LeMans, France, June 12, 2007 - For the first time in the 75 year history of the 24 Hours of LeMans two diesel powered teams will compete against each other. The match between the diesel duo, the Audi R10 TDI and the Peugeot 908 may signal a shift in the acceptance of this comeback technology as they go wheel-to-wheel this coming Saturday June 17.
Audi and Peugeot have stirred up excitement while their teams prepare for what’s billed as, “the world’s most demanding race.” Peugeot has been successful in numerous motorsport categories and is recognized as a very strong competitor but Audi’s experienced team has earned six wins at LeMans including one last year with its diesel-powered entrant. The Audi Sport Team intends to translate their track record into a seventh Le Mans victory.
"The race at Le Mans always poses a new challenge because it is completely different and new every year. With Peugeot competing against us, we have a new, strong rival with a motorsport track record consistently marked by a high level of professionalism and success, who has already won twice at Le Mans. On the test day, Peugeot was roughly on a par with us, and the other LM P1 cars should not be underestimated either. Nevertheless, our goal is clear: We want to clinch the seventh Le Mans victory for Audi and demonstrate that TDI Power is the best technology and we have a great and well-proven team,” said Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, Head of Audi Motorsport.
Since 2000, Audi has been the team to be beat at Le Mans. Five victories with the Audi R8 were followed by the historic first triumph of a diesel sportscar - the Audi R10 TDI - in its Le Mans début in June 2006.
Audi’s victory demonstrated one of diesel’s main advantages – fuel economy. This allowed the team to stretch out the time between pit stops much to the consternation of their opponents. To level the playing field and quell dissent from gasoline powered teams the race organizers drew up new regulations for the gas tanks of diesel cars this year that demanded that they be ten percent smaller than those of prototypes powered by petrol engines.
Operating under these new rules hasn’t kept Audi from winning at Sebring and the team is confident that its technology will overcome the fuel capacity handicap.
"Of course everyone at Audi expects a victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. And if it works out that way it will be a particular thrill to be the driver sitting in the winning car. I believe we’ve got the speed. Everything else remains to be seen,” said driver Mike Rockenfeller who’ll pilot the Audi R10 TDI #3.
For the first time since 2002, AUDI AG is fielding three factory cars in the 24 Hours of Le Mans again. Taking turns at the wheel of the third R10 TDI will be three young drivers who normally contest the DTM for Audi: Lucas Luhr (Germany), Alexandre Prémat (France) and Mike Rockenfeller (Germany).
The other two R10 TDI cars will be driven by six veterans, who - between them - have scored a total of 20 Le Mans victories. They include Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen (Denmark), who will be celebrating a comeback after his serious accident in the DTM race at Hockenheim.
The first serious session at Le Mans will be the first qualifying at 7 p.m. (local time) on Wednesday. The race will start at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Worldwide, the "race of the year” will be broadcast on TV in more than 100 countries.
Having two diesel powered teams competing certainly ups the stakes for Audi but Emanuele Pirro, who’s finished on the podium in the last eight years for the team, didn’t seem to mind the new competition, "We put in several months of very hard work for this weekend and are well prepared. I’m looking forward to the race as well as to this new challenge with Peugeot.”
While confidence is high everyone knows that it’s never easy to actually bring home a Le Mans victory. No matter which team wins it may help to promote diesel technology and make these fuel-efficient power plants more acceptable around the world. As the saying goes, “race on Sunday, sell on Monday.”
The first serious session at Le Mans will be the first qualifying at 7 p.m. (local time) on Wednesday. The race will start at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Worldwide, the "race of the year” will be broadcast on TV in more than 100 countries.
Schedule
Tuesday, 12 June
14:00 - 15:00 Technical Reviews Wednesday, 13 June
19:00 - 21:00 Qualifying 1, part 1
22:00 - 24:00 Qualifying 1, part 2
Thursday, 14 June
19:00 - 21:00 Qualifying 2, part 1
22:00 - 24:00 Qualifying 2, part 2
Saturday, 16 June
09:00 - 09:45 Warm-up
15:00 Start
Sunday, 17 June
15:00 Finish
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