Season finale for the Audi R10 TDI

The last race of the season in the American Le Mans Series is staged at Laguna Seca (US state of California) one week after the DTM finale at Hockenheim. In contrast to the DTM, the titles in the US Sportscar series have already awarded: Audi won the Manufacturers’, Team and Drivers’ Championships in the LM P1 class for the eighth time in succession.

The Audi Sport North America team will nevertheless try everything to clinch yet another victory on one of the most picturesque and challenging circuits in the USA. It would be the 21st consecutive win for the revolutionary Audi R10 TDI, which remains unbeaten in the LM P1 class since its debut in March 2006.

At Laguna Seca last year Audi celebrated a one-two in the overall classification, even though the significantly lighter LM P2 Sportscars are at a clear advantage around the tight and twisting circuit. Dindo Capello (Italy) and Allan McNish (Scotland), who secured the Drivers’ Championship at the penultimate round at Road Atlanta, won in 2006 from their team mates Frank Biela (Germany) and Emanuele Pirro (Italy).

Pirro hopes to be able to return to the cockpit after his heavy accident in practice at Road Atlanta. It will be decided during the race week if the five-time Le Mans winner is fit enough.

Testing starts at Laguna Seca on Thursday afternoon. The race starts in Saturday at 2:43 p.m. local time (11:43 p.m. in Germany) and runs for four hours.