[LM24] 3 'works' Audi for Le Mans Confirmed

[rdjones]

This just in from Dailysportscar.com

This is the 2002 version of the all-conquering R8, Emanuele Pirro at the wheel...

’The season-opening round of the ALMS is the first serious test for the 2002-spec Infineon Audi R8, which despite undergoing minor changes to detail, looks exactly the same as last year´s car at first glance,’ says the Audi release. 'The bodywork features only subtle changes which are barely visible to an expert. However, under the bodywork the most successful contemporary racing sportscar has been refined in many details.' With success, apparently (what else would you expect?): “The tests with the modified R8 have shown that we have uncovered potential, and now we just have to use it in the race,” explains Head of Audi Sport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich.

”We´ll see at Sebring how well the cars work and where we stand compared to our competitors,” says Dr Ullrich.

So, no secrets being given away in the Audi camp.

Audi have confirmed that three works cars run by Audi Sport Team Joest and Audi Sport North America will race at Le Mans. The three silver Infineon Audi R8s will fly the ‘extra’ colours (the ‘identifiers’) of black, red and yellow taken from the German flag, as seen in 2000 – when they were 1 – 2 – 3.

Looks like a Joest run audi 1-2-3 to me and who say's they might get 4-5-6 with the private cars aswell.

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by rdjones


Looks like a Joest run audi 1-2-3 to me and who say's they might get 4-5-6 with the private cars aswell.

I certainly wouldn't bet against it, but I really do hope there's some competition from somewhere. I don't wish for ill to befall Audi/Joest particularly, but it would be good for the race if they could suffer a few mechanical dramas - maybe a spin or two needing a hour of repairs - something like that, to make them have to play catch-up. (But who would they be playing catch-up with?)

[mudshark]

Originally posted by Aysedasi


... maybe a spin or two needing a hour of repairs - something like that, to make them have to play catch-up. (But who would they be playing catch-up with?)

With a possibility of 6 R8s entered, there are just to many of them, it would be Audi catching Audi. Perhaps 3 or 4 are delayed maybe even elimiminated, that still leaves 2 for the Podium. Could it be, strength in numbers prevails?

[rdjones]

Let's hope that the 7'th Audi (which will look something like the Bentley) can upset the german steamrollar.

[pink69]

This can't be good for Bentley, Panoz, Cadillac, Dome or MG can it. Thankfully for them, it will be the last year of works entered cars!

[Aysedasi]

Originally posted by mudshark

With a possibility of 6 R8s entered, there are just to many of them, it would be Audi catching Audi. Perhaps 3 or 4 are delayed maybe even elimiminated, that still leaves 2 for the Podium. Could it be, strength in numbers prevails?

How about a Melbourne-like incident at the Dunlop Chicane on lap 1? Bits of Audi bodywork and wheels everywhere and the rest of the field escape the carnage? All of the Audi's make it back to the pits after a very slow lap, and after repairs they are all, say, 10 laps down. Now, although I'm not predicting or wishing for carnage on the opening lap, it would be a lot more interesting if any accident hamstrung the Audis rather than the minnows like last year - wouldn't it?

[Osella]

Maybe a subtle combination of two DAMS film crew cars and imaginatively-driven 911 GT3 backmarkers could be bought into play... Or a local bye-law against sausage might put paid to a couple of them. Herbert's legendary bad luck should remove one... sorry Johnny!

[paulzinho]

Originally posted by Aysedasi


How about a Melbourne-like incident at the Dunlop Chicane on lap 1? Bits of Audi bodywork and wheels everywhere and the rest of the field escape the carnage? All of the Audi's make it back to the pits after a very slow lap, and after repairs they are all, say, 10 laps down. Now, although I'm not predicting or wishing for carnage on the opening lap, it would be a lot more interesting if any accident hamstrung the Audis rather than the minnows like last year - wouldn't it?

Now given your semi accurate prediction of the Melbourne accident can we expect at least a couple to be taken out?

[Dr. Austin]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Aysedasi

"it would be a lot more interesting if any accident hamstrung the Audis rather than the minnows like last year - wouldn't it? "

Nah. It would be great if Audi got something like a bad batch of gears and they had to change gearboxes every two hours or something. the mechanics would be in the paddock rebuilding the broken boxes in the dirt and sand, matching up pieces from various broken boxes, just trying to get enough parts together to get one car to the finish. And if they still won, what a story! Better than a crash. At least audi will have done this to themselves.

Or, how about the new Panoz is so good that they smoke the Audis off the track? Nah, wishful thinking won't make such an unlikely scenerio a good fantasy.

[Fab]

I don't wish to see those big wreks again this year, it breaks the race with pace cars laps

what we could hope is some little spins and little but repetitive problems in pits for Audi, to re-equilibrate the race...

I'm afraid that whole that stuff won't happen and Audi will make 1 to 5 if the weather is dry - if wet, 1 2 3 - seems last year that Champion and Gulf can't afford some water...


I definitely hope that Panoz - and superbs MG ! - will be efficient at the end and makes the race at least 12 hours - hopin' even more, but for the moment, we've seee nothin' from them in la Sarthe...

[H16]

I have heard that the new Caddy is pretty quick so perhaps that may be Audi's strongest competition.