Audi race experience again on the attack

Audi race experience again on the attack

 Audi race experience offers race action alongside Le Mans winner Marco
Werner
 Manfred Jantke is new team manager for on-track events
 Australians Warren Luff and Greg Lowndes contest fourth round of VLN
endurance championship around Nürburgring-Nordschleife

Ingolstadt, April 27, 2011 – The Audi race experience enters its second season.
Enthusiastic amateur race drivers with relevant experience have the possibility
once again to contest a VLN endurance championship race at the Nürburgring with
a professional Audi team. On each occasion one or two drivers share an Audi R8
LMS cockpit with a professional driver such as three-time Le Mans winner Marco
Werner or pros like Frank Schmickler and Florian Gruber.
The new team manager, who assumes control at the events with immediate effect,
is Manfred Jantke. He has a great past in motorsport. His professional career started
at the specialist magazine ‘auto motor und sport,’ which he left as deputy chief
editor in 1972, in order to join Porsche AG as PR Boss and Race Director. He stayed
with the company for 20 years and, among other successes, can lay claim to seven
Le Mans victories. He returns once again to racing for the Audi race experience.
Jantke will support the team with his experience at four rounds of the VLN
endurance championship and at the 24-hour race around the Nürburgring.
The Audi race experience team receives a visit from ‘down under’ for round 4 of the
VLN on May 27 and 28. The Australians Warren Luff and Greg Lowndes come to
Germany to personally experience the fascination of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.
The two race pros previously raced the R8 LMS in the Bathurst 12 Hours (AUS) where
they finished second overall. As a driver pairing, they compete for the first time in
Germany.

The Audi race experience calendar
May 13/14, 2011 VLN (6 hours)
May 27/28, 2011 VLN (4 hours)
June 24–26, 2011 Nürburgring 24 Hours
Aug 26/27, 2011 VLN (6 hours)
Oct 14/15, 2011 VLN (4 hours)


Audi Communications Motorsport/For acreditated and autorized media press.

80 years of Porsche designs

Porsche Engineering - pioneering technology and trailblazing innovations

80 years of Porsche designs

Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has been the leading manufacturer of premium sports cars for more than six decades. However, the historic roots of the Porsche brand go back much further than that. When Ferry Porsche built the legendary Type 356 in 1948, he and his engineers were able to look back on a wealth of comprehensive technological experience. Back on 25th April 1931, Ferdinand Porsche founded and registered a design bureau named "Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung, Konstruktion und Beratung für Motoren- und Fahrzeugbau" in Stuttgart.

Since then, the Porsche company has experienced many highs and lows and has grown from a small design bureau to a world famous manufacturer of sports and racing cars. This success story is based on decades of development experience, stretching far beyond just building sports cars. Over an 80 year period, Porsche has built up a reputation as one of the best known and multi-faceted engineering service providers in the world. The tradition of customer development started by Ferdinand Porsche in 1931 is still successfully continued today by Porsche Engineering Group GmbH, based in Weissach. Porsche Engineering carries out development work on behalf of car manufacturers and suppliers, as well as companies from other sectors, combining the skills of Porsche as a series manufacturer, technology company and engineering service provider and making these available to third parties.

The 80th anniversary of the founding of the Porsche design bureau in 1931 is one of this year's central themes for the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. From 21st June to 11th September 2011 the special exhibition entitled "Porsche Engineering - 80 Years of Porsche Designs" will honour the most important and interesting customer developments from the last eight decades. It will display around 20 special examples ranging from whole vehicle developments, through engines and gearboxes to extraordinary industrial projects in the present. The ten vehicle customer developments on display include a Wanderer Limousine from 1931, the legendary Auto Union Grand Prix racing car and the Audi Sport Quattro S1 with Porsche dual clutch gearbox (PDK). The Porsche Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 6 pm. Further information is available on the internet from www.porsche.com/museum.

Public Relations and Media Porsche-Museum Astrid Böttinger

Lohner-Porsche “Semper Vivus” on show at the Porsche Museum

New special exhibition from 10 May to 13 June, 2011

Lohner-Porsche “Semper Vivus” on show at the Porsche Museum

Stuttgart. As part of the new special exhibition "Ferdinand Porsche - Pioneer of the Hybrid Drive”, the museum at Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is presenting a reconstruction of the first workable full-hybrid car in the world, the “Semper Vivus”. By designing this vehicle, the visionary Ferdinand Porsche was entering an entirely new area of technology – 111 years ago. In this vehicle, two generators, connected to petrol engines, form a charging unit which simultaneously provides current to motors at the wheel hub as well as to batteries.

The special exhibition, which begins on 10 May, provides visitors with a fascinating glimpse of the early engineering creations of the young Ferdinand Porsche, and explains the technology of the first standard production hybrid vehicle. Other special exhibitions, such as the drive train of the Cayenne off-roader and the Porsche Hybrid Bike, provide detailed insights into the hybrid technology of the sports car manufacturer. A wheel hub and a DeDion-Bouton motor, which drove the generators of the “Semper Vivus”, are added attractions at the exhibition, and demonstrate the great technological achievements which were already being attained more than a hundred years ago.

Highlight of the Special Exhibition: Drive demonstrations at the Exhibition

Driving in the “Semper Vivus” is an exhilarating experience, as well as a strenuous one. With a front axle load of 1060 kilograms, and 830 kg on the rear, steering without power assistance can be quite an effort. To compensate, the driver has an excellent view of the road ahead from his single seat perched two metres above the ground. On the last weekend but one in May, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 May, visitors can experience the performance of the “Semper Vivus” for themselves, live. At 15.00 hours on each day, the Porsche Museum will be presenting driving demonstrations on the exhibition ground. Porsche experts will be on hand to provide the public with more information and to answer questions about the history and technology of the vehicle.

The fully-functioning replica of the “Semper Vivus” came into being on the basis of design sketches and some extensive research. In co-operation with the engineers from Porsche Engineering and the company Karosseriebau Drescher from the town of Hinterzarten, a replica was created which is faithful to the original in every detail, a visionary concept which to this day is still hugely impressive. Building the “Semper Vivus” 111 years after it was invented was a massive challenge for everyone concerned. The task was not only to succeed in maximum authenticity of detail, but also to achieve the performance capacities of the original.

The Porsche Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission for adults is eight Euro, and four Euro for those entitled to discounts. Children up to the age of fourteen accompanied by an adult are admitted free. More information is available on the Internet at www.porsche.com/museum.

Public Relations and Media
Porsche-Museum
Astrid Böttinger

The Le Mans 24–Hours test day has been a great success from a popular, sporting and technical point of view.

Without a doubt, the enthusiasts were looking forward to the revival of the test day on the Le Mans circuit as much as the teams. The attendance figure was 24 987 spectators who flocked to the Sarthe circuit to thrill to the sight and sound of the cars that they will see in seven weeks at the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The test day provided a lot of interesting information from a sporting point of view. Tom Kristensen in the no. 3 Audi R18 set the quickest time, and the 8-time Le Mans 24-Hours winner lapped the unique circuit in 3m 27.687s, an average speed of 236,687 km/h, just under 8 seconds slower than last year’s pole (3m 19.711s). Mike Rockenfeller in the no. 1 Audi R18 was second quickest in 3m 27.815s proving that the German engineers have got their sums right. The three R18s monopolized the top of the time sheets for a good part of the session, but in the dying seconds of the afternoon, Stéphane Sarrazin put in a stunning lap in a time of 3m 27.876s to bag third place showing the potential of the new Peugeot 908. The first five cars, three Audis and two Peugeots, were covered by only 0.617 seconds! The highest top speed fell to Franck Montagny with 340,5 km/h.

However, the two major contenders for victory in the coming Le Mnas 24 Hours did not only go for a time, they also did a great deal of work on the setups the aerodynamic configurations and the use of tyres. The three Audis covered 3257 km and the three works Peugeots, 3407 km.

The first of the petrol-engined cars was the no 16 Pescarolo-Judd driven by Emmanuel Collard who got round in 3m 36.583s. The performance of the Aston Martin AMR-ONES was a bit disappointing. The two cars covered a total of just twelve laps! The English manufacturer still has a long way to go as it seems to be faced with chronic engine problems.

In LM P2, the battle raged between three cars with Nissan power, the nos 26 and 48 Orecas and the no. 41 Zytek. Franck Mailleux at the wheel of the no. 26 Signatech Nissan finally came out on top with a lap in 3 42.992s.

The GTE Pro category was again the theatre of a mind-boggling scrap . Quickest was the Hankook-Farnbacher Ferrari F458 Italia driven by Allan Simonsen who got round in 3m 59.966s, the only driver to dip below the 4-minute barrier. The gap to the BMWs and Porsches is tiny. Only the Lotuses which were there to learn, were not on the same pace due to their comparative lack of experience.

Larbre Competition’s two cars dominated in GTE Am with the best time going to the no. 50 Corvette with Tom Milner at the wheel with a lap in 4m 04.222s closely followed by Jean-Philippe Belloc’s Porsche in 4m 05285s.

The Le Mans 24-Hour entrants still have seven weeks to analyze their performances today and prepare for the race on 11th-12th June. 2011. Beforehand, however, the teams entered in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup will do battle on 7th May in the Spa-Francorchamps 1000 kms. This time, though, after the performances in the practice, the verdict will be handed down in the race.

Info: Lemans.org/Acreditated and autorized media press.

Photo : Arnaud CORNILLEAU - ACO/Nikon

HUFF AND TARQUINI SHARES WINS IN SUNNY EASTER

ROUNDS 3 & 4 - ZOLDER RACE REPORT

HUFF AND TARQUINI SHARES WINS IN SUNNY EASTER Belgian fans flocked to the Zolder track in a sunny Easter Sunday and were rewarded by two close races that saw Rob Huff and Gabriele Tarquini sharing victories. In Race 1 Huff encored the successful result achieved one month ago in Brazil, converting pole position to his second win of the season. Huff was followed by team-mates Alain Menu and Yvan Muller who secured Chevrolet's second 1-2-3 finish of the year. The second race was one of the most exciting ever with Gabriele Tarquini and his SEAT León TDi being able to interrupt Chevrolet's supremacy. The tough fight for the lead between the Italian and Huff will be remembered and today's result proved that even a great team with great drivers can fail when put under pressure. Which is good news for the championship that is still led by Huff who has only a one-point margin ahead of Menu. The battle for the Yokohama Trophy was equally thrilling. Kristian Poulsen and Darryl O'Young (the latter having just swapped to the Chevrolet Cruze 1.6T) grabbed one victory apiece. But the competition was extremely close and involved Michel Nykjær, Norbert Michelisz, Pepe Oriola and Javier Villa who even managed to post the overall fastest lap in Race 2. Good news also for Volvo, as Robert Dahlgren scored his first points in what could be the last race for the C30 with the 2.0L normally aspirated engine. Polestar Racing are working hard to bring the new 1.6L turbo at Monza, which could definitely boost the ambitions of the Swedish patrol. The same aim have SUNRED that hope to fit the turbo unit on Tarquini's and Monteiro's cars at the Italian event. The championship will resume at Monza, Italy, on May 15th for rounds 5 and 6. Info: WTCC.com Fotos: AmigosRacing

Successful dress rehearsal for Audi R18 TDI at Le Mans

Successful dress rehearsal for Audi R18 TDI
at Le Mans

 Equal balance between three R18 TDI cars on test day
 Audi Sport Team Joest has completed comprehensive program
 Considerable spectator turnout on Easter Sunday

Ingolstadt/Le Mans, April 24, 2011 – The Audi R18 TDI had a successful first
public appearance at Le Mans. 24,987 enthusiastic fans witnessed how Audi Sport
Team Joest prepared for the 24 Hour race (on June 11/12) on Easter Sunday with
all three cars and drivers. The innovative sports car with its ultra lightweight
technology set the two fastest times at the end of the test day which is back now.
Whilst it’s traditionally not about lap times on test day, much more significant
findings matter for Audi after eight hours. The innovative diesel-powered sportscar
was prepared very well for the demanding Le Mans track, all scheduled programs
have been completed and the ten drivers adapted perfectly to the demanding
circuit. Apart from the nine race drivers, test and reserve driver Marco Bonanomi was
also behind the wheel and drove at Le Mans for the first time.
Despite Audi focussing on set-up work, Tom Kristensen set the fastest time of the
day in car number 3. The eight-time Le Mans winner lapped the Sarthe circuit in 3m
27.687s. Last year’s winner Mike Rockenfeller only needed 0.128 more seconds in
car number 1 for the 13.629 kilometers. Neither a rain shower in the morning nor a
spin of the number 2 Audi R18 TDI hampered the progress. The work with tire
partner Michelin was especially positive. Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Dindo
Capello generated valuable data. Apart from setting up the car, all drivers had a
common goal: for the first time since 1999, Audi contests the Le Mans race with a
closed car. For the drivers it was also important to get to know the vision from the
cockpit, to drive in realistic traffic and to practice driver changes in the pits.
On Easter Sunday, not only the upcoming Le Mans 24 Hour race was in the minds of
Audi Sport Team Joest’s team members. Each of the three Audi R18 TDI cars carried
two stickers on the rear wing that were styled according to Michele Alboreto’s
helmet. They were in memory of the former Audi works driver who died on April 25
ten years ago.

Quotes after the test day
Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “We have prepared a
comprehensive test program for all three cars. The weather conditions allowed us to
complete all our schedules. We have achieved very good results. I think that we can
put that to very good use in the Le Mans race. It was important to do a lot of
kilometers here with the all-new car before the race weekend in June comes up.”
Dindo Capello (Audi R18 TDI #3): “We have worked very well for eight hours
without a single problem. We have completed every aspect of our plan. We have
learned many small things which will help us again in the next test. This was really
very, very positive. I’m also eagerly awaiting the analysis of all data. Of course, there
is always one aspect or another that can still be improved.”
Tom Kristensen (Audi R18 TDI #3): “It was perfect for the whole team to complete
the test day with the new car. For me it was the first time since 2003 that I’ve sat in
a Coupé. The efficiency and the work of Audi have really impressed me. You can
really feel the aerodynamics and the car is very comfortable. Already now we have
gathered valuable information. As a driver, I very much appreciate the six-speed
gearbox. It fits well to the engine with its down-sized cubic capacity.”
Allan McNish (Audi R18 TDI #3): “There is no other circuit where you’ve got such
long straights and consecutive long straights on the same lap. But there are also the
high-speed sections through the Porsche curves and the Esses. It was very important
here for us with the new R18 TDI to try to understand how the car would react on
this type of track. We have found a good base set-up. Admittedly the circuit will
change between now and June. But we have found a good base and a good
confidence level. The chassis has been pretty consistent, the tires have been very
good. We are on target but until we get to the race in June we are not going to see
what everybody has got.”
Timo Bernhard (Audi R18 TDI #1): “It is very nice that there has been a test day
again at Le Mans. This gave us a lot of possibilities to set the car up for this unique
track. You can’t just simulate Le Mans somewhere else. You’ve got to drive on the
track. To split the workload during the test between the three cars makes sense. The
team result is important. We didn’t focus on lap times. It was important to gather
kilometers and findings. We have tried different set-ups to see how the car reacts.
That has worked pretty well. I can’t wait to drive here again.”
Romain Dumas (Audi R18 TDI #1): “That was a very constructive day. We’ve
worked quite a lot. With three cars, we had to learn a lot. We have worked through a
well-defined program. We’ve improved the set-up continuously throughout the day.
Thus, the car was really easy to drive. Our performance was also very positive. This
was what we had in mind. Plus we’ve got to know our new mechanics even better.
We’ve also practiced driver changes today. I think that come qualifying day at Le
Mans, we will be much better sorted-out than last year.”
Mike Rockenfeller (Audi R18 TDI #1): “It is great to come back to Le Mans after
last year’s success. It’s nice that a pre-test is back and that we have the chance to
test the Audi R18 TDI. For a driver, it’s also about getting used to the track again. It
is fantastic to have this feeling of the speed through the fast corners. For us it was a
good day. We’ve generated much data. This will be analysed to improve further.
Then we should be well-prepared for the race.”
Marcel Fässler (Audi R18 TDI #2): “I’m very happy with the whole car. It felt super.
I felt save and well in this car. In fast corners, the car was sensational, too. In
Mulsanne, I once spun under braking and slid into the gravel trap. I didn’t want to
make a mistake thereafter and approached the limit slowly again. When you look at
the whole day, I’m very happy with our performance and with the things that we’ve
tested.”
André Lotterer (Audi R18 TDI #2): “Since December, we’ve tested a lot with the
R18 TDI. Now it had to show its mettle for the first time in the Le Mans pre-test. We
wera all eagerly anticipating this day. For me, the car is very pleasant to drive. It is
comfortable which is a big advantage at Le Mans. You can easily adapt and drive very
soon very fast without having to care. Now we need to clock up even more
kilometers up to the race.”
Benoît Tréluyer (Audi R18 TDI #2): “For the first time, we’ve driven the Audi R18
TDI at Le Mans. The car felt very pleasant: It’s easy to drive and you quickly gain
confidence. Hence you’re quick out of the box even when conditions are tricky.
Especially in fast corners, this is important. Bearing in mind those were our first
kilometers with the R18 TDI at Le Mans, it is a very good basis.”
Marco Bonanomi (Audi R18 TDI): “I’m very happy after this day which was unique
for me. A great thank you to Audi and the team for this chance. It was a nice feeling
to drive at Le Mans as a rookie. I’ve done ten laps. The car felt very well. We now
have reference data for the race. Now there are more test kilometers coming up. It
is nice that I was allowed to help the team in preparation for this important race.”
Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest): “We’ve had a pretty good
test day. Plus we were lucky regarding the weather – there was only a little bit of
rain. We were able to tick all the boxes of our working plan. And we have very good
results. During its first outing at Le Mans, the R18 TDI behaved exactly as we had
expected and hoped. A big part of our program was to work with the tires. As there
is no other chance to drive at Le Mans, this was very important. This is always
exciting before it kicks off. We have an excellent co-operation with Michelin. The
tires work brilliantly. We were also able to complete the tasks of setting up the car
and looking after the aerodynamics. There is a list of things which still need to be
done but we can head back now with a pretty good feeling.

Results
1 Capello/Kristensen/McNish/Bonanomi (Audi R18 TDI) 3m 27.687s
2 Bernhard/Dumas/Rockenfeller (Audi R18 TDI) 3m 27.815s
3 Sarrazin/Davidson/Montagny (Peugeot) 3m 27.876s
4 Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer/Bonanomi (Audi R18 TDI) 3m 27.878s
5 Wurz/Bourdais/Vernay/Davidson (Peugeot) 3m 28.304s
6 Lapierre/Duval/Panis (Peugeot) 3m31.141s
7 Minassian/Gené/Lamy/Pagenaud/Vernay (Peugeot) 3m 32.549s
8 Collard/Tinseau/Jousse (Pescarolo-Judd) 3m 36.583s
9 Jani/Prost/Bleekemolen (Lola-Toyota) 3m 37.809s
10 Belicchi/Boullion/Smith (Lola-Toyota) 3m 38.716s

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

ROB HUFF WINS SECOND POLE POSITION

Chevrolet’s Rob Huff claimed his second pole position of the season in Zolder. Just like in Curitiba the championship leader emerged as the fastest in Q2, beating his own team-mate Alain Menu and SUNRED’s Gabriele Tarquini by one and two tenths respectively.
Reigning world champion Yvan Muller qualified fourth ahead of Tiago Monteiro, with Kristian Poulsen sixth and best of the Yokohama Trophy.
Tom Coronel was the great disappointed as he failed to move forward to Q2, while Fredy Barth won pole position for Race 2.

Q1 – The red flag stopped the session after four minutes only, due to Michel Nykjær’s SEAT hitting the wall at the Villeneuve chicane.
As soon as the session resumed most of the drivers went for a quick lap with Tiago Monteiro posting the fastest for good with the time of 1:38.952.
Yokohama Trophy competitors Kristian Poulsen (1:39.293) and Mehdi Bennani (1:39.328) were second and third fastest respectively, followed by the Chevrolet trio of Yvan Muller, Alain Menu and Rob Huff.
In the dying moments of the session Tom Coronel was desperately trying to make the top-ten. He eventually improved to 1:39.680 that was not enough as he qualified 11^th, only 0.042 seconds behind Fredy Barth in 10^th.
The following drivers qualified for Q2: Monteiro, Poulsen, Bennani, Muller, Menu, Huff, Michelisz (brilliant on his first outing with the BMW 320TC), Tarquini, Engstler and Barth. The latter will start from pole position on the reverse grid for Sunday’s Race 2.
Javier Villa did not post any lap due to a turbo failure.

Q2 – Chevrolet drivers set the pace straight from the beginning, with Huff (1:38.458) and Muller (1:38.738) posting the provisional fastest laps.
Although Huff’s time eventually proved to be out of reach for the rest of the field, Muller’s was beaten by Menu (1:38.598) and Tarquini (1:38.723) who both managed to improve just before the chequered flag was waved.
Despite a spin, Poulsen won pole for the Yokohama Trophy posting a 1:39.398 that beat Michelisz’s 1:39.450 by 0.052 seconds only.

Info: WTCC.com

Foto: AmigosRacing.