Le Mans – Only victory mattered for Audi

Undefeated since 2010 in Sarthe before appearing at the start of the 83rd edition of 24 Hours of Le Mans last Saturday, the Audi brand ceded the spotlight to its rival Porsche, the latter signing a 17th success in Le Mans thanks to the 919 Hybrid n°19 of Nico Hulkenberg ? Nick Tandy and Earl Bamber.

A triumph (the Zuffenhausen firm even achieving the double) which rewards Porsche's investment since its return to Endurance last year. Facing its German neighbor, Audi experienced a challenge punctuated by several incidents, technical or racing (with the accident of Loïc duval), which slowed him down in his quest for a 14th victory. “We had a good race. We had some little problems, it's true, but we gave everything, and took risks, confessed Benoît Tréluyer, triple winner of the event in 2011, 2013 and 2014 and nevertheless enthusiastic about getting on the podium. « Only victory matters. » concluded André Lotterer.

“We had the speed to win, but the quality of our preparations, or bad luck, prevented us from winning. Faced with a competitor like Porsche, we cannot be satisfied. » added Ulrich Baretzky, head of the Audi Sport engine department. The Ingolstadt firm will now put all its strength into the fight for the world title, a race where Porsche regained control after Le Mans, with a 16-point lead over Audi.

Find the full report and analysis of the 24 2015 Hours of Le Mans, produced by our special correspondents in Sarthe, in the 2016 issue of AUTOhebdo, available in digital version and on newsstands.