Le Mans: Audi favorite according to Quesnel

Very clever is he who dares to venture into any prediction for the next 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since the start of the season, Audi and Peugeot have only faced each other once, during the 1000 km of Spa at the beginning of May. Victory then went to the French manufacturer, who even managed to achieve a double. But in the Belgian Ardennes, the “new” R15 plus were in the aerodynamic Le Mans configuration. It is therefore difficult to draw lessons from this one and only confrontation.

Next Sunday, the big week at Le Mans will begin with the traditional technical checks. The tension is rising, but at Peugeot we are confident, sure of our strengths as the Lion brand has dominated the last 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite this success, the 908 HDi FAP continued to grind down the tarmac tirelessly, aiming to achieve a second victory in a row. Tire tests, long-term simulations as well as Petit Le Mans, 12 Hours of Sebring and 1000 km of Spa. During these three events, the result was always the same: a double. It should also be noted that at the end of the year, the 908 will be able to retire with a track record including the three biggest endurance events on the planet.

This year, the crews have been reshuffled. David Brabham, under Highcroft contract, and Christian Klien, who preferred to try his luck until the end in F1, will not be there. On number 1 we will find the Austrian Alexander Wurz and the Spaniard Marc Gené, the two outgoing winners being supported by the Briton Anthony Davidson, a new arrival within the French team. But the ex-Super Aguri driver adapted very quickly to his new mount, notably winning the 12 Hours of Sebring in March. Number 2 will see three French drivers take turns, Franck Montagny, Stéphane Sarrazin and Nicolas Minassian. Certainly the fastest trio, it is a safe bet that it is this car which will be responsible for seeking pole position, with Stéphane Sarrazin at the wheel. The ex-Subaru driver in WRC will aim to set the best qualifying time for the fourth year in a row. Finally, the car marked with number 3 will welcome the Sarthois Sébastien Bourdais, his compatriot simon pagenaud and the Portuguese Pedro Lamy. Three crews able to compete for the top step of the podium.

But at Audi, we worked a lot during the off-season to give birth to the R15 plus, which is in reality a major evolution of the model seen last year. Logic would dictate that in pure speed, the German car is a little faster than its French counterpart, whose first participation in the Le Mans classic dates back to 2007. For Olivier Quesnel, there is no doubt, Dr Ullrich's team is indeed the big favorite of the 78th edition of the Le Mans classic.

“Our victory at the 24 2009 Hours of Le Mans brought us a certain peace of mind, declares the Director of Peugeot Sport. We actually had the impression of having our backs against the wall last year. We still have this pressure but this time it helps us move forward positively. It's the biggest race in the world and beating Audi, which was the benchmark manufacturer in endurance, gave us great pride. We have made every effort to prepare well and to win, but everyone knows that anything can happen in such a long race and, despite all the work that has been done, it is Le Mans which will decide its winner. I'm expecting a race of enormous intensity because I'm sure our main competitor has improved. We had a glimpse of it in Spa. And we must not overlook the other cars, including Aston Martin who have been faster in Vmax since last year, which sometimes forces our drivers to take some risks when overtaking. We have a car that is in its fourth year of operation and as such, we are repositioning ourselves as a challenger, despite being the outgoing winner?

To get an idea of ​​the performances of the two protagonists, you will have to wait until the first hours of racing on Saturday June 12. The first laps on the 24 Hours circuit will take place on Wednesday, but it is possible that Peugeot and Audi will not immediately reveal their real potential.
The 78th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans should offer us an exceptional spectacle.

Don't miss our Guide to the 24 2010 Hours of Le Mans, currently on newsstands, including interviews with Alexander Wurz, Stéphane Sarrazin and Sébastien Bourdais, the three road captains of the official Peugeot 908 HDi FAP.