By Tarek Ramchani
Audi Sport Team Joest performed very well in the opening Le Mans 24 Hours test day session this morning. All of the three Audi R18 e-tron quattro cars set competitive lap times.
The four-hour session started at 09:00 local time with dry track conditions. The Audis and Porsches took full advantage of these conditions, the R18 quattros and 919 Hybrids took all six top positions. Conditions changed in the second half with heavy rain and very wet track.
In the end the #18 Porsche 919 Hybrid with drivers Romain Dumas, Neel Jani and Marc Lieb was the fastest overall, setting a best time of 3:21.945.
Best of the Audis was the #9 R18 e-tron quattro. The car in the hands of René Rast, Marco Bonanomi and Filipe Albuquerque set the fastest time inside the Audi squad, 3:22.307.
FIA WEC points leaders André Lotterer, Benoit Tréluyer and Marcel Fassler were third fastest. The drivers of the #7 Audi with a best time of 3:22.930.
The #8 R18 e-tron quattro driven by Oliver Jarvis, Loic Duval and Lucas di Grassi was fifth fastest. The Audi drivers were right behind the #17 Porsche and set a best time of 3:24.111.
The #19 Porsche was sixth ahead of the two works Toyotas. The #2 TS040 Hybrid was seventh and the sister #1 car was eighth.
Teams and drivers will have a one hour break. Action will resume at 14:00 local time with a second 4-hour test session.
Photo credit: Audi Media
