Vorsprung durch Technik www.audi-motorsport.info MediaInfo Le Mans 2006 AUDI AG Communication Motorsport D-85045 Ingolstadt Phone: +49 (0)841/ 89 34 200 Fax: +49 (0)841/ 89 38 617 E-Mail: [email protected] Foreword / Content Foreword Content On 17/18 June 2006, the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi at Le Mans .......................................................................4 probably the world’s toughest and most fascinating Audi Sport ................................................................................6 car race and one of the greatest challenges to be Audi TDI Power ........................................................................8 confronted in motorsport, will be held for the 74th time. The Audi R10 TDI .................................................................. 10 The Audi R10 TDI drivers ..................................................... 18 The challenge is even greater for AUDI AG this Audi Sport Team Joest ........................................................ 32 time than in previous years: Audi fights for overall Media event Le Mans ........................................................... 34 victory at Le Mans as the first ever automobile The vehicle categories at Le Mans ..................................... 36 manufacturer with a Diesel engine. The Le Mans week in sequence, schedule ........................ 38 The Le Mans circuit .............................................................. 40 We would like to provide you with all the interesting Entry list ................................................................................ 46 facts about the new Audi R10 TDI and the factory Features ................................................................................ 48 programme in the 24 Hours of Le Audi Partners at Le Mans .................................................... 56 Mans with this topical booklet. Le Mans history, results, winners ....................................... 60 History: Audi in Motorsport ................................................ 66 Audi Communication Motorsport ...................................... 70 Jürgen Pippig AUDI AG Communication Head of Motorsport 2 3 Audi at Le Mans The chance to write motorsport history Audi has already won the legendary 24 Hours of Ullrich wants to continue this winning streak. However, the The V12 power plant fitted in the R10 TDI produces for Audi Sport Team Joest, which enters both cars. Le Mans five times with the R8. If you include the challenge this time around is bigger than ever before, with 650 hp. Even more remarkable is the maximum torque 30,000 test kilometres were reeled off, on top of this Bentley victory during the 2003 season with the Audi aiming to become the first automobile manufacturer of more than 1100 Newton metres. Tyres, clutch and comes approximately 1,500 hours on the engine Speed 8, for which Audi Sport developed the TFSI to claim an outright Le Mans victory with a Diesel engine. gearbox must come to terms, just like the drivers, with dynamometer. During the preparation phase Audi Sport engine, then Audi technology is unbeaten at the That this target is extremely ambitious, but in these enormous forces – and all this for 24-hours. left absolutely nothing to chance and now has the world’s most demanding car race since 2000. no way unrealistic, which was proven by Audi in With Frank Biela, Dindo Capello, Le Mans record winner opportunity to write motorsport history on 17/18 June. March when the new R10 TDI won the 12-hour race Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish, Emanuele Pirro and Marco “However, we also know just how ambitious this goal is Victorious début at Sebring at Sebring (USA) first time out on its début – an Werner six seasoned campaigners compete for Audi and that you need ‘lady luck’ on your side at Le Mans,” The team under Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang impressive demonstration of Audi TDI Power. who all know how to win at Le Mans. The same goes stresses Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. The new Audi R10 TDI is the first Diesel sportscar to have a chance of taking overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans Audi wrote a new chapter in Le Mans history in 2002: Following the third victory in a row Prof Dr Martin Winterkorn was awarded the Le Mans Trophy 4 >> Audi has celebrated 5 wins in seven outings at Le Mans since 1999 5 Audi Sport Audi R10 TDI – made by Audi Sport Siegfried Krause Wolfgang Appel Ulrich Baretzky Head of Commercial Head of Vehicle Head of Engine Just like all new Audi race cars the R10 TDI was also Technical Development ensures the technology transfer Motorsport Technology Technology developed by Audi Sport. The Audi Sport headquarters from motorsport to production vehicles and vice versa. is located in Ingolstadt, where the majority of the near 150-member squad works. From Ingolstadt, DTM and R10 TDI to run parallel Dr Wolfgang Ullrich coordinates the motorsport Every project initiated by Audi Sport so far has Dr Wolfgang Ullrich Head of Audi Motorsport, commitments of AUDI AG and the Lamborghini and lead to victories or even championship titles. Head of Audi Sport SEAT divisions, which are part of the Audi brand Trying to be successful in both the DTM and with group. Since 1993 the native Austrian has been Head the project of the new Audi R10 TDI diesel sportscar Franz Braun Dr Gunter Forbriger Wolfgang Riegelsberger Head of Workshop Project Leader Engine Technical Project of Audi Motorsport and Head of Audi Sport. at the same time is not only logistically a big Technology R10 TDI Leader R10 TDI Audi Sport is primarily responsible for development and challenge – the “double mission” also demands testing of the racing vehicles. The connection to AUDI AG’s maximum performance from all employees. Christian Weck Florian Zitzlsperger Dr Christian John Dr Ernst Kober Project leader International Partnerships, Team Doctor Team Doctor Organisation R10 TDI Sponsoring The Audi Sport team with the first R10 TDI. In the cockpit Frank Biela who also completed the roll-out on 29 November 2005 6 >> Approximately 150 employees are working at Audi Sport for the DTM and R10 TDI projects 7 Audi TDI Power Current production car highlight: TDI Power for racing from the inventors of TDI The V8 4.2 TDI producing 326 hp That Audi is the world’s first automobile manufacturer the world’s first diesel engine with direct injection the opposites of sporting-dynamic and long-range to compete for overall victory at the legendary and complete electronic engine management for through low consumption in an emotional way down 24 Hours of Le Mans with a diesel engine and is, use in passenger cars – a five-cylinder TDI producing to a common denominator, without neglecting the as a result, a step ahead of the competition is 120 hp and 265 Newton metres torque. It was the diesel’s exceptional reputation: its long-life. almost self-explanatory: Audi is the inventor of the birth of the revolutionary TDI technology which TDI and therefore the trend setter in this area. helped the diesel to change its image: Slow, loud and Every second Audi is a TDI uncultivated were superseded by agile, comfortable Today every second Audi is delivered with a TDI engine – Audi customers benefit from motorsport At the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show, Audi presented and extremely economical. The Audi TDI brought the outlook is bright. Audi has constantly set new technical With the V12 TDI for Le Mans, Audi demonstrates standards during the development of the TDI engines over impressively just how much potential TDI technology the last 16-years. The current highlight is the Audi V8 4.2 has. The Audi customers will once again benefit TDI quattro with 326 hp and 650 Newton metres torque from the experience gained in motorsport as With the R10 TDI, Audi brings TDI Power to the race track which today can be found in every second Audi road car (the A8 4.2 TDI is pictured) – one of the most powerful compression ignition engines they did from the R8 and the quattro models. found in a production limousine – and all this whilst complying with the EU 4 emission limits and with an average fuel consumption of 9.4 litres per 100 kilometres. 8 >> Audi unveiled the first Diesel engine for a road car with direct injection as early as 1989 9 The Audi R10 TDI The greatest challenge for Audi Sport to date A first glance at the new Audi R10 TDI, which Sport”. TDI-Technology was never pushed to its limits in with TDI Power in the most technologically interesting factor with regard to durability, since the transmission celebrated a victorious debut at the 12-hour race in racing. Audi is the first automobile manufacturer to have motorsport category found around the globe today. is subject to extremely-high loads at Le Mans. Sebring in March, reveals the family genes of the accepted the challenge. In addition, the Audi R10 TDI super successful R8 predecessor. It is not only the is the first sportscar that was developed in accordance Greater forces than in Formula 1 Wheelbase comparable to Audi Q7 engine in the R10 TDI that is a new development. with the new ACO (Automobile Club de l‘Ouest) LM P1 The heart of the Audi R10 TDI is a V12 TDI engine, which Some radical measures were also necessary on Audi went new ways in the design of the chassis. regulations. That’s why the Audi Sport technicians did not has the maximum permissible capacity of 5.5-litres the chassis side. When compared to the R8 the Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich describes only have to prepare themselves for the peculiarities of TDI allowed at Le Mans. With over 650 hp and more than 1100 Audi R10 TDI has a significantly longer wheelbase, the task of developing a Diesel sportscar for the 24 Hours Technology, but also to exploit the specifications dictated Newton metres torque, Audi breaks new ground for Diesel which is actually comparable with that of the new of Le Mans as “the greatest challenge ever trusted to Audi by the new regulations, in order to set new benchmarks engines, which make enormous demands of the R10 TDI Performance-SUV Audi Q7.