Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, round 1 in Hockenheim

Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, round 1 in Hockenheim

First pole position goes to Robert Renauer

Stuttgart. A surprising start to the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland: After many changes at the top of the time charts, Robert Renauer snatched the first pole position of the new season in his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup with 1:41.822 minutes. Driving for Herberth Motorsport, the German not only relegated last year’s pole-sitter, Nick Tandy (Great Britain), to the second grid by 0.247 seconds, but also many other former champions of Porsche one-make race series down the grid. Particularly disappointed was title defender Nicolas Armindo (France), who only qualified on ninth position due to a driving error.

This marks the second pole position for 26-year-old Robert Renauer, now in his seventh year of contesting Germany’s fastest brand trophy series. His first pole was in the 2009 season when Renauer was the fastest in qualifying in Barcelona but only saw the flag in second. Victory still eludes him. But when tomorrow’s race takes off at 10.20am for the sprint over 18 laps on the 4.574 kilometre Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg circuit, many race drivers will be determined to prevent his maiden win.

One is reigning vice-champion Tandy from Konrad Motorsport, who is eager to repeat his win from last year. Behind the five-time season winner of 2010, Carrera Cup returnee Nicki Thiim (Hermes Attempto Racing) made an impressive start to the season with third position. The 22-year-old Dane, son of former DTM champion Kurt Thiim, contested the 2009 Carrera Cup and achieved fifth overall at the end of that season. Taking up the season-opening race in fourth alongside Thiim is René Rast (Germany, Förch Racing). The 24-year-old was champion of the Carrera Cup in 2008 and last year celebrated his title win of the international Porsche Mobil1 Supercup.

The fifth spot on the grid went to 21-year-old Stefan Wendt. Driving for Attempto Racing, the German was the best newcomer in the 450 hp Cup-Porsche last year. As a highlight, he celebrated fifth at the race in Great Britain. Wendt shares the grid row with another Carrera Cup returnee, Jan Seyffarth (Germany, SMS Seyffarth Motorsport). The 24-year-old secured runner-up honours in the 2008 Carrera Cup and now heads into his fifth season after a year’s break.

The fourth grid row is occupied by two former Porsche brand trophy series champions. Jeroen Bleekemolen won the Supercup in 2008/2009, Uwe Alzen the Carrera Cup in 1992/2007 and the Supercup in 1994. Both the Dutchman, who joins the Deutsche Post by tolimit squad this season, and the German are tactically clever and very strong race drivers. Alzen has entered his own team for the first time under the name of ‘PZ Aschaffenburg Uwe Alzen Automotive’. Title defender Nicolas Armindo (Hermes Attempto Racing) and Austria’s Clemens Schmid (Herberth Motorsport) round off the top ten qualifiers.

Carrera Cup fans that cannot witness the race directly from the track can follow the action via live-streaming on the official Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland website (www.porsche.de/carreracup).

Robert Renauer (pole-sitter): “I’m pleased because that was the best lap I’ve even managed to do here in Hockenheim. Not one skid or slide in the slightest. The key to success was probably that I had a very fast guy in front of me – Nick Tandy. In each corner I could get a little closer to him under braking.”

Nick Tandy (2nd in qualifying): “I’m very surprised about Robert’s fantastic lap time, you can only congratulate him. But I’m still very pleased with my second grid spot and hope that I succeed in fighting for victory tomorrow.”
Nicki Thiim (3rd in qualifying): “It’s a very emotional moment for me to come back after a year and immediately achieve third in qualifying – that’s just amazing. I took the last corner too fast and ran a little wide, otherwise I could have perhaps set pole.”


Qualifying result:
1. Robert Renauer (D), Herberth Motorsport, 1:41.882 minutes
2. Nick Tandy (GB), Konrad Motorsport, + 0.247 seconds
3. Nicki Thiim (DK), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 0.252
4. René Rast (D), Förch Racing, + 0.374
5. Stefan Wendt (D), Attempto Racing, + 0.403
6. Jan Seyffarth (D), SMS Seyffarth Motorsport, + 0.440
7. Jeroen Bleekemolen (NL), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, + 0.465
8. Uwe Alzen (D), PZ Aschaffenburg Uwe Alzen Automotive, + 0.551
9. Nicolas Armindo (F), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 0.586
10. Clemens Schmid (A), Herberth Motorsport, + 1.659



Public Relations and Media
Motor and Sports Press
Oliver Hilger

Into the final straight

There’ll be more than a hint of this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans lingering in the air at Spa-Francorchamps! Although the Belgian track bears little resemblance to Le Mans, the second round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup will serve as a dress rehearsal for the year’s most important race. For the first time this season, the Team Peugeot Total line-up will feature all three official Peugeot 908s and its nine works drivers.

Le Mans moves into sight

This year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans is on everyone’s mind now. With six weeks to go to this major event, the test day held on 24 April offered Team Peugeot Total the chance to acquire the data necessary to arrive at Le Mans with optimised race cars. The second race on the ILMC calendar is traditionally seen as an opportunity to fine-tune the team’s preparations. The three Peugeot 908s and the nine drivers therefore have two targets: prepare for Le Mans without taking any risks and pick up ILMC points, as reiterated by Olivier Quesnel, Peugeot Sport Director. “The ILMC season got underway with a podium spot at Sebring, after an intense 12-hour race. The conditions were perfect to prepare for our main target of the year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since then, the cars have had a lot of track time in private testing. The test day really got us into the mood at Le Mans; competing in this race at Spa-Francorchamps is the best way of checking that our racing reflexes are well and truly in place. The entire team will be at the event. We will be working in the same conditions that we’ll have in Le Mans. The ILMC is an important goal for us; however, we not going to go after the race win at any cost, just a few weeks away from Le Mans. Above all, we need to make it to the end of the 1,000 kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps with all three cars intact and a host of additional information. If we manage that, Peugeot will undoubtedly come away with a serious haul of points. »

A sensational racetrack

Unbeaten here since 2007, Team Peugeot Total were especially successful in 2010, recording a one-two at the 1,000 kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps, the race won by Sébastien Bourdais, Simon Pagenaud and Pedro Lamy, followed by Franck Montagny and Stéphane Sarrazin in second. The 2011 official driver line-ups are identical to 2010: Peugeot 908 No.7 (blue rear-view mirrors): Anthony Davidson, Marc Gené and Alexander Wurz Peugeot 908 No.8 (white rear-view mirrors): Nicolas Minassian, Franck Montagny and Stéphane Sarrazin Peugeot 908 No.9 (red rear-view mirrors): Sébastien Bourdais, Pedro Lamy and Simon Pagenaud In addition to these three official cars, there is a fourth Peugeot run by Team Oreca. The 908 HDi FAP 2010, in 2011 configuration, is the current championship leader thanks to the race win at Sebring, with the driver team Lapierre-Duval-Panis.

Technical configuration

“The Spa-Francorchamps track is one that is very much appreciated by drivers, because it is unique and very demanding in terms of driving", explains Bruno Famin, Peugeot Sport’s Technical Director. “However, we know from experience that it is totally unlike Le Mans in terms of set-up. The track surface is different and the constraints are not the same. We are nonetheless going to adopt a configuration close to the one we’ll use at Le Mans. After the test day, we have a large portion of the data necessary to prepare for Le Mans. We are treating the Spa-Francorchamps round more like a dress rehearsal geared towards fine-tuning the organisation and getting into a racing mindset, where there is no room for error. The line-up will be more or less the same as at Le Mans. We are entering our three cars. After its long endurance runs of over 7,000 kilometres, the No.7 car has been reconditioned whereas the Nos. 8 and 9 cars will have the technical configuration used at the test day. After all the practice sessions that we have done so far, it’ll be nice for everyone to enjoy the racing atmosphere again, and arrive at the 24 Hours of Le Mans prepared, ready to race.”

Follow all the action from the 1,000 kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps: Web TV
To follow all the action from the 1,000 kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps, with the race due to start on Saturday 7 May at 2pm, Peugeot Sport will be setting up its Web TV service, visible on the website: www.peugeot-sport.com. You can enjoy an insider’s view, with onboard camera footage, coverage from the Peugeot pits and of the race itself.

But that's not all:

Peugeot Sport iPhone app
twitter.com/peugeotsport

Schedule for the 1,000 kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps

Thursday 5 May 2011
12.20pm – 1.20pm: Free practice
2.45pm – 3.10pm: Press meeting at the Peugeot Sport hospitality area
4.55pm – 5.55pm: Free practice
Friday 6 May 2011
11.50am – 12.50pm: Free practice
4.20pm – 4.40pm: LMP1/LMP2 qualifying

Saturday 7 May 2011
9.55am – 10.15am: Warm up
2pm – 8pm: 1,000 kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps

ILMC standings before Spa:

Manufacturers :
1. Peugeot, 27 points
2. Audi, 17 points

Teams :
1. Team Oreca Matmut, 15 points
2. Team Peugeot Total, 12 points
3. Audi Sport Team Joest, 9 points
4. Rebellion Racing, 6 points

Peugeot in Belgium
With sales of 188,027 cars in the first quarter of 2011, Peugeot Belgium is the third-best selling brand in Belgium, with a market share of 9.4%. Peugeot has 240 sales outlets in Belgium. The main best-selling Peugeot models in the country are 207, Partner, Tepee, 308, 3008 and 5008. The new 508 has been on sale since the end of March.

Info and Fotos: Peugeot Sport/For acreditated and autorized media press.

TWO WEEKS TO THE WTCC RACE OF ITALY

TWO WEEKS TO THE WTCC RACE OF ITALY
After Belgium hosted the first European race meeting of the season at Zolder, the World Touring Car Championship will resume in two weeks at Monza, for rounds 5 and 6 of 24.
The Italian event will take place on May 14^th and 15^th, but it will be preceded by a one-day test on Thursday, May 12^th.
In a tentative schedule, WTCC competitors are due to have five sessions of one hour each at their disposal, between 9.00 and 18.00. This will be especially important for Polestar Racing and SUNRED Engineering that have both planned to benefit from the day for completing the first proper test with their new 1.6L turbo engines.
Another important aspect of the event in Monza is that the compensation weight system will be applied for the first time this season in order to balance performance on the track. The weight list for the different model cars - based on the lap times set in the two previous events at Curitiba and Zolder - will be communicated soon by the FIA.

The WTCC will resume in two weeks at Italy's Autodromo di Monza

IBRAHIM OKYAY COMES BACK IN MONZA
Multiple Turkish touring car champion Ibrahim Okyay will return to WTCC on the occasion of the series' next event at Monza.
Okyay will be at the wheel of a BMW 320si car run by the Borusan Otomotiv Motorsport.
The 41-year old from Istanbul claimed five national touring car titles (1999, 2001, 2007, 2009 and 2010) and was a regular competitor in the 2008 FIA World Touring Car Championship (best result 10^th at Macau) and the 2010 FIA European Touring Car Cup (4^th in the Super 2000 Class).
"Although we managed to achieve brilliant results in the ETCC and in Turkey, we are aware of how difficult is to be successful in the WTCC. I don't think that the BMW 320si may be competitive against the 1.6 turbo cars. But it's good to be back in the World Championship, because our plan is to compete in the whole season in 2012 and the races in Monza will help us to understand where we are," Okyay said.

Turkish touring car champion Ibrahim Okyay is ready for WTCC comeback

YOKOHAMA TROPHY PROVIDES THRILLING SHOW Competitors of the Yokohama Trophy are providing a thrilling show inside the WTCC show. In Zolder both races were decided by extremely close battles. In the first one, Kristian Poulsen claimed his second victory of the season, beating newcomer Norbert Michelisz by a tight margin; after the 15-lap race the best five drivers - Poulsen, Michelisz, Michel Nykjær, Javier Villa, Darryl O'Young and Pepe Oriola - were all covered by less than five seconds. In the second race, with Poulsen eliminated by a contact with Tiago Monteiro, O'Young grabbed his first win in the new Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T. The high level of the competition in the trophy was clearly proved by O'Young and Nykjær who were classified in fourth and fifth positions overall, very close to the podium finishers, and by Villa who posted the fastest lap of the race. The trophy classification is also very close, with Poulsen leading by only three points ahead of the Villa- Nykjær duo. Info and Fotos: WTCC.com /Fabio Ravaioli./for acreditated and autorized media press.

First racing commitment of the Audi R18 TDI

First racing commitment of the Audi R18 TDI

• Le Mans “dress rehearsal” at the 1000-kilometer race at Spa (Belgium)
• Record field comprising 60 sports prototypes and GT cars
• Audi Sport Team Joest competes with three cars

Ingolstadt, April 29, 2011 – Now the action will begin in earnest. After thousands
of test kilometers including the recent test day at Le Mans, the new Audi R18 TDI
is ready for its first race. At the 1000-kilometer race at Spa-Francorchamps
(Belgium) on May 7, Audi Sport Team Joest will perform its “dress rehearsal” for
the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The racing debut of a new race car is always a very special event and Audi Sport has
good experiences in this regard. Since 2000 every new sports prototype of the brand
with the four rings has won its first race. In 2000, 2006 and 2009 Sebring in Florida
(USA) was the venue of the respective debut victories of the R8, R10 TDI and R15
TDI models. The updated R15 TDI, internally designated as “R15 plus,” won its
maiden race as well, at Le Castellet (France).
Now Spa-Francorchamps is the track to see the debut of the latest LMP1 sports car
made by Audi which turns the company’s ultra-lightweight technology into a visual
experience and which is equipped with a new type of ultra-compact V6 TDI engine.
The circuit in the Belgian Ardennes region is seen as particularly demanding and
therefore well suited as the “dress rehearsal” for the season’s pinnacle at Le Mans
on June 11/12. Audi Sport Team Joest learned a lot at Spa-Francorchamps last year
as a month later, Audi celebrated a one-two-three result with the R15 TDI and broke
the 39-year distance record.
The squad led by Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich would again like to
decide the “dress rehearsal” in its favor, given that the 1000-kilometer race at Spa-
Francorchamps is also the second round of the newly incepted Intercontinental Le
Mans Cup (ILMC).

At Spa-Francorchamps speed and reliability will not be the only crucial factors as a
massive 60-car entry comprising of sports prototypes and GT vehicles have entered
the race. Consequently, the 7.004-kilometer track will be extremely packed.
Practice in the Ardennes will start as early as on Thursday. Qualifying is scheduled
for Friday afternoon. The 1000-kilometer race will start at 14:05 on Saturday and
last a maximum of six hours.

Topics of the weekend
• Will the Audi R18 TDI be able to win right away on its debut?
• How will Audi fare in the first comparison with the competition?
• How fuel-efficient will the new V6 TDI engine of the Audi R18 TDI be?
• Will Audi manage the first victory in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup?
• What role will the often changeable weather in the Ardennes play?
• How many spectators will turn out for the Audi R18 TDI’s race debut?
Quotes by the officials
Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “We want to mainly use the race
at Spa-Francorchamps again to prepare for Le Mans. It’s important for the teams to
develop a feeling of working together in a racing situation before going to Le Mans.
We’ve already started to work on this at our 30-hour endurance run at Le Castellet
and the test day at Le Mans. But Spa also gives us a first assessment of where we
stand compared with the competition. For us the 1000-kilometer race is a very
important preparatory race for the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours.”
Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest): “The 1000-kilometer race
at Spa is an ILMC round, which makes it very significant for us since we’re contesting
the whole ILMC season. Spa is the second round after Sebring. We’re running behind
in the championship and want to score as many points as possible. Our aim, very
clearly, is to try and equalize Peugeot’s advantage or to take the lead ourselves.
Naturally, for us Spa is also a ‘dress rehearsal’ for the Le Mans 24 Hours, so it serves
a dual purpose.”

Facts and quotes by the Audi drivers
Timo Bernhard (30/D), Audi R18 TDI #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest)
• Clinched position two on the grid in last year’s qualifying at Spa
“I’m looking forward to the first race with the new Audi R18 TDI. I’ve got
particularly fond memories of Spa from last year. We had good qualifying there in
2010 because I put the car on the front row of the grid. Although in the end we only
finished fifth, the race helped us a lot to prepare for Le Mans. Achieving a great
result this year would be a nice motivation for the whole team. In the end this race
is intended to be our ‘dress rehearsal’ for Le Mans.”
Romain Dumas (33/F), Audi R18 TDI #1
• Won at Le Mans in 2010 together with Timo Bernhard and Mike Rockenfeller
“It’ll be an important race for us for two reasons. We’ve got a lot of learning to do
again. It’s important to be ready for Spa because obviously we want to win. But the
race is also a major practice for Le Mans. Last year we learned a lot. Together with
Timo (Bernhard) and Mike (Rockenfeller) I gained a great deal of self-confidence.
We did a good job of working together and preparing at Spa – with respect to quick
driver changes, for example. I’m hoping that we’ll have the same situation again
this year.”
Mike Rockenfeller (27/D), Audi R18 TDI #1
• Will race at the DTM season opener at Hockenheim one week before Spa
• Finished Spa in 2008 as the runner-up in the Audi R10 TDI
“I’m really looking forward to driving the Audi R18 TDI for the first time in racing
conditions. We’re all very excited to see where we stand. We put a lot of work into
the car during the winter. It’s great to see it on the track for the first time now. I’m
happy that after Sebring, where we ran with the R15 TDI, we can now race the new
car.”
Marcel Fässler (34/CH), Audi R18 TDI #2
• Was the 2006 runner-up at Spa in a Courage
• Also knows the track from numerous runs in 24-hour races
“I’m looking forward to this first race in the Audi R18 TDI at Spa with eager
anticipation. This track is a challenge, it’s like it was built for sports cars. It has
really great sections with very fast turns such as Eau Rouge and Blanchimont.
Generally speaking, Spa suits me very well. I’ve frequently won there and am always
happy when I get the chance to drive there again.”
André Lotterer (30/D), Audi R18 TDI #2
• Had an accident on the formation lap last year at Spa
“After so many tests and preparations with the new car you’re particularly eager to
drive it at the first race. Spa’s a great track and not far from the place where I grew
up. Last year I spun on the formation lap in difficult conditions. Unfortunately, the
wall there was very close and that meant I destroyed our race. I’ve learned a lesson
from that incident and am sure something like that won’t happen to me again. But
we still managed to prepare well for Le Mans. A good preparation for Le Mans is
again our goal this year.”
Benoît Tréluyer (34/F), Audi R18 TDI #2
• Contested a race in Japan between the test day at Le Mans and the round at Spa
“For the first time we will drive a closed car in a race. That’s a very special thing. It’s
always fun to begin the season with a new car. That’s why we’re just dying for the
first race. New regulations have come into effect. We’re eager to see the
performance of the vehicle compared with the competition. Naturally, nobody will
have finished their preparations 100 percent, but Spa gives us a small but vital pretaste
of Le Mans.”
Dindo Capello (46/I), Audi R15 TDI #3
• Clinched second place at Spa in 2004 together with Seiji Ara
• Contests the Italian GT Championship this year as well
“On any debut of a brand new car like the Audi R18 TDI it’s difficult to make a
prediction. We’ve been working hard on making this car fast and reliable. Everyone
is optimistic about managing a good result right in the first race. The whole team
knows that Spa is a very beautiful as well as a difficult and demanding track. What’s
more, there will be about 60 cars in the field, which makes the race even more
demanding. For Spa you need a combination of performance and agility. We’re there
to win but we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that our main job is to improve the car
for Le Mans and to prepare for the 24-hour race. Spa’s our only chance to drive the
R18 TDI at a race before the big run in June.”
Tom Kristensen (43/DK), Audi R18 TDI #3
• Won the 1000-kilometer race at Spa in 2003 in the Audi R8
“We’re all looking forward to the ILMC race at Spa. It’s the debut of our Audi R18
TDI, our new baby, on a fantastic race track. Personally, Spa is my favorite track, but
I think all drivers like it. This year there will be 60 cars in the field, so there will be a
lot of traffic on the track. That means You’ve got a car about every 100 meters. It’ll
be a very demanding situation for all the drivers. But we’re looking forward to what
will hopefully be a good ‘dress rehearsal’ for our run at the Le Mans 24 Hours a
month later.”
Allan McNish (41/GB), Audi R18 TDI #3
• Clinched Audi’s only ILMC pole position to date at Silverstone in 2010
“I’m always particularly keen on going to Spa. With a new car like the R18 TDI the
race will be very interesting for us and the fans. It marks the first occasion that all
our main rivals will be on track at the same time, so everyone looks forward to
qualifying with particularly eager anticipation – at least I do. The track is arguably
one of the top three for any driver. The weather at Spa though is usually
unpredictable. Last year it was raining on the grid while the track was bone dry on
the other side. We’ve tested the Audi R18 TDI a lot this year. We understand the
potential of the new car and know that we’ve got to get into a racing situation now
to see how the car performs in different conditions. Tom (Kristensen), Dindo
(Capello) and I are looking forward to being part of the whole action again. We
know from last year that Spa is a replica of Le Mans. We’ll be represented there with
all three race teams. That adds further spice to this race.”
The Audi drivers at Spa-Francorchamps
Timo Bernhard (D): *Feb 24, 1981 in Homburg (D); residence: Dittweiler (D);
married to Katharina; height 1.73 m; weight: 61 kg; Audi driver since 2009; Le Mans
victories: 1; ILMC races: 4; ILMC victories: 0; pole positions: 0; fastest laps: 0; best
result at 1000 km Spa: 5
Dindo Capello (I): *Jun 17, 1964 in Asti (I); residence: Canelli (I); married to
Elisabetta, one son (Giacomo); height: 1.72 m; weight: 66 kg; Audi driver since
1994; Le Mans victories: 3; ILMC races: 4; ILMC victories: 0; pole positions: 0;
fastest laps: 0; best result at 1000 km Spa: 2
Romain Dumas (F): *Dec 14, 1977 in Alès (F); residence: Basel (CH); single; height:
1.74 m; weight: 60 kg; Audi driver since 2009; Le Mans victories: 1; ILMC races: 4;
ILMC victories: 0; pole positions: 0; fastest laps: 0; best result at 1000 km Spa: 5
Marcel Fässler (CH): *May 27,1976 in Einsiedeln (CH); residence: Gross (CH);
married to Isabel, four daughters (Shana, Elin, Yael, Delia); height 1.78 m; weight
78 kg; Audi driver since 2008; Le Mans victories: 0; ILMC races: 1; pole positions: 0;
fastest laps: 0; best result at 1000 km Spa:
Tom Kristensen (DK): *Jul 07, 1967 in Hobro (DK); residence: Monaco (MC); single
(partner Hanne), two sons (Oliver and Oswald) and one daughter (Carla Marlou);
height: 1.74 m; weight: 72 kg; Audi driver since 2000; ILMC races: 4; ILMC victories:
0; pole positions: 0; fastest laps: 0; best result at 1000 km Spa: 1
André Lotterer (D): *Nov 19, 1981 in Duisburg (D); residence: Tokyo (J);
single; height 1.84 m; weight 74 kg; Audi driver since 2010; Le Mans victories: 0;
ILMC races: 1; ILMC victories: 0; pole positions: 0; fastest laps: 0; best result at
1000 km Spa: 12
Allan McNish (GB): *Dec 29, 1969 in Dumfries (GB); residence: Monaco (MC);
married to Kelly, one son (Finlay), one daughter (Charlotte); height: 1.65 m; weight:
58 kg; Audi driver since 2000; Le Mans victories: 2; ILMC races: 4; ILMC victories: 0;
pole positions: 1; fastest laps: 0; best result at 1000 km Spa: 3
Mike Rockenfeller (D): *Oct 31,1983 in Neuwied (D); residence: Altnau (CH); single;
height 1.75 m; weight 67 kg; Audi driver since 2007; Le Mans victories: 1; ILMC
races: 2; ILMC victories: 0; pole positions: 0; fastest laps: 0; best result at 1000 km
Spa: 2
Benoît Tréluyer (F): *Dec 7, 1976 in Alençon (F); residence: Gordes (F); married to
Melanie, 1 son (Jules); height 1.78 m; weight 68 kg; Audi driver since 2010; Le Mans
victories: 0; ILMC races: 1; ILMC victories: 0; pole positions: 0; fastest laps: 0; best
result at 1000 km Spa: 12
All winners of the 1000-kilometer race at Spa-Francorchamps (since 2003)
2003 Ara/Kristensen (Audi)
2004 Herbert/Davies (Audi)
2005 Nielsen/Elgaard/Shimoda (Zytek)
2006 Collard/Boullion (Pescarolo
2007 Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot)
2008 Gené/Minassian/Villeneuve (Peugeot)
2009 Minassian/Pagenaud/Klien (Peugeot)
2010 Lamy/Bourdais/Pagenaud (Peugeot)

Track info
Track length: 7.004 km
Race distance: 1000 kilometers
Qualifying record set on this track: Sébastien Bourdais (Peugeot), May 08,10, 1m
57.884s (213.892 km/h)
Race record set on this track: Franck Montagny (Peugeot), May 09,10, 1m 59.797s
(210.476 km/h)
Pole position 2010: Sébastien Bourdais (Peugeot), May 08,10, 1m 57.884s
(213.892 km/h)
Fastest lap 2010: Franck Montagny (Peugeot), May 09,10, 1m 59.797s (210.476
km/h)
André Lotterer about Spa-Francorchamps: “For me Spa is like a home track because
I grew up just an hour away from there. It’s one of the most beautiful race tracks in
the world. Overtaking is possible right in the first turn, La Source. The famous Eau
Rouge is next. Will we able to take it flat-out in the R18 TDI? In the R15 TDI we still
had to ‘lift’ slightly. The section in front of Les Combes is another good place for
overtaking. The turn drops toward the outside and you’re always a little too fast
there. The Pouhon double left-hander opens up a long way. You’ve got to take a lot
of speed with you. Then the Fagnes high-speed chicane literally flies toward the
driver. It should be possible to drive the Blanchimont passage flat-out if you put
yourself in a good position. The end of the circuit is marked by the slowest corner,
the new chicane in front of the start and finish.”
ILMC LMP1 manufacturers standings after 1 of 7 rounds:
1 Peugeot 27 points; 2 Audi, 17.
ILMC LMP1 team standings after 1 of 7 rounds:
1 Team ORECA Matmut, 15 points; 2 Peugeot Sport Total, 12; 3 Audi Sport Team
Joest, 9; 4 Rebellion Racing, 6.
Schedule (local times; CET)
Thursday, May 5
12:20–13:20 Free practice
16:55–17:55 Free practice
Friday, May 6
11:50–12:50 Free practice
15:50–16:10 Qualifying (GTE vehicles)
16:20–16:40 Qualifying (prototypes)
Saturday, May 7
09:55–10:15 Warm-up
14:05–20:05 Race (1000 kilometers, maximum of 6 hours)

Info and Fotos: Audi Motorsport Communications/ for acreditated and autorized press media.

Le Mans Series / Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, round 2 in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

Le Mans Series / Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, round 2 in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

Eager anticipation for the exacting Ardennes circuit

Stuttgart. Porsche’s works drivers are very much looking forward to round two of the Le Mans Series which takes place on 7 May on the extremely demanding traditional circuit of Spa-Francorchamps. In 2009 and 2010, Marc Lieb (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria) won the sports car class in the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. The race on the circuit in the Ardennes also counts towards round two of the International Le Mans Cup and, with a total of 60 competitors, offers an attractive grid line up.

The race

The 1,000 kilometre race of Spa-Francorchamps has been a permanent fixture on the calendar since the creation of the Le Mans Series in 2004. The sweeping views from the slopes along the track and the exciting show regularly attract large crowds. This year for the first time, the race takes place on Saturday.

The circuit

The 7.004 kilometre Grand Prix circuit is one of the most interesting and challenging race tracks in the world. The first sports car race was held there in 1954. In all those years, the Ardennes rollercoaster has seen many triumphs and tragedies. Particularly notorious is the fast and daunting Eau Rouge corner.

Porsche drivers

Aside from Marc Lieb and Richard Lietz (Felbermayr-Proton), three other Porsche works drivers are contesting the Le Mans Series. Wolf Henzler (Germany) shares the cockpit of IMSA Performance Matmut’s 911 GT3 RSR with Patrick Pilet (France). Like last year, Marco Holzer (Germany) competes for ProSpeed Competition. His teammate is Marc Goossens (Belgium). These pairings contest the GTE-Pro category with the improved 2011-version of the 911 GT3 RSR. In the GTE-Am sports car class, in which only one professional driver per vehicle may compete, other 2010-spec 911 race cars roll to the start. Christian Ried (Germany), team owner of Felbermayr-Proton, and Horst Felbermayr Jr. (Austria) clinched a GTE-Am win at the season-opener and travel to Spa as the points’ leaders of this classification. Raymond Narac (France) and Nicolas Armindo make up another GTE-Am duo in a 911 GT3 RSR of IMSA Performance Matmut.

The three 2011-spec Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by professional teams still have zero points after becoming blamelessly entangled and heavily damaged in a multiple pile-up at the first round in Le Castellet and knocked out of contention. The crash was triggered by a starting procedure that was flawed in several aspects: The safety car was still on the track after the formation lap with the lights already off, while the lights to signal the start of the race were switched to a clearly visible green. This led to an unfortunate chain-reaction: The back-markers in the field were still accelerating while those at the front were slamming on the brakes. The starter field was compressed together over the entire width of the track, leading to a pile-up. Following the protest lodged by Porsche customers against this start procedure and hence the race classification, the people in charge changed the sporting regulations and established a void result in order to give the teams involved at least a theoretical chance at the title.

Comments prior to the race

Hartmut Kristen, Porsche Head of Motorsport: “I hope that the Porsche teams have overcome the disastrous start accident which happened through no fault of their own at the first race in Paul Ricard. The damages have left a huge hole in their budgets and it was tough going for all those involved to get the parts in time onsite to repair the cars. It has involved quite some overtime. But right now we need to look ahead and concentrate totally on Spa. Because even though the organisers have made allowances and this year everyone has one void result at the five LMS races, there are no points to give away. All of those who were not affected by the events in Paul Ricard still have this ‘free ticket’. Spa is a track that particularly suits some of our drivers. The changes done on the suspension and aerodynamics for the 2011 season should work well here.”
Marc Lieb: “Every year I really look forward to this race. Next to the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, Spa is my absolute favourite. I particularly like the flowing aspect of the track.”
Richard Lietz: “After the chaotic start and the retirement in Le Castellet we’re pleased that we now have a void result. Otherwise we’d be heading into the season with a huge handicap. It’s going to be tough to repeat our win from last year, because the competition in our class is incredibly strong.”
Wolf Henzler: “Already at the season-opener I was very happy with the friendly and professional atmosphere in my new IMSA Performance Matmut team, so I’m very much looking forward to the second race.”
Marco Holzer: “I love this race track. It’s very demanding and has wonderful, fast corners. You always have to reckon with extreme weather conditions in the Ardennes but it certainly brings more excitement to the game. For ProSpeed Competition this is a home race so it’ll be a very special weekend for us.”
Patrick Pilet: “Spa belongs to Europe’s most traditional circuits and is always a highlight. After the huge frustration in Le Castellet I can’t wait for the Spa round.”

The Porsche 911 GT3 RSR

The most successful GT race car of 2010 heads into the new season with some improvements. The output of the four-litre, six-cylinder boxer engine has increased to 455 hp (335 kW). Priority in the further developments was given predominantly to the newly-designed aerodynamics at the front and rear.

Porsche successes

The circuit of Spa-Francorchamps is closely linked to historic and recent Porsche successes in endurance racing. Marc Lieb won the sports car class there in 2006 and 2007 in the 911 GT3 RSR, with Lieb and Richard Lietz claiming two further class victories in 2009 and 2010. The Porsche RS Spyder also yielded success in Belgium: In 2008 and 2009, the sports prototype won the LMP2 class.
The Schedule

The six hour race takes off on Saturday, 7 May, at 14.05 hrs. Qualifying for the GTE classes takes place from 15.50 to 16.10 hours.

TV tip

Eurosport 2 broadcasts part of the race live from 15.45 to 17.00 hrs. From 18.30 to 20.00 hrs, the free-to-air station Eurosport, televises the final phase and the finish.


The Le Mans Series

Contested for the first time in 2004, the Le Mans Series (LMS) is open for sports prototypes and GT vehicles. The regulations are based on those of the Le Mans 24 hour race. Five six-hour races are contested this season throughout Europe.

GTE-Pro class: This most popular class amongst car manufacturers (previously known as the GT2 class) is traditionally the best supported: Slightly modified standard sports cars with up to 500 hp and a minimum weight of 1,245 kilograms.
GTE-Am class: Like the GTE Pro, but with the 2010-vehicle specifications. Moreover, the regulations stipulate that each vehicle must have one professional driver at the most.
LMP1 class: Sports prototypes with up to 550 hp and a minimum weight of 900 kilograms.
LMP2 class: Sports prototypes with ca. 440 hp, GT-class homologated engines and a 900 kg minimum weight.
FLM class: Prototype brand trophy series for the ORECA FLM 09.

All race cars start together but are classified separately according to the class. Points are only allocated for placings in each class. Championship titles are awarded for drivers, manufacturers and teams in all five classes. Claiming the title in 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010, Porsche works driver Marc Lieb is the most successful pilot in the series.

Public Relations and Media Motor and Sports Press Oliver Hilger

The VLN is continuously moving forward

The start of the VLN endurance racing championship season 2011 at the Nürburgring was full of attractions. Anybody assuming that this cannot be further topped will have to change his mind on 30th April. The 36th DMV 4 Hour Race organise by the Renngemeinschaft Düren will be a motor sport festival fort he whole family. The second round of the most popular endurance racing series in Europe will come up with not less than three true world premieres: For the first time ever, Hans-Joachim Stuck will contest a race in a team with his two sons Johannes and Ferdinand. Furthermore, two spectacular race cars will make their debut: the big Golf24 of Volkswagen as well as the 2,0 variant of the Porsche 911 GT3 Hybrid the predecessor of which had caused a lot of attraction at the Nürburgring last year already. The newcomers as well as the family Stuck will have to show their competitiveness in the field of more than 200 sports and touring cars. The prizegiving ceremony will take plat at 6 p.m. in the ring°boulevard. A 30 minutes summary of the opening round will be shown in the channel Sport1 on 4th May at 5:30 p.m. The supporting programme on the last weekend of April includes the reopening of the Nürburgring Historic Paddocks and the new documentation on the Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna will be shown in the cinema ring°kino.

‘Stuck3’ is the motor for the final season of Hans-Joachim Stuck. Hereby, a long-standing wish will become true for him before he will definitely conclude his career as race driver. The professional race driver will participate in the ADAC Zurich 24h Race Nürburgring together with his sons Johannes and Ferdinand. In preparation of this marathon race, the trio, supported by Peter Kox from the Netherlands, will bring the Lamborghini Gallardo of Reiter Engineering to the start of the VLN endurance racing championship races at the Nürburgring. The two Stuck brothers achieved their first victory in a team at the opening race of the ADAC GT Masters last Easter weekend.

The conservative designation ‘Golf24’ for the new race car of the manufacturer Volkswagen at the Nordschleife is almost an understatement. On occasion of the 35the anniversary of the GTi, the manufacturer from Wolfsburg will bring a four-wheel race car to the start is a really powerful vehicle. The 2.5 litres supercharged engine develops about 440 HP and the car will be driven by René Rast (Stolzenau/ Germany), Peter Terting (Börwang/ Germany) and Franck Mailleux (France) ab. “With the Golf 24 this will be the first time since 2007 for us to compete with works prepared Golf again”, explains Volkswagen Motor Sport Director Kris Nissen. “The former car does however not have very much in common with the current one. The Golf24 is a special development in all respects which was prepared in only four months, from the first design note up to the first roll-out. We are really looking forward to our first participation in the endurance racing championship.”

The updated Hybrid Porsche making its debut net weekend will be driven by Jörg Bergmeister (Langenfeld/ Germany), Patrick Long (USA) and Marco Holzer (Lochau/ Germany). “We have collected a lot of data during our race participations last year which have been very useful for the further development of our racing laboratory”, says Porsche Head of Motor Sport Hartmut Kristen. “Under similar lap times as in 2010, we intend to feed even less energy from the exterior and thus to reduce fuel consumption.”

The three newcomers will be faced with a huge group of possible winners. More than 20 GT3 cars have entered the DMV 4 Hour Race and another two dozen of teams from the top categories have realistic chances to make it on top of the podium. Dream sports cars which include Aston Martin, Audi R8 LMS, BMW M3, Dodge Viper, Ferrari F458, Ginetta, Porsche 911 and SLS AMG GT3 will be at the start. After the much appreciated 1-2 victory gained by BMW at the opening race, in particular Audi is now following up. Abt-Sportsline has entered the team of Christian Abt (Kempten/ Germany), Luca Ludwig (Bornheim/ Germany) and Christopher Mies (Heiligenhaus/ Germany) and Marcel Fässler (Switzerland), Marcus Winkelhock (Bergen-Steinbach/ Germany), Marc Bronzel (Großensee/ Germany), Marc Basseng (Leutenbach/ Germany) and Frank Stippler (Bad Münstereifel/ Germany) will all compete for the team of Phoenix-Racing.

Prizegiving ceremony at the ring°boulevard
The prizegiving ceremony to honour all the successful drivers in all classes will this year take place in the ring°boulevard. The ceremony in front of the impressive video wall will start at 6 p.m., from 5 p.m. live music will start to entertain the guests.

The second round of the VLN Langstreckenmeisterschaft Nürburgring will begin with the timed practice session to take place between 08:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. At 12 o’clock exactly, the start signal for the 36th DMV 4 Hour Race over the distance of four hours at the 24.369 kilometres long combination of the Nürburgring sort connection with the Nordschleife will be given. The entrance all around the Nordschleife is free. A fee of 12 Euro per person will be due for access to the open grandstands at the Grand Prix Circuit, including the paddocks.

The Historic Paddocks to add splendour to the event
At the reopening of the Historic Paddocks, the fans may look forward to the highlights from eight decades of motor sport. After a six months restoration period, the old paddocks will be reopened on 30th April and 1st May 2011. The appropriate setting during the two days will be provided by a number of historic race cars from various eras as well as drivers whose names are particularly associated with the Nürburgring: Hubert Hahne, Hans Herrmann, Klaus Ludwig, Jochen Mass, David Piper, Willi Kauhsen, Kurt Ahrens, Jürgen Neuhaus, Hans Heyer and Erich Zakowski. The programme will be completed amongst other by fashion shows of the twentieth and seventieth years.

Documentary film ‚Senna’ in the cinema ring°kino
The documentary film Senna constitutes a tribute to the unchallenged greatest champion which the history of Formula 1 has ever created. It is, however, in particular homage to an extraordinary talent. The film exclusively consists of original shoots whereby the British producer had access to the complete archive of FOM and to all of the private video recordings in possession of the family Senna. “Neither the family nor Bernie Ecclestone have offered any such brilliant possibilities ever before”, said film author Manish Pandey. In many previously unreleased scenes, the film accompanies Ayrton Senna on his way to become the top driver in Formula 1, highlights his continuous fight against the authorities and for justice, his significance for his country which honours him still today as the greatest of their heroes. The documentation will be shown on 30th April and on 1st May at 5 p.m. respectively in the cinema ring°kino.

Info and foto: vln.de

Porsche classic cars on the streets of Stuttgart

The "125 years of the car" birthday procession kicks off on the Porscheplatz

Porsche classic cars on the streets of Stuttgart

Stuttgart. On Sunday 8 May 2011, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, will be teaming up with Mercedes-Benz and Audi, two other car brands also based in Baden-Württemberg, to stage a car procession through Stuttgart. 125 vehicles, contemporary witnesses all, will bring the history of the three carmakers to life – in some cases with well-known drivers at the wheel. The Zuffenhausen sports car manufacturer will be putting 45 current and historic vehicles from more than six decades of Porsche history on the start line.

The “125 years of the car” procession will get under way at 11.00 a.m. at the Porsche museum, which will be offering visitors free admission on the day. Matthias Müller, Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche AG, will head the birthday procession in a Porsche 911 Turbo S – together with his Mercedes-Benz and Audi opposite numbers. Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Porsche Automobil Holding SE, will be driving the first Porsche prototype, the Type 356 “No. 1”, developed by his father Ferry Porsche in 1948.

Current and former Porsche AG works and racing drivers will also be taking part in the drive through the town. For example, racing legend Hans Hermann will be piloting the Porsche 917 KH on the streets of Stuttgart, the same car he and Richard Attwood drove in the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hours when they won the first ever overall victory for the Zuffenhausen company. The three times winning Porsche 908/03 Spyder is being withdrawn from the Porsche museum’s exhibition for Porsche works driver Marc Lieb. Finally, the 612 hp (450 kW) Carrera GT high performance sports car, once limited to 1,270 units, will be driven by double world rally champion Walter Röhrl.

In addition to a “police presence”, the car procession will also give an outing to the Swabian sense of humour. Stuttgart “Tatort” (Crime Scene Investigation) Inspector Richy Müller will be switching on the blue lights on the Porsche 356 C Cabriolet. In the Sixties, this classic car was used by the Württemberg motorway police. And cabaret artist Christof Sonntag will be behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 Targa (Type 964).

The destination of the procession that will start at Zuffenhausen’s Porscheplatz is the Schlossplatz in the centre of Stuttgart. Here there will be an opportunity on Sunday afternoon to admire all the participating vehicles at close quarters. Porsche will also be showcasing itself on the Schlossplatz as part of an innovation exhibition true to its “Porsche Intelligent Performance” philosophy: more power with lower consumption, increased efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions. Three modern day Porsche vehicles await the visitor there, providing an impressive demonstration of alternative driveline technologies: the Porsche Boxster E, the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid and the Porsche 911 GT3 R.

Public Relations and Media Porsche-Museum Astrid Böttinger

Battle on all fronts at Spa-Francorchamps !

2011/04/28
Battle on all fronts at Spa-Francorchamps !

After the first round of the Le Mans Series at Le Castellet, the intensity is going to be ratcheted up several notches in the second race, the Spa-Francorchamps 1000 kms on 5th -7th May. Almost sixty cars will be on the starting grid for the Belgian classic, and the duel between Audi and Peugeot, with only six weeks to go to the Le Mans 24 Hours, will be the highlight in the top category!

LM P1: Audi and Peugeot ready for a no-holds-barred fight for victory!

Due to the introduction of the ACO's new regulations, a good part of the 2011 season's field is new. Several cars are making their competition debut this year, and the Spa-Francorchamps 1000 kms will see more newcomers. It is notably the case for the Audi R18, the latest weapon from Ingolstadt, and the German team is determined to put on a stunning performance in the car's first race – only six weeks before the Le Mans 24 Hours. While the successor to the R15 TDI has done a lot of testing, it will have its first start in the heat of competition on the Belgian circuit. The three R18s entered by Audi will be up against three of the new Peugeot 908s in their second outing this season, and the French cars are determined to sink the German armada.

In addition to the above, the well-subscribed LM P1 category includes the Team Pescarolo Pescarolo-Judd, victorious at Le Castellet and determined to show that its car is a force to be reckoned with. The ORECA Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, which won the last Sebring 12 Hours, should be on the pace like the two Lola-Toyotas entered by Rebellion Racing equipped with a new aerodynamic kit. Other outsiders like the two OAK Racing Pescarolos, the Guess Racing Lola-Judd, the Mik Corse Zytek Hybrid, the Quifel-ASM Team's Zytek 09SC and the Swiss-entered Hope Racing Oreca Hybrid are determined to make the most of any opportunities that fall their way.

LM P2: The Oreca-Nissans start favourites

Greaves Motorsport won the opening race in the Var with its Zytek Z11 SN-Nissan, and the British squad will be out to score another victory in the Ardennes. It will have a tough battle on its hands as it will be up against three of the Oreca-Nissans, which have always been at the top of time sheets. TDS Racing, Boutsen Energy Racing and Signatech-Nissan will give the English car a good run for its money. Strakka Racing and RML with their HPD ARX-01ds, Pecom Racing (Lola-Judd) and OAK Racing (Pescarolo-Judd) are all after their first victory in the category in 2011.

LM GTE Pro: BMW takes on Porsche and Ferrari

A couple of newcomers, the Lotus Evoras and above all the BMW M3s, will get stuck in in the hotly-contested scrap between Porsche and Ferrari represented by the latest version of the 997 GT3 RSR and the new R458 Italia. The Bavarian cars are backed by BMW Motorsport and they will be redoubtable rivals to the AF Corse, Hankook Team Farnbacher Luxury Racing and JMW Motorsport Ferrari F458 Italias – the last-named emerged victorious on the Paul Ricard circuit – plus the Felbermayr-Proton Team, IMSA Performance Matmut and Prospeed Competition Porsche 997 GT3 RSRs. The outsiders, the Jota Racing Aston Martin Vantage and the two Jetalliance Lotus Evoras, will not find it an easy task to take the battle to the Italian and German cars.

LM GTE Am: Felbermayr-Proton out to double up!

As in LM GTE Pro, the LM GTE Am category will be the theatre of another Porsche-Ferrari battle. Six Ferrari F430 GTs – two entered by AF Corse and two by CRS Racing – will be up against three Porsche 997 GT3 RSRs. The Felbermayr-Proton team, which won at Le Castellet, is determined to add a second victory to its tally despite an influx of rivals including the Larbre Competition Corvette C6-ZR1 and the Gulf AMR Middle East Aston Martin Vantage.

Five potential winners in Formula Le Mans

In the Formula Le Mans category, the five cars will be locked in battle from start to finish. The Hope Racing, JMB Racing, Genoa Racing, Neil Garner Motorsport and Pegasus Racing FLM 09s will provide thrills for the spectators in Belgium. Pegasus Racing came out on top on the Paul Ricard HTTT circuit at Le Castellet, and will be looking for a second success. Its rivals starting with Genoa Racing and Hope Racing, which both showed impressive speed in the south of France, have other ideas!

The weekend's programme

In addition to the Spa-Francorchamps 1000 kms, the programme will provide the spectators with other events from 5th -7th May. After the Euro Series Formula 3 Championship at Le Castellet, the ATS Formula 3 Cup will be part of the Le Mans Series meeting with two races as will be the case for the Speed Series and Radical Masters championships. In total, the crowd that will flock to the Belgian circuit can enjoy eleven hours' racing!

Note that the Spa-Francorchamps 1000 kms will be held on Saturday 7th May from 14h05-20h05. The first free practice sessions will take place on Thursday 5th May from 12h20-13h20, then from 16h55-17h55. On Friday, the third session is from 11h50-12h50 before qualifying - 15h50-16h40.

Info: Le mans series.com/for autorized and acreditated media press.

Foto: DPPI

Test run under race conditions on the Nürburgring

Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0

Test run under race conditions on the Nürburgring

Stuttgart. The development of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0 is running at full revs. This coming Saturday, the further-developed version of the innovative Hybrid race car contests round two of the Nürburgring Long Distance Championship (VLN). Another test under race conditions is planned at the fourth VLN round on 28 May.

At the race debut of the modified version of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid on 30th April, Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany), Marco Holzer (Germany) and Patrick Long (USA) share driving duties in the orange and white ‘race lab’. At the second race meeting in late May, Holzer and Long join forces with Richard Lietz (Austria) to pilot the Hybrid-911.

Priority in the further development over winter was placed on increasing efficiency. For this, the weight of the vehicle, including the hybrid components, was reduced from 1,350 to 1,300 kilograms. The weight of these components was reduced by 20 percent through targeted optimisation. The general hybrid layout was adopted from the 2010 model.

The output of both electric motors in the portal axle increased from 60 to 75 kilowatts each. For seconds at a time, pilots now have about 200 hp more at their disposal with the 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0, which equals ca. 23 kW (32 hp) of additional conventional power per Nordschleife lap. Depending on the programming, this electrical power is automatically activated through use of the throttle pedal. Moreover, the hybrid pilots can manually call up this extra power, for instance when overtaking.

The electric flywheel accumulator, with its rotor spinning up to 40,000 rpm and storing energy mechanically as rotational energy, is now housed with the other hybrid components in a carbon-fibre safety cell on the passenger’s side.

With the portal axle driving the front wheels, the four-litre, now 465 hp six-cylinder boxer engine, which drives the rear axle, was reduced in power and optimised with respect to fuel consumption.

“We’ve made huge strides forward with the further-developed 911 GT3 R Hybrid. But testing under race conditions gives us additional information that is not easy to collect during a simulation,” says Hartmut Kristen, Head of Porsche Motorsport. “We’ll use the information gained from the VLN races to make our racing lab even more reliable and economical.”


Public Relations and Media Motor and Sports Press Oliver Hilger

Miss World visits Audi at the DTM

Miss World visits Audi at the DTM

• Rosanna Davison travels to Hockenheim
• New Audi Q3 to be marveled at alongside the race track
• Grand appearance by the smallest Audi

Ingolstadt, April 28, 2011 – A high-caliber visit is expected at the 2011 DTM
season opener: Rosanna Davison, the daughter of rock legend Chris de Burgh, will
enchant Audi’s guests. In addition, there will be other activities putting the
spotlight on the brand with the four rings at Hockenheim. And the fans staying at
home can look forward to extensive TV coverage.
An international star from Ireland has announced her attendance at the DTM season
opener. Audi will welcome model Rosanna Davison at the Hockenheim race track.
There is no question that the 27-year-old Irishwoman will draw everyone’s eyes to
her. The daughter of rock legend Chris de Burgh was voted Miss World in 2003.
In addition to seeing the human star, visitors can look forward to a number of
automotive stars, with the new Audi Q3 being the focal point of interest. Right after
having made its world debut in Shanghai last Tuesday, the compact-size premium
SUV is now being showcased at Hockenheim. Other cars to make the hearts of fans
beat faster will be the all-new seventh-generation A6 and the 250-kW (340 hp) Audi
RS 3 Sportback.
On Sunday a big parade will thrill the audience at Hockenheim. Just before the DTM
race starts 23 Audi A1 cars will complete a lap around the race track. The German
Sales Organization will hand over the popular compact models to dealerships at the
Audi Drive Away.
AUDI AG’s top management demonstrates keen interest in the DTM season opener.
The four members of the Board of Management, Rupert Stadler (Chairman),
Thomas Sigi (HR and Social Matters), Michael Dick (Technical Development) and
Axel Strotbek (Finance and Organization) as well as Norbert Rank (Works Council
Chairman at the Neckarsulm location) will watch the DTM opener on location.


In the 2011 season the DTM as the most popular touring car series again draws the
viewers’ attention through extensive TV coverage. The new Audi factory driver Rahel
Frey is expected as a studio guest on SWR starting at 21:45 (local time).

Audi Communications Motorsport/for Acreditated and autorized media press.

Unique TDI engine for the Audi R18 TDI

Unique TDI engine for the Audi R18 TDI

• Only six weeks to go before the 24 Hours of Le Mans
• Compact V6 TDI power unit with single turbocharger
• Exhaust manifold and VTG sit between cylinder banks

Ingolstadt, April 28, 2011 – The new Audi R18 TDI with which Audi targets its
tenth victory in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 11/12 is ready today
with “tomorrow’s” technology. During development of the new LMP1 sports car
the integration and future electrification of the powertrain and various possible
concepts for energy recuperation have been taken into account.
“We are very conscious of such systems,” explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr.
Wolfgang Ullrich. “In our opinion, just as soon as this technology proves to be the
most efficient we will use it at Le Mans.”
Although diesel engines have been repeatedly restricted by the regulations since
their victorious introduction in 2006, Audi relies on TDI power once again for its new
LMP1. “Audi invented the TDI engine and is convinced that this technology remains
one of the most efficient and modern forms to power a car – especially at Le Mans
where engines with high specific power, low fuel consumption and low emissions are
a necessity.”
New regulations devised by the Automobile Club de L’Ouest (ACO) and introduced
this year dictate significantly smaller engines. Audi has chosen a particularly
compact 3.7 liter V6 TDI engine, which is about 25 per cent lighter than the V10 TDI
power plant previously fitted to the older R15 TDI, and which leaves all options open
for the technicians with regard to electrification and energy recuperation. “This
would not be the case with a V8, for example, which is also permitted by the
regulations,” explains Ulrich Baretzky, Head of Engine Development at Audi Sport.
However, Audi does not only surprise with its extremely compact engine. The
concept is also innovative for an LMP1 sports car. To lower the center of gravity as
much as possible and to improve airflow through the car, the exhaust manifold
were migrated from the left and right hand sides of the engine to sit between the
two cylinder banks. “Hot side inside” is the name given to this concept by specialists,
which was implemented in similar form in Formula 1 in the 1980s. But the V6 TDI
engine powering the Audi R18 TDI, which has a cylinder angle of 120 degrees and
thus an extremely low center of gravity, is technically generations further along the
line and is also a technology-demonstrator for future production engines.
In contrast to previous Audi Le Mans sports cars, which all had twin turbochargers,
the R18 TDI is quite logically now only fitted with a single turbocharger that also
sits above the engine and draws its air directly through the air scoop mounted on
the roof. “In this way we are able to convert the dynamic pressure generated at high
speeds with minimal losses into power,” explains Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of
Technology at Audi Sport.
The mono-turbo concept developed in cooperation with Garrett was only made
possible by the variable turbine geometry (VTG) already used victoriously in the R15
TDI. “Otherwise the response characteristics of such a large turbocharger would just
be too bad,” explains Baretzky.
The concept was continued logically through a single pipe exhaust that exits at the
rear of the R18 TDI below the new fin which is stipulated by the regulations. “This
also stands for Audi ultra lightweight technology,” says Baretzky, “since we save
components and weight – for example for a second diesel particle filter.”
Audi Sport has worked since July 2009 on the innovative engine concept for which
numerous new routes had to be explored. To control the enormous ignition
pressures and loads now only distributed between six cylinders, a unique method of
cooling the cylinder heads was developed for the aluminum power unit, a concept
that could also be interesting in the future for production.
Owing to the compact engine and uncluttered flanks, the airflow from the coolers
can now exit practically unobstructed through the rear end. “We could increase the
aerodynamic efficiency of the car as a result,” says Martin Mühlmeier, Head of
Technology at Audi Sport. This aspect is even more important than ever before at Le
Mans due to the reduction in engine power – for the Audi R18 TDI more than 397 kW
(540 hp).
Another unique aspect of the new Le Mans sports car is its unusual sound. The Audi
R18 TDI is probably the quietest race car Audi Sport has ever built. “Noise is unused
energy,” stresses Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich who is delighted by the whispering murmur
of the R18 TDI. “The sound is unique,” raves Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen.
“It’s hard to describe. You have to hear it yourself. I think it’s fantastic.”

Audi Communications Motorsport/for Acreditated and Autorized Media Press.