Le Mans – Tréluyer: “An equation with many unknowns”

At the end of a suspenseful 2011 edition, Benoît Tréluyer won his first 24 Hours of Le Mans, at the wheel of an Audi R18 TDI shared with André Lotterer and Marcel Fässler. This year, the Frenchman is obviously aiming for the pass of two. How could it be otherwise for an outgoing champion defending the interests of Audi, the big favorite for his own succession? Yes, but this year, Benoît and his German and Swiss acolytes have an R18 e-tron quattro, a brand new diesel-electric hybrid LM P1. For its first outing, at Spa on May 5, the beauty showed very encouraging signs in terms of performance, although beaten in the race by its almost twin sister, the R18 ultra. On the test day, Sunday June 3, the two Audi R18 e-tron quattros, however, regained the upper hand, monopolizing the first two lines of the timesheet. This is why on the eve of free practice and the first qualifying session, Benoît is confident.

“I think we are going to experience a great race and a real challenge, He says. The R18 e-tron quattro is a really good car, still young but very mature too. Naturally, we hope to be in a position to fight again for the top step of the podium. After winning last year, we know we can do it. But such a race always constitutes an equation with many unknowns?.

Indeed, to win, you will have to overcome the two R18 ultras, two Toyota TS030 and the other R18 e-tron quattro. A mission far from easy. But if he succeeds, the native of Alençon will mark the history of the Le Mans classic even further, by registering his name on the list for the second time in a row, and by becoming the first in history to win a so-called car hybrid.