Road Atlanta, 4th October, 2008
With an impressive success at Road Atlanta (U.S. state of Georgia)
Audi continued its winning streak at the prestigious 1000-mile race
"Petit Le Mans”. In front of a record crowd of 113,000 spectators,
Dindo Capello, Allan McNish and Emanuele Pirro achieved Audi’s ninth
consecutive victory. Audi thus remains unbeaten at "Petit Le Mans”.
Team Audi Sport North America won at Road Atlanta for a third time in a
row with the Audi R10 TDI. After the hat-trick in the Le Mans 24 Hours,
Audi thus also achieved a hat-trick with the revolutionary diesel-powered
sportscar in the "small brother” of the French Endurance classic. After
almost ten hours, the winning Audi R10 TDI beat the second placed
Peugeot 908 by 4.512 seconds. Lucas Luhr and Marco Werner
completed the Audi triumph with third place.
The winning drive of Dindo Capello, Allan McNish and Emanuele Pirro
will go down in the history books as one of the most important Endurance
races in the U.S. alongside the Sebring 12 Hours. Allan McNish lost
control of the Audi R10 TDI on cold tyres on his way to the starting grid
spinning into the wall. It was a huge effort by Team Audi Sport North
America to rebuild the badly damaged car in just over an hour.
Allan McNish had to start the race two laps down. Consistently fast lap
times, a good strategy and perfect pit-stops allowed the number 1 Audi
R10 TDI to come back onto the lead-lap. A tyre problem and coolers
covered by tyre pick-up, however, later cost another lap.
Using the total of eleven caution periods in the best possible way, the
team was again able to recover the lost lap. Finally it was decisive that
Allan McNish changed the tyres once more at the last refuelling stop. On
the fresher tyres he was first able to pass his team-mate Marco Werner.
On lap 364 of 394 he then was able to outbrake the leading Peugeot. The
Peugeot tried to fight back but McNish kept the lead in a 300-kph
wheel-to-wheel battle.
McNish crossed the finish line as the winner of one of the most exciting
"Petit Le Mans” races with a 4.512-second margin. Marco Werner put
pressure on Christian Klien in the Peugeot in the final laps but could not
pass him. In the end the number 2 Audi R10 TDI missed second place by
just 3.053 seconds.
The lead changed a total of 29 times in the turbulent race. Lucas Luhr
and Marco Werner led 135 of 394 laps and were able to open a gap of
over half a minute. The caution periods, however, worked against them.
Audi had already clinched the the LM P1 Drivers’, Manufacturers’ and
Teams’ Championship of the American Le Mans Series prior the "Petit Le
Mans” race. The finale will take place at Laguna Seca (U.S. state of
California) on 18 October.
Quotes after the race at Road Atlanta
Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport)
"This year, we have won the Le Mans 24 Hours, the American Le Mans
Series, the Le Mans Series and now also ‘Petit Le Mans’ with the Audi
R10 TDI. You can hardly demonstrate ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ in a
more impressive way. Yet again we showed how good Audi TDI Power is.
Peugeot was strong, but we were even stronger. If you start with a two-lap
deficit and still win, this is no coincidence. The whole squad did a great
job after the accident in the morning. We are proud that we were able to
continue our ‘Petit Le Mans’ winning streak.”
Dindo Capello (Audi R10 TDI #1)
"In some stints we had really big issues with the car. We just had to forget
this and the accident before the race to enjoy the result. It was great
racing and a great team effort. Three Petit Le Mans victories in a row for
Allan (McNish) and me is a great record. I raced here six times and won
five times. What more can I ask? It was a great drive from Allan at the end
and a great strategy of the team. And I’m very happy having achieved a
second victory together with an Italian after winning with Michele Alboreto
in 2000.”
Allan McNish (Audi R10 TDI #1)
"I’m very proud of everybody within the team. Rebuilding the car after the
crash on the warm-up lap into perfect condition for Emanuele (Pirro),
Dindo (Capello) and I to drive it back to the front made this race very
special. Dindo and I have won here four times together. This has been
definitely the hardest victory, but also the sweetest."
Emanuele Pirro (Audi R10 TDI #1)
"If you make a thrilling film script you cannot make it so exciting. After a
terrible morning it’s been a fantastic race, especially thanks to Allan
(McNish) who drove a fantastic last stint. We had some good luck and a
very good strategy early on to catch back the two laps. We had some
concern with the car halfway through the race. But later everything was
okay. I cannot be more happy. It’s been just fantastic. It’s been a pleasure
to drive with Dindo (Capello) and Allan.”
Lucas Luhr (Audi R10 TDI #2)
"Of course an Audi 1-2 victory would have been even better. Unfortunately
Marco (Werner) had no chance against Allan (McNish) and the Peugeot
on used tyres in the end. Allan drove really superbly. I’m happy with my
performance. We finished third and had a good car but you need also
some luck in such a long race. We did not quite have this today.”
Marco Werner (Audi R10 TDI #2)
"Of course it’s a bit disappointing for me and Lucas (Luhr). We did a good
job during the race and have been in the lead for a long time. The caution
periods do not always help you. In the end I was on used tyres while Allan
(McNish) and Peugeot had new tyres. I could do nothing against them.
But it’s great that Audi has won the race. It was a top job from the whole
team.”
Dave Maraj (Team Director Audi Sport North America)
"I’m absolutely delighted. This is an enormous win for Audi, an enormous
win for Allan (McNish) and an enormous win for the team. The team fixed
the car after the crash in the morning. We were two and a half laps behind
and still able to pass the ‘unbeatable’ Peugeot in the night.”
The results at Road Atlanta
1 Capello/McNish/Pirro (Audi R10 TDI) 394 laps in 9h 41m 17.825s
2 Minassian/Sarrazin/Klien (Peugeot) + 4.512s
3 Luhr/Werner (Audi R10 TDI) + 7.565s
4 Castroneves/Briscoe (Porsche) + 42.672s
5 Dumas/Bernhard (Porsche) + 1m 04.350s
6 Maassen/Long/Collard (Porsche) - 2 laps
7 Franchitti/Leitzinger/Lally (Porsche) - 3 laps
8 de Ferran/Pagenaud/Dixon (Acura/Honda) - 6 laps
9 Smith/Dyson (Porsche) - 10 laps
10 O’Connell/Magnussen/Fellows (Chevrolet) - 29 laps
The final round of the American Le Mans Series takes place on 18
October 2008 in Laguna Seca (USA) and runs over four hours.
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