Audi scores eighth consecutive Petit victory

After the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Audi R10 TDI has also won the third major endurance race of the year for Le Mans sportscars: At Road Atlanta (US state of Georgia), Dindo Capello (Italy) and Allan McNish (Scotland) won the 1000-mile "Petit Le Mans" race. This means Audi scored outright victories with the revolutionary diesel sportscar at Sebring, Le Mans and Road Atlanta for a second consecutive time.

During the entire race, Team Audi Sport North America’s two Audi R10 TDI sportscars set the pace with spectators witnessing one of the most exciting races in the history of the American Le Mans Series. After 9 hours and 19 minutes, Capello/McNish finished just 0.923-seconds ahead of the second-placed LM P2 Porsche.

A total of nine caution periods deleted every advantage the Audi drivers had gained. On top of that, both R10 TDI cars were involved in separate collisions around the three hour mark: Allan McNish lost a lap when three cars spun in front of him in Turn 1. Whilst the Scotsman came away with a nose-change, Marco Werner was less lucky in the ‘sister’ car: The German was pushed off the track by a GT1 car. The following repairs cost almost an hour and took the #2 Audi R10 TDI out of contention.

The #1 Audi R10 TDI had another unscheduled pit-stop due to a slow puncture. 19 minutes before the finish, Dindo Capello was able to pass the leading LM P2 Porsche and stay in front of him in the remaining 15 laps. Audi thus ended the eight-race long winning streak of the much lighter LM P2 sportscars.

With their eighth LM P1 class win of the season, Dindo Capello and Allan McNish successfully defended their title in the Drivers’ Championship of the American Le Mans Series. Audi and Audi Sport North America had already prematurely clinched the Manufacturers’ and Teams’ titles.

An impressive performance at Road Atlanta was also shown by Lucas Luhr. At short notice, the German replaced Emanuele Pirro who was still suffering from concussion after an accident on Thursday. The official doctors advised the Italian not to compete in the race.

Luhr had to start from the back of the field without having practiced with the Audi R10 TDI. After a few laps he had found a very good rhythm handing the car over to Marco Werner in second position. Also in his other stints the DTM driver was able to match the pace of his team mates.