Le Mans, June 5, 2005
For the Audi importer teams, ADT Champion Racing (USA) and Audi
PlayStation Team ORECA (France), the pre-practice for the 24-Hour Race
at Le Mans went as expected. During the only opportunity for testing on
the 13.650-kilometre non-permanent circuit, the three Audi R8 cars
entered by the two teams finished in fourth, seventh and eighth places
respectively. At the end of the nine-hour pre-practice session, the
"American” Audi R8 driven by JJ Lehto and Marco Werner led the Audi trio
with a lap time of 3m 38.719s.
Only three tenths of a second slower was the all-French Audi PlayStation
Team ORECA with Jean-Marc Gounon, Franck Montagny and Stéphane
Ortelli, who finished seventh. Following right behind them in eighth place
was the Audi R8 entered by Team ADT Champion Racing with Emanuele
Pirro and Frank Biela. In the first half of the pre-practice, the
German-Italian pairing had lost some time in the pits due to some minor
problems.
For the Audi R8 – with its track record of four victories the most successful
Le Mans prototype of all times - 2005 marks the sixth and final season
because new regulations will come into effect in 2006. In the 24 Hours of
Le Mans the three Audi R8 cars have to start with 50 kilograms of
additional ballast and a smaller air-flow limiter than in 2004. This has
reduced the power of the Audi Turbo FSI engine to roughly 520 hp.
Consequently – as Audi engineers had expected - the gap to the best
time set in the pre-practice amounted to more than six seconds.
The 73rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is scheduled to start at 4
p.m. (local time) on 18 June. Qualifying practice will be on Wednesday
(15 June) and Thursday (16 June) from 7 to 9 p.m. and from 10 p.m. to
midnight.
Quotes after pre-practice
JJ Lehto (Team ADT Champion Racing Audi #3)
"Today wasn’t about setting a fast lap, it was about being well prepared
for the race. We were able to complete our programme very well, fully
testing various tyres and set-ups. The result is what we expected. We
knew before that we wouldn’t be any quicker. A six-second disadvantage
seems to be a lot at first glance. But the race lasts for 24 hours – and that
means that the R8’s reliability is a key factor for success.”
Marco Werner (Team ADT Champion Racing Audi #3)
"A few minor things cost us a bit of testing time today. In the beginning, for
example, the brake pedal had too much travel. JJ Lehto and I both had a
brief ‘off’ into the gravel. Before the start of the race, we can probably
make another step forward, because we still have some practice
sessions coming up next week. We are satisfied with the places we
achieved today, they’re what we expected.”
Jean-Marc Gounon (Audi PlayStation Team ORECA Audi #4)
"It’s been a good day. All three drivers completed their scheduled
programme like clockwork. At the end of the day, our R8 felt a lot better,
we have made a big step forward."
Franck Montagny (Audi PlayStation Team ORECA Audi #4)
"I’m happy about the time I was able to spend at the wheel of the Audi R8
today because my Formula 1 programme has taken up a lot of my time,
and so I was able to familiarise myself with the car only in two tests. The
R8 is very easy to drive, I’m thrilled about it. I believe that we can fight for a
podium position in the race.”
Stéphane Ortelli (Audi PlayStation Team ORECA Audi #4)
"It’s great to be back with Audi. The current R8 is the best Audi I’ve ever
driven. And in this race it’ll be the best car that wins – not necessarily the
fastest.”
Frank Biela (Team ADT Champion Racing Audi #2)
"In the first half of the pre-practice, we had a few minor problems. But I’d
rather see them happening now than in the race. The balance of our R8
was very good, there are only a few small things left to improve. We’re not
far from reaching the maximum potential. This time, it will be particularly
important to be perfectly sorted in the race. That it’s a very reliable car, the
Audi R8 has proved often enough. What’s more, with Champion Racing,
we have a team with lots of experience.”
Emanuele Pirro (Team ADT Champion Racing Audi #2)
"I’m satisfied with my personal performance, I was very quick and feel
comfortable in the R8. Still, it was a bit frustrating to see where we stand
compared to our competitors, who are subject to a different set of rules.”
Dave Maraj (Team Director Team ADT Champion Racing)
"We’ve had a very busy day. The team and the drivers did a super job.
Fourth place is okay – especially considering how close the times are
between the third and tenth places. Only the gap between the third and
the two first-placed contenders was a bit bigger. And the R8 is a fully
developed car.”
Hugues de Chaunac (Team Director Audi PlayStation Team ORECA)
"Today, we concentrated on working out a set-up for the race allowing the
drivers to drive as comfortably as possible. For us, it’s not so important to
set a fast lap, but to be perfectly prepared for the race. After the
pre-practice, I’m convinced we’ve got a car that’s as good as it could
possibly be. All drivers were satisfied with the R8. What makes me
particularly happy is the good team spirit among the three drivers.”
Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport
"Even prior to the pre-practice we knew that things would be difficult for
our customer teams at Le Mans this year. The result confirms our
projections. We’re not assuming that any of the three R8 cars will start the
race from the front rows. That’s why the teams fully focussed on the
set-up for the race today. Over the whole distance, due to the well-known
strengths of the R8, they will have a good chance for victory – yet the
performance of the teams and the drivers will be even more critical than
in previous years."
Pre-practice results
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