost silent. "quattro, TFSI and TDI are three excellent examples of how motorsport has stimulated production development. A similar tendency is apparent with the e-tron quattro: we test a completely new technology on the race track before it’s introduced to the Audi production line."

On the Audi R18 e-tron quattro kinetic energy is recovered on the front axle during the braking phase. It is fed as electric into a flywheel accumulator before being retrieved under acceleration again above a speed of 120 km/h. During this procedure only the front axle is integrated. The V6 TDI power plant producing 375 kW (510 hp) continues to transmit its power to the rear wheels. Both systems complement each other to create the new drive principle e-tron quattro.

Project began in February 2010

The project e-tron quattro for motorsport started in February 2010. Only 18 months passed from the initial conceptual ideas to the first test. "This is a relatively short cycle for a technology that has never been tested in motorsport and which still doesn’t even exist in production," stresses Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi Sport. "The challenge is correspondingly big."

Audi Sport developed the Audi R18 ultra in parallel to the Audi R18 e-tron quattro - because Audi takes a two-pronged approach this year in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the newly created FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) - the 2012 model year Audi R18 is built with and without hybrid drive. The trick: the base of both cars is completely identical, which is why the additional logistical effort is kept limited for Audi Sport and the race team.

"The TDI engine invented by Audi is still the most efficient drive in the world," says Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "We are convinced that the TDI has even more potential. This is why Audi not only supports the hybrid in motorsport as it does in production, but in parallel also the further development of the conventional drive."

Innovation in transmission area

The R18 e-tron quattro’s twin brother more than lives up to its model name ‘R18 ultra’: it is the lightest Le Mans prototype that Audi Sport has ever built. To compensate for the additional weight of the hybrid system the subject of lightweight design and construction was the focus throughout development of the 2011 Le Mans race winning R18 TDI. In addition to the many detail optimizations there is also a genuine innovation in the transmission area: a new gearbox with a carbon-fibre composite housing was developed for the R18 - a premiere for endurance racing.

"The new R18 ultra is a distinct evolution of last year’s Le Mans race winning car," summarises Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "Our drivers’ impressions were very positive from the first moment. Without the weight optimised R18 ultra we would have not been capable of realising the R18 e-tron quattro which is absolutely identical with the exception of the hybrid system."

Le Mans 2012: two R18 e-tron quattro and two R18 ultra

Audi Sport Team Joest will field two R18 e-tron quattro and two R18 ultra prototypes in the Le Mans 24 Hours on June 16/17. The two hybrid cars are driven by last year’s winning trio Marcel Fässler (CH), André Lotterer (D) and Benoît Tréluyer (F) as well as Dindo Capello (I), Tom Kristensen (DK) and Allan McNish (GB) who boast a total of 13 Le Mans wins between them. New signing Loïc Duval (F) starts together with Timo Bernhard (D) and Romain Dumas (F) in an R18 ultra as do Marco Bonanomi (I), Oliver Jarvis (GB) and Mike Rockenfeller (D).

Audi Sport Team Joest also contests the World Championship round at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) on May 5 in the same formation. At the same time the race doubles as a dress rehearsal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Only Mike Rockenfeller will miss this race due to a clashing date with the DTM.

After the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi plans to enter an R18 e-tron quattro and an R18 ultra in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). André Lotterer and Allan McNish have been nominated as the drivers so far.

At the World Championship opener at Sebring (USA) on March 17, Audi Sport Team Joest relies on the proven R18 TDI from last year, which are driven by Marcel Fässler/André Lotterer/Benoît Tréluyer, Dindo Capello/Tom Kristensen/Allan McNish as well as Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas/Loïc Duval.

Posted by in News

McNISH & JARVIS IN AUDI’S LE MANS 24 HOUR RACE LINE-UP

2012-02-02T17:49:00+01:00

· Audi with hybrid drive at Le Mans for the first time

· Four “factory” Audi LMP1 sportscars entered for Le Mans

· McNish in hybrid drive Audi – Jarvis in conventional drive car

British duo Allan McNish and Oliver Jarvis will bid for glory in the 80^th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours in June driving for the “factory” Audi Sport team which enters four cars – two equipped with hybrid drive for the first time.

McNish (42), from Dumfries, and Cambridge’s Jarvis (28) were announced at an Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) presentation in Paris this evening (2 Feb) along with André Lotterer (D) and Timo Bernhard (D) as the nominated driver for each of the German manufacturer’s four sportscars aiming to earn Audi an 11^th Le Mans win.

McNish is a former two-time winner of the legendary annual sportscar endurance race (1998 & 2008) – having finished on the top-three rostrum a further five times.

This year’s event staged over 16-17 June marks the Scotsman’s 13^th Le Mans race – his 10^th with Audi who have won on 10 occasions since making its race debut in 1999.

Jarvis, meanwhile, competes at Le Mans for only the second time and the first time with the “factory” Audi team. Oliver, who has raced in the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) with Audi since 2008, drove a “customer” Audi R10 TDI in the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Following the first win for a TFSI petrol engine (2001) and the historical first triumph for a diesel powered car (2006) the brand with the four rings targets yet another technical milestone at the world’s most famous and most important endurance race.

In addition to the 56-cars invited to compete in the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours, the ACO also announced today (2 Feb) the entrants for the re-born FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Audi Sport Team Joest enters two cars for the new WEC and also follows a two-pronged approach. Audi plans to field additional cars at selected races such as the 12-hour race at Sebring (USA) and in the 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) which doubles as a “dress rehearsal” for Le Mans for the Audi squad.

The new Audi sports-prototype with hybrid drive will be presented at the end of February. The first competitive outing follows in the 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (May 5). For the WEC “opener” at Sebring (March 17), Audi Sport Team Joest relies once again on the Audi R18 TDI that proved victorious at Le Mans last year. Audi is the most successful manufacturer in the race’s recent history.

Posted by in News

McNISH CLAIMS THIRD RUNNER-UP FINISH IN DAYTONA “MARATHON”

2012-01-29T22:31:00+01:00

Scotsman in race-long contention for maiden win in prestigious annual American 24 hour race but has to settle for second place

Britain’s Allan McNish (pictured) claimed a third career runner-up placing in the Daytona 24 Hour endurance sportscar race which finished today (Sun 29 Jan).

Competing in a one-off race for the American Starworks Motorsport team, the Audi Sport “factory” driver partnered fellow Scot Ryan Dalziel plus Lucas Luhr (D) and Venezuelans Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow, was in contention for a maiden Daytona victory up until the chequered flag in a thrilling, closely contested race.

The McNish Riley finished just 5.198secs behind the winning car in the 50^th running of the annual Daytona race after completing 761-laps.

“I’m very satisfied with the result and of course there is a bitter-sweet feeling having come so close,” confirmed Dumfries-born McNish.

“It was a fantastic race, very close and hard fought from start to finish. All of the drivers performed well and the team did a great job but we came up just a little short. That said, we can be proud of our achievement.”

The McNish Riley Daytona-Prototype sportscar had begun America’s only twice-around-the-clock race from pole-position courtesy of Dalziel in the near 60-car field on Saturday afternoon.

McNish, in his seventh start in the Floridian race, drove for an energy-sapping near eight hours during four separate “stints” in which the Riley was in contention for honours from start-to-finish having led a total of 295-laps - more than any other car.

A brake pad change dropped the McNish Riley to third but he vitally clawed his way back on to the lead lap with 4½hrs remaining in a race staged around the 3.56-mile, 12-turn speedway road course in dry and warm weather conditions throughout.

McNish added: “It certainly blew away the winter cobwebs and I’m now looking forward to the rest of 2012.”

Allan McNish – Daytona 24 Hours Formguide:

1998: 2^nd overall, 1^st GT1. Porsche (Champion Racing).

1999: 2^nd overall. Ferrari 333 SP (Doyle Risi).

2000: Retired, engine. Ferrari 333 SP (Risi).

2001: Retired, engine. Ferrari 333 SP (Risi).

2005: Retired, engine. Crawford Pontiac (Howard Boss Motorsport).

2008: Retired, engine. Riley Pontiac (SAMAX).

2012: 2^nd overall, Riley Ford (Starworks Motorsports).

Posted by in News

McNISH STARTS DAYTONA RACE FROM POLE-POSITION

2012-01-27T09:46:00+01:00

Allan McNish starts a Starworks Motorsport Riley Daytona-Prototype sportscar from pole-position on the 60-car grid for the Daytona 24 Hours on Saturday (28 January).

McNish’s co-driver, Ryan Dalziel, set the outright fastest time of 1min 41.119secs, an average speed of 126.74mph around the 3.56-mile Florida track in today’s (THURS) 15mins time trials – 0.121secs ahead of the Scotsman's closest rival.

“Ryan and the team did an incredible job as we were using a brand new car for the first time today,” commented Dumfries-born McNish.

“We’d missed the first morning practice session due to an engine issue so to be on the ‘pole’ is a real surprise after so little testing.

“But it’s a 24 hour race with a huge, quality field. We’ll need to be clean in traffic and make no mistakes as well as being fast to win this event – but there is not a better place to start a race than from pole”.

Dalziel’s achievement – his maiden Grand-Am pole-position – was all the more worthy of merit taking in to account he was driving a brand new Riley-Ford for the first time – the car having only turned a wheel for the first time earlier in the day.

Dalziel and Audi Sport “factory” driver McNish partner Lucas Luhr (D), plus Venezuelans Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow in the 50^th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona.

“Maybe sometimes the underdogs aren't supposed to beat the powerhouse teams,” said Dalziel. “I think the No. 8 car is not only going to be a contender this weekend but a contender for the entire year.”

Two final practice sessions that will not affect grid positions are staged tomorrow (FRI) with America’s only twice-around-the-clock race scheduled to start at 8.30pm UK time on Saturday evening.

Allan McNish – Daytona 24 Hours Formguide:

1998: 2^nd overall, 1^st GT1 (Champion Porsche).

1999: 2^nd o/a (Ferrari 333 SP) (Doyle Risi).

2000: Retired, engine. (Ferrari 333 SP) (Risi).

2001: Retired, engine. (Ferrari 333 SP) (Risi).

2005: Retired, engine. (Crawford Pontiac) (Howard Boss Motorsport).

2008: Retired, engine. (Riley Pontiac) (SAMAX).

2012: Riley-Ford (Starworks Motorsports).

The race can be viewed in UK:

EUROSPORT (UK)

“Live” broadcast times (GMT):

Saturday 28 January

2030-2200; 2215-2300; 2315-0100

Sunday 29 January

1700-1800; 2000-2100

MOTORS TV (UK)

Saturday 28 January

1930-0405

Sunday 29 January

1400-2100

Full audio race commentary available at:

RADIO LE MANS

www.radiolemans.com

Posted by in News

TV & Radio Times Daytona 24 Hour

2012-01-25T16:44:00+01:00

Tune in to watch Allan race at the following times.

EUROSPORT (UK)

Live broadcast times on Eurosport2 are in GMT:

Saturday 28 January

20.30 – 22.00 – Live Daytona 24 Hour

22.15 – 23.00 – Live Daytona 24 Hour

23.15 – 01.00 – Live Daytona 24 Hour

Sunday 29 January

17.00 – 18.00 – Live Daytona 24 Hour

20.00 – 21.00 – Live Daytona 24 Hour

MOTORS TV (UK)

Saturday 28 January

19.30 – 04.05 – Live Daytona 24 Hour

Sunday 29 January

14.00 – 21.00 – Live Daytona 24 Hour

RADIO LE MANS

Listen live on www.radiolemans.com

Posted by in News

McNISH AIMS FOR DAYTONA ROSTRUM FINISH TO KICK START 2012

2012-01-23T14:11:00+01:00

Audi sportscar ace Allan McNish gets his 2012 motor racing season underway with a one-off race for the American Starworks Motorsport team in next weekend’s Daytona 24 Hours (28-29 Jan).

Dumfries-born McNish has no clashing test or race clashes for Audi Sport and so will co-drive a Riley in the 50^th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona with former Audi team-mate Lucas Luhr (D), fellow Scot Ryan Dalziel plus Venezuelans Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow.

McNish, who competes at Daytona for a seventh time, has twice finished second in the prestigious annual race (1998 & ’99) staged 50-miles north of Orlando in Florida and aims for another top-three rostrum finish in America’s only twice-around-the-clock motor race.

“Our goal is to achieve a good, consistent race set-up during practice – even if it compromises our qualifying performance – and then to keep our race clean and tidy,” stated McNish.

“If these elements come together you’re always in with a chance of success. But this year’s 50^th anniversary race is difficult to predict.

“A new Daytona Prototype sportscar has been introduced and it’s difficult to assess whether the new car, which I’ll drive, or the previous version will be faster.

“I’ve yet to drive our new Riley bodied car but it’s always been a strong contender at Daytona.”

McNish last raced at Daytona four years ago and is looking forward to blowing away the winter cobwebs and getting some racing mileage under his belt.

Allan added: “Daytona is a great, prestigious race in itself but with it happening at the end of January, it gets me focused for the rest of the year. There’s a nice big trophy on offer for the winner so that’s another good reason to compete there!”

Allan McNish – Daytona 24 Hours Formguide:

1998: 2^nd overall, 1^st GT1 (Champion Porsche).

1999: 2^nd o/a (Ferrari 333 SP) (Doyle Risi).

2000: Retired, engine. (Ferrari 333 SP) (Risi).

2001: Retired, engine. (Ferrari 333 SP) (Risi).

2005: Retired, engine. (Crawford Pontiac) (Howard Boss Motorsport).

2008: Retired, engine. (Riley Pontiac) (SAMAX).

2012: Riley-Ford (Starworks Motorsports).

Posted by in News

McNISH CHASES GLORY IN AMERICA'S ONLY TWICE-AROUND-THE-CLOCK SPORTSCAR RACE

2012-01-04T11:24:00+01:00

Audi "factory" ace to blow away winter "cobwebs" in annual Rolex marathon at Daytona

Allan McNish contests the Daytona 24 Hours later this month (28-29 Jan) aiming for his maiden outright victory in the prestigious annual endurance sportscar race in Florida.

Dumfries-born McNish, who celebrated his 42^nd birthday recently (29 Dec), has twice finished second in the annual race (1998 & '99) and believes the Starworks Motorsport Riley could earn him the one "blue riband" sportscar race win currently missing from the Scotsman's impressive career.

utilising"Contesting a 24 hour race so early in the year will certainly blow away the winter cobwebs," confirmed McNish who celebrated Christmas and Hogmanay skiing with his family in Colorado. "The Rolex 24 At Daytona offers a stern challenge and will undoubtedly be tough.

"Having finished second overall twice in this race, I'd love to add this 24 hour race win to my two triumphs at Le Mans but I'm under no illusion just how difficult it will be."

The Audi Sport "factory" driver, who is able to race at Daytona for a seventh time as he has no clashing test or race commitments for the German team, will co-drive the Riley in the 50^th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona with former Audi team-mate Lucas Luhr (D) plus Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series regulars Ryan Dalziel - Scotland's 2001 Rolex 24 race winner - plus Venezuelan duo Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow.

Allan, who had a brief run in the Riley at Sebring just before Christmas, added: "The Daytona 24 Hours is always a tough challenge - just like any twice-around-the-clock race. This year's race is not only the opening round of the 2012 Grand Am series but also the 50^th running of the Rolex 24 so a big entry is guaranteed. Last year's race was decided on the very last lap with less than four seconds covering the top-four finishers.

"It will be a massive challenge but the Starworks team are proven winners in the Grand Am category and with our driver line-up that includes fellow Scotsman Ryan Dalziel, who incidentally I watched at the beginning of his career in karting, we've got a good opportunity of being at the sharp end when the chequered flag comes down."

Starworks Team Principal Peter Baron commented: "We weren't going to add a fifth driver but you do not pass on the opportunity to put Allan McNish in the car. He is a legend. He brings much more than his speed. He elevates the other guys, gets the others even more motivated and it is great to work with someone with his kind of history in sports car racing. Plus Allan has won just about everything in sports car racing but the fabled Rolex Daytona."

McNish tests the Starworks Riley again at the "Roar Before the Rolex 24" at Daytona this week (6-8 Jan). The 24-hour sports car endurance race is held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach. The track consists of a 3.56-mile combined road course, utilising portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield section. The 50^th running of the Daytona 24 Hours begins at 2030 (UK time) on Saturday 28 January.

Allan McNish - Daytona 24 Hours Formguide:

1998: 2^nd overall, 1^st GT1 (Champion Porsche).

1999: 2^nd o/a (Ferrari 333 SP) (Doyle Risi).

2000: Retired, engine. (Ferrari 333 SP) (Risi).

2001: Retired, engine. (Ferrari 333 SP) (Risi).

2005: Retired, engine. (Crawford Pontiac) (Howard Boss Motorsport).

2008: Retired, engine. (Riley Pontiac) (SAMAX).

2012: Riley-Ford (Starworks Motorsports).

Posted by in News

Audi tests LMP1 sports car for 2012

2011-12-19T09:21:00+01:00

· Tests at Sebring (U.S. state of Florida)

· Allan McNish plus five other Le Mans winners at the wheel

· Preparation for 2012 season

Audi Sport is intensively preparing for the 2012 sports prototype season. A test team has started the next trial phase of the LMP1 sports car for the 2012 season in the United States this week.

After the previous tests of the further development of this year’s Le Mans winning car took place behind closed doors, Audi is now going into public at a race track for the first time. Today (17 Dec), Audi Sport runs tests with two vehicles at the Sebring (Florida) circuit. The second LMP1 sports car serves to compare the test results. Taking turns at the wheel of the two development vehicles are the 2011 Le Mans winners, the Swiss Marcel Fässler, the German André Lotterer and the Frenchman Benoît Tréluyer. Also involved in the tests are Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish, who were last victorious at Le Mans in 2008.

The tradition-steeped American circuit has a special significance for Audi, not only because Audi has celebrated nine victories at the Sebring 12 Hours since the 2000 season. The 5.95-kilometre track that features 17 highly different types of turns offers plenty of variety, which makes for excellent test conditions. The rough concrete of the former airfield’s take-off and landing strip in combination with the tarmac of the other track sectors puts the material to a particularly tough test. On March 17th, the 12-hour race will open the new FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) as well as the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) at this venue.

While the component tests have already started, Audi will not announce the details of the 2012 racing program, the driver line-up and the technical state of the development until a later date.

Posted by in News

McNish Brings Curtain Down On Miserable 2011 Season With Further Disappointment

2011-11-13T13:23:00+01:00

“Flying Scotsman” retires in Chinese finale – “sister” Audi finishes third

Allan McNish failed to banish his miserable Intercontinental Le Mans Cup season when the Scotsman suffered further disappointment in the seventh and final round at Zhuhai in China today (SUN).

Dumfries-born McNish and co-driver Tom Kristensen (Denmark) retired their turbo diesel-engined Audi R18 TDI with over two hours still to run after a collision caused an electrical problem.

The six-hour race around the 2.7-mile, 14-corner Zhuhai International Circuit located at Jin Ding town concluded what has been a torrid season for McNish at the wheel of Audi’s 2011 Le Mans 24 Hour race winning sleek, lightweight Coupe.

“I’m very sad with the race outcome,” confirmed McNish. “Tom, myself, and of course the team, are bitterly disappointed as we had a very good car with great speed today – a real contender for a race win.

“I led early on before getting tapped on the left rear corner by a Ferrari which forced us to change the tail section of the car only to get hit by the Rebellion LM P1 car under braking going into Turn One which not only damaged the bodywork again but also the wiring loom causing it to ‘short’ out.”

McNish had moved into second place on the opening lap and led after 33mins but contact with a backmarker necessitated a two minute pit-stop to change the rear bodywork and dropped the McNish/Kristensen Audi to seventh.

Britain’s former double Le Mans winner handed over to co-driver Kristensen after 90mins and was back at the wheel of his fourth-placed turbo diesel Audi with three hours remaining following a seven minute pit-stop to replace the rear bodywork for a second time – the consequence of another hit up the rear.

Two further pit-stops in quick succession in an attempt to cure an electrical gremlin – the direct result of the second collision – cost 16mins dropping the Scotsman to 10^th place before the luckless McNish retired his Audi with a little over two hours remaining due to the electrical problem.

A series of blameless collisions, most while lapping slower GT traffic, have cost McNish the chance of victory in five of the seven races this year.

A third, two fourths and a sixth is all the former double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner has to show for his efforts this season in Audi’s sleek new V6 TDI powered Coupe.

Allan added: “I was confident of being in contention for a win today But rest assured I’ll bounce back from this disappointing season and come back bigger and stronger.”

The “sister” R18 TDI of Marcel Fässler (Switzerland) and Timo Bernhard (Germany) started the six-hour race alongside the McNish/Kristensen Audi on row two of the 29-car grid and finished third – one lap behind the winning Peugeot of Anthony Davidson/Sébastien Bourdais after a late race, high-speed spin exiting the last corner.

The ILMC series will be renamed the FIA World Endurance Championship next year and begins with the traditional Sebring 12 Hours on 17 March.

Posted by in News

McNish Starts Intercontinental Le Mans Cup Finale in China From Row Two

2011-11-12T17:36:00+01:00

Allan McNish lines-up his turbo diesel Audi on the second row of the 29-car grid tomorrow (SUN) for the seventh and final round of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup at the Zhuhai International Circuit in China.

The Scotsman’s co-driver Tom Kristensen (Denmark) set the third fastest time of 1min 22.038secs, an average speed of 117.25mph around the 2.7-mile, 14-corner track, at the wheel of his “factory” Audi R18 TDI in today’s (SAT) 20-minute qualifying session.

“I’m very hopeful for a good result,” claimed McNish. “Tom did a stunning job in qualifying. We were competitive here last year and have worked very hard this week to get ourselves a nicely balanced and competitive R18 TDI for the race on Sunday.

“I’m certain that it’s going to be a fiercely contested battle between Audi and Peugeot throughout the six hours.”

McNish and Kristensen finished second in last year’s corresponding six-hour race and Britain’s former double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner aims to bring the ILMC to a close in style.

The McNish/Kristensen Audi is joined by a “sister” R18 TDI of Marcel Fässler (Switzerland) and Timo Bernhard (Germany). Fässler qualified fourth fastest (1:22.538s) today – Anthony Davidson (Peugeot) having captured pole-position 1:21.769s) – a mere two-tenth’s of a second quicker than Kristensen.

A “warm-up” (0100-0120) precedes the race scheduled to start at 0400 UK time tomorrow.

Posted by in News

TV & Radio Times - 6 Hours of Zhuhai

2011-11-09T10:16:00+01:00

Tune in to watch Allan race at the following times.

EUROSPORT (UK)

Live broadcast times on Eurosport1 are in GMT:

Sunday 13 November

07.30 – 09.00 ILMC Zhuhai Race – Live

EUROSPORT (EUROPE)

Live broadcast times on Eurosport 1 are in CET:

Sunday 13 November

08.30 – 10.00 ILMC Zhuhai Race – Live

RADIO LE MANS

www.radiolemans.com

Saturday 12 November

05.00 ILMC Zhuhai Qualifying – Live

Sunday 13 November

02.45 ILMC Zhuhai Race – Live

The race can also be watched live on http://www.audi-microsites.com/lemans/

Posted by in News

McNish sets fastest time in today's opening practice session

2011-11-09T10:14:00+01:00

Allan McNish set the fastest time in an eight-hour, rain-affected opening practice for the Zhuhai Six Hour sportscar endurance race today (WED).

Dumfries-born McNish headed the near 30-car field with a best lap time of 1min 31.196secs - 0.633sescs ahead of the second fastest car. Heavy rain during the morning preceded changeable weather conditions in which the McNish/Kristensen Audi used wet tyres throughout the day.

McNish partners Tom Kristensen in a turbo diesel-engined Audi R18 TDI in the seventh and final round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup hoping to sign off on a high in China.

Two practice sessions are staged on Friday (0230-0330 & 0730-0830), a third on Saturday (0200-0300) prior to a 20-minute qualifying session (0700-0720). A “warm-up” (0100-0120) precedes the race scheduled to start at 0400 UK time.

Posted by in News

McNish Hopes Chinese Finale Will End Miserable Season On High Note

2011-11-04T12:36:00+01:00

Allan McNish hopes to serve up a winning Chinese recipe of his own on Sunday (13 Nov) with the Scotsman aiming to lay to rest a miserable Intercontinental Le Mans Cup season at Zhuhai.

McNish partners Tom Kristensen in a turbo diesel-engined Audi R18 TDI in the seventh and final round of the ILMC which has been particularly cruel to the Dumfries-born ace.

A third, two fourths and a sixth is all the luckless former double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner has to show for his efforts this season in Audi’s sleek new V6 TDI powered Coupe.

A series of blameless collisions, all but one while lapping slower GT traffic, have cost McNish the chance of victory in four of the six races this year.

McNish & Kristensen finished second in last year’s corresponding inaugural Chinese race, less than five seconds behind the winning Peugeot, after a Safety Car period eroded a 32secs lead McNish had amassed.

“Audi goes to Zhuhai with the ILMC title already decided in favour of our rivals so I have one goal in mind, which is to win the final race of the year,” confirmed McNish.

“We [Audi] won the big one, the Le Mans 24 Hours, but for me personally I’m eager to finish what has been a largely frustrating season on a high note.

“Since our Le Mans victory in June, the R18 TDI has been developed further and I think our performances at Silverstone and in Atlanta, have shown us to be right on the pace and in contention for race wins if it had not been for silly little incidents.

“The Zhuhai race is going to be a close fight between us and Peugeot again – just like last year. A Safety Car cost us a lot of time then there were some dubious tactics employed by the opposition in the closing stages which delayed our progress.”

The McNish/Kristensen Audi is joined by a “sister” R18 TDI of Marcel Fässler (Switzerland) and Timo Bernhard (Germany) in the six-hour race around the 2.7-mile, 14-corner Zhuhai International Circuit located at Jin Ding town in Zhuhai.

Allan continued: “Zhuhai features a couple of slow, ‘hairpin’ corners which are not necessarily ideal for the R18 TDI which is designed for the fast, sweeping corners of Le Mans, while another big question mark for me hangs over the weather and if we get rain showers like we did through the course of the week last year. When it rains there, it rains – I guess a bit like Scotland!

“My first ever journey outside of Europe as a racing driver was to Macau in 1989 and it was like a massive adventure. Going to Zhuhai last year, which is only an hour or so from Macau, brought back a lot of memories.”

Posted by in News

Allan McNish to appear at AUTOSPORT International

2011-10-05T13:49:00+01:00

Allan McNish is the latest star name to confirm his attendance at AUTOSPORT International in Birmingham on January 12-15.

The Audi sportscar ace has been a regular visitor to the show in recent years and will appear on the AUTOSPORT Stage on both the Saturday and Sunday of the show to discuss his plans for the coming season.

"As an Autosport International veteran, every year I'm continually impressed by the diversity of the show," said McNish. "There's no other place like it for motorsport fans, where you can see cars and meet personalities from so many different series over the weekend."

McNish has been one of the most successful sportscar racers in the world over the past decade, having won the Le Mans 24 Hours twice and the Sebring 12 Hours three times.

Additionally, he has won three American Le Mans Series titles and spent a year in Formula 1 racing for Toyota.

AUTOSPORT International takes place at Birmingham's NEC on January 12-15 with two trade days on Thursday and Friday followed by public days on 14-15. For more information and to book tickets, visit www.autosportinternational.com.

Posted by in News

Disappointment For McNish & Audi In Stateside Petit Le Mans Race

2011-10-02T16:34:00+01:00

Allan McNish’s run of atrocious luck in this year’s Intercontinental Le Mans Cup continued yesterday (1 Oct) in the Petit Le Mans endurance sportscar race.

The Dumfries-born ace partnered by Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy) retired his Audi R18 TDI on safety grounds with 90mins to run in the1,000-mile race – the penultimate round of the ILMC.

The McNish/Kristensen/Capello turbo diesel Audi started from fourth place on the capacity 53-car grid with McNish aiming for a fifth personal Petit victory and Audi’s 10^th in the annual 394-lap race around the undulating 2.54-mile circuit.

But Kristensen’s sleek 3.7-litre, V6-engined Coupé lost a lap and dropped to 41^st after 37mins following an unscheduled pit-stop to replace the front nose bodywork section and a punctured left tyre following contact with a slower GT car.

McNish took over with almost two hours on the clock and had recovered impressively to sixth just 50mins later only for a car to run up the back of his Audi under braking for a corner pushing him in to another car.

Two separate pit-stops were necessary to change the right rear suspension and clutch – plus right hand sidepod damaged earlier in the race – costing the McNish/Kristensen/Capello Audi 63mins for repairs with Capello resuming 44^th.

Ultimately McNish stopped with an hour remaining placed 31^st with steering issues – a legacy of the earlier multiple collisions in the race.

“It’s another disappointment for the three of us,” reflected Allan. “There were a lot of cars on track and so we knew traffic was going to be an issue. Tom had contact early on which put us behind but we were coming back well until I was hit.

“I had to brake very hard when a car came across in front of me. A car hit me up the back, pushing me into the car in front of me and I spun.

“We later withdrew the Audi on the grounds of safety after problems with the steering – a result of all the ‘hits’ the car had suffered. It’s really disappointing for Tom, Dindo and I because we all felt that we had a good car and one that we could take the fight to win the race.”

At mid-distance the Peugeot of eventual winners Stéphane Sarrazin/Franck Montagny/Alexander Wurz narrowly led the “sister” Audi Sport Team Joest R18 TDI of Timo Bernhard (D)/Marcel Fässler (CH)/Romain Dumas (F) – the Audi having started from second place but held a one-lap advantage at one point.

With just over seven hours gone, Dumas was squeezed over by Montagny as the Audi attempted to overtake. While trying to avoid a collision with the Peugeot, Dumas brushed a GT car and hit the retaining wall heavily – the Frenchman uninjured but his R18 TDI too badly damaged to continue.

The seventh and final round of the ILMC is staged at Zhuhai, China, on 13 November.

Posted by in News

McNish Audi Starts 1,000 Mile Petit Le Mans Race From Second Row

2011-10-01T12:06:00+01:00

The Audi of Britain’s Allan McNish will start the Petit Le Mans endurance sportscar race today (SAT) from the second row of the capacity 53-car grid.

McNish is aiming to score his fifth and Audi’s 10^th victory in the annual 1,000-mile race staged at Road Atlanta.

The Dumfries-born ace is partnered by Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy) in the race – the penultimate round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

Capello set the fourth fastest time (1min 8.013secs), an average speed of 134.445mph, in yesterday’s (FRI) 15mins qualifying session.

“We’ve a strong, fast car for the race and for one lasting 1,000-miles, that’s what is required,” said McNish.

“It’s always very busy here at Petit in terms of ‘traffic’ when you get into the official sessions due to the high number of cars but we’ve concentrated heavily on race ‘runs’ during the practice sessions and it’s gone well.

“Tom, who will start the race in our car, was very happy with the Audi during night practice on Thursday evening.”

The “sister” Audi Sport Team Joest R18 TDI of Timo Bernhard (D)/Marcel Fässler/Romain Dumas (F) will begin the 14^th running of Petit Le Mans from the front row after Bernhard set a personal fastest time of 1min 7.556secs around the 2.54-mile circuit. McNish and the Audi team have been testing at the track north east of Atlanta since Sunday.

Anthony Davidson (Peugeot) claimed pole-position (1:7.428).

Posted by in News

Petit Le Mans Test Times

2011-09-28T10:59:00+01:00

Wednesday Testing (1 session, 2hrs)

1. Bernhard/Dumas/Fassler (Audi R18 TDI) 1min 09.550secs

2. Montagny/Sarrazin/Wurz (Peugeot 908) 1:09.641

3. Capello/Kristensen/McNish (Audi R18 TDI) 1:09.875

4. Bourdais/Davidson/Pagenaud (Peugeot 908) 1:10.034

5. Gene/Lapierre/Minassian (Peugeot 908) 1:11.635

6. Graf/Luhr/Pickett (Lola) 1:11.919

* 2010 Pole position: Davidson (Peugeot), 1:07.187

* 2010 Fastest Race lap: Montagny (Peugeot), 1;07.948s

* Outright fastest time from Sunday/Monday/Wednesday tests: Bourdais/Davidson/Pagenaud (Peugeot 908) 1min 08.291secs (Sun pm)

Monday Testing (2 sessions, 4hrs each) – aggregate fastest times of the day

1. Bernhard/Dumas/Fassler (Audi R18 TDI) 1min 08.394secs (pm)

2. Bourdais/Davidson/Pagenaud (Peugeot 908) 1:08.569 (pm)

3. Montagny/Sarrazin/Wurz (Peugeot 908) 1:09.311 (pm)

4. Capello/Kristensen/McNish (Audi R18 TDI) 1:09.459 (pm)

5. Pla/Premat/Yvon (Pescarolo) 1:11.362 (pm)

6. Al Masaood/Kane/Leitzinger (Lola) 1:11.723 (pm)

* 2010 Pole position: Davidson (Peugeot), 1:07.187

* 2010 Fastest Race lap: Montagny (Peugeot), 1;07.948s

Total number laps completed over two days:

♯1 Bernhard/Dumas/Fassler (Audi R18 TDI) 303 laps

♯2 Capello/Kristensen/McNish (Audi R18 TDI) 279 laps

* The 1,000-mile race distance is 394 laps

* Outright fastest time from Sunday/Monday tests: Bourdais/Davidson/Pagenaud (Peugeot 908) 1min 08.291secs (Sun pm)

Sunday Testing

1. Bourdais/Davidson/Pagenaud (Peugeot 908) 1min 08.291secs (pm)

2. Montagny/Sarrazin/Wurz (Peugeot 908) 1:08.810 (pm)

3. Capello/Kristensen/McNish (Audi R18 TDI) 1:09.440 (pm)

4. Bernhard/Dumas/Fassler (Audi R18 TDI) 1:09.555 (am)

5. Al Masaood/Kane/Leitzinger (Lola) 1:11.395 (pm)

6. Pla/Premat/Yvon (Pescarolo) 1:11.752 (pm)

* 2010 Pole position: Davidson (Peugeot), 1:07.187

* 2010 Fastest Race lap: Montagny (Peugeot), 1;07.948s

Posted by in News

TV & Radio Times Petit Le Mans (1000 miles)

2011-09-27T11:10:00+01:00

Tune in to watch Allan race at the following times.

EUROSPORT (UK)

Live broadcast times on Eurosport1 are in BST:

Saturday 1 October

16.30 – 17.30 ILMC Petit Le Mans Race – Live
23.00 – 02.30 ILMC Petit Le Mans Race – Live

EUROSPORT (EUROPE)

Live broadcast times on Eurosport 1 are in CET:

Saturday 1 October

17.15 – 18.30 ILMC Petit Le Mans Race – Live
24.00 – 03.30 ILMC Petit Le Mans Race – Live

RADIO LE MANS

Follow the race on www.radiolemans.com

The race can also be watched live on http://www.americanlemans.com/index.php

Posted by in News

McNish & Audi Aim For More Success At Petit Le Mans On R18 TDI U.S. Debut

2011-09-26T11:04:00+01:00

Allan McNish is hoping for an upturn in fortune when the Scotsman returns to a previous happy and successful hunting ground in Road Atlanta and the annual Petit Le Mans race which marks the American debut of the Audi R18 TDI.

The Dumfries-born ace bids for his fifth and Audi’s 10^th victory in the annual 1,000-mile race on Saturday (1 Oct) the penultimate round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

McNish has endured a difficult season to date having posted a third (Spa), two fourths (Sebring & Imola) plus a seventh (Silverstone) from the previous five races.

The double Le Mans 24 Hour race winner is partnered by Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy) in what is the third longest race of the ILMC that concludes in China in November.

“Some of my most memorable races and wins have been at Petit with Dindo,” reflects McNish. “Like in 2007 when we won by just 0.923 seconds after 1,000-miles of racing! Then in 2008 we came out on top of a fierce battle with Peugeot to win by less than five seconds.”

The Petit Le Mans race staged on the fast and undulating 2.54-mile Road Atlanta circuit located 50-miles northwest of Atlanta marks the fourth and final event this year in which McNish, Kristensen and Capello share the R18 TDI.

Allan continued: “It is good the three of us are back as a team. The last time was at Le Mans in June but of course Tom and Dindo unfortunately didn’t get to race after my accident. So in effect Petit is only the second time the three of us have raced the R18 TDI together - the last time being at Spa in May.”

Since the last race at Silverstone earlier this month, McNish finished 11^th in class in the Trial des Alpes-Maritimes, an 18km “slog” from Sopel over Col de Razet to Menton near Monte Carlo last weekend (18 Sep).

Meanwhile Kristensen, who has won once from only four previous Petit starts, spent last weekend (18 Sep) winning the Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration race at the Goodwood Revival meeting.

Capello, already a five-time Petit winner, has dovetailed his sports-prototype commitments contesting the Italian GT Championship in which he has scored one win and five runners-up placings in a GT3 class Audi R8 LMS.

“I’m looking forward to Petit very much,” continued Allan who arrives in Atlanta today (23 Sep) and begins testing on Sunday. “I was there at the first-ever running in 1998 and have enjoyed all my races there ever since. It has a real carnival atmosphere with around 120,000 fans in attendance while the circuit is beautiful, fast and one that you as a driver can attack.

Audi has finished on the Petit Le Mans race winner’s rostrum each year since the German manufacturer’s race debut in 2000, which includes nine outright race victories.

Allan concluded: “Having finished third for the past two years I’m hungry to get that fifth win and Audi’s 10^th - that you can be assured of.

“That said, having seen the level of competitiveness between ourselves [Audi] and our major competition [Peugeot] in the previous five races, everything points towards another ultra-close contest so the fans are in for another cracker.”

A second Audi Sport Team Joest R18 TDI is entered for Timo Bernhard (D)/ Marcel Fässler (CH)/Romain Dumas (F). The 14^th running of the Petit Le Mans is likely to see a capacity 53-car grid with organisers having received 60 entries.

Provisional Timetable:

Sunday 25 Sep: 0800-1000 & 1200-1700 Test Sessions

Monday 26 Sep: 0800-120 & 1300-1700 Test Sessions

Wednesday 28 Sep: 1445-1645 Test Session

Thursday 29 Sep: 1000-1100, 1455-1555 1900-2100 Practice Sessions

Friday 30 Sep: 1015-1115 Practice; 1530-1545 Qualifying

Saturday 1 Oct: 0915-0940 Warm-up; 1130 Race

Allan McNish Petit Le Mans Formguide (4 wins from 8 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

2009 (Audi R15 TDI): Qualified 3^rd. Race 3^rd + AM Fastest lap (1:08.063secs, 134.346mph)

2010 (Audi R15 TDI): Qualified 4^th. Race 3^rd

Audi Petit Le Mans Formguide (9 wins from 11 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)

Posted by in News

McNish And Audi Thwarted In Bid For Silverstone Win Number Four

2011-09-11T18:53:00+01:00

Britain’s Allan McNish missed out on chalking up his and Audi’s fourth win in the annual Six Hours of Silverstone endurance sportscar race today (SUN).

The Scotsman and record Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Tom Kristensen finished seventh after a fighting recovery from the back of the field in their turbo diesel engined Audi R18 TDI.

McNish and Kristensen were four laps behind the winners at the chequered flag in the near 700-mile race after a collision with a slower GT car in the opening hour wrecked their hopes of success.

"It's a frustrating result considering our performance over the weekend,” reflected McNish. “We had a good car in qualifying and at the beginning of the race.

“I had a fantastic battle with Bourdais but I have to say it was a clean and fair fight. But our race unfortunately ended too early when there was a collision with a Ferrari which had taken a rather strange 'line'.

“It turned in and collected the left front of my Audi, damaging the suspension which basically ended our race and also his as he was given a one minute stop and go penalty for the incident. That put Tom and I six laps down and it was a recovery drive from then to try to learn as much about the R18 TDI for Petit Le Mans and China. We were in the battle to win but unfortunately this one slipped away."

The Dumfries-born driver started the 3.7-litre turbo diesel machine from the front row of the 48-car grid – despite a harmless spin on the formation lap – and forced the Audi to the front after 15mins.

But a collision with a GT class Ferrari on 45mins, having just slipped to second place behind the pole-starting and ultimate race winning Peugeot of Sébastien Bourdais/Simon Pagenaud, caused front left suspension damage and a 13mins pit-stop for repairs to the McNish Audi.

McNish, who took no consolation from the fact that the Ferrari was given a penalty for the incident, resumed six laps down placed 44^th overall, ninth in class, and later survived being nudged into another spin by another GT car on the 3.666-mile Grand Prix track.

The “sister” Audi of Timo Bernhard and Marcel Fässler started from fourth place and both the German and Swiss took turns in the lead. But a two-minute pit-stop to replace damaged rear bodywork with two hours remaining prevented the German car manufacturer from adding to its 2011 Le Mans 24 Hour race triumph, the Bernhard/Fässler finishing an agonising 89.763secs behind the winners.

The next round of the seven-race Intercontinental Le Mans Cup is staged at Road Atlanta in North America. The annual 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans race that McNish has already won four times, will be held on 1 October.

Posted by in News

McNish Bags Front Row Start For Latest Diesel Coupe On UK Debut

2011-09-10T16:36:00+01:00

Britain’s Allan McNish will start the Autosport Six Hours of Silverstone endurance sportscar race tomorrow (SUNDAY) from the front row of the grid.

The Dumfries-born driver set a fastest time of 1min 44.856secs in his diesel-engined Audi R18 TDI, an average speed of 126.64mph around Silverstone’s 3.666-mile “Grand Prix” circuit.

Rain began to fall minutes before today’s (SATURDAY) 20-minute qualifying session which made for slippery conditions throughout.

It marks the second consecutive year McNish has started from the front for the annual Silverstone race which the Scot has already won three times on what is the UK début of Audi’s Le Mans 24 Hour race winning Coupé.

“Qualifying went well in terms of the performance and feeling of the Audi,” confirmed McNish. “It was a little frustrating with the weather but that was the same for everyone. I managed one 'clean' lap and the second one was a lot faster but into Stowe Corner, and then the last corner, there was heavier rain which cost me about one second.

“That was frustrating because pole was really achievable but that’s the way it is and I’m happy with the feeling going into the race.”

The “sister” Audi R18 TDI of Timo Bernhard (D) and Marcel Fässler (CH) starts from fourth place (1:46.621) on the 49-car grid which saw Frenchman Simon Pagenaud (Peugeot) set the fastest time (1:43.924).

Posted by in News

Truth in 24 – An evening with Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen

2011-09-07T12:08:00+01:00

Hosted by Motor Sport, in association with Audi UK

7pm Saturday October 8, 2011

Motor Sport magazine is hosting an exclusive evening with Audi heroes Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish, number one engineer Howden ‘H’ Haynes and the first female engineer to win Le Mans, Leena Gade. Don’t miss out on this one-off UK screening of the documentary Truth in 24 with the 2008 Le Mans-winning team at the Audi quattro rooms on Saturday October 8, 2011.

The event takes place at the chic Audi quattro rooms in London, where you will be greeted by a drinks and canapé reception and have a rare opportunity to browse its vast collection of racing cars.

You will then join drivers Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen and engineers Howden Haynes and Leena Gade to watch the hard-hitting documentary Truth in 24, which follows the Audi factory team as it chases the ultimate prize in sports car racing. This will be followed by a Q&A discussion with the team, anchored by Motor Sport’s Editor-in-Chief, Nigel Roebuck and Editor, Damien Smith.

All attendees will be automatically entered into a free prize draw to win two tickets to the Motor Sport Hall of Fame, taking place on 16 February, 2012 at the Roundhouse, London.

Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – call Motor Sport magazine on 020 7349 8472 for details and to book your ticket, or email readersevents@motorsportmagazine.co.uk for more information. Click here for directions to the Audi Quattro Rooms

Ticket prices (inclusive of VAT)

Subscribers: £125 (14% off standard ticket price)

Readers: £145

Link to Motor Sport webpage about the event:

http://www.motorsportmagazine.co.uk/2011/08/15/readers-evening-with-special-guests-allan-mcnish-and-tom-kristensen/

Posted by in News

TV & Radio Times Silverstone 6 Hour

2011-09-06T15:26:00+01:00

TV & Radio Times Silverstone 6 Hour

Tune in to watch Allan race at the following times.

EUROSPORT (UK)

Live broadcast times on Eurosport1 are in BST:

Sunday 11 September

11.30 – 13.00 ILMC Silverstone 6 Hour Race – Live
16.45 – 17.30 ILMC Silverstone 6 Hour Race - Live

EUROSPORT (EUROPE)

Live broadcast times on Eurosport 1 & 2 are in CET:

Sunday 11 September

12.30 – 14.05 ILMC Silverstone 6 Hour Race – Live
15.00 – 16.00 ILMC Silverstone 6 Hour Race - Live

21.00 – 21.00 ILMC Silverstone 6 Hour Race - Highlights

RADIO LE MANS (www.radiolemans.com)

(BST)

Friday 9 September

13.15 Practice 1

16.45 Practice 2

Saturday 10 September

08.45 Practice 3

13.30 Qualifying

Sunday 11 September

08.45 Warm Up

10.30 Pre-Race Show

11.30 ILMC Silverstone 6 Hour Race

The race can also be watched live on http://www.audi-microsites.com/lemans/

Posted by in News

Allan McNish bids to give Audi’s Le Mans 24 Hour race winning diesel-engined Coupé a début victory on British soil when the Scotsman contests the Autosport Six Hours of Silverstone on Sunday (11 Sep)

2011-09-02T10:33:00+01:00

Allan McNish bids to give Audi’s Le Mans 24 Hour race winning diesel-engined Coupé a début victory on British soil when the Scotsman contests the Autosport Six Hours of Silverstone on Sunday (11 Sep).

Audi scored its 10th Le Mans triumph in 13 years but only after Dumfries-born McNish had stepped uninjured from his spectacular accident early in the race, the tremendous strength of the Audi R18 TDI saving him from major injury.

Having “only” scored a third (Spa) and two fourths (Sebring and Imola) from the previous four Intercontinental Le Mans Cup races this year, McNish is doubly determined to net his maiden win in the 3.7-litre turbo diesel machine that only made its race début four months ago.

“Every time I go into a race I’m looking for a victory and that obviously includes Silverstone – especially so this year after the season I’ve had so far,” confirmed McNish.

“I led at Sebring before a collision ruled us out of a podium finish. Spun on the opening lap at Spa then we had a puncture. Led at Le Mans for about 10 metres before the accident which was pretty dramatic to say the least. Meanwhile our last race at Imola was difficult for the Audi Sport team in general.”

McNish, who shares his Audi R18 TDI with Tom Kristensen (Den), has already won the corresponding Silverstone race three times (2004/05/08). He started from pole-position last year and led the race only for the former double Le Mans race winner to suffer his first ever mechanical-related retirement in his Audi career.

Allan continued: “The Six Hour race will mark the UK competition début of our Le Mans winning R18 TDI. I believe the track, which features a lot of aerodynamic corners, will suit it well. I’ve won the corresponding Silverstone race three times already, twice in the R8 and most recently in the R10 TDI.

“We are very focused on getting back on track and getting some good points in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup at Silverstone.

“The fight between Audi and Peugeot has never been very far apart. Sometimes they have been quicker in qualifying and we have taken the race win and sometimes it’s the other way around. So I think Silverstone will be just another one of those titanic battles between us and our French rivals.” The Six Hour race will utilise Silverstone’s revised 3.666-mile “Grand Prix” circuit for the second time but the new “Wing” pit and paddock for the first occasion.

“Competition in the ILMC is hard but we’re out for maximum points although we know it will be a very hard fought race,” continued McNish who, along with Kristensen and Audi Sport’s “reserve” driver Marco Bonanomi, competes in the TriStar111 Triathlon event in Monaco on Sunday (4 Sep).

“We raced on the new circuit last year but it’s a bit different again this time around as we’ll be using the new ‘Wing’ pit/paddock complex.”

A second Audi Sport Team Joest R18 TDI of Timo Bernhard (D) and Marcel Fässler (CH) also competes, Timo and Marcel being amongst Audi’s winning driver trio at Le Mans in 2010 and ’11 respectively.

Practice sessions on Friday (1315-1415 & 1700-1800) and Saturday (0900-1000) precedes a 20-minute qualifying session that day for the anticipated 50 plus car field at 1405 with the race scheduled to start at 1131 on Sunday after a 20-minute “warm-up” on raceday.

Posted by in News

A fourth place finish for McNish

2011-07-03T18:33:00+01:00

Britain’s Allan McNish recorded fourth place today (SUN) in his first race since his spectacular Le Mans 24 Hour race accident.

McNish, who stepped uninjured from his written-off Audi R18 TDI at Le Mans three weeks ago, and co-driver Tom Kristensen (Denmark) almost snatched a top-three podium finish in the closing moments of the six hour sportscar endurance race at the Imola track near Bologna in Italy.

The McNish/Kristensen Audi started the race from fourth place on the 48-car grid and remained fourth before he handed the turbo diesel R18 TDI to co-driver Kristensen after 90mins. McNish took over again just after mid-distance before the “Great Dane” jumped in again with just over one hour to run.

A pit-stop to replace a punctured right rear tyre on the “sister” Audi R18 TDI of Marcel Fässler (Switzerland) and Timo Bernhard (Germany) with 45mins to run allowed the McNish/Kristensen Audi to briefly snatch third place with 43mins to run.

But a final stop by Kristensen for a splash of diesel with just 24mins remaining, allowed the Fässler/Bernhard Audi back ahead and to claim third place – Kristensen finishing just 2.634secs behind Bernhard in the 670-mile race won by Anthony Davidson/Sébastien Bourdais (Peugeot).

“Fourth place for Tom and I is a disappointing result personally and from an Audi perspective with just third and fourth places here at Imola following last month’s Le Mans 24 Hours victory,” confirmed McNish.

“Our Audi ran well and reliably but we weren’t fast enough in heavy traffic and that was what this track was all about with such a big field on a narrow circuit.”

The fifth round of the seven-race Intercontinental Le Mans Cup is staged at Silverstone on 11 September.

Posted by in News

Allan starts from fourth on the grid

2011-07-02T18:11:00+01:00

Allan McNish starts his diesel-engined Audi R18 TDI from fourth place on the near 50-car grid in tomorrow’s (SUN) six-hour endurance sportscar race at Imola.

The Scotsman, in competition for the first time since stepping uninjured from his spectacular Le Mans 24 Hours accident three weeks ago, posted a personal quickest lap of 1min 32.974secs, an average speed of 118.13mph, around the 3.05-mile Italian track.

Having posted fourth (Sebring, USA) and third places (Spa, Belgium) in the opening two rounds of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, McNish is determined to bounce back from his Le Mans disappointment in the fourth round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup but does not underestimate the task ahead.

“The race will be tough,” commented McNish. “Tom has never raced here previously and while I have on just one previous occasion, with the near total lack of running we’ve both had over the past two days due to numerous red-flag stoppages, torrential rain and a couple of other issues, it’s going to be tricky but ‘TK’ and I are here to fight and that’s what we intend to do in the race.

“I qualified the best as possible in the circumstances. The balance of the car was reasonable but apart from my first lap, I had ‘traffic’ on each of the other laps but then it’s the same for everyone.”

Dumfries-born McNish co-drives his brand new Audi R18 TDI with Tom Kristensen (Denmark) while Marcel Fässler (Switzerland), one of the three triumphant Le Mans 24 Hour race drivers, partners 2010 Le Mans winner Timo Bernhard (Germany) in the “sister” Audi R18 TDI. Fässler set the second fastest time in today’s (FRI) 20-minute qualifying session – 0.618secs-secs slower than the pole-starting Anthony Davidson (Peugeot).

The Imola Six Hours marks the third race for the Audi R18 TDI which made its race début less than two months ago. Having claimed pole-position on its race début at Spa (7 May), the 3.7-litre turbo diesel engined Coupé scored a “pole”, fastest race lap and race win in its second race, the Le Mans 24 Hours (11-12 Jun), to chalk up the German manufacturer’s 10^th Le Mans race win in 13 years.

Posted by in News

TV & Radio Times Imola 6 Hour

2011-06-29T14:42:00+01:00

TV & Radio Times Imola 6 Hour

Tune in to watch Allan race at the following times.

EUROSPORT

Live broadcast times on Eurosport1 are in BST:

Sunday 3^rd July

11.00 ILMC Imola 6 Hour Race –Live (60 minutes)

23.00 ILMC Imola 6 Hour Race (60 minutes)

RADIO LE MANS (www.radiolemans.com)

(BST)

Friday 1^st July

11.45 Practice 1

15.45 Practice 2

Saturday 2^nd July

08.00 Practice 3

12.45 Qualifying

Sunday 3^rd July

07.45 Warm Up

11.00 ILMC Imola 6 Hour Race

The race can also be watched live on http://www.audi-microsites.com/lemans/

Posted by in News

Two new Audi R18 TDI cars for Imola

2011-06-27T12:17:00+01:00

· Fourth round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in Italy

· Audi Sport Team Joest with two new race cars

· New aerodynamics package for more downforce

Only three weeks after the triumph at the Le Mans 24 Hours the next endurance test is on the agenda for the Audi R18 TDI. The 6-hour race at Imola, Italy, is about scoring important points in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) - the racing series that in 2012 will evolve into the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Audi Sport Team Joest did not have a lot of time to celebrate the tenth Le Mans victory. Since Audi wants to use the winning car designated as number "2" for exhibitions and demo drives as many as two new race cars (R18-103 und R18-107) had to be built up after the huge accidents of Allan McNish and Mike Rockenfeller. In addition, an aerodynamics package designed for higher downforce that will be used for the first time at Imola was tested in the week after the Lausitzring DTM race.

What has remained unchanged is the message featured on the two silver-colored R18 TDI cars. Audi Sport Team Joest advertises the company’s ultra-lightweight technology which proved its viability at Le Mans in a twofold sense. Not least thanks to the weight optimization the R18 TDI was the fastest vehicle at Le Mans. And as the two heavy accidents haven proven, ultra-lightweight technology and high passive safety do not contradict each other.

Only ten days after his accident at Le Mans Allan McNish was thus able to participate in a test with the R18 TDI. At Imola the Scotsman will share the cockpit of car number "2" (yellow color markings) with Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen who like McNish and test driver Marco Bonanomi tested as well.

At the wheel of car number "1" (red color markings) Timo Bernhard and Marcel Fässler will form a driver pairing for the first time. Kristensen/McNish and Bernhard/Fässler are also planned to contest the other three ILMC races at Silverstone, Road Atlanta and Zhuhai.

Whereas Bernhard, Fässler and McNish have raced at Imola before Tom Kristensen has familiarized himself with the Italian race track in a simulator. Consequently, all four drivers know what is in store for them: a race at which the brakes will play an important part and where the situation will be pretty tight on the track as about 50 vehicles will be running at the event.

Audi Sport Team Joest will travel to Italy as the leader of the team standings. In the manufacturers classification Audi is ranking 34 points behind Peugeot in second place.

The Imola 6 Hours will start at 1200 hrs on Sunday, July 3. Audi offers all sports car fans the possibility to watch the entire race live on the internet. In addition to the race pictures, onboard footage and telemetry data will be available at www.audi-microsites.com/lemans. On Facebook and Twitter channels of Audi Sport the five-time Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro will provide current background information.

Topics of the weekend

- How strong will the Audi R18 TDI be with its high-downforce aerodynamics?
- How well will Timo Bernhard and Marcel Fässler harmonize with each other?
- Will the Audi R18 TDI again clinch the pole position at its third event?

Quotes by the officials

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): "We’re arriving at Imola as the Le Mans winner and want to make a good showing there too. It’ll be an intensive weekend for Audi Sport since the DTM race at the Norisring will be held on the same weekend as well. Naturally, it would be great to win both races on the same day. We’ve built up two new cars for Imola and will be driving with an aerodynamics variant designed for higher downforce for the first time. I’m very eager to see where we’ll stand with that compared to the competition because our friends from Peugeot will do everything to take revenge for the defeat at Le Mans."

Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest): "Imola is new territory for us. I’ve never had a race there before. Our competitor Peugeot will no doubt leave no stone unturned to make up for the defeat at Le Mans. Before the event we had a lot of work because we had to build up two new cars. The ILMC has a manufacturers and a team classification. In the team classification Audi Sport Team Joest has a narrow lead but the classification for the manufacturers is more important. We’ve got to collect a lot of points in order to clinh the title at the end of the season. So our task is clear: We want to try everything and are perfectly motivated after the Le Mans victory. We’re competing with two strong driver combinations - all of them are Le Mans winners. With about 50 cars the track at Imola will be densely packed, particularly since this is a very fluid track where overtaking will be difficult."

Facts and quotes by the Audi drivers

Timo Bernhard (30/D), Audi R18 TDI #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
- Celebrated his first Le Mans victory in 2010
- Clinched the pole position at Spa on the R18 TDI’s debut
"At Imola I’ve contested the Porsche Supercup twice and once barely missed the podium. Obviously, I want to change that in the ILMC now with Audi. The track alone is a nice challenge. It runs counter-clockwise which is rather unusual and requires us drivers to get used to the change. The types of turns vary considerably. There are fast, semi-fast and extremely slow corners. There are almost no straights and these sections always contain arcs. That’ll be difficult in traffic with so many cars on the track. But our benchmark is to be at the very front and to show that the number ‘1’ on our car is justified. I’m particularly looking forward to my first joint race with Marcel (Fässler)."

Marcel Fässler (35/CH), Audi R18 TDI #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
- Has just celebrated his first Le Mans victory
- Is forming a driver team with Timo Bernhard up to the end of the season
"After the Le Mans victory I’m incredibly excited about the next ILMC race. I’ll be driving together with Timo Bernhard for the first time. Imola is a fantastic race track. And we’ll be driving there with a configuration of the Audi R18 TDI that suited me particularly well at the tests. So, all the ingredients for a nice race weekend have been put together. Everyone knows what is at stake and the whole team is working together to achieve our common goal: We want to be in front at the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup at the end of the year."

Tom Kristensen (43/DK), Audi R18 TDI #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
- Is racing at Imola for the first time
- Made a brief comeback to the DTM after Le Mans
"I’m traveling to Imola with extremely eager anticipation. I’ve never been there, let alone raced there. The mood at Audi is excellent at the moment. Le Mans was an outstanding victory with this newly developed car. Well over a half a year of work on the race track has been invested in the R18 TDI. Its potential is top-class, it looks good and it has won Le Mans. The ILMC now is about winning races if we want to snatch points from Peugeot. That’s a nice challenge! I learned the track on a simulator. Now I know the line a little on this fantastic circuit that is located in a particularly beautiful part of Italy. I’m hoping for a strong race by Allan (McNish), Marcel (Fässler), Timo (Bernhard) and me in our race car that has been completely built up from scratch."

Allan McNish (41/GB), Audi R18 TDI #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
- Last raced at Imola in 2002, in Formula 1
- Remained uninjured in a heavy accident at Le Mans
"After Audi’s victory at the greatest race of the year, the Le Mans 24 Hours, and the experience I had there, the team and I are fully concentrating on the remaining ILMC races. There is no classification for the drivers but only for the manufacturers and the teams. The gaps are very close. My goal is to help Audi and Audi Sport Team Joest win the ILMC title after the trophy for the 24 Hours has already gone to Germany. Timo (Bernhard), Marcel (Fässler), Tom (Kristensen) and I will do everything within our means to continue Audi’s Le Mans success story now in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. The track is fantastic. But it has been significantly modified since I last raced there in 2002. It always had many differences in altitude and now has a continuous, long straight. Doing a good job of getting through the traffic is a real issue as the track is narrow and the turns follow each other very closely. For the Audi R18 TDI we need a good balance between top speed and downforce. The brakes are important too because there are some outstanding opportunities for overtaking in front of some of the turns. By the way this is only the third time that I’m sharing a car only with Tom. The last time we were in this constellation, in China in November, we took second place. We were lacking less than five seconds to victory. And of course we want to win, but this will be a difficult race."

The Audi drivers at Imola

Timo Bernhard (D): *Feb 24, 1981 in Homburg (D); residence: Dittweiler (D); married to Katharina; height 1.73 m; weight: 61 kg; Audi driver since 2009; Le Mans victories: 1; ILMC races: 6; ILMC victories: 0; pole positions: 1; fastest laps: 0; best result Imola 6 Hours: -

Marcel Fässler (CH): *May 27,1976 in Einsiedeln (CH); residence: Gross (CH); married to Isabel, four daughters (Shana, Elin, Yael, Delia); height 1.78 m; weight 78 kg; Audi driver since 2008; Le Mans victories: 1; ILMC races: 2; ILMC victories: 1; pole positions: 0; fastest laps: 0; best result Imola 6 Hours: -

Tom Kristensen (DK): *Jul 07, 1967 in Hobro (DK); residence: Monaco (MC); single (partner Hanne), two sons (Oliver and Oswald) and one daughter (Carla Marlou); height: 1.74 m; weight: 72 kg; Audi driver since 2000; Le Mans victories: 8; ILMC races: 6; ILMC victories: 0; pole positions: 0; fastest laps: 0; best result Imola 6 Hours: -

Allan McNish (GB): *Dec 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; Le Mans victories: 2; ILMC races: 6; ILMC victories: 0; pole positions: 1; fastest laps: 0; best result Imola 6 Hours: -

Marcel Fässler about Imola: "Imola is not only very fast but also fluid to drive. We drive counter-clockwise. The chicane after the Acque Minerali corner is notably narrow. Its high kerbs can easily damage the aerodynamics. The circuit is hard on the brakes because there is no long straight for cooling down. The fields of entrants at sports car events are often filled really well. But since the track at Imola is relatively narrow you’ve got to be careful when overtaking. From my experience the most difficult place is the Acque Minerali section. The car’s load is primarily on the left and you’ve got drive with extreme precision when braking to take a lot of speed with you without the rear getting out of control. I ’m really happy to be traveling to Imola. Not only the track is great, but it is also in a very nice location. That makes for a good ambience."

ILMC LMP1 manufacturers standings after 3 of 7 rounds:
1 Peugeot 103 points; 2 Audi, 69.

ILMC LMP1 team standings after 1 of 7 rounds:
1 Audi Sport Team Joest, 50 points; 2 Peugeot Sport Total, 49; 3 Team ORECA Matmut, 34; 4 Rebellion Racing, 26.

Schedule

Friday, July 1
12:15-13:45 Free practice 1
16:30-18:00 Free practice 2

Saturday, July 2
08:55-09:55 Free practice 3
14:25-14:45 Qualifying (prototypes)

Sunday, July 3
09:00-09:20 Warm-up
12:00-18:00 Race (6 hours)

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McNish Raring To Go Racing Again As ILMC Championship Continues In Italy

2011-06-24T12:55:00+01:00

Allan McNish races his diesel-engined Audi R18 TDI on Sunday (3 July) for the first time since the Scotsman stepped uninjured from his spectacular Le Mans 24 Hours accident.

The tremendous strength of the Audi Coupé undoubtedly saved the Dumfries-born ace and German team-mate Mike Rockenfeller – in a separate accident – from major injury in the annual race which Audi ultimately won.

But McNish is now raring to go again and relishing the prospect of contesting the four remaining Intercontinental Le Mans Cup races between now and November. Allan finished fourth (Sebring, USA) and third (Spa, Belgium), and is hungry for glory at Imola near Bologna.

“After Audi’s victory in the year’s biggest race [Le Mans 24 Hours] and obviously what I went through, the team and I are now totally focussed on the remaining ILMC races,” confirmed McNish who tested an Audi R18 TDI this week.

“There is no Drivers’ championship, only Manufacturers’ and Teams’ titles and it’s very close so my target for the remainder of the year is to help Audi and Audi Sport Team Joest claim the ILMC titles to go alongside the Le Mans 24 Hour race silverware in Ingolstadt.”

McNish has only raced once before at the 3.05-mile Imola circuit – in the 2002 San Marino Formula One Grand Prix – and last competed in Italy in 2008 when he and Dindo Capello shared an Audi R10 TDI to sixth place at Monza.

For the Imola and remaining ILMC races, McNish will co-drive with Tom Kristensen (Denmark) while Marcel Fässler (Switzerland), one of the three triumphant Le Mans 24 Hour race drivers, partners 2010 Le Mans winner Timo Bernhard (Germany) in Italy.

“Between Timo, Marcel, Tom and myself, we will be trying very hard to ensure that we have a good follow-up success story following Le Mans,” continued Allan.

“It’s a fantastic track which has changed a lot since I raced there back in 2002. It has always been undulating but nowadays it has a long straight. Coping with slower “traffic’ will be challenging because the track is narrow while the corners lead into each other.

“We will need to find a good balance for the R18 TDI between top speed and downforce. It will also be hard on the brakes because there are some big stopping zones which can create overtaking opportunities.”

“This is only my third ever two-driver race sharing a car with Tom. The last time we finished second in China last November – less than five seconds from the win. We’re both keen to make sure we get a victory on the scoreboard but it’s going to be a tough race.”

ILMC Classifications (after three rounds):

Manufacturers – LM P1: 1. Peugeot, 103pts; 2. Audi, 69pts; 3. Aston Martin, 0.

Teams – LM P1: 1. Audi Sport Team Joest; 50pts. 2. Peugeot Sport, 49pts; 3. Team Oreca Matmut, 34pts.

Provisional timetable:

Friday 1 July: 1215-1345 Practice 1; 1630-1800 Practice 2.

Saturday 2 July: 0855-0955 Practice 3; 1425-1445 Qualifying.

Sunday 3 July: 0900-0920 Warm-up; 1200-1800 Race.

* Local times

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Audi wins with ultra-lightweight technology at Le Mans

2011-06-13T16:35:00+01:00

Audi clinches tenth triumph at the Le Mans 24 Hours

Impressive performance by the new Audi R18 TDI

Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer show strong nerves on the run toward victory

At one of the most thrilling and dramatic 24-hour races in Le Mans history Audi-ultra-lightweight technology has prevailed. At the fascinating thriller which kept 250,000 spectators at the race track and millions in front of their TV sets watching in awe Marcel Fässler (Switzerland), André Lotterer (Germany) and Benoît Tréluyer (France) in the innovative Audi R18 TDI clinched the tenth Le Mans victory in total for the brand with the four rings.

The drama at the 79th edition of the world’s most famous endurance could hardly be surpassed. After Audi had lost two of its Audi R18 TDI cars as early as in the first third of the race due to accidents all hopes were pinned on car number "2” that had secured the pole position in qualifying for Audi. For 16 hours Fässler, Lotterer and Tréluyer were on their own in the battle against three factory-fielded Peugeot cars that left no stone unturned to keep Audi from taking victory.

On Sunday morning the four quickest vehicles were still within just a few seconds of each other at the front of the field. The lead kept changing, also on account of the different strategies. And Fässler, Lotterer and Tréluyer continually brought the performance advantage of their diesel sports car to bear which in the first year of the engine downsizing was clearly the fastest car in the field at Le Mans. At 3m 25.289s André Lotterer on the 229th race lap even managed to beat the fastest time set in qualifying.

The reliability of the new Audi R18 TDI was impressive as well. Across the entire race distance the vehicle designated as number "2” did not have to come in for a single unscheduled pit stop. Only a problem with the fuel tank caused a bit of a headache for Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich and the Technical Director of Audi Sport Team Joest, Ralf Jüttner. The full 65-liter capacity could not be used. Consequently, André Lotterer had to achieve a sufficient lead for an additional refuelling stop in the final phase – in extremely difficult conditions in drizzling rain at times which made the track extremely slippery.

Lotterer mastered this hurdle as well. After the final stop the German started his last stint with a seven-second advantage over the second-placed Peugeot. In the end he crossed the finish line after 24 hours being frenetically cheered by his team colleagues Marcel Fässler and Benoît Tréluyer and the entire Audi squad in first place with a lead of 13.420 seconds. For the three Audi drivers who had finished as the runners-up last year this marked the first Le Mans exploit – and the tenth for Audi.

"It was a fantastic triumph of Audi ultra-lightweight technology in extreme conditions,” commented Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Management Board of AUDI AG, who had watched the captivating race himself in the pits. "After we celebrated a record victory last year primarily thanks to reliability and efficiency, we not only had the most reliable but also the quickest car this year.” Management Board Member for Development Michael Dick said, "The team as well as the entire Audi squad did a first-class job that deserves great respect. This tenth Le Mans success of our brand was no doubt the one that required the toughest battle – which perhaps also made it the most valuable one. At the same time, albeit involuntarily, we proved that our engineers design very safe cars.”

Allan McNish and Mike Rockenfeller sustained no injuries in extremely severe accidents in the first third of the race. McNish in the Audi R18 TDI designated as car number "3” had taken the lead shortly before the end of the first hour when a GT car hit his left rear wheel in the "La Chappelle” section. The R18 TDI spun off the track, hit the track barrier in a heavy impact and rolled over. The Audi R18 TDI’s one-piece carbon fibre monocoque withstood the crash. McNish was able to climb out of the wreckage uninjured and returned to the race track after a precautionary medical check at the hospital.

Mike Rockenfeller had an even greater guardian angel when shortly before 11 p.m. while running on position two he was also touched by a GT vehicle on the left rear wheel while running at a speed of about 300 km/h. The Audi R18 TDI turned left and at 270 km/h hit the guard rails on the entrance to the "Indianapolis” turn. The carbon fibre monocoque developed and produced by Audi using a new type of technology withstood the impact. The front crash absorber and all other passive safety devices of the car fulfilled their purpose as well. Mike Rockenfeller was able to climb out of the wreckage. As a precautionary measure, last year’s winner spent the night in the hospital but was released again on Sunday morning.

"The safety standards at Audi are simply incredible and have saved my life,” said Mike Rockenfeller. "I’ve never had such an accident before in my career and hope I’ll never have such an experience again.” Allan McNish commented in a similar vein: "I want to thank the Audi designers for having developed a car that you can climb out of unharmed after such severe accidents.”

On clinching its tenth victory in 13 years Audi has added another impressive chapter to its success story at the Le Mans 24 Hours. After the first success of a TFSI engine in 2011, the first triumph of a diesel-powered car in 2006 and the first exploits with variable turbine geometry, VTG, last year Audi again triumphed with innovative technology. "Audi ultra technology has passed an extreme acid test this weekend,” said Head of Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich after the car had crossed the finish line. "If you pursue new paths this always involves a risk. But this risk has absolutely paid off. The Audi R18 TDI was in a class of its own at Le Mans 2011. Particularly due to the two extremely serious accidents this has been the most difficult Le Mans race for us in an emotional sense so far. That our team managed to keep the strong competition at bay for 16 hours with just one car is almost unbelievable. Everyone at Audi can be proud of this triumph. However, the news that Allan (McNish) and Mike (Rockenfeller) came out of these extremely heavy accidents so well is at least as important as that of the tenth Audi victory.”

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McNish Starts Le Mans 24 Hours From Third Row In Latest Audi Coupé

2011-06-10T09:54:00+01:00

Britain’s Allan McNish will start his diesel-engined Audi R18 TDI sportscar from fifth position on the grid for the 79^th Le Mans 24 Hour endurance race in France on Saturday afternoon (2pm BST) bidding to earn Audi a 10^th Le Mans victory.

Record eight-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen improved co-driver McNish’s overnight fourth fastest lap time (3mins 28.301secs) in last night’s (THURS) final four hour time trials. The “Great Dane” stopped the clock at 3:26.165 (147.89mph) around the 8.47-mile circuit.

While the McNish/Kristensen/Dindo Capello Audi slipped one place on the capacity 56-car grid from Wednesday’s time trials, drama occurred when Kristensen crashed at high-speed at Tertre Rouge in the dying moments of qualifying on what was set to be a faster lap. The Dane was completely unhurt but the Audi was sidelined with substantial damage.

“Tom’s incident at the end was unfortunate but these things happen – it’s part of motor racing – it’s part of pushing,” confirmed McNish. “But what really bodes well is that there are six cars covered by around half a second at the front of the grid. That means that we have got a fantastic race ahead.”

While McNish will line-up the repaired V6 turbo diesel Audi R18 TDI Coupé on the third row of the capacity 56-car grid – the trio having amassed an incredible 13 Le Mans victories between them – the front row is an Audi “lock out”.

The similar “factory” entered Audi R18 TDI sportscar of Marcel Fässler (35/Switzerland)/André Lotterer (30/Germany)/Benoît Treluyer (34/France) starts from pole-position after the latter posted a 3:25.738 (148.197mph) last night (THURS).

2010 Le Mans winners Timo Bernhard (30/Germany)/Romain Dumas (33/France)/Mike Rockenfeller (27/Germany) complete the front row after Dumas clocked a 3mins 25.799 (148.134mph) in their R18 TDI which only made its race debut last month (8 May).

The race, in which Audi finished 1-2-3 last year, is scheduled to start at 2pm (BST).

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McNish Audi Claims Provisional Second Row Start Position At Le Mans

2011-06-09T10:28:00+01:00

The new diesel-engined Audi of Allan McNish set the fourth fastest time in the opening qualifying session for this weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours last night (WED).

The Scotsman, who shares the Audi R18 TDI with co-drivers Dindo Capello (Italy) and Tom Kristensen (Denmark), set a personal fastest time for their car of 3mins 28.301secs, an average speed of over 146mph around the 8.47-mile circuit. Frenchman Stéphane Sarrazin (Peugeot) sits on provisional pole-position (3:27.033) for the 79^th running of France’s annual twice-around-the-clock race.

“I put in a good, clean, tidy lap early in the session just after 10pm but the times are very close – it’s nip and tuck between Peugeot and us [Audi],” commented McNish who finished third in last year’s Le Mans race.

“Each Audi had a specific programme to undertake and we’ve made steps forward. There are two more qualifying sessions but we’re looking towards the race as opposed out-and-out qualifying.”

The similar “factory” entered “closed cockpit” 3.7-litre, V6 turbo diesel engined Audi R18 TDI sportscars of Marcel Fässler (Switzerland)/André Lotterer (Germany)/Benoît Treluyer (France) plus 2010 Le Mans winners Timo Bernhard (Germany)/Romain Dumas (France)/Mike Rockenfeller (Germany) set the second (3:27.939) and third (3:27.949) fastest times respectively in the opening two hour time trials staged in dry weather conditions.

Two, two-hour qualifying sessions continue this evening (THURS).

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Audi offers unique live experience from Le Mans

2011-06-08T13:36:00+01:00

· Le Mans 24 Hours live on the internet

· Onboard footage and telemetry data of the three Audi R18 TDI cars

· Extensive reports on Facebook and Twitter

Audi offers motorsport fans the opportunity to watch the Le Mans 24 Hours this weekend closer than ever before - on various channels on the internet.

When the race starts at 3 p.m. on Saturday the "Audi Live Racing" microsite will go online at www.audi-microsites.com/lemans. On the microsite Audi will be delivering a 24-hour live stream with onboard footage of the three Audi R18 TDI cars. In addition, telemetry data of the respective vehicle such as speed, selected gear and position on the track will be available online. Every two hours the microsite will provide a summary of the race. On Twitter the five-time Le Mans winner Emanuele Pirro will contribute current information and assessments of how the race is developing.

At www.twitter.com/Audi__Sport and www.facebook.com/AudiSport motorsport fans have been able to find brief info, photos and videos from Le Mans since the Technical Scrutineering event on Monday. Users are receiving behind-the-scenes insights into Audi Sport Team Joest and have the feeling of being part of the action "live" themselves. The Facebook page of Audi Sport has already recorded more than 35,000 "friends", with thousands of new fans joining them every day. The free "Audi Sport" iPhone app offers a live ticker.

Audi.tv is airing extensive reports from Le Mans as well - and TV coverage of the world’s most important race will be more comprehensive than ever before. Eurosport is broadcasting a total of 40 hours live from Le Mans, with non-stop coverage of the race on its two channels, Eurosport 1 and 2. The program of SPEED TV in the USA is similarly extensive.

In addition, in Germany, SAT.1 will air live reports from Le Mans. Presenter Verena Wriedt and the former Audi factory driver Hans-Joachim Stuck will be on the air with special programs on Saturday night at 18:30 and on Sunday morning at 07:50 (CET). On Tuesday night SAT.1 will broadcast an extensive background report of the "race of the year" on its "24 Stunden" ("24 Hours") program.

Audi has already won the Le Mans 24 Hours nine times since 2000 and is competing for its tenth overall victory in total with the innovative Audi R18 TDI this year. The three cars are fielded by Audi Sport Team Joest. The drivers running in car number "1" are last year’s winners Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller. Car number "2" is driven by Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer. In car number "3" Dindo Capello, Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish are taking turns at the wheel.

The race will be started by FIA President Jean Todt at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

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TV & Radio Times Le Mans 24 Hour

2011-06-07T09:45:00+01:00

Tune in to watch Allan race at the following times.

EUROSPORT

Live broadcast times on Eurosport, Eurosport 2 and Eurosport Asia-Pacific are in BST:

Wednesday 8^th June

15.00 - 19.00 Free practice

21.00 - 23.00 Qualifying 1

Thursday 9^th June

18.00 - 20.00 Qualifying 2

21.00 - 23.00 Qualifying 3

Saturday 11^th June

08.00 - 08.45 24 Hours Warm-Up

09.05 - 09.50 Le Mans Legends Race

13.30 Grid formation

14.00 Start 79th Le Mans 24 Hours

Sunday 12^th June

14.00 Finish and podium celebrations

14.30 End of live coverage

RADIO LE MANS (www.radiolemans.com)

(GMT)

Wednesday 8^th June

11:00 Welcome to Le Mans

12:00 Midweek Motorsport at Le Mans

14:00 Le Mans Free Practice 1

21:00 Le Mans Qualifying 1

Thursday 9^th June

12:00 Midweek Motorsport at Le Mans

14:00 Le Mans Pit Lane Live

14:30 Le Mans Legends Practice

17:00 Le Mans Qualifying 2

20:30 Le Mans Qualifying 3

Friday 10^th June

20:30 Le Mans Qualifying 3

Saturday 11^th June

07:45 Le Mans Warm-Up

09:00 Le Mans Legends Race

13:00 Le Mans Pre-Race Show

14:00 Le Mans Race 2011

Sunday 12^th June

14:15 Le Mans 2011 Post Race

SPEED TV (US – Eastern Time)

Saturday 11th June

08:30 Le Mans Start

15:30 Evening

23:00 Night Into Day

Sunday 12th June

06:00 The Finish

EUROSPORT COVERAGE

For the third successive year, Eurosport TV - which recently signed a new three-year live coverage deal with the ACO - is to cover every minute of the live action from Le Mans 24 Hours week, starting with the full four hours of free practice on Wednesday June 8, right through until after the chequered flag on Sunday June 12th.

Free practice, the three two-hour qualifying sessions on Weds and Thurs nights, the Saturday morning warm-up and Le Mans Legends race, and the entire 24 Hours, will be supplemented by the sports channel's nightly Le Mans 24 Minutes programme, bringing further news, views and interviews.

Heading the English language team as usual will be Martin Haven, Mark Cole and Jeremy Shaw, while Radio Le Mans' John Hindhaugh will take spells behind the Eurosport microphone too.

Expanded driver input will come from Stuart Hall, Liz Halliday, Damien Faulkner, Johnny Mowlem and Marino Franchitti, backed by Legends stalwarts and night-owls Neville Hay and Chris Parsons - and of course, the usual steady stream of guests in and out of the Eurosport commentary booths on the seventh floor of the ACO tower opposite the pits. Eurosports' roving pit reporters will also catch drivers and pitlane action throughout the week.

In addition to the above, look out for Eurosport's Le Mans 24 Minutes magazine every night. Live streaming of the race is also available on the Eurosport Player web TV service and on mobile phone apps. If you can't make La Sarthe this year, then Eurosport is going to be the next best place to be.

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McNish Sets Sights On Le Mans “Hat-trick” As Audi Chases Tenth Victory

2011-06-06T11:15:00+01:00

Allan McNish bids to earn himself a third and Audi a 10^th Le Mans 24 Hours race victory when the Briton drives a brand new diesel-engined Audi Coupé in the annual French race (11-12 June).

The Dumfries ace drives a new Audi R18 TDI with co-drivers Dindo Capello (46/Italy) and Tom Kristensen (43/Denmark) sharing the driving duties of the “closed cockpit” Audi – the same driver combination for the past five years.

“The Le Mans race is going to be difficult for a number of reasons – even more so than in recent years,” confirmed McNish who won at Le Mans in 1998 and 2008.

“The top-five cars were covered by one second in the official test at Le Mans in April and that’s around a 8.5-mile circuit. In terms of qualifying and race pace, Audi and Peugeot are likely to be very close which suggests we have to be very good on the execution of our pit-stops, which must run like clockwork, and our race strategy.

“We’ll need to be fast but also good on fuel economy and tyre management. With over 50-cars in the field we need to be good in traffic but with the new regulations and the downsizing of engines, getting past the slower cars will be more of a challenge as we now have less power and torque. But that’s all part of racing and a key factor of the Le Mans 24 Hours.”

The 79^th Le Mans 24 Hours will feature a capacity 56-car “invited” entry including three “factory” Audi R18 TDI sports-prototypes battling for honours around the 8.47-mile circuit comprising of closed public roads. The new R18 TDI is powered by a 3.7-litre, V6 single-turbo diesel engine in line with the annual race’s new regulations that have necessitated in a downsizing of engines as well as a reduction in fuel tank capacity which now stands at 65-litres for diesel engined cars.

Allan, who netted third place last year, added: “We’ve done performance and endurance tests with the R18 TDI since we ran it for the first time last November. We have had a run on the Le Mans circuit in which we finished 1-2 fastest and gave our new Coupé a third place on its race début last month at Spa.

“That race gave us drivers and engineers a feel how the car would react in race situations which can be very different to testing. We’re now at the point where we have done all of the preparation, we have done our pit-stop training, so all we can do now is focus on the race itself.”

Joining McNish/Capello/Kristensen in driving the latest diesel-engined Audi R18 TDI, which only made its race début at Spa last month (7 May), are Timo Bernhard (29/Germany)/Romain Dumas (32/France)/Mike Rockenfeller (26/Germany) plus Marcel Fässler (34/Switzerland)/André Lotterer (29/Germany)/Benoît Treluyer (34/France) – combinations who finished first and second in last year’s Le Mans race for Audi.

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Audi Sport launches Facebook page

2011-05-31T11:56:00+01:00

New virtual meeting place for motorsport fans

Over 1,000 fans within a few hours

VIP tickets for the 24 Hours of Le Mans to be won

Audi Sport is now present on the social network "Facebook" website just in time for the 24 hour race at Le Mans on June 11/12. The new virtual meeting place attracted more than 1,000 motorsport fans within a few hours.

Audi wishes to give fans the possibility of informing themselves about the brand’s comprehensive motorsport program and to exchange views and opinions via its own Facebook profile. As an additional platform alongside the website www.audi.com/motorsport, the official iPhone App "Audi Sport" and the digital "Audi Express" for the iPad, the Facebook profile specifically provides brief information, a limited quantity of previously unpublished photos among the many images and an insight into the company’s motorsport history which stretches back more than 30 years. Reports will be posted directly from the racetracks during all the brand’s factory supported events. Audi Sport will also start its own Twitter channel shortly.

Attractive prizes such as VIP tickets for the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2011 including overnight accommodation in the Audi Racing Hotel and fan merchandise from the Audi Sport collection can be won to celebrate the unveiling of Audi’s Facebook profile. One of the first "friends" of the new Audi Sport Facebook profile was Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen who, like many of his race driver colleagues, is also active on the social network.

Direct link:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Audi-Sport/114682131949771

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AUDI RACING STAR ALLAN MCNISH GETS ANIMATED ABOUT LE MANS IN 3D

2011-05-25T23:46:00+01:00

New 2.5-minute 2D and 3D film premiering during Saturday’s Champions League Final brings the experience of endurance racing for Audi vividly to life

The incredible feats of physical and mechanical endurance behind Audi’s decade-long dominance of the world-famous Le Mans 24-hour race have been brought vividly to life in a spectacular 3D film narrated by British racer Allan McNish.

Part of a new multi-million-pound campaign created for Audi UK by advertising agency BBH, the two and half minute film will be shown in traditional 2D and 3D formats, the latter marking a first for the Audi brand in the UK. It is intriguingly entitled “A Day in the Life of an Audi Driver”, and will premiere on Saturday 28 May immediately before the kick-off of ITV’s live coverage of the Champions League Final between the Audi-sponsored clubs Manchester United and Barcelona at Wembley as well as in 3D on Sky’s live coverage. It will subsequently feature in cinemas nationwide alongside the final “Harry Potter” film. Collective audiences will amount to at least 20 million viewers.

The film also marks the first time that Audi has used a spokesperson in its promotional campaigns. Very appropriately, the presenter is none other than Allan McNish, two-time Le Mans winner and current Audi „factory“ driver. He explains how Audi’s dedication to perfection, encapsulated in the brand’s philosophy of “Vorsprung durch Technik” (advancement through technology), exceptional planning, team work and the driver’s remarkable skill and physical prowess have helped the German manufacturer win the 24 Heures du Mans race nine times in the last 11 years.

“I am very pleased with the way the advert has already been received, by motorsport fans, competitors and general public alike,” confirmed McNish, who will be taking time out from his Le Mans preparations to be the FIA’s steward at this weekend’s Monaco Formula One Grand Prix. “As with most things Audi, it is technically a first being in 3D and when I saw the full advert I was amazed on how it brought everything to life, it is pretty cool.

“When I did the presentation to Audi UK dealers, I never imagined my view on our Le Mans programme would turn into an advertisement, I was just relaying my personal experience of why Audi has been so successful. We all know about Vorsprung durch Technik but often we do not see the passion, effort and dedication that is behind it – enormous reserves of all these are required to design, build and then race a car to victory.”

Stereoscopic 3D technology

In the film, McNish explains how his driving expertise, allied to the trust which the whole racing team has in each other, has helped them to eliminate luck and become leading players in the race. His monologue is brought to life by a striking combination of live action and animation, fusing traditional hand-drawn black-and-white illustrations with cutting-edge ‘stereoscopic’ 3D technology. The film features the striking new Audi R18 TDI sports-prototype. Three, numbered 1, 2 and 3 in recognition of the Audi ‘podium sweep’ at Le Mans in 2010, will start this year’s race on Saturday 11 June.

The film will be shown in 3D cinemas, in traditional 2D cinemas and in high-profile TV slots for the rest of 2011, and will also be available to download from the audi.co.uk website or the Audi channel on YouTube. It will also be augmented with a print campaign, as well as a special supplement in the Sunday Times “24”, which tells 24 stories of Audi’s famous feats of performance and technological innovation at Le Mans. Audi is also producing a special app for iPads, iPhones and other smartphones.

“Le Mans is the biggest endurance race in motorsport and Audi is proud to be a dominant force,“ says Eve Tyers, National Communications Manager for Audi UK. “Our success has showcased Audi’s cutting-edge technology both in terms of performance, technology and reliability, and this film – our first-ever about Le Mans – shows the human side of what it is like to take part in the race and the strength of Audi Sport’s teamwork that has brought such great success over the past decade.“

The film is currently available to view on the Audi Channel on YouTube by visiting www.youtube.com/audichannel

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Climatic wind tunnel helps Audi at Le Mans

2011-05-23T11:06:00+01:00

Only three weeks before the 24 Hours of Le Mans

New Audi R18 TDI tested extensively in climatic wind tunnel

Valuable findings for cockpit, windscreen and windscreen wiper

Premiere for Audi Sport: the Audi R18 TDI, with which Audi Sport Team Joest contests the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 11/12, is the first Audi race car to be developed with the aid of the new climatic wind tunnel.

Since the beginning of 2008 the climatic wind tunnel completes the Audi Wind Tunnel Centre in Ingolstadt. It creates temperatures between minus 25 and plus 55 degrees Celsius and allows engineers to generate freezing cold and blisteringly hot wind speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour. The simulation of sunlight and rain are also possible.

Especially for the Audi R18 TDI, which Dumfries-born Allan McNish will drive in the French “marathon”, the opportunity to use the climatic wind tunnel operated by their production colleagues was extremely valuable for the Audi Sport technicians. The new LMP1 is Audi’s first closed Le Mans sports car since the R8C in 1999. "The climatic wind tunnel is an example of the extensive cooperation with Technical Development (TE)," explains Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi Sport. "The TE develops constantly and as part of TE Audi Sport is allowed to use these resources. Conversely, our colleagues from production development benefit from our findings from motorsport."

Work on the R18 TDI in the climatic wind tunnel focused on three areas: optimized airflow through the cockpit, the windscreen and testing the windscreen wiper. "In this case we can rely on the findings from the climatic wind tunnel - it’s a great benefit to have such an extremely high quality tool available," says Christopher Reinke, Technical Project Leader for the R18 TDI. "The results of everything which we have tested in the climatic wind tunnel up to now have been confirmed during testing on the race track."

In the climatic wind tunnel ventilation of the closed cockpit was optimized to such an extent that the R18 TDI will manage without air-conditioning at Le Mans. As this costs both weight and power the engineers were happy to exclude the use of such a system. The deposit of rain water or solid materials such as sand, rubber pick-up and stones was also simulated. "We made many valuable discoveries in this area on the full scale car in the climatic wind tunnel and modified several things and especially in the airflow area," says Dr. Martin Mühlmeier. "The reflective film on the roof was also validated with findings from the climatic wind tunnel. These are all important details to guarantee a good climate around the driver in the cockpit."

The silver film helps to prevent the cockpit heating up too much due to the solar radiation. The Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) regulations stipulate that the cockpit temperature must not exceed 32 degrees Celsius when driving if the maximum ambient temperature is 25 degrees. If it is warmer the cockpit temperature may climb by a maximum of seven degrees. The R18 TDI complies with these strict requirements thanks to extensive work in the climatic wind tunnel.

The new Le Mans sports car’s single-arm windscreen wiper was also developed in the Audi Wind Tunnel Centre. "This subject is not as trivial as it would perhaps appear," says Dr. Martin Mühlmeier. "We do indeed have experience from the DTM. However, the windscreen wiper is hardly ever used here. Also, a DTM car reaches 250 km/h and not 330. The demands on the windscreen wiper are considerably higher at Le Mans."

Fogging and soiling of the complexly formed windscreen which, in contrast to a production car, is curved in not just one direction but two, is manufactured from plastic and was also tested in the climatic wind tunnel. The screen is heated to prevent fogging. For possible soiling a three-stage plan was developed which, subject to the level of soiling, allows for simple wiping, wiping with detergent or the removal of one of several layers of rip-off films.

Windscreen soiling is one of the concept specific disadvantages which a closed Le Mans sports car brings. However, as a result of work in the Audi climatic wind tunnel the disadvantages were minimized as much as possible.

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McNish Scores Rostrum Finish On Audi R18 TDI Race Debut

2011-05-07T20:15:00+01:00

Allan McNish recorded an encouraging third place in his diesel-engined Audi R18 TDI in Belgium which marked the diesel-engined Coupé’s race début.

The Scotsman along with co-drivers Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy) finished a lap behind the winning Peugeot in a 1,000km race at Spa after a puncture necessitated an unscheduled pit-stop late in the race.

“A podium position is always a good result especially for the championship but it’s nevertheless frustrating only to get third place after starting one, two three on the grid,” stated McNish.

“It was a very close fight at times with Peugeot but unfortunately after encountering a few problems the end result wasn’t in our favour. We now go away and closely analyse the data of our new R18 TDI in time for Le Mans.”

Audi treated the second round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup staged at the spectacular 4.35-mile Spa-Francorchamps track as a “dress rehearsal” for the Le Mans 24 Hours (11-12 Jun) in which the German manufacturer bids for it 10th race victory since 1999.

The McNish/Kristensen/Capello Audi, which made its public début at last month’s Le Mans official test day in which it set the quickest time, started from third place – behind the two “sister” Audi R18 TDI sports-prototypes – on the 53-car grid following Kristensen’s efforts in qualifying the previous day.

McNish snatched second place but spun while challenging for the lead on the opening lap of the race watched by a crowd of over 35,000 around the Ardennes track bathed in warm sunshine. He resumed 16th but recovered to fourth after 30mins. Capello took over from McNish on 100mins before handing over their fourth placed Audi to Kristensen with just over two hours remaining.

The Dane moved up to third place with 35minutes remaining – having earlier got to within 14-secs of the second placed Peugeot before having to pit with a slow puncture.

The Spa race, which marked the one and only race prior to the Le Mans 24 Hours, saw the “sister” Audi R18 TDI sport-prototypes of 2010 Le Mans winners Timo Bernhard (D)/Romain Dumas (F)/Mike Rockenfeller (D) plus Marcel Fässler (CH)/André Lotterer (D)/Benoît Treluyer (F) finish fourth and fifth respectively after starting from first and second places in an Audi 1-2-3 qualifying “lock out”.

Tréluyer had to make an unscheduled stop after picking up an unusually large piece of rubber “pick up” on his front left-hand tyre. Shortly afterwards the same problem occurred again, causing the Frenchman to slide into the gravel trap.

Bernhard, who had started from pole-position, was touched by another car which damaged the Audi’s rear hood and diffuser which had to be changed while all three Audi R18 TDI sportscars had to make a brief refuelling stop shortly before the finish.

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Audi Achieves Top-Three

2011-05-06T18:44:00+01:00

Britain’s Allan McNish starts his brand new diesel-engined Audi R18 TDI from third place on the 50 plus car grid for the second round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup at Spa-Francorchamps tomorrow (SAT).

Co-driver Tom Kristensen (Denmark) set a personal fastest time of 2min 02.145secs in the Audi Coupé, an average speed of 128.25mph, in today’s (FRI) shortened 20-minute qualifying session at the stunning 4.35-mile Spa track. McNish and Kristensen co-drive their R18 TDI with Dindo Capello (Italy).

The “sister” Audi R18 TDI sport-prototypes of 2010 Le Mans winners Timo Bernhard (D)/Romain Dumas (F)/Mike Rockenfeller (D) plus Marcel Fässler (CH)/André Lotterer (D)/Benoît Treluyer (F) line-up in first and second positions respectively. Bernhard and Lotterer set fastest times of 2:01.502 and 2:01.788.

“One, two three on the grid is an excellent result,” confirmed McNish who finished third in the corresponding race last year. “Qualifying was disrupted by an accident causing a red flag which brought the session to a premature end which affected the Peugeots.

“That’s all part of the strategy concerning when you decide to go out on track in qualifying. The team has done a good job with the set-up. This is the race debut for the Audi R18 TDI and it’s a perfect start with all three cars in the top-three positions – now we must achieve the same kind of result in the race.”

Audi is treating the 1,000km ILMC race, expected to last almost six hours, as a “dress rehearsal” for the Le Mans 24 Hours (11-12 Jun).

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Audi R18 TDI: Advantage through LED technology

2011-05-06T10:24:00+01:00

Always be at least one step ahead of the opposition - this is Audi’s motto. This is exactly how the Four Rings brand presented the Audi R18 TDI - the first Le Mans sports car featuring headlights comprising entirely of light emitting diodes. As a result, the Audi drivers have a significant advantage at night during the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Audi is regarded as a pioneer in the development of LED technology and leads the competition by a large margin in this field. The twelve-cylinder Audi A8 was the first car in the world to go into production with LED daytime driving lights. The Audi R8 is credited with having the first full LED headlights worldwide. Slowly but surely an increasing number of Audi models are offered with full LEDs as an option, as is the new Audi A6.

Audi also forces the new headlight technology in motorsport. The Audi R10 TDI was the first race car with LED daytime driving lights in 2006. The Audi R15 TDI, which broke the 39 year old distance record at the 24 Hours of Le Mans last year, was equipped with a combination of Xenon headlights and LEDs.

Audi goes a step further with the innovative Audi R18 TDI: the new LMP1 is the first Le Mans sports car with full LED headlights. Combined with sophisticated reflector-lens modules, eight high-power light emitting diodes per side provide unique illumination of the race track at night.

"When you’ve driven once with full LED headlights you don’t want to have anything else," raves Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen. "The light is stronger and vibrates less than a normal headlight - this is a clear advantage and particularly at Le Mans, a track that has many dark braking points in the night."

However, not only the greater illumination is an advantage of LED technology. Light emitting diodes are maintenance free and extremely reliable. "The vulnerability to failures is extremely low," explains Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi Sport. "To date, we haven’t had a single LED failure."

Thanks to intensive development of the technology, full LED headlights now also represent a weight saving compared to common headlights - particularly as Audi Sport managed to eliminate the electrical cooling of the light emitting diodes still required in street cars and also found last year in the R15 TDI.

The LEDs in the R18 TDI are cooled by the airflow and still supply enough light even if the cooling airflow is completely cut by dimming themselves automatically. "Our colleagues in production car development are very interested to see how we implement this," says Christopher Reinke, Technical Project Leader for the Audi R18 TDI. "However, we have the advantage in motorsport that the car spends less time at a standstill. On the highway, the lights mustn’t go out even if the car is in a traffic jam."

Audi Sport worked closely with the AUDI AG "Light and Sight" section during development of the full LED headlights. The light tunnel in the Technical Development (TE) is available for tests. The Audi R18 TDI is credited with a record: It has the brightest diodes currently in use. These LEDs are currently not registered for road use.

To a limited extent LED technology also requires a completely new approach. The R18 TDI prototype’s main beam, which is comprised of five LEDs per side, is not brighter than the normal low beam. Three extra LEDs create the effect of a high beam by illuminating the track additionally through an individual position of the various reflectors.

Audi is the first automobile manufacturer to also use the diverse possibilities of light emitting diodes as design element. In the R18 TDI the daytime driving light in the left headlight forms a number "1" which is mirrored on the right side. With this, Audi aims to express its position as number one in LED technology. It goes without saying that the knowledge Audi Sport gains at Le Mans with the latest generation full LED headlights flows automatically into production car development - so that the advantage through LED technology remains.

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New Audi Apps for motorsport fans

2011-05-06T10:01:00+01:00

iPhone App “Audi Sport” with numerous new features

Digital “Audi Express” for iPad

Free download from App Store

Audi accompanies its motorsport involvement in the 2011 season with two new Apps for the iPhone and iPad.

The 2011 version of the “Audi Sport” App for both the iPhone and iPod Touch is

available as update to download for free from the App Store in time for the start of

the DTM season and the Audi R18 TDI prototype’s race debut in the Intercontinental

Le Mans Cup (ILMC). The App gives journalists and fans the opportunity to be

permanently up-to-date even when they are travelling.

In 2010 race reports, results, photos, sound bites and videos were already standard

content for the Audi Sport App, which can now claim more than 40,000 downloads.

The latest version is not only adapted to suit the brand’s new motorsport look. It

also offers numerous new functions and features such as an expanded Live Ticker

that actually shows which driver is at the wheel during endurance races, 360 degree

images of the race cars, interactive introductions to the race tracks and wallpapers.

Accredited media representatives can take part in the popular Audi DTM

sweepstakes when on the move, view media appointments and order TV footage.

The App was also adapted to the iPhone’s retina display.

Audi is also a step ahead of the competition on the popular iPad: a digital “Audi

Express” iPad edition, which reviews the race weekend and also delivers a look

behind the scenes of Audi’s multifaceted motorsport program, is published after

every DTM and Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) race. The “Audi Express”

displays media information released by Audi Communications Motorsport in

multimedia format and should supply journalists with stimulus for their own

reports. The digital “Audi Express”, which is published every Tuesday after a race, is

also available to download for free for all motorsport fans.

Like the race cars, both Apps are developed throughout the season and new features

made available for users in the form of updates via the App Store.

The direct link to both Apps in the App Store:

Audi Sport (iPhone/iPod Touch)

http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/audi-sport/id368185612?mt=8

Audi Express (iPad)

http://itunes.apple.com/de/app/audi-express/id418358501?mt=8

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TV & Radio Times 1000km of Spa

2011-05-04T15:42:00+01:00

Tune in to watch Allan race in Spa at the following times.

EUROSPORT (UK)

(GMT)

Saturday 7 May

13:00 (Live on Eurosport 2) INTERCONTINENTAL LE MANS CUP RD 2: SPA

17:30 (Live on Eurosport 1) INTERCONTINENTAL LE MANS CUP RD 2: SPA

EUROSPORT (European)

(CET)

Saturday 7 May

14:00 (Live on Eurosport 2) INTERCONTINENTAL LE MANS CUP RD 2: SPA

19:00 (Live on Eurosport 1) INTERCONTINENTAL LE MANS CUP RD 2: SPA

RADIO LE MANS (www.radiolemans.com)

(GMT)

Thursday 5 May

15.45 – Free Practice

Friday 6 May

10.45 – Free Practice

14.45 – Qualifying

Saturday 7 May

08.45 – Warm Up

12.30 – INTERCONTINENTAL LE MANS CUP RD 2: SPA 6 hour

For live streaming of the race, please click here

www.race-rally.be/2011/1000km2011/multimedia.aspx?t=1&sm=10

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McNish & Audi To Give Race Debut Of R18 TDI In Spa 1,000km

2011-05-03T12:43:00+01:00

Allan McNish gives the new Audi R18 TDI an important race début when the Scotsman competes in the second round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup at Spa in Belgium of Saturday (7 May).

McNish lines-up with regular co-drivers Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy) in the new diesel-engined R18 Coupé for the 1,000km race around the stunning 4.35-mile Spa-Francorchamps track.

Spa takes on the added importance of it being the first and only race for the R18 TDI before the Le Mans 24 Hours (11-12 June) meaning Audi Sport will use the near six-hour race in the Ardennes region as a full, three-car “dress rehearsal” for the prestigious French race.

“It’s essentially two races in one because I’ll have one eye on the Spa race and claiming as many points towards the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup as possible while also looking at the bigger picture of the Le Mans 24 Hours,” stated Allan who finished third in the corresponding Belgian race 12 months ago.

“Although we tested at Le Mans recently, we’ll learn a lot more about the new Audi R18 TDI and also how it fares against the competition at Spa. The 20-minute qualifying session on Friday afternoon will be the first time when we’ll see the true performance of all of the new cars because it will be the first time when everybody is on the same playing field together at the same time.

“Dindo, Tom and myself were very close at Spa last year in the R15 TDI which we ran in a Le Mans track set-up. We have a good chance going into the event but it will be a testing one and I am looking forward to seeing how things shake out.”

McNish, Kristensen and Capello recovered superbly to claim fourth place at the chequered flag in the opening ILMC race at Sebring, the trio having led the field several times before one of the “factory” Peugeot sportscars miscalculated an overtaking manoeuvre and hit their Audi R15 TDI with Capello at the wheel.

“Spa gives us a chance to bounce back in the ILMC from the disappointment of not taking top honours at Sebring in March,” continued McNish. “We managed to salvage fourth position and get some points on the board and hopefully Spa will give us another opportunity of a good points haul.”

A magnificent field of 60-cars is entered for the Spa race. Meanwhile ILMC organisers have announced that a six-hour race at Zhuhai in China will close the seven-race series on 12 November – McNish and Kristensen having claimed second place in the corresponding race last year.

“Spa is a circuit that every driver looks forward to and this year more than most for us at Audi Sport because of the R18 TDI’s race debut,” continued McNish. “We were up against our competition at the Le Mans test day and we know it’s very fierce. As a driver when you finish a lap around Spa, you know you have worked very hard for it.”

ILMC Classifications (after Sebring):

Manufacturers – LM P1: 1. Peugeot, 27 pts ; 2. Audi, 17 ; Aston Martin, 0. Teams – LM P1: 1.Team Oreca Matmut, 15 pts ; 2. Peugeot Sport, 12 ; 3. Audi Sport, 9 ; 4. Rebellion Racing, 6.

Provisional timetable:

Thursday 5 May: 1220-1320 Practice 1; 1655-1755 Practice 2.

Friday 6 May: 1150-1250 Practice 3; 1620-1640 Qualifying.

Saturday 7 May: 0955-1015 Warm-up; 1405-2005 Race.

* Local times

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Audi relying on ultra lightweight technology for Le Mans

2011-04-22T10:08:00+01:00

Lightweight design expertise expressed visually: This is the principle under which Audi enters the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans this year. The three Audi R18 TDI cars, which join the grid for the French endurance classic on June 11/12 and which make their first public appearance over the Easter weekend at the Le Mans test day, perfectly embodies - also visually - Audi’s core expertise in lightweight technology.

The livery of the three Audi Sport Team Joest Audi R18 TDI cars is dominated by puristic carbon fiber. The car of last year’s Le Mans winners carrying start number "1" even runs in the characteristic black of the extremely light and, at the same time, high-strength material, which also plays an increasingly important role in the development of new production cars.

"Carbon fiber is ideally suited for lightweight design and construction," explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "We have deliberately made this material and the ultra lightweight technology visual for Le Mans. Lightweight design has occupied us for many years in motorsport. Everything that we have learnt over the years and especially about lightweight design and construction during development of the R18 TDI will also be available for our customers in the future - either in the form of greater performance or in the shape of low fuel consumption and lower emissions."

The R18 TDI is a particularly authentic ambassador for the company’s lightweight technology which will be bundled by the term ‘ultra’ in the future. "Lightweight design is a very important factor at Le Mans because a light car is also always a more efficient car," says Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. This year, it is of even greater significance since the regulations stipulate smaller engines producing less power - for the Audi R18 TDI this means over 540 hp (397 kW).

Although there is a minimum weight of 900 kilograms for LMP1 cars at Le Mans, the target is to produce a car weighing significantly less than this limit in order to optimize the weight distribution with the help of ballast and to lower the center of gravity as much as possible.

"With the R18 TDI every component was optimized logically with regard to weight," stresses Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi Sport. "The same applied to the chassis and the bodywork, the gearbox and the engine. We scoured the car for every superfluous gram."

The carbon monocoque produced in a single-piece, for which a highly complex manufacturing process was developed and which is an impressive proof of the company’s lightweight design expertise, is not only revolutionary for a Le Mans sports car. The same applies for the bodywork which was lightened by 40 kilograms between the first and second version. "Such a consequent lightweight design is a high technical challenge," says Christopher Reinke, Technical Project Leader at Audi Sport.

The V6 TDI engine in the R18 TDI is about 25 percent lighter than the V10 TDI engine in its predecessor. "On one hand through downsizing, but also to a certain extent because we explored completely new directions and chose an unusual engine concept," explains Ulrich Baretzky, Head of Engine Development at Audi Sport.

The new six-speed gearbox, which has a high amount of carbon-fiber composite material, and the complete LED headlights also help to save weight. It was also possible to omit the electric cooling of the light-emitting diodes in the headlights commonly found in production cars. Because the gearshift is no longer activated pneumatically but rather electrically, the R18 TDI requires no more pneumatic system. Optimized airflow through the cockpit should make air-conditioning redundant.

"The Audi R18 TDI is equipped with many innovative solutions," says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich proudly. "It was built for regulations specifically targeting future technologies - and with the background enabling these technologies to be introduced into road going cars in the future. This is what makes sport prototypes so interesting for Audi. That we will now see the first impact of Audi ultra lightweight technology at Le Mans demonstrates just how motorsport and production line development go hand in hand at Audi. I’m convinced that ultra will be mentioned in one breath with terms like quattro or TDI in a few years."

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Eurosport Sign Three Year Deal To Broadcast Le Mans 24 Hours

2011-04-18T10:10:00+01:00

Eurosport will broadcast every minute of the Le Mans 24 Hours live across Eurosport, Eurosport 2 and Eurosport Asia-Pacific in the first of a three year deal this season.

Round-the-clock live streaming of the race will also be available in Europe on the Eurosport Player web TV service and mobile application.

For the second consecutive year, Eurosport's coverage starts before the race with "Le Mans 24 Minutes" show each evening at 19:30 CET from Monday 6 June to Saturday 11 June 2011.

Eurosport’s coverage also features live coverage of the Wednesday practice sessions and all qualifying sessions on Thursday 16 June.

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No Easter Break For McNish Who Looks To Lay Foundations For Successful Le Mans 24 Hours Assault

2011-04-15T09:52:00+01:00

Allan McNish gets no holiday during the Easter weekend with the Scotsman firmly focussed on fine tuning his brand new Audi R18 to the unique demands of the Le Mans circuit on Sunday (23 April) in an all-important one-day test.

McNish, together with co-drivers Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy), will attempt to find a consistent, comfortable but fast set-up for their diesel-engined R18 in readiness for the 24 Hour race staged on 11-12 June.

Audi enters three “closed cockpit” R18 sports-prototypes in the 79th Le Mans 24 Hours, the annual twice-round-the-clock race in France which Audi first entered in 1999 and have since won nine times – with at least one Audi finishing on the winner’s podium every year.

The eight hour test, split in to two, four hour sessions (0900-1300 & 1400-1800) is the only opportunity the 56-car invited entry gets to compete on the 8.47-mile circuit comprising of closed public roads before race week.

“The Le Mans test day marks the first occasion that we [Audi] will be on track along with the R18 and the latest cars from Acura, Aston Martin and Peugeot,” commented Allan.

“We have tested the Audi R18 in Florida and Europe this year but it’s critical we find a good set-up on the Le Mans circuit so we can return in June with a good feeling for the car so we can go into qualifying happy.”

McNish/Kristensen/Capello finished third at Le Mans last year after losing three laps 4½hrs into the race having been the highest-placed Audi in fourth when driver Kristensen came across a slow-moving car which moved across in front of him resulting in car damage - costing valuable time in the pits for repairs.

Audi nevertheless recorded an incredible 1-2-3 result with its now “retired” R15 TDI sportscar when Timo Bernhard (D)/Romain Dumas (F)/Mike Rockenfeller (D) won, setting a new distance record, with Marcel Fässler (CH)/André Lotterer (D)/Benoît Treluyer (F) finishing second.

The test day will be the new R18’s first public outing, a 3.7-litre V6 TDI turbocharged diesel powered Coupé which will bid to earn the German manufacturer a 10th victory in the annual 24 hour race which this year is staged on 11-12 June.

Allan added: “The new regulations dictate a much smaller engine capacity, so therefore less power, but our R18 Coupé is going to be ultra-efficient aerodynamically, the shape being ‘slippery’ so hopefully well suited for the big long straights and high-speed nature of the unique Le Mans circuit.

“Not only should the Audi R18 be good on top speed but also for fuel efficiency as well which is going to be important. It’s promising to be a very exciting year with the new R18.”

Follow Allan on Twitter - www.twitter.com/#!/AllanMcNish

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Allan returns from Sebring race and R18 test

2011-03-28T10:06:00+01:00

Allan McNish touched down in his native Scotland yesterday (27 Mar) to bring a close to a hectic and exhausting 16-day trip to Florida.

Dumfries-born McNish, President of the Scottish Motor Racing Club and back home for various business meetings today (28 Mar), flew to Miami on 10 March, from his adopted home in Monaco, for a PR event the following weekend.

McNish then tested his diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI at the Sebring race track all week before finishing fourth in the race on 19 March – an unfortunate accident involving his Italian co-driver Dindo Capello robbing Allan and Audi of scoring a possible fourth and 10th Sebring race win respectively.

Then last week Audi put the next stage of its R18 project to the test when McNish and the other Le Mans 24 Hour race drivers tested the latest version of its new diesel race car at the Florida venue.

The "Evolution 2" Audi R18 is the result of the findings of previous test drives and wind tunnel testing, with a particular focus on improved aerodynamic efficiency and cooling of the interior of its V6 TDI engine.

Two "Evolution 2" R18 vehicles (chassis numbers 101 and 102) were put to the test during the four days of testing in Sebring, together with an R15 TDI as a reference vehicle, clocking up thousands of test miles to generate important findings relating to vehicle set-up, aerodynamics, tyres, cooling, and reliability. The two R18 sportscars are already back in Germany being dismantled and thoroughly analyzed at Audi Sport in Ingolstadt.

“It was good to get more mileage on the Audi R18. It was hot and humid everyday while the Sebring race track is very punishing on machinery,” said McNish. “It was essentially the first time Audi Sport had been testing in a more ‘race’ environment. The R18 worked well in terms of from the driving, the reactions and also from the cooling inside the car. I am now looking forward to getting the R18 onto the Le Mans circuit and to the test day. That will give everyone a bit more of a feel for what it is going to be like on the La Sarthe circuit.”

McNish’s next outing is at the official Le Mans 24 Hours one-day “test” on Easter Sunday (24 Apr) prior to the 3.7-litre V6 TDI turbocharged diesel powered Coupés race debut in the second round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) on 7 May.

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Three times Sebring 12 Hour winner, Allan McNish, to focus on his brand new Audi R18 following a disappointing weekend

2011-03-20T10:45:00+01:00

Britain’s Allan McNish will turn his attention to fine-tuning his brand new diesel-engined Audi R18 sportscar at Le Mans next month after enduring disappointment in the annual Sebring 12 Hour endurance race in Florida.

Dumfries-born McNish shared his diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI with regular co-drivers Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy), the trio recovering superbly to claim fourth place at the chequered flag. Having led the field several times, an accident wrecked their chances of earning Audi a 10^th win in the annual Floridian race.

McNish had hoped to give the R15 TDI sportscar a perfect send-off in the opening round of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup prior to Audi Sport switching to the brand new R18 for the rest of the year. The same trio had scored the model’s maiden win in the corresponding race in 2009 and showed the Audi R15 TDI was today on par with the new LMP1 sportscars of Peugeot and Acura/Honda in its last ever race.

“It was a tense and close fought battle as we’d expected but our bid for victory was destroyed when Marc Gene miscalculated entering one of the fast turns and hit the side of Dindo which damaged our car’s suspension,” reflected McNish.

“That cost us a number of laps for repairs so it was a case of recovering the best we could from that major setback. The car ran very well, the balance was excellent towards the end of the race, and our lap times extremely competitive. It’s a case of what might have been but we can take heart from just how competitive our ‘old’ R15 TDI was against the new cars”.

Audi “factory” ace McNish, who had himself previously won the Sebring race in 2004, ’06 & ’09, started the race from fourth on the 55-car grid that contested the 59^th Twelve Hours of Sebring in what was also the opening round of the American Le Mans Series.

McNish swept his Audi into the lead for the first time on 90mins but with Capello at the wheel and almost 4½hrs on the clock, the Italian having taken over from Kristensen, the Audi and Peugeot of Marc Gene collided as the pair diced for second place on the heels of the leader.

Seven laps were lost for right rear suspension repairs, Capello resuming 17^th but was into seventh by mid-distance, seven laps down on the leader. McNish “triple stinted” for an energy-sapping three-hours in the hot and humid 80°F weather conditions handing the car to record eight-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Kristensen placed fifth with three hours to run.

The “Great Dane” moved in to fourth place with 2½hrs remaining with McNish ultimately taking the chequered flag in that position, five laps behind the winning Peugeot of Loic Duval (F)/Nicolas Lapierre (F)/Olivier Panis (F).

The “sister” Audi Sport Team Joest entry of 2010 Le Mans 24 Hour winning combination of Timo Bernhard (D)/Romain Dumas (F)/Mike Rockenfeller (D) finished fifth. Having started from second position, fourth-placed Rockenfeller collected a left rear puncture from debris 65mins into the race resulting in bodywork damage.

Rejoining after repairs and fresh tyres, the German returned to the pits after damage from the initial incident caused a second puncture on his “out” lap, causing more bodywork damage and costing eight laps for repairs which dropped them to 50^th.

McNish’s next outing is when the Audi Sport team makes important preparations for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours at an official one-day “test” with its three-car Audi R18 entry on Easter Sunday (24 Apr).

The test day will be the new R18’s first public outing, a 3.7-litre V6 TDI turbocharged diesel powered Coupé which will bid to earn the German manufacturer a 10^th victory in the annual 24 hour race which this year is staged on 11-12 June.

McNish and Audi are contesting the entire Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and will give the Audi R18 its race début in the 1,000 Km of Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) on 7 May.

Audi Sebring 12 Hours Formguide (Début: 1999 – 10 wins from 12 races)

1999: 3^rd (Alboreto/Capello/Johansson) Audi R8R. Also 5^th.

2000: 1^st (Biela/Kristensen/Pirro) Audi R8. 360 laps (1,332 miles), 110.692mph. Also 2^nd.

2001: 1^st (Capello/Alboreto/Aiello). Audi R8. 370 laps (1,369 miles), 113.983mph. Also 2^nd, 3^rd & 4^th.

2002: 1^st (Capello/Pescatori/Herbert). Audi R8. 346 laps (1,280.2 miles), 106.507mph. Also 2^nd & 5^th.

2003: 1^st (Biela/Werner/Peter) Audi R8. 367 laps (1,357.90 miles), 113.097mph. Also 2^nd & 6^th.

2004: 1^st (McNish/Biela/Kaffer) Audi R8. 350 laps (1,295 miles), 107.711mph. Also 2^nd & 3^rd.

2005: 1^st (Kristensen/Lehto/Werner) Audi R8. 361 laps (1,335.70 miles), 111.028mph. Also 2^nd.

2006: 1^st (McNish/Capello/Kristensen) Audi R10 TDI. 349 laps (1,291.30 miles), 107.319mph.

2007: 1^st (Biela/Pirro/Werner) Audi R10 TDI. 364 laps (1,346.8 miles), 112.039mph. Also 4^th o/a (2^nd LM P1).

2008: 3^rd (McNish/Capello/Kristensen) Audi R10 TDI. Also 6^th (Luhr/Rockenfeller/Werner) Audi R10 TDI.

2009: 1^st (McNish/Capello/Kristensen) Audi R15 TDI. Also 3^rd (Luhr/Rockenfeller/Werner) Audi R15 TDI.

2010: Did not enter

2011: 4^th (McNish/Capello/Kristensen) & 5^th (Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller)

Allan McNish Sebring 12 Hours Formguide (Début: 2000 – Six podiums including 3 wins from 7 races all with Audi)

2000: 2^nd (39.111 seconds behind winning Audi).

2004: 1^st (Qualified 2^nd).

2005: 2^nd (6.365 seconds behind winning Audi – closest margin of victory for this race).

2006: 1^st (Qualified 1^st, 1:45.828secs*, 125.865mph + Fastest Race Lap, 1:48.373* 122.909mph).

2007: 4^th.

2008: 3^rd (Qualified 1^st, 1:43.195secs*, 129.076mph).

2009: 1^st, record distance (1,417.10 miles), record average speed (117.986mph).

2010: Did not Enter.

2011: 4^th.

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The diesel-engined Audi sportscar of Britain’s Allan McNish starts the Sebring 12 Hour endurance race tomorrow (SAT) from fourth place on the massive 53-car grid.

2011-03-19T09:42:00+01:00

McNish’s co-driver Tom Kristensen set a personal best time of 1min 48.173secs, an average speed of 123.136mph around the 3.7 mile, 17-corner track located in central Florida in today’s (FRI) 15-minute qualifying session to claim a second row start position.

“It’s going to be a fast, furious and hot race,” commented Dumfries-born McNish. A daytime temperature of over 80F degrees is forecast. With such a huge grid there will be lots of traffic so constant overtaking of the slower class cars. Tom was delayed with traffic at the last corner. We’ve fine tuned the set-up for the race. We have got a car and a team that has the experience of this event and that will be crucial.”

Audi “factory” ace McNish sets out to score his fourth and Audi’s 10th race victory in the season-opening Sebring race – the start of a hectic seven race, nine month Intercontinental Le Mans Cup campaign.

“Great Dane” Kristensen, the record eight-time Le Mans 24 Hour race winner – victorious at Sebring on five occasions – and McNish share their diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI, being raced for the last time, with Dindo Capello (Italy) – himself a four-time Sebring winner.

The similar Audi Sport Team Joest machine of 2010 Le Mans 24 Hour winners Timo Bernhard (D)/Romain Dumas (F)/Mike Rockenfeller (D) start from second position after setting a 1m 47.680s lap time, 1.109secs slower than the pole-starting position of Stéphane Sarrazin (F).

The race is scheduled to start at 2.30pm UK time.

* Allan McNish audio is available to download from http://www.audi-press.co.uk/motorsport/press_rels.asp?scn=1&md=secthome Open the Qualifying Report then click on the Real Audio File

* Live scoring & timing can be accessed at http://scoring.americanlemans.com/scoring.php

* Race coverage will be screened “live” at http://www.americanlemans.com/

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Japan, my thoughts are with you

2011-03-18T11:16:00+01:00

I have many friends and fans in Japan and my thinking about them all. I support Bart Hayden from Rebellion for his initiative with the Japanese Red Cross and hope you will support them to.

Japan, my thoughts are with you.

Allan McNish

Rebellion Racing wish to offer support to the people in Japan that are suffering as a consequence of the recent earthquakes and tsunami.

At a time when Rebellion Racing are at the first race of our season and our attention is on the motorsport activities that are our passion, we also want to acknowledge that there are people that need help and assistance right now.

Rebellion Racing are fortunate to have a wide base of fans and we hope to encourage our fans and the wider motorsport community to find ways to support the people that are suffering. Rebellion Racing encourages fans that wish to make a donation to one of the organisations that can make a difference to visit the Japanese Red Cross Society website at the following link:

http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/relief/l4/Vcms4_00002070.html

The Rebellion Racing car that is running in the Sebring 12 Hours race will be wearing a sticker carrying a message of support. We hope that our fans will join in offering their support to those that need it and that they will be able to contribute towards the aid effort.

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Thursday testing times at Sebring – Audi is looking strong

2011-03-18T10:30:00+01:00

There is one more practice session now before qualifying for grid positions at 7.35pm (UK time) for just 15mins. All of today’s practice (Thursday) has been littered with red flag stoppages due to on-track incidents. With a field of 56-cars, Saturday’s race is sure to be incident packed with many caution periods. Audi is looking good, no problems with either car all week, and we’re on the pace . . .

Thursday Practice 3 (7.50-9.35pm) – note “night” practice began in temperature of 78F . . . at 7.50pm!

1. #7 Davidson/Gene/Wurz (Peugeot 908) 1m 48.901s

2. #2 McNish/Kristensen/Capello (Audi R15 TDI) 49.370

3. #8 Montagny/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot 908) 50.111

4. #1 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi R15 TDI) 50.344

5. #10 Lapierre/Duval/Panis (Peugeot 908 HDI) 50.527

6. #06 Pickett/Luhr/Graf (Lola Coupe Aston Martin) 51.135

Thursday Practice 2 (3.05-4.05pm)

1. #2 McNish/Kristensen/Capello (Audi R15 TDI) 1m 50.424s

2. #1 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi R15 TDI) 50.538

3. #8 Montagny/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot 908) 51.055

4. #7 Davidson/Gene/Wurz (Peugeot 908) 51.639

5. #10 Lapierre/Duval/Panis (Peugeot 908 HDI) 51.691

6. #12 Prost/Jani/Bleekemolen (Lola Coupe Toyota) 51.973

Thursday Practice 1 (10.15-11.15am)

1. #1 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi R15 TDI) 1m 49.253s

2. #2 McNish/Kristensen/Capello (Audi R15 TDI) 50.037

3 #10 Lapierre/Duval/Panis (Peugeot 908 HDI) 50.296

4. #06 Pickett/Luhr/Graf (Lola Coupe Aston Martin) 50.647

5. #8 Montagny/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot 908) 50.698

6. #7 Davidson/Gene/Wurz (Peugeot 908) 51.819

Tuesday test 4 (3.50-4.50pm)

1. #1 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi R15 TDI) 1m 49.271s

2. #8 Montagny/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot 908) 49.506

3. #7 Davidson/Gene/Wurz (Peugeot 908) 49.569

4. #2 McNish/Kristensen/Capello (Audi R15 TDI) 49.607

5. #01 Brabham/Franchitti/Pagenaud (HPD ARX-01e HPD) 50.138

6 #10 Lapierre/ (Peugeot 908 HDI) 51.444

Tuesday test 3 (11.35am-12.35pm)

1. #1 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi R15 TDI) 1m 48.450s

2. #8 Montagny/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot 908) 49.615

3. #2 McNish/Kristensen/Capello (Audi R15 TDI) 50.080

4. #7 Davidson/Gene/Wurz (Peugeot 908) 50.227

5. #06 Pickett/Luhr/Graf (Lola Coupe Aston Martin) 50.299

6. #01 Brabham/Franchitti/Pagenaud (HPD ARX-01e HPD) 50.403

Monday test 2 (1-5pm)

1. #2 McNish/Kristensen/Capello (Audi R15 TDI) 1m 47.919s

2. #01 Brabham/Franchitti/Pagenaud (HPD ARX-01e HPD) 48.448
3. #1 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi R15 TDI) 48.474

4. #12 Prost/Jani/Bleekemolen (Lola Coupe Toyota) 50.283

5. #8 Montagny/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot 908) 50.476

6. #06 Pickett/Luhr/Graf (Lola Coupe Aston Martin) 50.586

Monday test 1 (8am-12noon)

1. #8 Montagny/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot 908) 1m 47.678s
2. #1 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi R15 TDI) 48.025
3. #01 Brabham/Franchitti/Pagenaud (HPD ARX-01e HPD) 48.342
4. #7 Davidson/Gene/Wurz (Peugeot 908) 48.748
5. #2 McNish/Kristensen/Capello (Audi R15 TDI) 48.782
6. #06 Pickett/Luhr/Graf (Lola Coupe Aston Martin) 48.836

For information:

* Bold typeface denotes who set time

* Red denotes day’s outright fastest time

Pole position 2010: Gené (Peugeot) 1:45.214s

Pole position record: 1:44.964 (Werner, 2007) McNish set 1:43.195 (2008) but this remains unofficial as the qualifying session was stopped due to an incident on the circuit

Fastest race lap 2010: Bourdais (Peugeot) 1:44.972

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEXU_XKt87w&feature=player_embedded#at=65

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Audi quickest in second Sebring test

2011-03-16T09:38:00+01:00

Tuesday test 4 (3.50-4.50pm)

1. #1 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi R15 TDI) 1m 49.271s

2. #8 Montagny/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot 908) 49.506

3. #7 Davidson/Gene/Wurz (Peugeot 908) 49.569

4. #2 McNish/Kristensen/Capello (Audi R15 TDI) 49.607

5. #01 Brabham/Franchitti/Pagenaud (HPD ARX-01e HPD) 50.138

6 #10 Lapierre/ (Peugeot 908 HDI) 51.444

Tuesday test 3 (11.35am-12.35pm)

1. #1 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi R15 TDI) 1m 48.450s

2. #8 Montagny/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot 908) 49.615

3. #2 McNish/Kristensen/Capello (Audi R15 TDI) 50.080

4. #7 Davidson/Gene/Wurz (Peugeot 908) 50.227

5. #06 Pickett/Luhr/Graf (Lola Coupe Aston Martin) 50.299

6. #01 Brabham/Franchitti/Pagenaud (HPD ARX-01e HPD) 50.403

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Audi top the testing times on Monday afternoon at Sebring

2011-03-15T10:46:00+01:00

Monday test 1 (8am-12noon)

1. #8 Montagny/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot) 1m 47.678s
2. #1 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi) 48.025
3. #01 Brabham/Franchitti/Pagenaud (HPD) 48.342
4. #10 Davidson/Gene/Wurz 48.748
5. #2 McNish/Kristensen/Capello (Audi) 48.782
6. #06 Pickett/Luhr/Graf (AMR Lola) 48.836

Monday test 2 (1-5pm)

1. #2 McNish/Kristensen/Capello (Audi) 1m47.919s

2. #01 Brabham/Franchitti/Pagenaud (HPD) 48.448
3. #1 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi) 48.474

4. #12 Prost/Jani/Bleekemolem (Lola) 50.283

5. #8 Montagny/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot) 50.476

6. #06 Pickett/Luhr/Graf (AMR Lola) 50.586

Pole position 2010: Gené (Peugeot) 1:45.214s

Pole position record: 1:44.964 (Werner, 2007) McNish set 1:43.195 (2008) but this remains unofficial as the qualifying session was stopped due to an incident on the circuit

Fastest race lap 2010: Bourdais (Peugeot) 1:44.972

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TV & Radio Times - Sebring 12 Hour Race

2011-03-14T15:34:00+01:00

Tune in to watch Allan race in Sebring at the following times.

EUROSPORT (UK)

(GMT)

Sunday 20 March

07:30 (1 hour highlights) INTERCONTINENTAL LE MANS CUP RD 1: SEBRING

EUROSPORT (European)

(CET)

Sunday 20 March

08:30 (1 hour highlights) INTERCONTINENTAL LE MANS CUP RD 1: SEBRING

AMERICAN LE MANS (www.americanlemans.com/primary1.php?cat=tv)

(GMT)

Saturday 19 March

15.30 – INTERCONTINENTAL LE MANS CUP RD 1: SEBRING 12 hour

RADIO LE MANS (www.radiolemans.com)

(GMT)

Friday 18 March

19.45 – Qualifying

Saturday 19 March

12.45 – Warm Up

15.00 – Pre-Race Show

15.30 – INTERCONTINENTAL LE MANS CUP RD 1: SEBRING 12 hour

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Allan visits the Go Green Auto Rally in Miami

2011-03-14T11:20:00+01:00

Allan McNish spent two days at the Go Green Auto Rally in Miami (11-12 Mar) before heading to Sebring in advance of Saturday’s 12 Hours of Sebring (19 Mar).

The Audi Sport “factory” driver from Dumfries was present for the “drive green because you can” initiative that is supported by the American Le Mans Series.

McNish, a three-time winner of the annual Sebring race with Audi, gave instruction to Marc Sarnoff, the Miami City Commissioner, at the wheel of an Audi A8, on how to reduce gas consumption, and therefore money, by driving more smoothly and in a safer manner. Organisers fitted cars with GPS data recorders with information then downloaded after a 10-mile journey through Coral Gables.

As well as the City’s Commissioner (pictured), McNish gave advice to representatives from the Miami fire and police departments, army and navy personnel plus members of the general public.

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Britain’s Allan McNish sets out to score his fourth and Audi’s 10th race victory in the season-opening Sebring 12 Hours in Florida on Saturday 19 March

2011-03-11T11:05:00+01:00

Audi “factory” ace McNish begins a hectic seven race, nine month Intercontinental Le Mans Cup campaign and is determined to get his and Audi’s season off to a flying start.

McNish shares a diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI with regular co-drivers Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy), the trio looking to sign off the R15 TDI sportscar’s career on a winning note.

“Tom, Dindo and I will race the Audi R15 TDI as opposed to our new R18 which is not race ready yet so the Coupé’s first public outing will be at the ‘test weekend’ for the Le Mans 24 Hours in April and race début at Spa the following month,” confirmed Dumfries-born McNish.

“So we’ll be trying hard to give the ‘old girl’ one last victory in its 10^th and final scheduled race. Tom, Dindo and I gave the R15 TDI a début race win at Sebring in 2009, the first of three race wins this particular Audi model scored over the past two years.

“The last win for the R15 TDI was at Le Mans last year when Audi achieved a fabulous 1-2-3 result while Tom and I were very close to adding to that tally in my last race in China last November. So we know the R15 TDI’s reliability record and its performance envelope so believe we can take the chase to the competition.”

A field of over 50-cars is expected to contest the 59^th Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida, the McNish/Kristensen/Capello Audi Sport Team Joest entry backed up by the “sister” R15 TDI of 2010 Le Mans 24 Hour winning combination of Timo Bernhard (D)/Romain Dumas (F)/Mike Rockenfeller (D).

Audi’s arch-rival Peugeot will compete at the 3.7 mile, 17-corner Sebring International Raceway – America's premier sports car racing facility nestling amongst the orange groves and cattle ranches of central Florida which is the oldest permanent road racing track in North America.

The last time Audi raced at Sebring in 2009, 170,800 spectators attended the race meeting. Legends Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio have previously won the annual race which has also attracted the likes of Steve McQueen, Gene Hackman, Paul Newman and Patrick Dempsey.

Allan added: “Sebring is one of the hardest races because it is the opening race of the year while it’s invariably staged in hot and humid weather conditions. The circuit is fast, intense and bumpy requiring 100% concentration throughout.

“I raced at Sebring for the first time in 1997 and won while in the 12 Hour race itself, have won it three times finishing on the podium six times from seven starts, so it has been a happy hunting ground for me and I’m very much looking to continue that trend in 2011.

“I like the circuit because it is an ‘old style’ circuit and hasn’t changed much since Stirling Moss raced there first in the mid-1950s. The track surface is bumpy with some nasty kerbing at some corners all of which we don’t see in Europe, especially not at circuits used for Formula 1 races, but I think it gives it a lot of character. Additionally there is always a mega crowd generating an electric atmosphere.”

Timetable:

Tuesday 1135-1235 Test; 1550-1650 Test

Thursday 1015-1115 Practice; 1505-1605 Practice; 1950-2135 Practice

Friday 1040-1140 Practice; 1535-1550 Qualifying

Saturday 0800-0825 Warm-up; 1030 Race

* Times are Sebring local and are -4hrs UK time

Audi Sebring 12 Hours Formguide (Début: 1999 – 9 wins from 11 races)