Elkhart Lake - August 20, 2006
The diesel sportscar of Audi extends unbeaten sequence
The Audi R10 TDI remains unbeaten: Frank Biela (Germany) and
Emanuele Pirro (Italy) celebrated together with their team-mates Dindo
Capello (Italy) and Allan McNish (Scotland) a double victory in the fifth race
of Audi’s new diesel sportscar. In the seventh round of the American Le
Mans Series at Road America (US state of Wisconsin) Biela and Pirro
clinched their third victory of the season – including the Le Mans 24 Hours
– by a margin of just 0.4 seconds.
Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro charge from back to front
The long distance race over 2.45 hours did not start well for the
German-Italian duo: Starting driver Frank Biela, who went into the race
from second position on the grid, was touched at the first corner by a rival
and pushed into the gravel trap. Biela rejoined the track but pitted for new
tyres due to a vibration dropping to the back of the field. From the very last
position, Biela started a charge which brought him and his team-mate
Emanuele Pirro to second place behind the second Audi R10 TDI of
Dindo Capello and Allan McNish before the final phase of the race.
Fifth start and fifth win for the Audi R10 TDI
Allan McNish, who had clinched pole-position with a lap time of 1,49.181
minutes – breaking the ALMS track record on the 4.048 miles track north
of Milwaukee – was also hit on the opening lap but did not lose time. After
32 laps, he handed over the leading Audi R10 TDI to his co-driver Dindo
Capello. The Italian stayed in front until a pace par phase in the final half
hour of the race. At the re-start team-mate Emanuele Pirro just eased
ahead. After 76 laps the two Audi R10 TDI sports-prototypes celebrated a
second successive 1-2 success following the Portland double victory in
July.
Round eight of the 10-race American Le Mans Series is staged in two
weeks at Mosport (3 September) with Dindo Capello and Allan McNish
heading for Canada as championship leaders.
Quotes after the race at Road America
Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport)
"This was a really exciting race with an incredibly tight finish. As expected
the track at Road America suited our R10 TDI very well. Despite this we
had to fight hard for the victory because the caution periods cost us the
advantage we gained over and over again. The lighter Dyson-Lolas today
came very close to us, sometimes even too close. Congratulations to the
team who did a great job and had a good strategy.”
Frank Biela (Audi R10 TDI #1)
"I am very happy. It was a good race, very good for the spectators. But it
didn’t look good at the beginning. In turn 1 James Weaver pushed me off
and I rejoined the track as the last car. I had a big vibration and had to pit
for new tyres. Then the team did a very good job and the strategy worked
well. Emanuele took the car on fresh tyres and drove a fantastic race to
the finish.”
Emanuele Pirro (Audi R10 TDI #1)
"It was one of the best races of my life. After the accident at the start we
were one lap down. But with a little bit of luck we got back the lap. Later I
could come close to Dindo but I could not pass him. When the right
moment came at the re-start I tried everything that I have learned in my
career, I put a lot of pressure on Dindo and it worked. I am absolutely
delighted.”
Dindo Capello (Audi R10 TDI #2)
"I had a great fight with Emanuele in the closing stages after the re-start.
My Audi was very good and I was in control but then the pace car came
out. I was very careful at the re-start because the officials always look at
this very carefully and my team radioed to remind me to maintain the
speed of the pace car when it pulled in and not to accelerate until the
green flag was waved. I lost a little momentum allowing Emanuele to slip
ahead. I then had to think about the championship and not take a big
risk.”
Allan McNish (Audi R10 TDI #2)
"Obviously we would have liked to have won but in terms of the
championship it was a good result and we’re in a strong position with
three races to run. The race featured a lot of full course yellow safety
periods and just like at Salt Lake City when we were leading that race
with 20minutes remaining, the final caution cost us a certain victory which
is a little frustrating but it’s good to have scored another Audi 1-2. At the
start of the race I survived a hit from James Weaver who also hit me again
coming down the pit-lane which caused slight damage.”
Dave Maraj (Team Director Team Audi Sport North America)
"It was an incredible race. For Frank and Emanuele to win having
dropped to the back of the field after the first corner incident with the
Dyson Lola is amazing. They drove very well but also the team played a
big part in this victory with a good race strategy when things had looked
grim. Allan and Dindo have also extended their championship lead. With
all the discussions about the advantage of the Audi R10 TDI, it is
interesting that the Dyson Lola finished less than a second behind the
winning Audi on a circuit that suits the R10 TDI perfectly.”
Results at Road America
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