Audi drivers in 2007

gwyllion · 7 Oct 2006, 16:30 (Ref:1730796)

Murphy the Bear suggest a number of the Audi oldies could be replaced by younger drivers next year. Marco Werner already was unemployed for most of the year.

Quote:

All the Audi driver contracts expire at the end of this season. At least one of those pilots expects a “youth movement” in the company’s sports car ranks. Murphy heard that “three of the four” drivers would be elsewhere in 2007, though perhaps still with Audi. Of course, when a vice president of that company predicts “the end of the ALMS” you have to wonder if anyone is going to be back, don’t you?

Does this mean the return of Could we see Pierre Kaffer? I expect Tom Kristensen and Alan McNish will be a certainty.

Mike Rockenfeller could be an option as well.

Quote:

There were three stories around the paddock about Rocky’s Ride. First, the third seat in a Penske Prototype was a “courtesy” for Audi, which wanted to evaluate Porsche factory driver Mike Rockenfeller. Or, it was a “see what you’d be giving up” response from Penske and Porsche to the news that Audi had been sniffing around their very fast young driver. Finally, that Rocky was merely replacing Pat Long, who felt a personal obligation to Jörg Bergmeister and Petersen-White Lightning in their quest for the GT2 championships. Take your pick.

source: http://murphythebear.com/blog/2006/1...rocky-to-audi/

Ranald · 7 Oct 2006, 16:34 (Ref:1730802)

I read in Autosport that Audi were talking to Dirk Muller, who is out of contract with BMW next year, about an Audi drive for the next few years. First in the DTM and then onto sportscars.

Stephan2738 · 7 Oct 2006, 16:44 (Ref:1730809)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranald

I read in Autosport that Audi were talking to Dirk Muller, who is out of contract with BMW next year, about an Audi drive for the next few years. First in the DTM and then onto sportscars.

I heard something similar about Jeroen Bleekemolen, who is currently involved at A1GP team the Netherlands and the Spyker Spyder GT2R racing program. That Audi wants him to drive for them both in DTM and Sportscars in 2007. No confirmation though!

gwyllion · 7 Oct 2006, 16:51 (Ref:1730812)

You forget that Jeroen Bleekemolen has driven for Audi in DTM this year. Audi was very pleased with his performance.

Stephan2738 · 8 Oct 2006, 21:33 (Ref:1732278)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwyllion

You forget that Jeroen Bleekemolen has driven for Audi in DTM this year. Audi was very pleased with his performance.

He was driving in an Audi, not for Audi. But they were indeed very pleased with him and that's the reason he might be a factorydriver for them next year.

19dodge · 9 Oct 2006, 04:26 (Ref:1732451)

There are quite a few surprising drivers floating around the "rumor mill" right now. I have heard a few of them which were already mentioned but have also heard a few others that are not mentioned in here yet.

Audi's aim is to have at least one of their cars with a "young" driver lineup.

I think the story for the 2007 season will be more around the drivers, and not the cars. There's going to be a lot guys shuffling around..

ger80 · 9 Oct 2006, 17:38 (Ref:1733222)

Hm, Tom Kristensen had a small contact with spectators at the Abt racing days yesterday. But nobody hardly injured. Dont know if he drove the R10. Braking mistake

JAG · 9 Oct 2006, 18:51 (Ref:1733283)

I was suprised Audi retained most of their R8 lineup for 2006, but I guess they were best placed to develop the car.

Personally I'd expect only Kristensson and McNish to have R10 drives, possibly in Europe.

I wonder if the US program will find a place for a US driver or two, especially if the entries are officially Champion Racing rather than Audi Sport North America.

The Badger · 9 Oct 2006, 20:03 (Ref:1733337)

I would have been surprised if they had changed most of their drivers !

JAG · 9 Oct 2006, 21:00 (Ref:1733389)

Other than McNish, their 'quickest' drivers are in DTM.

Obviously you need more than raw speed to succeed in endurance racing, but it does seem time to start bringing a younger driver lineup into the R10 program.

Maybe Penske Porsche have opened Audis eyes.

Graham Goodwin · 9 Oct 2006, 21:07 (Ref:1733393)

And hence some of the potential replacements!

Pilgrimage · 10 Oct 2006, 08:07 (Ref:1733708)

So how many audi seats are available for LM 07?
Are we expecting two works entries and a champion car (or 2?)?

**chunterer** · 10 Oct 2006, 08:48 (Ref:1733752)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

I was suprised Audi retained most of their R8 lineup for 2006, but I guess they were best placed to develop the car.

Personally I'd expect only Kristensson and McNish to have R10 drives, possibly in Europe.

I wonder if the US program will find a place for a US driver or two, especially if the entries are officially Champion Racing rather than Audi Sport North America.

If Champion have anything to do with it then I guess JJ Lehto will surely be one of the drivers?

gwyllion · 10 Oct 2006, 08:58 (Ref:1733760)

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

I wonder if the US program will find a place for a US driver or two, especially if the entries are officially Champion Racing rather than Audi Sport North America.

Could this mean the return of JJ Lehto?

I also expect Kristensen and McNish to keep their R10 seat and I hope some of the younger DTM drivers can make the transition to endurance racing

Matthias Ekstrom: super talent, fast in very vehicle (circuit and rally)
Pierre Kaffer: already raced the R8 during one full season (2004)
Timo Scheider: experienced endurance racing (FIA GT), winner of 24 hours Spa and Nurburgring
Nicolas Kiesa: ex F1, Lister regular, Sebring with Aston Martin
Jeroen Bleekemolen: Spyker regular
Frank Stippler: ex Porsche Carrera Cup

Number7 · 12 Oct 2006, 15:23 (Ref:1736318)

Audi will not change all their drivers at once. The old ones are still pretty succesfull. But they need to team up some of their younger drivers with the old ones. Four of the old ones with two new drivers - one in each car.

Personally I would like to see Kristensen, Ekström and Capello winning Le Mans 2007. It makes the trip down there so much more fun for us danes!

Kiesa will never make it to the R10. Everything he did in sportscar in 2006 was pretty bad.

gwyllion · 12 Oct 2006, 15:25 (Ref:1736319)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Number7

Kiesa will never make it to the R10. Everything he did in sportscar in 2006 was pretty bad.

He just was in the wrong car: Lister. He did quite well for Aston Martin during 12 hours of Sebring.

Number7 · 12 Oct 2006, 15:46 (Ref:1736335)

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwyllion

He just was in the wrong car: Lister. He did quite well for Aston Martin during 12 hours of Sebring.

As I remember it he was off the track a couple of times without reason and the team dumped him afterwards - but I might be wrong.

dj choc ice · 14 Oct 2006, 10:24 (Ref:1737652)

i think perhaps maybe we could see hayanari shimoda racing for audi he's young and has a pace which sure as hell managed to shock everyone else in 2004 and 2005 but thats just a thought.

there were always rumours and feeling that tom chilton wanted to do lemans 24 hours but his BTCC duties as a works vauxhall driver means he wont race for audi at lemans for a long time or maybe never get back into sportscar racing in general but last year he did some interesting things with zytek and him and hayanri shimoda did some great things with the old zytek 04S last year

perhaps we could see brabs back in a LMP1 car next year after all i do think he deserves better than a GT2 drive even if it is with a full on works team which has a massively quick GT2 car.

maybe we could see gary paffet racing for audi but i thing that is being way too hopeful lol

gwyllion · 16 Oct 2006, 11:57 (Ref:1739217)

Murphy's blog has an update: the Audi oldies will not be fired after all, there will just be more R10s racing next year, specially in Europe.

Quote:

Those with the best handle on the Audi situation are insistent that the German manufacturer will be back in 2007 in the silver colors of Audi Sport North America. However a “big presence” in Europe for the diesel-powered R10 will cause augmentation and re-shuffling of the factory driver line-up. Murphy reported last week that all of the Audi driver contracts lapse at the end of this season. They will mostly be renewed, he now hears, to support as many as six entries in Europe. Don’t be surprised if there are three new drivers here, and if those drivers include current Porsche pilots Lucas Luhr and Mike Rockenfeller.

source: http://murphythebear.com/blog/2006/1...he-radar-again

So we could see Lehto/Werner and Luhr/Rockenfeller in ALMS with Champion and Biela/Pirro, Capello/McNish and some youngsters in LMS with Joest.

**Bentley03** · 16 Oct 2006, 12:18 (Ref:1739252)

"....as many as six entries in Europe...."

isynge · 16 Oct 2006, 12:38 (Ref:1739277)

I'd be staggered if there were 6 R10s running in the LMS next time round. Four I can see as being possible (2 x Joest, and one from a couple of regional franchises).

I can't help thinking that the speculation about six (and can anyone point me at the origin of this rumour rather than Murphy et al's re-reporting) has more than a little to do with a shot across IMSA's bows re performance balancing.

Equally I'm not sure whether to be pleased or depressed at the prospect of 6 R10s being on the grid next year. On the upside it gives Audi such an overwhelming likelihood of winning individual races that we might get to see some of them entirely off the leash and with that the prospect for some good internecine battles. On the downside, domination is all that exciting. Pleased as I was to acknowledge Pescarolo's achievement in getting their clean sweep, 2006 simply wasn't as exciting as 2005 from a championship perspective.

Still, let's wait and see what Essen brings.

gwyllion · 16 Oct 2006, 13:31 (Ref:1739341)

I think you reasoning is correct: the "as many as 6" will include the 2 suspected ALMS entries if IMSA and Audi do not come to an agreement. So we could see up to 4 R10s in LMS. I think 3 is realistic: 2 Joest cars and 1 extra car, perhaps ran by Oreca.

The Badger · 19 Oct 2006, 14:07 (Ref:1742142)

Maybe an entry for Audi Sport UK and Oreca .

I reckon on 4 cars in LMS . 2 for Joest and 1 each for the above . The 5th and 6th cars in my opinion are a scare to the ALMS ..... cuz Ulrich is massivily pixxed off with them at presant .

2 cars in ALMS and 4 cars for LMS is my guess .

aeroehl · 22 Oct 2006, 03:53 (Ref:1744542)

Audi Driver additions for 2007 just speculation are L. Luhr and M Rockenfeller (two more Germans for Joest) and P. Long and J.J Letho for Champion Audi Sport North America. I can see Michael Schumacher giving Lemans a shot next year just because I think he might want to because it is one of the few great races he has raced in and hasn't won.

gwyllion · 25 Oct 2006, 13:18 (Ref:1748977)

Murphy's blog has some updates about the Audi drivers:

Mike Rockenfeller: LMS
Emanuelle Pirro: ALMS
Frank Biela: LMS
Dindo Capello: Peugeot

I think it is save to assume that Champion will use the services of JJ Lehto in 2007. With Allan McNish and Marco Werner we have 6 fixed names.

I hope Audi will run a 4th car, so we will see 2 R10s in ALMS and LMS. In that case we still need 2 extra names. Possible coming from Porsche (Lucas Luhr and/or Patrick Long) or from Audi DTM program (e.g. Pierre Kaffer).

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