Audi R10 only 4th @ Sebring.

[The Pretender]

Jarod.

[Mr Balsen]

What ? ? ? ? ?

Frederic

[goodduck]

i thought it was a pretty cool race actually. i woudl have liked to see peugeot do better but its awesome to see P2 cars beating the P1 powerhouse audi.

http://www.americanlemans.com/home/ALMSHome.aspx

i love the RS spyders. its going to be one hell of a LeMans this year if audi and peugeot can go the distance reliably.

[Audiphile]

Still Rule over P1.

---

From: Audi Communication Motorsport [mailto:motorsport-media@audi.de]

	Communication Motorsport Jürgen Pippig Telephone: +49 (0)841 89 34200 E-mail: motorsport-media@audi.de Eva-Maria Veith Telephone: +49 (0)841 89 33922 E-mail: eva-maria.veith@audi.de 16 March 2008 Audi has to be content with class win at Sebring Unexpected problems cost overall victory. Impressive fight back in the closing stages. Places three and six overall. Ingolstadt/Sebring – The Audi R10 TDI remains unbeaten after 22 races. In a turbulent 12-hour race at Sebring (US state of Florida), Audi achieved a 1-2 victory in the LM P1 category with their diesel-powered sports cars. Following eight Sebring victories in a row, however, Audi had to be content with class glory in the American endurance classic for the first time. In the overall classification, the two R10 TDI prototypes finished third and sixth. At the mid-point in the race, the two Audi R10 TDI cars were running in front of the field. Lucas Luhr, Mike Rockenfeller and Marco Werner had a 40-second lead over their team mates Dindo Capello, Allan McNish and Tom Kristensen, when the right turbo charger and the front brake discs had to be changed on their R10 TDI. This cost them 16 laps and any chance to fight for victory. An off track excursion at dusk plus two stop-and-go penalties further delayed them. The number 1 "sister car", which had started from pole position, lost 30 seconds due to a stop-and-go penalty in the opening stages of the heated battle. At the start of the eighth hour, the push-rod of the right front suspension had to be fixed while less than an hour later, the front brake discs had to be replaced. Almost four laps down, Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish impressively fought their way back to the front, making it back onto the lead lap and eventually finishing third overall. They missed the outright victory by just 67 seconds – after losing almost ten minutes in the pits. Quotes after the race at Sebring Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): "The race was very disappointing for us. We had many technical issues we now have to sort out. These problems did not allow us to run at the pace we wanted. Also the drivers and the team were not faultless today which caused some penalties. We’ve simply been not on the level we wanted to be here. We need and will work immediately on that." Dindo Capello (Audi R10 TDI #1): "I did not enjoy this race. It started unfortunately with my early penalty stop-go when I couldn’t avoid the Porsche GT2. The car handled okay in the early stages but then it was obvious to me that something was not quite right. My second time in the car was a nightmare – the car was touching the floor and for me the car was undrivable with the brake situation." Tom Kristensen (Audi R10 TDI #1): "It was a great, classic race with lots of things happening throughout. We lost time with some problems which cost us a victory. Our friends from France with the Peugeot were very fast and we have to keep our heads down. Congratulations to the ‘Postmen from Stuttgart’ – they didn’t make a mistake so have a deserved victory. We had a great battle and tried everything we could do to come back. But being three laps down was simply too much for the amount of time left." Allan McNish (Audi R10 TDI #1): "We had a very fast car but unfortunately had an issue with the right front suspension which had to be rectified and cost us time. Then bizarrely we had to change the brake discs which has never ever happened before with the R10 TDI. This problem cost us more time. So to be three laps down and to ultimately finish on the lead lap the entire Audi team can be proud of a fine recovery." Lucas Luhr (Audi R10 TDI #2): "We had the speed to win the race. We’d been running in front for a while. Then unfortunately the problems started – first for our car, then for the ‘sister’ car. This is of course not nice. The points we scored are important for the Championship. But we wanted to take an overall victory here." Mike Rockenfeller (Audi R10 TDI #2): "Of course this was not what we wanted. We had too many problems. We had the speed and were running in front at mid-distance. But then we got the problem with the turbo charger, after this the race was over for us. Congratulations to the Porsche guys." Marco Werner (Audi R10 TDI #2): "After we had been not happy with the set-up during the whole week, the car was quite okay today. Without the broken turbo charger it could have been a great race for us. Instead we have to be content with the second position in the class." Ralf Jüttner (Technischer Direktor Audi Sport Team Joest): "We had problems here we did not expect at all. Additionally there were the stop-and-go-penalties and accidents. Like this you do not win a race against strong competition. We now have a long list we have to work on until Le Mans. We will take this as a warning from which we will learn. The brake problems have been especially strange. Changing the front discs cost car number one the victory. The R10 TDI simply is not built for changing brakes during the race. Doing this in five and a half minutes is quite an achievement." The results at Sebring 1 Dumas/Bernhard/Collad (Porsche) 351 laps in 12h 01m 39.587s 2 Franchitti/Leitzinger/Lally (Porsche) + 1m 02.084s 3 Capello/Kristensen/McNish (Audi R10 TDI ) + 1m 07.697s (1st in LM P1) 4 Smith/Dyson (Porsche) - 1 lap 5 Brabham/Sharp/Johansson (Acura/Honda) - 2 laps 6 Luhr/Rockenfeller/Werner (Audi R10 TDI) - 18 laps (2nd in LM P1) 7 Lienhard/Theys/Lammers (Porsche) - 18 laps 8 O’Connell/Magnussen/Fellows (Chevrolet) - 23 laps 9 Field/Field/Berry (Lola) - 24 laps (3rd in LM P1) 10 Beretta/Gavin/Papis (Chevrolet) - 31 laps Photographs and information can be obtained at www.audi-motorsport.info
	Download Download image AUDI AG 85045 Ingolstadt info@audi-motorsport.info www.audi.com Sitz/Domicile: Ingolstadt Registergericht/Court of Registry: Amtsgericht Ingolstadt HRB Nr./Commercial Register No.: 1 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrats/Chairman of the Supervisory Board: Martin Winterkorn Vorstand/Board of Management: Rupert Stadler (Vorsitzender/Chairman), Ulf Berkenhagen, Michael Dick, Frank Dreves, Axel Strotbek, Werner Widuckel Wichtiger Hinweis: Die vorgenannten Angaben werden jeder E-Mail automatisch hinzugefügt und lassen keine Rückschlüsse auf den Rechtscharakter der E-Mail zu. Important Notice: The above information is automatically added to this e-mail. This addition does not constitute a representation that the content of this e-mail is legally relevant and/or is intended to be legally binding upon AUDI AG.

[The Pretender]

3th and 6th, the info i had at that time sait 4th.

Jarod.

[RXBG]

they were 4th overall. LMP2 got all podium finishes.

you didn't see the kristensen interview on the speed channel. he was pissed off. anyone could see it. he rolled his eyes. at the last minute, as the camera was moving away from him you could see wolfgang uhlrich saying something to him and kristensen almost ignoring him and waving off what he was saying. he didn't even look at him. naturally, just as porsche takes over vw they win their first sebring in 20 yrs. all because of the most ridiculous issues with kristensen's car- rear brake issues and a control arm issue- unheard of for audi.

it'll be a miracle if kristensen races for audi after le mans 2008. he'll probably turn up in porsche's line up. or in F1.

fvck porche. yeah. i said it.

[Mockenrue]

- they were third overall:

1. (4) Timo Bernhard, Germany; Romain Dumas, France; Emmanuel Collard, France; Porsche RS Spyder (1, P2), 351.
2. (7) Butch Leitzinger, State College, PA; Marino Franchitti, Scotland; Andy Lally, New York, NY; Porsche RS Spyder (3, P2), 351.
3. (1) Rinaldo Capello, Italy; Tom Kristensen, Denmark; Allan McNish, Scotland; Audi AG R10/TDI (1, P1), 351.
4. (10) Chris Dyson, Pleasant Valley, NY; Guy Smith, England; Porsche RS Spyder (4, P2), 350.
5. (11) David Brabham, Australia; Scott Sharp, Jupiter, FL; Stefan Johansson, Sweden; Acura ARX-01B (5, P2), 349.
6. (3) Marco Werner, Germany; Lucas Luhr, Germany; Mike Rockenfeller, Germany; Audi AG R10/TDI (2, P1), 333.
7. (12) Jan Lammers, The Netherlands; Fredy Lienhard Sr., Switzerland; Didier Theys, Belgium; Porsche RS Spyder (6, P2), 333.
8. (16) Jan Magnussen, Denmark; Ron Fellows, Canada; Johnny O'Connell, Flowery Branch, GA; Corvette C6.R (1, GT1), 328.
9. (9) Jon Field, Dublin, OH; Clint Field, Dublin, OH; Richard Berry, Evergreen, CO; Lola B06/10 AER (3, P1), 327.
10. (17) Oliver Gavin, England; Max Papis, Italy; Olivier Beretta, Monaco; Corvette C6.R (2, GT1), 320.
11. (2) Nicola Minassian, England; Stephane Sarrazin, France; Pedro Lamy, Lisbon Portugal; Peugeot 908 (4, P1), 318.
12. (21) Wolf Henzler, Germany; Marc Lieb, Germany; Jörg Bergmeister, Germany; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (1, GT2), 314.
13. (28) Darren Law, Phoenix, AZ; Seth Neiman, Burlingame, CA; Alex Davison, Australia; Porsche 911 GT3 RSR (2, GT2), 311.
14. (29) Nic Jonsson, Sweden; Eric van de Poele, Belgium; Tracy Krohn, Houston, TX; Ferrari F430 GT (3, GT2), 308.
15. (22) Allan Simonsen, Australia; Jim Tafel, Alpharetta, GA; Pierre Ehret, Santa Rosa, CA; Ferrari F430 GT (4, GT2), 305.
16. (18) Antonio Garcia, Spain; Terry Borcheller, Vero Beach, FL; Chapman Ducote, Miami, FL; Aston Martin DBR 9 (3, GT1), 299.
17. (32) Joel Feinberg, Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Chris Hall, Daytona, FL; Dodge Viper Competition Coupe (5, GT2), 295.
18. (8) Marco Andretti, Nazareth, PA; Bryan Herta, Valencia, CA; Christian Fittipaldi, Miami, FL; Acura ARX-01B (7, P2), 287.

[RXBG]

my error. they were third overall and did get to the podium.

[PeterJohn]

they were 4th overall. LMP2 got all podium finishes.

you didn't see the kristensen interview on the speed channel. he was pissed off. anyone could see it. he rolled his eyes. at the last minute, as the camera was moving away from him you could see wolfgang uhlrich saying something to him and kristensen almost ignoring him and waving off what he was saying. he didn't even look at him. naturally, just as porsche takes over vw they win their first sebring in 20 yrs. all because of the most ridiculous issues with kristensen's car- rear brake issues and a control arm issue- unheard of for audi.

it'll be a miracle if kristensen races for audi after le mans 2008. he'll probably turn up in porsche's line up. or in F1.

fvck porche. yeah. i said it.

Why would Porsche want to sabotage a company they own?

[RXBG]

so THEY could win.

[ZCD2.7T]

3th and 6th, the info i had at that time sait 4th.

Jarod.

They were 4th overall in the "unofficial" results immediately after the race, but the 2nd-place finishing Acura failed tech inspection and was disqualified, so everyone moved up a spot in the "official" results.

Disappointing for Audi, no matter how you look at it.

[Benman]

Why would Porsche want to sabotage a company they own?

You mean like VW did by pulling all of Audi's talent into the Bentley Le Mans program?

When LMP2 Acuras (5th place overall) beat LMP1 Audis (6th) place, I stop watching ALMS. And I will certainly not waste my time or money going to Laguna Seca this year.

Ben

[Audiphile]

You mean like VW did by pulling all of Audi's talent into the Bentley Le Mans program?

When LMP2 Acuras (5th place overall) beat LMP1 Audis (6th) place, I stop watching ALMS. And I will certainly not waste my time or money going to Laguna Seca this year.

Ben

Let us see Audi's reaction at Le Mans 24 Heurs this year. I think this was a fluke for Audi with some very bad luck. You could tell the Audi team was not happy at all. ALMS does not really fit Audi's style of racing especially with the recent negative changes forced on Audi to compensate for their dominance of ALMS. However, I can see Porsche trying to sabotage Audi's racing program for the sake of their own egos as they want to be seen as the premier racing program. At this point, Audi should consider Formula 1.

[The Pretender]

At this point, Audi should consider Formula 1.

F1 only cost a lot of money and give nothing in return.
LeMans on the other hand is a test ground for everyday useble technology.
If Audi change there motorsport ground i hope the go back to rally, it's the only discipline where they can use Quattro again.

Jarod.

[Benman]

At this point, Audi should consider Formula 1.

That way in ten years time, Porsche can show up there too and take away Audi's thunder...

Ben

[AndyBG]

Man, conspiracy theory on every corner..., why !?

[goodduck]

i dont think there was any sabotage lol. if porsche were running a factory team there might be something to say about backroom deals. Im sure they will be stepping up their efforts to make sure that they dont have any slip ups at Le Mans. As much as i love the R10's (see avatar) i am glad to see them being challenged. to be honest 8 years of wins at sebring is pretty boring. I really hope Peugeot give them a run for their money this summer.

EDIT

F1 would probably be a waste of audi's time and money. F1 is not really their territory IMO. on the other hand, a return to rally would be incredible! can you imagine an R8 entering the mix or a TT. that would be fantastic.

[chewym]

Come on let's get realistic. Audi was at fault with too many problems. Like Audi said, there is a lot of work that needs to be done before the next endurance race (Le Mans) Yes, the ALMS purposely wants "competition" and has therefore "switched" classes, in ALMS math the number system is 2,1 when it comes to prototypes.

Kristensen is too old for F1, he was a test pilot for a little but wasn't quick enough/didn't get lucky to be in F1.