Ingolstadt, March 11, 2005


Audi France backs pure French team
The Audi PlayStation Team ORECA has signed Formula 1 test driver Franck Montagny for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2005 completing the Audi teams competing in the French longs-distance classic on 18/19 June with three Audi R8 prototypes. The American Team ADT Champion racing enters two of the three cars.

The ORECA team, supported by Audi France, presented a pure French team on Wednesday evening in Paris. "Team, drivers and Michelin tyres originate from France, and in the Audi R8 we have the best car,” explains Team Director Hugues de Chaunac, whose team won Le Mans once in 1991.


Formula 1 test driver Franck Montagny in Audi R8
The experienced Jean-Marc Gounon and Stéphane Ortelli, who drove for the Audi works team in 2000, are Montagny’s team mates. Gounon knows the R8 having driven one during the Le Mans pre-practice in 2001.


Test event at Spa 1000 kilometre race
Franck Montagny will get sufficient time before June to familiarise himself with the most successful Le Mans Prototype of all time. ORECA will use the 1000 kilometre race at Spa-Francorchamps on 17 April as a dress rehearsal. The race belongs to the Le Mans Endurance Series (LMES).

"The team and drivers bring much Le Mans experience and speed with them,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. "All three Audi R8 prototypes have high-class driver squads, which is of particular importance this year because of the increase in weight and reduction in engine power stipulated by the regulations for the R8.”