By Tarek Ramchani
Audi Sport will field four cars at the 80th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours. Four cars utilising two different technologies and twelve drivers. This is only the second time since 1999 that Audi will compete at Le Mans with four full factory cars.
The big news for the Audi Le Mans sportscar program is the brand new Audi R18 e-tron quattro. The Hybrid powered closed cockpit prototype is based on the 2011 Le Mans winning R18. This marks the comeback of the legendary "quattro" in factory racing at Audi. Quattro AWD has a strong winning legacy in motorsport: World Rally Chamionship (Group , the IMSA GTO series, the SCCA Trans-Am, the DTM and Super Touring racing. Two R18 e-tron quattro cars will be fielded at Le Mans and only one will do the full FIA World Endurance Championship. All six drivers of the two new cars are familiar faces. For Le Mans the driver line-up will be:
#1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro: Marcel Fässler (CH), André Lotterer (D) and Benoît Tréluyer (F)
# 2 Audi R18 e-tron quattro: Dindo Capello (I), Tom Kristensen (DK) and Allan McNish (GB)
In support of the two R18 e-tron quattro cars, Audi will field two TDI powered prototypes. The Audi R18 ultra is the new name of the 2011 winning car, the R18 TDI. After Le Mans a single R18 ultra will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The R18 ultra will have three new drivers at Audi for Le Mans. Loic Duval from France raced with the privateer ORECA team the last two years, very fast with the Peugeot 908 HDI FAP. Marco Bonanomi from Italy, factory test driver since last year and Italian GT champion with Audi Sport Italia. Oliver Jarvis from Britain who raced at Le Mans 2010 in a customer R10 TDI (Team Kolles) and raced in the German DTM series since 2008. The other three drivers are the 2010 overall winners. The R18 ultra driver line-ups at La Sarthe will be:
#3 Audi R18 ultra : Timo Bernhard (D), Romain Dumas (F)and Loïc Duval (F)
#4 Audi R18 ultra : Marco Bonanomi (I), Oliver Jarvis (GB) and Mike Rockenfeller (D)
The 12 Hours of Sebring is the season opener for the brand new FIA World Endurance Championship. Audi Sport will enter three R18 ultra cars. The Audi R18 e-tron quattro will make its race debut at round 2, the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, where Toyota Racing is set to debut its TS030 Hybrid as well.
Quattro is back in world class racing. Two different technologies and four cars in hands of team Joest Racing. Twelve strong drivers who are among the bests in sports car racing. Audi is without any doubts the big favourite for Le Mans and the new FIA World Endurance Championship.
The big news for the Audi Le Mans sportscar program is the brand new Audi R18 e-tron quattro. The Hybrid powered closed cockpit prototype is based on the 2011 Le Mans winning R18. This marks the comeback of the legendary "quattro" in factory racing at Audi. Quattro AWD has a strong winning legacy in motorsport: World Rally Chamionship (Group , the IMSA GTO series, the SCCA Trans-Am, the DTM and Super Touring racing. Two R18 e-tron quattro cars will be fielded at Le Mans and only one will do the full FIA World Endurance Championship. All six drivers of the two new cars are familiar faces. For Le Mans the driver line-up will be:
#1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro: Marcel Fässler (CH), André Lotterer (D) and Benoît Tréluyer (F)
# 2 Audi R18 e-tron quattro: Dindo Capello (I), Tom Kristensen (DK) and Allan McNish (GB)
In support of the two R18 e-tron quattro cars, Audi will field two TDI powered prototypes. The Audi R18 ultra is the new name of the 2011 winning car, the R18 TDI. After Le Mans a single R18 ultra will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The R18 ultra will have three new drivers at Audi for Le Mans. Loic Duval from France raced with the privateer ORECA team the last two years, very fast with the Peugeot 908 HDI FAP. Marco Bonanomi from Italy, factory test driver since last year and Italian GT champion with Audi Sport Italia. Oliver Jarvis from Britain who raced at Le Mans 2010 in a customer R10 TDI (Team Kolles) and raced in the German DTM series since 2008. The other three drivers are the 2010 overall winners. The R18 ultra driver line-ups at La Sarthe will be:
#3 Audi R18 ultra : Timo Bernhard (D), Romain Dumas (F)and Loïc Duval (F)
#4 Audi R18 ultra : Marco Bonanomi (I), Oliver Jarvis (GB) and Mike Rockenfeller (D)
The 12 Hours of Sebring is the season opener for the brand new FIA World Endurance Championship. Audi Sport will enter three R18 ultra cars. The Audi R18 e-tron quattro will make its race debut at round 2, the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, where Toyota Racing is set to debut its TS030 Hybrid as well.
Quattro is back in world class racing. Two different technologies and four cars in hands of team Joest Racing. Twelve strong drivers who are among the bests in sports car racing. Audi is without any doubts the big favourite for Le Mans and the new FIA World Endurance Championship.
