Audi: “One goal, victory!” »

Last June, Audi achieved a magnificent hat-trick at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since then the R15 plus TDI have not been seen in competition. Next weekend, on the occasion of the first round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup contested at Silverstone, the brand with the rings will emerge, certainly for the last time in Europe, the winner of the last edition of the Le Mans classic. . In Sarthe, the cars from Ingolstadt, although less speedy than their French rivals, had established themselves thanks to their flawless reliability.

“During the shorter races offered by the ILMC, we will not be able to rely only on this factor, explains Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. The performance must also be there. Although we will have to face very strong opponents, and before Silverstone we will not know exactly where we are with our R15 plus with more downforce, we will, as always, only have one goal : victory ".

The Audi Sport Team Joest therefore went to the Lausitzring Eurospeedway last week, in order to test the R15 plus, whose aerodynamic configuration for the ILMC is somewhat different from that adopted at Le Mans, the circuits of Silverstone, Road Atlanta and Zuhai requiring greater downforce.

Two cars will be at the start, to face the two Peugeot 908 (an official one for Minassian-Davidson adding to that of the Oreca Matmut team of Stone-Sarrazin in Great Britain).

The Audi R15 plus sporting the number 7 will be entrusted to Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish, the spearheads of the German team for ILMC. It should be noted that the Scottish elf has already won three times at the 1000 Km of Silverstone, always in an Audi, in 2004, 2005 and 2008.

“I always love racing at Silverstone, says McNish. In fact, I took part in my first race there, and I have won every configuration on the circuit since. I only saw the new route on television. It still seems quite long, with a fast section from Copse to Club, then a slower one on the way back to the finish line. It could be more complicated to find the right settings. I am confident that, as always, it will make for an exciting race.”

“After suffering from the Achilles tendon at the beginning of the year, I am very happy that my second career as a full-time sports-proto driver begins now, continues Dane Kristensen. I have only driven there twice, the last in 2000 in BTCC. The track has changed a little since then, with new sections that seem difficult.

The sister car, number 8, will have a crew made up of Dindo Capello and Timo Bernhard, winner at Le Mans in June.

“I am happy that after this feat at Le Mans, Audi has selected me again this season, declares the latter. I am the youngest on the team and I think we will form a good team with Dindo. Silverstone is new to me behind the wheel of the car, but it was not a problem, neither at Le Mans nor at Spa. "Silverstone marks the start of a new era for the sport, and I'm delighted to be part of it."

Capello will try to add a second victory at the 1000 km of Silverstone to his record after that gleaned in 2008.

“I have never had such a long summer break in my entire career, affirms the Italian. After almost three months I am delighted to sit in the seat of the Audi R15 again. Although our competitors are very well prepared and have more experience than us with their cars with a lot of downforce, I am confident we will be on an equal footing.

Victorious at the 8 Hours of Le Castellet and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi will be keen to achieve a third victory this season, even if it will be very difficult to overcome a Peugeot team certainly more motivated than ever after its defeat in Le Mans land.