Audi re-captures lead in Le Mans Series

Audi has taken the lead of the manufacturers’ championship of the European Le Mans Series at the 1000-kilometre race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium). The two Audi youngsters Alexandre Prémat (26/France) and Mike Rockenfeller (24/Germany) in their Audi R10 TDI finished the third race of the season again in second place, thus going to the "Audi home round” at the Nürburgring on 17 August with the same points score as the Peugeot drivers Marc Gené and Nicolas Minassian.

In brilliant sunshine and summer temperatures, the spectators in the Belgian Ardennes witnessed another captivating fight between the diesel sportscars of Audi and Peugeot. A possible first victory of the Audi R10 TDI in the Le Mans Series was prevented by two collisions of the Audi that had started from the first row with the competition from the Peugeot camp.

As early as in the starting phase and fight for second place, there was body contact between Allan McNish and the attacking Peugeot driven by Nicolas Minassian. In the incident the valve of the R10 TDI’s left rear wheel broke off. The early unscheduled pit stop cost almost a minute.

Despite this setback Allan McNish and Dindo Capello, thanks to quick lap times and a good strategy of Audi Sport Team Joest, were back within striking distance to the leading Peugeot when Alexander Wurz in the second Peugeot, at the beginning of the third hour, collided with a GT2 vehicle and then violently hit the rear of Capello’s car. The necessary repair cost three laps and caused the R10 TDI to drop to position twelve. Three further minutes were lost by car #1 due to a stop-and-go penalty for disregarding the red light at the pit lane exit.

Capello/McNish pushed and recovered to fourth place, thus contributing their share to Audi’s re-capturing of the lead in the manufacturers’ championship of the Le Mans Series. Audi now ranks one point ahead of title defender Peugeot.

The race of the other Audi R10 TDI went without any major incidents. Alexandre Prémat and Mike Rockenfeller in their third race of the Le Mans Series again took second place, thus standing on the podium for the third time in a row.