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Audi achieves third place at Silverstone

 

Silverstone, May 13, 2000

The first appearance of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in Europe was a real thriller. After an exciting 500 kilometre race, Audi ultimately made it to the podium. Rinaldo Capello and Allan McNish finished third, Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro claimed fourth place at Silverstone.

The race was decided only in the last few miles in the 98 lap race. After a tremendous start when Allan McNish moved from fourth to third place and Emanuele Pirro from eighth to fifth, McNish took over the lead after 14 laps. But during the second pit stop, both cars lost time and positions.

A few laps before the finish Rinaldo Capello demonstrated what unexpected things can happen during a 3 Hour race: Although Capello’s car suffered broken suspension caused by a collision during early stage of the race, he made it to the chequered flag on three wheels.

Quotes after the race

Allan McNish (#77): "This was one of the races you think is going well and then it goes away and then it comes back again. When Rinaldo came into the pits at the end of the race I had already gone to the truck to get changed because I thought it was all over. The podium was a big surprise – but a very pleasant one."

Rinaldo Capello (#77): "To be honest, I didn’t really know what was going on because my radio didn’t work. I just felt there was something wrong at the rear. But apart from that the car felt very good. I had some trouble when I took over the car. It was quick in right hand corners but very difficult in left hand corners. But after ten laps it worked out and I could push."

Frank Biela (#78): "I hadn’t expected the race to be so close. When Emanuele handed over he was already complaining about the air vent over the front left tyre getting loose. And he was right: I had a lot of understeer and oversteer and the car was bouncing in the corners."

Emanuele Pirro (#78): "It was going better than we thought. But then one part of the body work broke and after that the car was very difficult to drive especially when the tyres ran out. At the end we have been very lucky."

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, Head of Audi Sport: "For the last race with the 99 cars it was a nice success. But on the other hand I’m very disappointed. We made too many mistakes in the pits which no driver can make up again on the track. We have to work on this a lot before Le Mans."

Reinhold Joest, Team Director Audi Sport North America: "That was really an exciting and crazy race. We were lucky at the end but I think we deserved that little present because the spectators had a nice show. Unfortunately we’ve lost a lot of time in the pits."

 

ELMS Race after 500km
Pos # CL Team Drivers Car Time
1 42 P BMW Motorsport Lehto/
Mueller
BMW V12 LMR  
2 1 P Panoz Motor Sports Brabham/
Magnussen
Panoz LMP-1 33.493
3 77 P AUDI Sport N America Capello/
McNish
Audi R8 1:44.322
4 78 P AUDI Sport N America Alboreto/
Biela/
Pirro
Audi R8 1 Lap


ELMS Race after 1.10 hour
Pos # CL Team Drivers Car Time
1 77 P AUDI Sport N America Capello/
McNish
Audi R8  
2 2 P Panoz Motor Sports Katoh/
O'Connell
Panoz LMP-1 1.692
3 42 P BMW Motorsport Lehto/
Mueller
BMW V12 LMR 9.289
4 78 P AUDI Sport N America Alboreto/
Biela/
Pirro
Audi R8 10.515


ELMS Qualifying Session 2 (Prototype)
Pos # CL Team Drivers Car Time
1 0 P Team Rafanelli Schiattarella/
Radigues
Lola B2K/10 1:37.398
2 2 P Panoz Motor Sports Katoh/
O'Connell
Panoz LMP-1 1:37.893
3 42 P BMW Motorsport Lehto/
Mueller
BMW V12 LMR 1:38.059
4 77 P AUDI Sport N America Capello/
McNish
Audi R8 1:38.066
5 1 P Panoz Motor Sports Brabham/
Magnussen
Panoz LMP-1 1:38.588
6 43 P BMW Motorsport Auberlen/
Gounon
BMW V12 LMR 1:38.707
7 78 P AUDI Sport N America Alboreto/
Biela/
Pirro
Audi R8 1:38.965


ELMS Combined Practice 3 (Prototype / GTS / GT)
Pos # CL Team Drivers Car Time Laps GAP
1 0 P Team Rafanelli Schiattarella/
Radigues
Lola B2K/10 1:37.3 27  
2 1 P Panoz Motor Sports Brabham/
Magnussen
Panoz LMP-1 1:38.5 22 1.187
3 2 P Panoz Motor Sports Katoh/
O'Connell
Panoz LMP-1 1:38.8 28 1.432
4 77 P AUDI Sport N America Alboreto/
Biela/
Pirro
Audi R8 01:39.2 29 1.908
5 78 P AUDI Sport N America Capello/
McNish
Audi R8 01:39.4 25 2.115
6 43 P BMW Motorsport Auberlen/
Gounon
BMW V12 LMR 1:39.6 25 2.232


ELMS Qualifying Session 1 (Prototype)
Pos # CL Team Drivers Car Time
1 0 P Team Rafanelli Schiattarella/
Radigues
Lola B2K/10 1:37.030
2 1 P Panoz Motor Sports Brabham/
Magnussen
Panoz LMP-1 1:37.360
3 2 P Panoz Motor Sports Katoh/
O'Connell
Panoz LMP-1 1:37.485
4 77 P AUDI Sport N America Capello/
McNish
Audi R8 1:37.495
5 36 P Johansson Matthews Johansson/
Smith
Reynard 2KQ 1:38.107
6 43 P BMW Motorsport Auberlen/
Gounon
BMW V12 LMR 1:38.697
7 78 P AUDI Sport N America Alboreto/
Biela/
Pirro
Audi R8 1:38.723


ELMS Combined Practice 1 (Prototype / GTS / GT)
Pos # CL Team Car Time Laps GAP
1 0 P Team Rafanelli Lola B2K/10 1:36.6 25  
2 42 P BMW Motorsport BMW V12 LMR 1:38.3 24 1.753
3 2 P Panoz Motor Sports Panoz LMP-1 1:38.8 26 2.26
4 1 P Panoz Motor Sports Panoz LMP-1 1:39.1 22 2.499
5 43 P BMW Motorsport BMW V12 LMR 1:39.3 26 2.7
6 36 P Johansson Matthews Reynard 2KQ 1:40.3 16 3.794
7 78 P AUDI Sport N America Audi R8 1:40.4 23 3.871
8 77 P AUDI Sport N America Audi R8 1:40.5 25 3.909


Silverstone 500 USA Challenge time table
Date/Time GMT Session
Friday, May 12, 2000
9:00 - 10:00 ELMS Combined Practice 1 (Prototype / GTS / GT)
14:00 - 14:20 ELMS Combined Practice 2 (Prototype / GTS / GT)
14:45 - 15:00 ELMS Qualifying 1 (Prototype)
Saturday, May 13, 2000
9:00 - 10:00 ELMS Combined Practice 3 (Prototype / GTS / GT)
14:05 - 14:25 ELMS Qualifying 2 (Prototype)
18:00 Start European Le Mans Series The USA Challenge
21:15 Podium Ceremony
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