DTM and Le Mans - double-header for Audi

[QuattroMan]

DTM Brno race and Le Mans pre-practice on same day
Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish not at Pre-Practice
"Difficult job" anticipated for the Audi R8 in Le Mans

Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish actually need to split themselves this coming weekend: On the agenda at Brno, Czech Republic, is the fourth round of the DTM. At the same time on Sunday, almost 1,500 kilometres further west, pre-practice is held at Le Mans - the only possibility to test on the 13.650 kilometre "Circuit des 24 Heures", around which the 73rd running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be held on 18/19 June.

Because defending the title with the Audi A4 DTM in Europe's most popular touring car series has priority, Dr Ullrich, Kristensen and McNish will travel to the Czech Republic on Thursday and follow Le Mans pre-practice from afar. "I don't think that it's such a big disadvantage for me," believes Tom Kristensen, who competes for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline in the DTM and for Team ADT Champion Racing from America. "The circuit hasn't changed since last year. And for my first race in Le Mans, I only joined the team after pre-practice anyway - I nevertheless won the race."

That was 1997. Since then Tom Kristensen has advanced from Le Mans "rookie" to become the most successful Le Mans driver ever. Last year the Dane celebrated his sixth victory at the French 24-hour classic and equalled the record held by the Belgian Jacky Ickx. In only his ninth Le Mans appearance, the Audi "works" driver now has the chance to become the first driver in history to claim a seventh victory.

Therefore he hopes that, in his absence, his team mates JJ Lehto and Marco Werner, with whom he won the 12-hour race in Sebring (USA) in March, find the perfect set-up for the number '3' Audi R8 during pre-practice on Sunday, because the settings from last year can not be adopted for this year's race.
The most successful Le Mans prototype of all time must compete with 50 kilograms more ballast and approximately 30 hp less power. "You feel the difference, the car isn't as agile as it used to be," explains Kristensen. "It will, quite literally, be an uphill struggle for us. However the R8 prototype's biggest advantages remain untouched: The reliability and the Turbo FSI engine's low fuel consumption."

Allan McNish must also sit out pre-practice because of the clash with the DTM race in Brno. The Scot shares the number '2' Champion Audi R8 with Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro. In contrast, Audi PlayStation Team ORECA (Audi R8 number 4) with its all-French driving squad comprising of Jean-Marc Gounon, Formula 1 test driver Franck Montagny and the former Audi works driver Stéphane Ortelli, is "complete" for pre-practice.

Technical scrutineering for the three Audi R8 prototypes is on Friday in the Le Mans city centre. Practice is on Sunday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. "Pre-practice is of particular importance this time to find the best set-up with the higher weight and the reduced engine power," explains Wolfgang Appel, Director Vehicle Technology at Audi Sport and one of the "brains" behind the Audi R8.

Although the DTM has priority at Audi Sport, Dr Ullrich will be in regular telephone contact with project coordinator Christian Weck in France: "At the end of the day we want to give our R8 a successful final season before it goes out to pasture," says Dr Ullrich.

Editors note: A Photoshoot featuring the three Audi Le Mans teams will be staged on Saturday 4 June from 1 p.m. on the start-finish straight at Le Mans.



Communication Motorsport
Telephone +49 (0)841 89 34200, motorsport-media@audi.de

Photographs and additional information available on the Internet:
www.audi-motorsport.info (Accreditation necessary)

[CHEESE-TACULAR]

does this mean a raise for you

[QuattroMan]

Originally Posted by CHEESE-TACULAR

does this mean a raise for you

LOL!!! I wishhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

[Jack_Bauer]

Why is the R8 being given 50kg of ballast and 30hp less power? Is that rule being applied to the whole of the class or is it just for the Audi? It would seem a tad harsh to punish the Audi just for being so damn good! Hardly a level playing field now is it! It's not Audi's fault that nobody has got a car good enough to challenge theirs, and after 5 years of the R8's dominance it's about time someone did challenge them on a level playing field. (I'm not counting the Bentley's victory, that was just VAG pissing about trying to raise the profile of another of their brands for a year or two.)

[QuattroMan]

Originally Posted by Jack_Bauer

Why is the R8 being given 50kg of ballast and 30hp less power? Is that rule being applied to the whole of the class or is it just for the Audi? It would seem a tad harsh to punish the Audi just for being so damn good! Hardly a level playing field now is it! It's not Audi's fault that nobody has got a car good enough to challenge theirs, and after 5 years of the R8's dominance it's about time someone did challenge them on a level playing field. (I'm not counting the Bentley's victory, that was just VAG pissing about trying to raise the profile of another of their brands for a year or two.)

I'm pretty sure one day another team will win, but until then we are having fun,,, I will tell you this, it is not going to be easy..

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by Jack_Bauer

Why is the R8 being given 50kg of ballast and 30hp less power?

I'm assuming it's this way as Audi have chosen to use the interim rules.
They COUDL have developed a car to the new or the interim.
Can't complain if they decide to go with the interim version.

[NuclearCrap]

Anyone has the Le Mans 24 Hours schedule for Speed channel? I feel like watching Audi win again, even though it's getting boring after years of Audi victories, but I want to see the R8s compete with each other.

[Jack_Bauer]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

I'm assuming it's this way as Audi have chosen to use the interim rules.
They COUDL have developed a car to the new or the interim.
Can't complain if they decide to go with the interim version.

Ah ok, so it's because of a rule change which applies to everyone. I wasn't sure, I can never keep up with the regulation changes in Prototype/GT racing these days! I thought for a moment that it was a case of the Audi being penalised for its success, like the kind of penalty ballast you see in many touring car series from race to race.

[Matra et Alpine]

"years" was broken up with the Bentleys in 2003.
And it was only 3 years running before that.

Still a LONG way to go to be the equal of Porsche, or Ferrari, or Ford or Jaguar or .....

[CHEESE-TACULAR]

Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine

"years" was broken up with the Bentleys in 2003.
And it was only 3 years running before that.

Still a LONG way to go to be the equal of Porsche, or Ferrari, or Ford or Jaguar or .....

Ford? audi is way ahead of ford (and jaguar for that matter) in every way i can think of-if memory sereves me right, the only reason ford won lemans is because the ferraris broke down

[Jack_Bauer]

Originally Posted by CHEESE-TACULAR

Ford? the only reason ford won lemans is because the ferraris broke down

Err, pardon me for pointing out the obvious but Le Mans is an ENDURANCE RACE, the whole point being your car has to be quick enough and reliable enough to make it to 4PM on the Sunday. If the Ferraris broke down then they obviously weren't the best cars there. Faster maybe, but not the best for the task at hand.

[CHEESE-TACULAR]

Originally Posted by Jack_Bauer

Err, pardon me for pointing out the obvious but Le Mans is an ENDURANCE RACE, the whole point being your car has to be quick enough and reliable enough to make it to 4PM on the Sunday. If the Ferraris broke down then they obviously weren't the best cars there. Faster maybe, but not the best for the task at hand.

i HATE it when people point out the facts i purposely ignore ...the ferraris were still faster

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by CHEESE-TACULAR

i HATE it when people point out the facts i purposely ignore ...the ferraris were still faster

the point being made was THAT is irrelevant

no point being fast if you can't make the finish.

The original Bently blowers were used to force the Mercededs to run their s/cs full time till they broke down leaving the normal Bentley to win. So even 60+years ago it mattered

[CHEESE-TACULAR]

i always knew it mattered, i watch lemans whenever i can
i really have to stoop playing the fool

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by CHEESE-TACULAR

Ford? audi is way ahead of ford (and jaguar for that matter) in every way i can think of-if memory sereves me right, the only reason ford won lemans is because the ferraris broke down

You're confusing ALMS with the REAL Le Mans race I think

Ford 66, 67, 68, 69

Audi 00, 01, 02, 04

The "only" reason Audi won '02 was the lightweight MGs blew up.
( well it's as plausibel as any other what-if )