Audi R10 - Page 19

**Bentley03** · 1 Mar 2006, 13:09 (Ref:1533917)

Courtesy of DSC, the driver combinations for Sebring and Le Mans:

McNish/Kristensen/Capello
Werner/Pirro/Biela

DSC suggests the most likely driver pairings for the remainder of the ALMS races would be Pirro/Biela and McNish/Werner although these are yet to be confirmed.

The Badger · 1 Mar 2006, 14:24 (Ref:1533965)

I guess Nishy geta another win and Dindo his second then !!!

Mal · 1 Mar 2006, 14:56 (Ref:1533970)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

I guess Nishy geta another win and Dindo his second then !!!

Mc Nish certainly deserves the success - he was every bit as fast as TK in the R8, but never seemed to get the breaks. If he hadnt chased the F1 dream he could possibly have had a record similar to TK.

The Badger · 1 Mar 2006, 15:03 (Ref:1533973)

I agree with that . So many good drivers miss a decent opportunity of a good drive so they can toodle around the back of an F1 grid . Not that he toodled , but you know what i mean .

McNish ..... although I dont really fancy an Audi win , another win would be cool for Nishy and lets let Tom have another one ..... just to be sure !!

**Bentley03** · 1 Mar 2006, 15:09 (Ref:1533977)

Wasn't there a suggestion (last year I think) that Kristensen has seniority at Audi and basically has the last word on the selection of his co-drivers. I only mention this because it was suggested at the time that there was no love lost between Kristensen and McNish and that there would be no chance of seeing them race as co-drivers.........

gwyllion · 1 Mar 2006, 15:45 (Ref:1533994)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bentley03

DSC suggests the most likely driver pairings for the remainder of the ALMS races would be Pirro/Biela and McNish/Werner although these are yet to be confirmed.

So Dindo will only do Sebring and Le Mans?

jhansen · 1 Mar 2006, 15:46 (Ref:1533995)

Hmm, interesting line-ups for Sebring and Le Mans. I think most of us figured they'd keep McNish and Kristensen in separate cars. Actually, I'm surprised they're not.

Although, how about Frentzen in an R10???

I hope the ALMS speculation regarding Werner is correct. Nishy and Werner will be a strong pair.

gwyllion · 1 Mar 2006, 15:47 (Ref:1533996)

Confirmation of Sebring/Le Mans pairing http://www.lmsr.net/mar4.html.

Dunlop Corner · 1 Mar 2006, 16:24 (Ref:1534028)

Sure Kristensen and McNish has been rivals years ago. They were the two fastest drivers in the Audi team, and with very different philosifies: Allan wanted everything to be made his way to ensure he would be the fastest overall (most evident in 2000), while Tom would sacrifice the setup to make it suit his teammates better (like 2004).

But Tom and Allan was teammates in DTM last year, and it was clear to all that Tom was the better touringcar driver. I think they found new respect for each other, and perhaps wanted to do Le Mans together. For example, it was the friendship Tom developed with Capello being teammates in ALMS, that made him want to drive with Dindo at Le Mans.

I don't understand why Tom should have the final say in the parrings? Audi will of course want to listen to who Tom want to work with, since teamwork is all important to Tom and he does not want to have an experience like he had with Stuck in '98, who apart from being slow wanted everything to be done his way.
He wanted to drive with Capello, so he was placed together with Smith in the Bentley. Then Tom signed with Goh and suggested that Capello became the 3rd driver along Ara.
Last year it was just a matter of which of the ALMS pairings would get Kristensen and which would get McNish. Since Audi wants the Biela/Kristensen/Pirro legacy to be over, Tom was placed with Lehto and Werner.

Sure Tom has his say, but i am quite sure he does not make the final decision.

The Badger · 1 Mar 2006, 19:13 (Ref:1534123)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dunlop Corner

Since Audi wants the Biela/Kristensen/Pirro legacy to be over, Tom was placed with Lehto and Werner.

Where did you hear that from ?

I would have thought that a win with the R10 at Le Mans with Pirro-Biela-Kristensen would have made a cool marketing tool , no ?

Who else could say , 4 times with the same drivers and a diesel win too ?

canam · 1 Mar 2006, 19:16 (Ref:1534126)

Tom's co drivers are on his Christmas Card list....that's all. I don't think that Mr McNish is. Simple as that.

Dunlop Corner · 1 Mar 2006, 20:32 (Ref:1534170)

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Badger

Where did you hear that from ?

I have heard Tom say that it is time to move on and even though Biela and Pirro was great partners, he doesn't want to do Le Mans with them again. Too much history to live up to.

The rumours i have heard, and which sounds plausible, is that the ALMS pairings will be McNish/Capello and Biela/Pirro. Basically some DTM rejects turn to the ALMS leaving the Champion drivers Lehto and Werner without a drive.
In a situation like last year where two pairings were in place in it was just a question on who of Kristensen and McNish would join who. I am sure Kristensen had the first pick and choose not to go with Biela/Pirro. This year two pairs are (probably) in place again, leaving Kristensen to pick his car and Werner to fill the last spot. Again Kristensen choose to not go with Biela/Pirro, and thus ending with Capello and McNish.
So yeah, Kristensen probably picks the car he wants to be on, but he does not decide how the initial pairings will be.

Anyway as i said, i am sure McNish has realised that Kristensen knows how to win Le Mans and even though McNish has a big ego, he will accept The Kristensen Doctrine. And nothing wrong with that since it calls for every driver to be involved, so even if McNish is not the captain, he will have a big say.

The first interesting information from the Kristensen/McNish relationship, is when we find out who will qualify the car. In all the years Kristensen has been captain (except last year where Werner got tired leaving Kristensen to do another stint), the drivers have split qualifying, start and finish between them. Kristensen has, apart from '99 where Lehto qualified, done the qualifying. But both McNish and Capello are former polesitters as well!
Capello will probably accept that he is 3rd driver, and do the final stint. But whom of McNish and Kristensen who does qualifying, will be exciting. I am sure both wants to qualify the car, but since both of them have had a pole they might be more reasonable.

The lineup is great, let's hope Kristensen can make the teamwork work!

The Badger · 1 Mar 2006, 20:41 (Ref:1534171)

I would let one of the "DTM rejects" do the qualifying !!!

Pirro-Biela and McNish-Werner is the line up for Alms ..... no Capello .

jhansen · 1 Mar 2006, 21:16 (Ref:1534183)

The ALMS line-up has not been announced as far as I know. I think it's safe to say that Biela-Pirro will be in the no. 1 car to defend their title. The pair for the no. 2 car is more unknown.

Mal · 2 Mar 2006, 09:17 (Ref:1534480)

This issue of Mc Nish and Kristensen not getting on - is this based on fact or supposition?

gwyllion · 2 Mar 2006, 15:45 (Ref:1534738)

Autosport.com confirms that McNish will do ALMS. If you ask me, this is a completely logical consequence of Frentzen getting the DTM seat. See http://www.autosport.com/news/report...=news&id=49803

jhansen · 2 Mar 2006, 16:47 (Ref:1534774)

Did McNish not get on well with the DTM machinery?

gwyllion · 2 Mar 2006, 17:12 (Ref:1534785)

McNish had some bad luck in the beginning of the season. Then improved a lot during the middle of the season, scoring points and a best result of 4th place at Norisring. But at the end of the season he was not able to further improve and did not score points anymore.

The first year of Kristensen was way more impressive: in the beginning of the season he was already finishing in the points and at the end he even won a race (Oschersleben).

I strongly believe that McNish could have stepped up this year and fight for the podium. Last year I always had the impression that he had finally adopted to the DTM machinery (e.g. in training), but then he could deliver to this expectations (in qualifying and race). Audi could have taken a "guess" to select McNish; maybe this is why the decision toke a bit longer. In the end Audi preferred the less risky solution of picking Frentzen. Frentzen was not so great in his first season either, but he now has one year more of DTM experience and he is of great commercial value for the German home market.

Mal · 2 Mar 2006, 17:27 (Ref:1534792)

Also the R10 has already been stated as Audi's most ambititious motorsport programme. To me McNish and Kristensen are proven to be the fastest sportscar drivers available and therefore it makes perfect sense for Audi to run one of them full time in the R10. The logical choice therefore is for Kristensen to stay in DTM as he is already challenging for wins and put McNish in the R10.

gwyllion · 2 Mar 2006, 18:22 (Ref:1534812)

But the choice to not assign McNish to DTM results in Capello or Werner being unemployed for the most of the season.

tblincoe · 2 Mar 2006, 20:54 (Ref:1534914)

Whoever isn't racing at the ALMS rounds (likely to be Capello who doesn't get the ALMS seat IMO) will be very very busy testing the R10 in Europe, so I don't think its that bad of a deal for whoever gets left out.

JAG · 2 Mar 2006, 21:08 (Ref:1534926)

Should be a few more R10 seats available in 2007.

Regading the DTM, it takes a season or two to adapt to the cars. Kristensson at least had previous Supertouring experience.

mariantic · 4 Mar 2006, 09:42 (Ref:1535994)

I've only just noticed this on the Joest team Site

"Nevertheless the 2006 Joest Racing motorsport programme should not be limited to just tests and the two endurance classic in Sebring and Le Mans. "We would really like to compete with the new Audi R10 in the Le Mans Series (LMS) in Europe,” says Reinhold Joest. "We hope that this project comes to fruition because the European fans will have the opportunity to see the Audi R10 a little more often." "

Surely the "spare" R10 could do some LMS after Le Mans.

Sorry if this has been on before (it's datelined 24/02) but I haven't noticed it...

mariantic

mariantic · 4 Mar 2006, 09:42 (Ref:1535993)

I've only just noticed this on the Joest team Site

"Nevertheless the 2006 Joest Racing motorsport programme should not be limited to just tests and the two endurance classic in Sebring and Le Mans. "We would really like to compete with the new Audi R10 in the Le Mans Series (LMS) in Europe,” says Reinhold Joest. "We hope that this project comes to fruition because the European fans will have the opportunity to see the Audi R10 a little more often." "

Surely the "spare" R10 could do some LMS after Le Mans.

Sorry if this has been on before (it's datelined 24/02) but I haven't noticed it...

mariantic

mariantic · 4 Mar 2006, 09:44 (Ref:1535996)

Sorry for the dupe, server is playing up!

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