Audi Statement on Porsche
Photo Roger Elliott, RjE Photos Audi on Porsche’s return to Le Mans: “This is the decision of Porsche Company, a decision in which Audi is not involved. Audi relishes the prospect of every strong new opponent at Le Mans and in the new FIA Sportscar World Championship. Porsche’s entry into the LMP1 class is evidence of the high level of attraction of sport prototypes”. Read More →
Porsche to Le Mans with Works LMP1
Courtesy Porsche Porsche announced today their plan to return to Le Mans with works-run LMP1 prototype. The newly developed race cars first outing is planned for the year 2014. “Motorsport was always an essential part of the Porsche brand,” emphasizes Matthias Müller, President of the Executive Board at Porsche AG. “So for us it was only a matter of time before we returned as a factory to the top league of racing. Porsche’s successes in... [Read More...]
Audi Wins Le Mans
Audi hangs on to win Le Mans, Photo Roger Elliott, RjEPhotos Benoit Treluyer, Andre Lotterer and Marcel Fassler won the 79th Le Mans 24 Hours in the #2 Audi Sport Team Joest R18, 13.854 seconds ahead of the #9 Peugeot of Simon Pagenaud, Sebastien Bourdais and Pedro Lamy. It was an exciting race as Audi and Peugeot battled throughout, exchanging leads several times during the night and early morning. The race was marred by two serious incidents that... [Read More...]
Second Audi Involved in Horrific Crash
Mike 'Rocky' Rockenfeller in horrific crash. Photo Roger Elliott, RjEPhotos The #1 Audi R18 of defending Le Man winner Mike ‘Rocky’ Rockefeller has been involved in a violent shunt with a slower GTE car at the high speed kink between Mulsanne and Indianapolis corner. Audi Sport has confirmed that Rockefeller was able to get out of the car himself that he spoke to the team and has been taken to the hospital. Rockefeller was overtaking... [Read More...]
McNish Survives Massive Crash
McNish survives violent crash. Photo Courtesy Le Mans.org /ACO/ Pascal Saivet Allan McNish survived a massive crash that put the #3 Audi out of this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours in the first hour of racing. McNish was attempting to pass teammate Timo Bernhard for the lead in the esses after the Dunlop Bridge, but as he past Bernhard’s Audi the Luxury Racing #58 Ferrari 458 GTE of Anthony Beltoise, also racing for position, moved over and clipped... [Read More...]
FIA Endurance Championship Official
Photo RjEPhotos More details of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship were shared today during an ACO press conference at Le Mans. ACO President Jean-Claude Plassart and FIA President Jean Todt presented the main championships guidelines during. As recently reported on openpaddock.net the new Championship series will mirror the current ILMC series. There will be six races plus Le Mans. Two will be in North America, most likely at Sebring and... [Read More...]
Audi On Pole, Clinch Front Row
Audi takes frst Le Mans pole since 2006. Photo RjEPhotos Frenchman Benoit Tréluyer set pole position for the 24 Hours of Le Mans piloting the #2 Audi Sport Team Joest. It is Audi’s first pole at Le Mans since 2006. Tréluyer benefited from a clear lap to best the #1 Audi Sport Team Joest of Timo Bernhard/Romain Dumas/Mike Rockenfeller. The Team Peugeot Total of Simon Pagenaud/Sebastian Bourdais/Pedro Lamy will start third. The Audis and Peugeots... [Read More...]
Le Mans Notes 06/08/11; Sarrazin Peugeot Set Pace
Peugeot Set Pace in Q1, Photo Courtesy Christian Vignon- ACO/Nikon Just as it appeared Audi had lay claim to the top three positions during provisional qualifying Peugeot Sport Total‘s Stephane Sarrazin peeled off a blistering lap that undercut the German squad by nine-tenths of a second during an incident packed session. The Audi Sport Team Joest R18 TDI’s and Team Peugeot Sport Total 908’s were fastest throughout the session. The 908 of Sebring... [Read More...]
Preview; Le Mans 24 Hours
Photo Courtesy ACO Pascal Saivet And so it begins this Saturday. The 79th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours, without question the world’s greatest sports car race and arguably the world greatest racing event, 56 cars, in four classes, lapping the famed Circuit de la Sarthe at nearly 75% full throttle per lap. 28 LMP cars (Le Mans Prototype) will start. New LMP1 cars from Audi, Peugeot and Aston Martin will battle for the overall win. Even with... [Read More...]
FIA, ACO Announce World Endurance Championship
The FIA and the ACO, organizers of the 24 Hours at Le Mans and the Intercontinental Le Mans Championship (ILMC) have announced a World Endurance Championship starting in 2012. There will be a manufacturer’s championship and driver championship. The FIA press release stated “In establishing this new category of motorsport championship, both the FIA and ACO are keenly aware it needs to be a laboratory for innovation and the development of new technologies,... [Read More...]
