xcel
06-18-2006, 11:14 AM
First team ever to win the 24 Heures du Mans with a diesel powered car. (http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=221915&FS=ALMS-LEMANS)
David C. Schilke - Motorsport.com - June 18, 2006
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Audi_R10_2006_LeMans_Winner.jpg
Today Audi Sport Team Joest took the honors for being the first team ever to win the 24 Heures du Mans with a diesel powered car. The number Eight R10 TDI V12 Diesel driven by Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner took the checker flag after showing how unstoppable the new Audi package can be at the circuit of La Sarthe. Throughout the event the Audis have had a pace faster than any of their competition with pure speed and longer stints, even with problems during the race.
Team Pescarolo's car 17 had an uneventful race and great drivers like current WRC champion Sebastien Loeb, F1 pilot Franck Montagny and past Le Mans winner Eric Helary. Still, they couldn't keep up with the R10 when Team Joest decided to pull away. Team Pescarolo Judd earns the second spot on the podium and should be very pleased with the reliability of the car for the entire 24 hours.
The sister Audi, car seven, piloted by Rinaldo "Dindo" Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish fought its way back to the third position overnight after first being hit and then having a problem with its injectors. The seven car was even in second place last night but it spent more time in the garage to fix more of the damage from the early race contact and then a needed turbo change. Kristensen holds the fastest lap this year blazing an amazing 3:31.211 in race trim, over four seconds faster then the Pescarolo's fastest lap.
The second Pescarolo didn't have the same reliability as its sister's car and was forced to spend hours in the garage last night with an electrical gremlin that was causing the car to stall. The Judd will have to settle for fifth overall and fourth in class while being over 25 laps off the winning pace.
The last two LM P1 cars running at the end were the car 19 of Chamberlain Synergy Motorsport and the number two Zyteck Engineering. Both cars had troubles and spent a lot of time in for repairs but the teams worked hard to keep the cars running until the end. They finished Fifth and Sixth in class and 25th and 26th overall, respectfully.
Six Le Mans P1 Prototypes did not finish the race including Racing for Holland's Dome and Courage Competition's two entries, two teams hoping to bring the fight to the dominate teams if they hadn't spent so much time in the garages. However, I think if everyone had perfect reliability these 24 hours the Audis would have blown the doors off the rest of the class about 12 hours into the race. The R10 will one day be a legend at Le Mans.
David C. Schilke - Motorsport.com - June 18, 2006
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/Audi_R10_2006_LeMans_Winner.jpg
Today Audi Sport Team Joest took the honors for being the first team ever to win the 24 Heures du Mans with a diesel powered car. The number Eight R10 TDI V12 Diesel driven by Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner took the checker flag after showing how unstoppable the new Audi package can be at the circuit of La Sarthe. Throughout the event the Audis have had a pace faster than any of their competition with pure speed and longer stints, even with problems during the race.
Team Pescarolo's car 17 had an uneventful race and great drivers like current WRC champion Sebastien Loeb, F1 pilot Franck Montagny and past Le Mans winner Eric Helary. Still, they couldn't keep up with the R10 when Team Joest decided to pull away. Team Pescarolo Judd earns the second spot on the podium and should be very pleased with the reliability of the car for the entire 24 hours.
The sister Audi, car seven, piloted by Rinaldo "Dindo" Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish fought its way back to the third position overnight after first being hit and then having a problem with its injectors. The seven car was even in second place last night but it spent more time in the garage to fix more of the damage from the early race contact and then a needed turbo change. Kristensen holds the fastest lap this year blazing an amazing 3:31.211 in race trim, over four seconds faster then the Pescarolo's fastest lap.
The second Pescarolo didn't have the same reliability as its sister's car and was forced to spend hours in the garage last night with an electrical gremlin that was causing the car to stall. The Judd will have to settle for fifth overall and fourth in class while being over 25 laps off the winning pace.
The last two LM P1 cars running at the end were the car 19 of Chamberlain Synergy Motorsport and the number two Zyteck Engineering. Both cars had troubles and spent a lot of time in for repairs but the teams worked hard to keep the cars running until the end. They finished Fifth and Sixth in class and 25th and 26th overall, respectfully.
Six Le Mans P1 Prototypes did not finish the race including Racing for Holland's Dome and Courage Competition's two entries, two teams hoping to bring the fight to the dominate teams if they hadn't spent so much time in the garages. However, I think if everyone had perfect reliability these 24 hours the Audis would have blown the doors off the rest of the class about 12 hours into the race. The R10 will one day be a legend at Le Mans.