Audi uncomfortable in Shanghai

Audi suffered at Fuji, and the Chinese weekend seems to be off to a still complicated start for the LM P1-H in Ingolstadt. The fault lies with an R18 e-tron quattro suffering on a fairly narrow track and with long straight lines which highlight a power deficit for the German clan.

“We expected a smaller gap compared to the first ones, explains Dr Ullrich, head of Audi Motorsport. But we lack power on the long straights where we lose a lot of time. Unfortunately, there are no fast corners where we can use our downforce. However, we hope to have a chance to significantly improve our race performance compared to qualifying thanks to good work without any errors and consistent times. »

The task of the No. 1 Audi, the best placed car on the rings in fifth position, was partly complicated by contact with an LM P2 at the start of the session. “It was a bit strange that an LMP2 hit me in the back on the first lap, declares the Frenchman Loïc duval. Fortunately, our car was not damaged. Since Austin, we have struggled a bit in terms of performance. However, we are satisfied with our work. We have to wait and see how the tires perform on Sunday. I think in that regard we can be a little better than some. I hope we can make up some ground in the race. »