Audi youngsters take lead in LMS

With a second-place finish at the 1000-kilometre race at Monza (Italy), the two Audi drivers Mike Rockenfeller (24) and Alexandre Prémat (26) took the lead in the drivers’ standings of the European Le Mans Series. Shortly before the end of the turbulent endurance race they were even leading the field with their Audi R10 TDI before being deprived of their chance for victory by a controversial collision.

Due to a leaking safety valve in the fuel supply system the #2 R10 TDI had to start from the pit lane. With consistently fast lap times, perfect pit stops and a good strategy, the two youngsters fought their way forwards through the entire field to the very front. In the final stage of the race a nail-biting duel ensued between Mike Rockenfeller in the leading R10 TDI and Pedro Lamy in the Peugeot. Lamy vehemently attacked Rockenfeller, took a shortcut in the chicane and, a lap later, hit the Audi’s left front wheel in a second attempt. Nine laps before race end, Rockenfeller therefore had to make an unscheduled pit stop to have his front left wheel changed. This cost Audi their victory.

The collision caused many discussions because, at that time, a stop-and-go-penalty had already been announced against Pedro Lamy for overtaking during a yellow flag period. This would have automatically played victory into the hands of the Audi squad.

For Prémat/Rockenfeller, consolation came with the lead in the drivers’ standings of the Le Mans Series. After finishing as the runner-up twice, they have a two-point advantage over the Peugeot pairing of Marc Gené/Nicolas Minassian.

The second Audi R10 TDI with Dindo Capello and Allan McNish lost all chances for victory at Monza as early as in the starting stage of the race when Capello was entangled in a collision at high speed. His right rear tyre was slit in the incident. Capello was lucky that his car did not roll over in the vehement crash against the guard rails.

The Italian was not injured in the accident. Yet again the Audi R10 TDI’s robustness was proved: within only fourteen and a half minutes, the heavily damaged vehicle was repaired by Audi Sport Team Joest. From 42nd place, Capello/McNish recovered to fifth. Just a few minutes before the race was over, a puncture caused them to drop to sixth position.