Le Mans - June 18, 2006
AUDI AG has written an important chapter in the history of motor racing
with its historic triumph in the Le Mans 24 Hour race. The new Audi R10
TDI was the first diesel car to win arguably the toughest car race in the
world. In front of a record crowd of 235,000 spectators, Frank Biela
(Germany), Emanuele Pirro (Italy) and Marco Werner (Germany) clinched
the sixth and most important Le Mans win for Audi so far. Dindo Capello
(Italy), Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland) also
achieved a podium in finishing third overall.
The fans on the race track and a worldwide audience of millions of TV
viewers saw an impressive demonstration of Audi TDI Power and the
performance of modern diesel engines. The brace of Audi R10 TDI cars,
powered by a 650 hp V12 TDI engine, were by far the fastest and most
economical cars. During the entire race, one of the new diesel sportscars
from Ingolstadt was at the head of the field. Le Mans record winner Tom
Kristensen drove the fastest lap of the race, setting a 3m 31.211s time,
and he was the first driver at the wheel of an LM P1 sportscar to cover 16
laps with one fuel load. Completing 380 laps, Audi also set a new
distance record.
In the race, the advantage in fuel consumption of the Audi TDI Power was
visible for the spectators too: on average, the Audi drivers only pitted every
14 laps to refuel 90 litres of Shell V-Power Diesel. The opposition, who
relies on petrol engines, had to pit considerably more often. The fans
were also impressed just how quiet an environmentally friendly 650-hp
sportscar can be.
Although the roll-out of the new Audi R10 TDI took place only 200 days
before the race, the victorious Diesel sportscar ran as reliably for 24
hours as its predecessor, the R8 that scored five Le Mans victories. The
only unscheduled pit stop was carried out at 3:47 am when Audi Sport
Team Joest decided to replace the gear cluster after trouble with fifth
gear. In spite of the fact that the change of the entire rear end – as it had
been done with the R8 – is no longer allowed by the rules, the team
needed less than ten minutes war this exercise thanks to an innovative
gearbox design. One more minute was lost for Frank Biela, Emanuele
Pirro and Marco Werner on Sunday morning when one headlight of their
R10 TDI was broken so the front bodywork had to be replaced. Apart from
that, their Audi run like a clockwork.
Biela and Pirro celebrated their respective fourth Le Mans victory after
2000, 2001 and 2002. Thus, they rank in fourth position in the historic
record charts behind Tom Kristensen, Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell. For Audi,
it was the sixth Le Mans triumph and the third in succession. The
success of the Bentley Speed 8 from 2003 included, a car that was
powered by an FSI engine developed by Audi Sport, Audi technology is
unbeaten at Le Mans in seven years.
Audi’s triumph was completed by Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and
Allan McNish who finished third. The #7 R10 TDI was in the lead in the
early phase of the race when the injectors of the right-hand cylinder bank
of the V12 TDI engine had to be replaced in the fourth hour. Having
dropped back to 16th position, Capello, Kristensen and McNish fought
back with the fastest lap times in the field to third place in spite of further
setbacks at night and in the early morning hours. Following a collision
with a GT1 car, the undertray was loosened, and also the left-hand
turbocharger had to be changed. Number 7 lost almost a full hour in the
pits. Thanks to the mechanics who carried out all the repairs they still
made it to the podium.
After its victories in the Sebring 12 Hour race and in the Le Mans 24 Hour
race, the new Audi R10 TDI remains unbeaten. The next challenge is
waiting for the revolutionary diesel sportscar already: from the 15th July
onwards, Team Audi Sport North America will fight for the championship
title in the American Le Mans Series with a pair of R10 TDI cars.
Quotes after the race
Prof Dr Martin Winterkorn (Chairman of the Board of AUDI AG)
"This historic Le Mans triumph is doubtlessly the greatest in the
sucessful motorsport history of AUDI AG. It is stunning evidence of
‘Vorsprung durch Technik’. The aim to win the Le Mans 24 Hour race as
the first manufacturer in the world with a diesel engine was extraordinarily
ambitious. We had the courage and we succeeded at the first attempt.
Today, the Diesel has finally made its mark in motor racing. This was only
possible because, as the inventors of the TDI, we have the most
comprehensive know-how at our disposal which our customers also
benefit from. Every second Audi is a TDI already today. Thanks to this
stunning showing at Le Mans, we will succeed in pursuading even more
customers of the advantages of Audi TDI Power. I congratulate Audi Sport
Team Joest, Audi Sport, the colleagues of the Technical Development,
our partners who gave us excellent support in this project right from the
beginning and of course our six drivers. For Frank Biela and Emanuele
Pirro, this was their fourth Le Mans victory, for Marco Werner the second in
succession. They have clinched all those victories with Audi.”
Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport)
"This was already the sixth Le Mans victory for Audi, but by far the most
difficult and important one. Only 200 days, the most intensive ones in the
history of Audi Sport, separated the roll-out of the R10 TDI and the start of
the Le Mans race. I want to thank every single member of Audi Sport, of
Audi Sport Team Joest, the colleagues of the TE (department of
development) and our technical partners. We have started this project
from a blank sheet of paper and we tried something that nobody has ever
done before in this form. We knew how big the challenge was to win Le
Mans with such a high-performance diesel engine. We have seen in the
past 24 hours and before that so many things can happen in this race. Le
Mans always harbours some surprises that cannot be simulated on a
test bed or a test track. So we are all the more happy to have succeeded
in writing another chapter in the history of motorsport. The team has
worked immaculately and has always reacted correctly to everything that
has occured. The winning car ran almost faultlessly for 24 hours.
Unfortunately, the other car dropped back due to an accident. But the fact
that this team made the podium at the end, too, shows that it was a
fantastic performance from the team.”
Frank Biela (Audi R10 TDI #8)
"We are very proud of the first victory with a diesel engine, that is to say
with Audi TDI Power. For Audi, this victory is of particular importance, but
for us drivers it is of equal importance. We have been involved in the
development right from the beginning. To get this new race car to this
venue, to win the most important sportscar race in the world and to be the
first to win Le Mans with a diesel engine is a stunning feeling. We were
lucky that our car had a good run to the finish. We only encountered a
minor gearbox problem, everything else worked perfectly. This is the only
way to win at Le Mans.”
Emanuele Pirro (Audi R10 TDI #8)
"Today it’s an Audi day, it’s a diesel day and it’s the day of ‘Vorsprung
durch Technik’. With the first victory of a diesel engine something
extraordinary has happened which we all still don’t completely realize. It’s
a great reward for all the people who have been working for this project in
front and behind the scenes. I think this weekend we saw the beginning
of a new era in motorsport. And it was a confirmation that Audi is the
leader of any new technology in the automobile industry.”
Marco Werner (Audi R10 TDI #8)
"Of course, it is exciting that we wrote history with the new diesel car in its
first Le Mans entry. For me, it is the second victory in succession, so I am
absolutely overwhelmed. You’ve got to take your hat off to Audi again and
again. The decision to enter the R10 TDI this year was ambitious but
correct. There are other manufacturers who allow themselves one more
year for such a project.
Audi has done a tremendous job to get the car ready to race and ready to
win in such a short time span. It is simply incredible: 200 days ago, the
car stood on its wheels for the first time and now it has won the Le Mans
24 Hour race. This is more than history – it is a great story!”
Dindo Capello (Audi R10 TDI #7)
"It’s a great result for Audi and we’re all part of this victorious brand. Our
car suffered some problems through the race but each time my engineer
and the mechanics on #7 worked very hard and did a good job to solve
them so that we lost as little time as possible. They all deserve a big
thank you. I’m so happy to be a part of this race which now has new
history.”
Tom Kristensen (Audi R10 TDI #7)
"I’m feeling very, very emotional. Now everybody will know what TDI Power
means. This project started not so long ago as a clean sheet of paper
and has already triumphed. Audi’s dream has come true so quickly
thanks to the efforts of many people in this massive motorsport
programme. I’m proud to be apart of this success. I would have loved to
be on the top step of the winners’ rostrum with Dindo and Allan but on
this occasion, we had to face many challenges in the race. But we
overcame these and still finished on the podium.”
Allan McNish (Audi R10 TDI #7)
"The TDI project was always a very ambitious one. Audi never takes these
things lightly and came perfectly prepared to this race. But coming to Le
Mans you have to expect everything including problems – and that’s what
happened to our car this weekend as it happened to the Audi R8 on its
debut in 2000. But again we overcame them in the true style of Le Mans
and Audi, and fought our way to the podium. That was a fantastic effort for
the whole team.”
Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest)
"I am simply happy. This was a hard race with plenty of work, but
somehow, it was typical for the whole project that everbody has put so
much work into. The latest 24 Hours were no exception. We had our fair
share of problems. But then again, this is what you would expect if so
much new technology is used for the first time. It is mega that in spite of
those circumstances, both cars finished, both made it to the podium and
one car has even won. The team has worked incredibly well. The regular
pit stops, the unscheduled repairs – everything has worked fine. The
result is the justified reward for that.”
Race results
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