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Audi knocked of their Le Mans perch as Porsche 919 Hybrid takes pole

Audi knocked of their Le Mans perch as Porsche 919 Hybrid takes pole

By on 12/06/2015 in Featured, Le Mans

It was a 1-2-3 for the Porsche 919 Hybrid race cars as they dominated the 2015 Le mans qualifying  last night. The next three positions were taken by the Audi LMP cars with Toyota taking 7th and 8th.

For the Porsche Team it will be an exciting weekend. On Saturday at 3pm the Team will start the 83rd Le Mans 24-Hours from one, two and three on the grid. This is the 17th pole position for Porsche in Le Mans, and prior to this the most recent one dates back to 1997. Furthermore it is the ninth time since 1968 that three Porsche race cars have locked out the front of the grid for the Le Mans 24-Hours with a one-two-three. This happened last in 1988.

Switzerland’s Neel Jani did his fastest lap time during the first qualifying session on Wednesday night and, despite dry conditions in both qualifying sessions on Thursday, it remained unbeaten. With his lap of 3:16.887 minutes, he has set a new qualifying record for the current track length of 13.629 kilometres by beating Peugeot’s pole position time from 2008 (3:18.513 min). Timo Bernhard (GER) was second fastest on Wednesday and his time of 3:17.767 minutes was also good enough to beat the old record. In the third Porsche LMP1 Nick Tandy (GBR) improved his lap time in Q2 on Thursday to 3:18.862 minutes and claimed P3.

The Porsche 919 Hybrid

The three Porsche 919 Hybrid race cars are the most innovative in the 56 car field and carry future technology for Porsche’s road going sports cars. The revolutionary technical regulations’ focus on efficiency for class 1 Le Mans prototypes (LMP1) attracted Porsche in 2014 to return to top level motorsport. The combination of a two-litre, V4 turbo charged and petrol fuelled engine with two energy recovery systems (brake energy and exhaust energy) produces a power system of around 1000 HP.

Wolfgang Hatz, Board Member Research and Development Porsche AG: “Claiming first, second and third is obviously a perfect qualifying result. Nevertheless, today we have worked a lot for the race and were quite good on longer runs on used tyres. I have told everybody not to look at the competition but to focus on maximising our package. The technicians, engineers and drivers – the entire team worked directly in the same direction and did a fabulous job. The result is a real pleasure and makes me proud of the team. I’m very much looking forward to the race.”

Le Mans 2015 Porsche 919 Hybrid

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1: “Finishing first, second and third in qualifying at what is only our second attempt in Le Mans is outstanding. A big thank you to the team at the track and back at the factory in Weissach. We are still a very young team and every bit of success is important. This result helps us to start the race full of confidence. It will be a hard race with tough competition, but we are looking forward to it.”

Le Mans Porsche 919 Hybrid qualifying at night (18), Porsche Team: Romain Dumas, Neel Jani, Marc Lieb

Alexander Hitzinger, Technical Director LMP1: “I’m over the moon and want to express my compliments to the development team of this race car. The qualifying result is a reward for three years of very, very hard work. Now we have to prove that we have built not only a fast car, but also a reliable one. Also we would be wrong to think the difference in the lap times could be as big in the race as in qualifying. We cannot underestimate the competition.”

Porsche 919 Hybrid at night Le Mans 2015 Porsche 919 Hybrid (17), Porsche Team: Timo Bernhard, Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley

Porsche 919 Hybrid (17), Porsche Team: Timo Bernhard, Mark Webber, Brendon Hartley

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal: “This great qualifying result is an important first part in our success. But looking forward to the race it is even more important that today we had a productive day of preparation. We have had consistently dry track conditions and went through our tyre programme as planned. We also had race components on the cars. The team and the drivers have done a top job.”

Jani shares the black number 18 Porsche 919 Hybrid with Romain Dumas (FR) and Marc Lieb (GER). Bernhard partners Brendon Hartley (NZ) and Mark Webber (AUS) in the red number 17 car. Tandy’s team mates in the white number 19 prototype are Earl Bamber (NZ) and Formula One driver Nico Hülkenberg (GER’).

Starting drivers on Saturday will be Timo Bernhard, Neel Jani and Nico Hülkenberg.

Don’t forget the drivers parade tonight through Le Mans!

For live communication on Twitter go to @PorscheRaces.

New driver combinations for the Porsche 911 RSR

New driver combinations for the Porsche 911 RSR

By on 06/02/2015 in Le Mans, SCWEC

Porsche Team Manthey has reshuffled its factory driver lineup in its two Porsche 911 RSR entries in the Sports Car World Endurance Championship WEC and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. From the season-opening round at Silverstone on 12 April, Michael Christensen (Denmark) and Richard Lietz (Austria) will join forces in the 911 RSR with the starting number 91.

Sharing driving duties in the #92 911 RSR are the Frenchmen Frédéric Makowiecki and Patrick Pilet, who already teamed up last year to contest the second half of the season. Germany’s Wolf Henzler (#92) and Jörg Bergmeister (#91) will support the pairings as the third driver to contest the 24 hour classic at Le Mans.

Porsche 911 RSR

Sports Car World Endurance Championship WEC - GT - Porsche-911-RSR

Impressive performances in the GT works campaign and during testing of the Porsche 919 Hybrid have earned two drivers a spot in the LMP1 squad. This season, Nick Tandy (Great Britain) and Earl Bamber (New Zealand) will tackle Spa-Francorchamps as well as the Le Mans 24 Hours at the wheel of the innovative sports prototype. Teaming up with Formula 1 pilot Nico Hülkenberg (Germany), the pair tackles both races in a third 919 Hybrid.

Sports Car World Endurance Championship WEC - GT - Porsche-911-RSR

Earl Bamber, who received support as part of Porsche’s youth development programme, managed to climb the career ladder into the top tier of long distance racing in record time. After winning the Porsche Motorsport International Cup Scholarship shootout, he went on in 2014 to clinch the title in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup as well as in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia for the second time since 2013. Furthermore, the “Kiwi” won two rounds of the Carrera Cup Deutschland and secured second place at Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta, one of the long distance classics in the USA. These successes earned him a contract as a works driver just prior to the 2015 season and he then quickly climbed the next step on the ladder into the LMP1 programme. In addition to his commitments at the wheel of the 919 Hybrid at Spa-Francorchamps and Le Mans, Bamber tackles the Tudor United SportsCar Championship in the USA and Canada with the 911 RSR.

“Receiving support from Porsche was the chance of a lifetime as a race driver,” he said.

“I’ve reached new levels in every aspect and I’ll do my utmost to justify this trust again this season.”

New driver combinations for the Porsche 911 RSR

New driver combinations for the Porsche 911 RSR

Nick Tandy also celebrated his first great success in Porsche brand trophy racing. In 2010 he contested the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup and the Carrera Cup Deutschland where he promptly snatched vice-championship honours in both series. In 2011 he secured overall victory in the Carrera Cup Deutschland and the following year picked up the Porsche Cup as the most successful private Porsche driver in the world. 2013 saw him promoted into the factory pilot squad and he went on to win Petit Le Mans as well as 2014 season-opener at the Daytona 24 Hours and the WEC race in Silverstone. He too will continue contesting GT races with the 911 RSR parallel to his LMP1 engagement.

“I’m thrilled for Earl and Nick. They’ve earned this chance with their impressive performances,” says Porsche Head of Motorsport Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser.

“Their rise into the premier class of long distance racing not only confirms the effectiveness of the Porsche youth development concept. It also underlines the importance of Porsche’s brand trophy series as a career stepping stone for young race drivers who bring the necessary talent, a great willingness to learn and the critical will to succeed. Porsche opens all doors to those who are really fast.”

Four pilots contesting this year’s WEC season as part of the LMP1 driver lineup began their careers in Porsche’s one-make race series. In addition to Earl Bamber and Nick Tandy, Timo Bernhard and Marc Lieb climbed the ranks via the Porsche youth development programme to join the circle of the world’s best sports car pilots. These four have one thing in common: Over the course of their careers, they have all won either the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup or the Carrera Cup Deutschland: Timo Bernhard clinched the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland title in 2001 as a Porsche junior, Marc Lieb the following year, also as a Porsche junior. Nick Tandy achieved this feat in 2011, with Earl Bamber taking home the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup trophy in 2014.

Audi R18 e-tron Hybrid Quattro Drive Race Car Wins Le Mans 24 Hours

Audi R18 e-tron Hybrid Quattro Drive Race Car Wins Le Mans 24 Hours

By on 24/06/2013 in Le Mans, Motorsport, News

For the second time in succession, Audi has won the Le Mans 24 Hours with an Audi R18 e-tron quattro hybrid race car and quattro drive, thus continuing its unique success story at the world’s most important endurance race. Victory was clinched by Loïc Duval (F), Tom Kristensen (DK) and Allan McNish (GB).
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Audi Le Mans engine technology continues closer ties to its production models

Audi Le Mans engine technology continues closer ties to its production models

By on 13/06/2013 in Le Mans, Motorsport, News

One more week before the Le Mans 24 Hours celebrates its 90th anniversary. 15 years of engine development have been shaping Audi’s prototype racing commitment. Through intensive development work the engineers have repeatedly compensated for the restrictions imposed by the regulations while consistently enhancing efficiency of the engines fielded.

Two major eras have shaped Audi’s commitment at Le Mans from the perspective of Ulrich Baretzky, Head of Engine Development at Audi Sport: Until 2005, gasoline engines powered Audi’s LMP race cars, since 2006 the engines have been diesel units. For Audi, this is linked to numerous innovations.Continue Reading..

Audi Le Mans “Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts” makes iTunes debut

Audi Le Mans “Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts” makes iTunes debut

By on 22/05/2012 in Le Mans, Motorsport, News

From the film’s U.S. Premiere in Los Angeles to its nationwide May 5 television debut on SPEED TV, “Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts,” the highly anticipated sequel to “Truth in 24,” has allowed fans a glimpse into the Audi world of racing as it documented the brand’s exciting win at the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France.

• Film chronicles the Audi team’s attempt to seek its tenth victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 2011
• Free download can be enjoyed in stunning high-definition from iTunes for viewing on any Mac or PC, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch or on your HDTV with Apple TV

Now, in response to the film’s successful television debut, “Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts,” will be exclusively available for free download on the iTunes Store (www.iTunes.com/truthin24ii)beginning May 22 in the U.S., United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. The free download on iTunes also means fans will be able to enjoy the film on any Mac or PC, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch or on your HDTV with Apple TV. The first installment of the film, “Truth in 24,” is also available in stunning high-definition on iTunes at www.iTunes.com/truthin24 as a free download.

“Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts,” narrated by Jason Statham, documents the Audi Sport Team Joest as they attempt to seek Audi’s tenth victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2011. When tragedy struck twice, the lone Audi R18 TDI® #2 race car remained to fight three Peugeots. Risks were taken, boundaries were pushed and nerves were rattled.

“Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts” highlights Audi’s win and documents what unfolded over the next 24 Hours at Le Mans as it became one of the most competitive and gripping races the world had ever seen.

Written and directed by Rob Gehring, produced and edited by Charlie Askew, Rob Gehring, Dave Neupauer, Brian Rosenfield and Scott Thor and Executive Produced by Charles N. Besser, Howard Katz and Steve Sabol, the film follows the gripping suspense as team engineer Leena Gade, drivers André Lotterer, Benoît Tréluyer and Marcel Fässler worked to gain Audi’s tenth Le Mans victory. The tenth win also made history as Gade, who was forced to make many difficult split second decisions, was named the first female race engineer ever to orchestrate a winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“Truth in 24 II” Every Second Counts is the third installment of the series. Audi released its first documentary, “Truth in 24” at AFI FEST in 2008, which was also narrated by Jason Statham and chronicled the Audi R10 team and their quest for a third straight outright win of the historic 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In 2010, “Truth in Motion” followed the U.S. Ski Team’s road to Vancouver chronicling the road to becoming a world-class skier. The day-to-day triumphs and tribulations are documented in an up close and personal way rarely seen by the consumer. All three films, “Truth in 24,” “Truth in Motion” and “Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts” are available for free on iTunes.

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Audi R8 LMS to defend title at Bathurst 2012

Audi R8 LMS to defend title at Bathurst 2012

By on 18/11/2011 in Le Mans, Motorsport, News

The Audi R8 LMS will return to Australia as the title defender. After the one-two result at the Bathurst 12 Hours last February, the successful GT3 sports car will again compete at the endurance classic from the 24th to 26th February. The high-calibre driver line-up has already been confirmed.

Both sports cars on the front row, a one-two result with a one-lap lead and a new lap record on the challenging track: The Audi R8 LMS delivered an impeccable showing on its debut at Mount Panorama nine months ago. In February 2012, the 411 kW (560 HP) GT3 sports car is to defend its victory on this legendary circuit. The customer sports car that is fielded at worldwide events has meanwhile clinched 115 single victories and twelve titles in only three years. At Bathurst, Team Phoenix Racing will be fielding the two Audi R8 LMS vehicles. As an Audi factory team, Ernst Moser’s squad won the DTM title this year with Martin Tomczyk.

A top-calibre international driver line-up has already been confirmed for the 12-hour race. The German Christopher Mies and Darryl O’Young from Hong Kong, who won the endurance race in February, will again share a cockpit. They will be reinforced by Christer Jöns. The German driver clinched four podium results this year in the ADAC GT Masters and, like Christopher Mies, was part of the Audi factory team at the Nürburgring 24 Hours.

Of special interest to the enthusiastic Australian audience will be the driver squad for the second R8 LMS. Mark Eddy/Craig Lowndes/Warren Luff will be competing under the symbol of the four rings together for the second consecutive time. Before the finale next weekend, Mark Eddy is leading the Australian GT Championship in his own Audi R8 LMS with a 46-point advantage. The seasoned touring car racer Warren Luff posted the fastest lap of all Audi drivers in qualifying at Bathurst in 2011. Craig Lowndes is regarded as a touring car legend and has won the V8 Supercar series three times and the Bathurst 1000 race five times. The trio finished the Bathurst 12 Hours as the runners-up in February.

Audi to take four R8 LMS cars to the Ring

Audi to take four R8 LMS cars to the Ring

By on 21/06/2011 in Le Mans, Motorsport, News

Audi has sets its sights on overall victory in yet another endurance classic only two weeks after the tenth 24 Hours of Le Mans victory: the Audi Sport Teams Abt Sportsline and Phoenix, known from the DTM Championships in Germany, will compete with four Audi R8 LMS in the 24-hour race around the famous Nürburgring-Nordschleife on June 25/26.

Audi has supplied, through its sporting subsidiary quattro GmbH, the official cars since 2002 for the popular event in the Eifel which attracts more than 200,000 spectators every year. However, only once Audi has sent a factory squad into the “Green Hell”: In 2004 Audi competed with two modified DTM cars based on the Abt-Audi TT-R which finished fourth and eighth. In 2011 the team around Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich makes a second attempt with the Audi R8 LMS.

Four Audi R8 LMS at the 24 hour race at the Nürburgring

The fascinating GT3 sportscar is the first race car of the brand with the Four Rings that was specifically developed for customer racing and which is now fielded successfully by customer teams throughout the world. The R8 LMS powered by a near standard production V10 engine has already claimed 83 wins. More wins are added almost every weekend – at the beginning of 2011 this included victory in the 12-hour race at Bathurst in Australia.

ultra-lightweight and new safety features in GT3 sportscar

The R8 LMS has already proved its qualities around the world’s toughest, and at 25.378 kilometers, the world’s longest track: the customer car has recorded two overall victories in the VLN endurance championship at the Nürburgring to date – most recently 14 days before the 24-hour race in its final test race.

The driver squad, which Audi assembles for the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, could hardly be more high-caliber. DTM stars like Mattias Ekström and Timo Scheider share driving duties with Le Mans winners like Marcel Fässler and Marco Werner and acknowledged Nordschleife specialists like Marc Basseng or Frank Stippler. Mike Rockenfeller, who is still recovering from the aftereffects of his severe accident during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will not participate.Rockenfeller will cheer on his Audi team mates from home where he will follow the event on television.

High-caliber driver squad with Ekström, Scheider, Fässler & Co.

Practice at the Nrburgring begins on Thursday. The race starts on Saturday, June 25 at 4:00 p.m.

Audi R18 and Ferrari 458 don’t mix at Le Mans 24 hour race

Audi R18 and Ferrari 458 don’t mix at Le Mans 24 hour race

By on 12/06/2011 in Le Mans, Motorsport, News

Two crashes between Ferrari 458 and Audi R18 race cars have taken place during the Le Mans 24 hour race.

A spectacular crash between Allan McNish’s Audi R18 race car as he tried to pass a Ferrari 458 just before the Start Finish straight almost ended in tragedy.

McNish had just passed his Audi R18 team mate when he clipped the Ferrari 458 sending both cars into the gravel. The Audi R18 barely slowed as it hit the tyres and spun into the air. As parts of the Audi flew off spectators and camera crews where lucky not have been seriously injured. One camera man narrowly missed being flatted by a flying rear tyre from the Audi.

 

 

 

During the night at Le Mans Mike Rockenfeller’s Audi R18 crashed with Ferrari 458 as he tried to pass the slower car. From the Audi R18 footage it looks like the Ferrari 458 may have pulled across as the faster Audi came alongside.

The Audi R18 then spins across the circuit and smashes into the barrier.

A very lucky Le Mans 24 hour for the Audi R18 race drivers, spectators, marshals and  camera crews.

 

 

Audi offer live race car footage and updates for Le Mans 24 hour race

Audi offer live race car footage and updates for Le Mans 24 hour race

By on 09/06/2011 in Le Mans, Motorsport, News

When the race starts at 3 pm 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.tvis 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 programme 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 programmes 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”) programme.

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.