| Difficult conditions during the warm-up session for the Le Mans 24 Hour race: after rain showers last night, the track was still slippery in the warm-up this morning. As a consequence, several drivers had to use the run-off areas. Apart from a harmless half-spin for Dutchman Tom Coronel in the Johansson R8 at the Indianapolis corner, Audi Sport Team Joest and the Audi customer teams Champion and Johansson enjoyed a trouble-free warm-up. “Everything okay“ was the common statement of all three teams. Quickest driver was Audi newcomer Christian Pescatori. The Italian managed a 3m40.497s lap on the drying circuit shortly before the end. His team-mate Emanuele Pirro set the second fastest time in the other Infineon Audi R8 (3m41.567s). |
| After the warm-up, the drivers that will take the start at 16.00 hours in their four Audi sportscars have been named. Additionally, the order of the following stints has also been defined: |
|
Stint 1 |
Stint 2 |
Stint 3 |
| Infineon |
Audi R8 #1 |
Biela |
Kristensen |
Pirro |
| Infineon |
Audi R8 #2 |
Aiello |
Capello |
Pescatori |
| Champion |
Audi R8 #3 |
Kelleners |
Herbert |
Theys |
| Johansson |
Audi R8 #4 |
Johansson |
Lemarie |
Coronel |
| The weather forecast predicts changeable conditions and rain showers for the race which will start at 16.00 hours, more >>> |
| Pos |
N° |
Teams |
Drivers |
Lap |
Gap |
Best lap |
| 1 |
1 |
AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST ( LMP900 ) |
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro |
18 |
3:42:163 |
| 2 |
11 |
PANOZ MOTOR SPORTS ( LMP900 ) |
Graf/Daevis/Formato |
18 |
0 L |
3:57:756 |
| 3 |
7 |
TEAM BENTLEY ( LMGTP ) |
Brundle/Ortelli/Smith |
18 |
0 L |
3:43:075 |
| 4 |
33 |
MG SPORT & RACING LTD ( LMP675 ) |
McGarrity/Blundell/Bailey |
17 |
1 L |
3:45:961 |
| 5 |
8 |
TEAM BENTLEY ( LMGTP ) |
Wallace/Leitzinger/Van De Poele |
17 |
1 L |
3:42:713 |
| 6 |
36 |
DICK BARBOUR ( LMP675 ) |
De Radigues/Maassen/Matsuda |
17 |
1 L |
3:56:500 |
| 7 |
12 |
PANOZ MOTOR SPORTS ( LMP900 ) |
Brabham/Magnussen/Lagorce |
17 |
1 L |
3:53:808 |
| 8 |
15 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA ( LMP900 ) |
Dalmas/Montagny/Sarrazin |
17 |
1 L |
3:47:829 |
| 9 |
3 |
CHAMPION RACING ( LMP900 ) |
Herbert/Kelleners/Theys |
17 |
1 L |
3:42:883 |
| 10 |
16 |
TEAM PLAYSTATION ( LMP900 ) |
Beretta/Wendlinger/Lamy |
17 |
1 L |
3:46:759 |
| 11 |
10 |
TEAM DEN BLA AVIS ( LMP900 ) |
Nielsen/Katoh/Elgaard |
17 |
1 L |
3:46:217 |
| 12 |
6 |
DAMS ( LMP900 ) |
Taylor/Angelelli/Tinseau |
17 |
1 L |
3:47:942 |
| 13 |
2 |
AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA ( LMP900 ) |
Aiello/Capello/Pescatori |
17 |
1 L |
3:39:046 |
| . . |
| 36 |
4 |
JOHANSSON MOTORSPORT ( LMP900 ) |
Johansson/Coronel/Lemarie |
15 |
3 L |
3:42:893 |
| Pos |
N° |
Teams |
Drivers |
Lap |
Gap |
Best lap |
| 1 |
1 |
AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST ( LMP900 ) |
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro |
27 |
3:39:096 |
| 2 |
2 |
AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA ( LMP900 ) |
Aiello/Capello/Pescatori |
27 |
0 L |
3:39:046 |
| 3 |
7 |
TEAM BENTLEY ( LMGTP ) |
Brundle/Ortelli/Smith |
27 |
0 L |
3:43:075 |
| 4 |
16 |
TEAM PLAYSTATION ( LMP900 ) |
Beretta/Wendlinger/Lamy |
27 |
0 L |
3:46:181 |
| 5 |
8 |
TEAM BENTLEY ( LMGTP ) |
Wallace/Leitzinger/Van De Poele |
27 |
0 L |
3:42:713 |
| 6 |
3 |
CHAMPION RACING ( LMP900 ) |
Herbert/Kelleners/Theys |
27 |
0 L |
3:42:883 |
| 7 |
15 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA ( LMP900 ) |
Dalmas/Montagny/Sarrazin |
27 |
0 L |
3:46:167 |
| 8 |
36 |
DICK BARBOUR ( LMP675 ) |
De Radigues/Maassen/Matsuda |
27 |
0 L |
3:50:989 |
| 9 |
10 |
TEAM DEN BLA AVIS ( LMP900 ) |
Nielsen/Katoh/Elgaard |
27 |
0 L |
3:46:217 |
| 10 |
17 |
PESCAROLO SPORT ( LMP900 ) |
Boullion/Bourdais/Redon |
27 |
0 L |
3:46:226 |
| 18h49 |
| Pos |
N° |
Teams |
Drivers |
Lap |
Gap |
Best lap |
| 1 |
1 |
AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST |
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro |
38 |
3:39:096 |
| 2 |
2 |
AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA |
Aiello/Capello/Pescatori |
38 |
0 L |
3:39:046 |
| 3 |
7 |
TEAM BENTLEY |
Brundle/Ortelli/Smith |
38 |
0 L |
3:43:075 |
| 4 |
3 |
CHAMPION RACING |
Herbert/Kelleners/Theys |
37 |
1 L |
3:42:883 |
| 5 |
8 |
TEAM BENTLEY |
Wallace/Leitzinger/Van De Poele |
37 |
1 L |
3:42:713 |
| 6 |
15 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Dalmas/Montagny/Sarrazin |
37 |
1 L |
3:45:707 |
| 7 |
17 |
PESCAROLO SPORT |
Boullion/Bourdais/Redon |
37 |
1 L |
3:46:226 |
| 8 |
33 |
MG SPORT & RACING LTD |
McGarrity/Blundell/Bailey |
36 |
2 L |
3:45:961 |
| 9 |
16 |
TEAM PLAYSTATION |
Beretta/Wendlinger/Lamy |
36 |
2 L |
3:46:181 |
| 10 |
10 |
TEAM DEN BLA AVIS |
Nielsen/Katoh/Elgaard |
36 |
2 L |
3:46:217 |
| 20h02 |
| Pos |
N° |
Teams |
Drivers |
Lap |
Gap |
Best lap |
| 1 |
1 |
AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST |
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro |
50 |
3:39:096 |
| 2 |
2 |
AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA |
Aiello/Capello/Pescatori |
49 |
1 L |
3:39:046 |
| 3 |
7 |
TEAM BENTLEY |
Brundle/Ortelli/Smith |
49 |
1 L |
3:43:075 |
| 4 |
3 |
CHAMPION RACING |
Herbert/Kelleners/Theys |
49 |
1 L |
3:42:883 |
| 5 |
15 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Dalmas/Montagny/Sarrazin |
49 |
1 L |
3:45:707 |
| 6 |
17 |
PESCAROLO SPORT |
Boullion/Bourdais/Redon |
49 |
1 L |
3:46:226 |
| 7 |
8 |
TEAM BENTLEY |
Wallace/Leitzinger/Van De Poele |
48 |
2 L |
3:42:713 |
| 8 |
16 |
TEAM PLAYSTATION |
Beretta/Wendlinger/Lamy |
48 |
2 L |
3:46:181 |
| 9 |
5 |
DAMS |
Collard/Goossens/Bernard |
48 |
2 L |
3:46:018 |
| 10 |
38 |
ROC AUTO |
Deletraz/Fabre/Gene |
47 |
3 L |
3:53:577 |
| 21h05 |
| Pos |
N° |
Teams |
Drivers |
Lap |
Gap |
Best lap |
| 1 |
1 |
AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST |
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro |
63 |
3:39:096 |
| 2 |
2 |
AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA |
Aiello/Capello/Pescatori |
63 |
0 L |
3:39:046 |
| 3 |
3 |
CHAMPION RACING |
Herbert/Kelleners/Theys |
62 |
1 L |
3:42:883 |
| 4 |
8 |
TEAM BENTLEY |
Wallace/Leitzinger/Van De Poele |
62 |
1 L |
3:42:713 |
| 5 |
17 |
PESCAROLO SPORT |
Boullion/Bourdais/Redon |
62 |
1 L |
3:46:226 |
| 6 |
15 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Dalmas/Montagny/Sarrazin |
61 |
2 L |
3:45:707 |
| 7 |
16 |
TEAM PLAYSTATION |
Beretta/Wendlinger/Lamy |
60 |
3 L |
3:46:181 |
| 8 |
33 |
MG SPORT & RACING LTD |
McGarrity/Blundell/Bailey |
60 |
3 L |
3:45:961 |
| 9 |
14 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Ara/Amorim/Kondo |
59 |
4 L |
3:46:287 |
| 10 |
38 |
ROC AUTO |
Deletraz/Fabre/Gene |
59 |
4 L |
3:53:577 |
| Le Mans, 16 June 2001, 19.30 The initial phase of the 2001 Le Mans 24 Hour race was nothing for the faint- hearted: Heavy rain showers caused turmoil for the 48-car field which eventually led to a 30-minute safety car period. The Audi drivers had been surprised by the sudden rain as well: Laurent Aiello, who led initially in the Infineon Audi R8, had to pit. The Frenchman slid off the slippery track and required new rear bodywork and a trackrod. Stefan Johansson (Johansson Motorsports) touched the barriers and lost three laps during a pit stop for repairs. Ralf Kelleners (Champion Racing) also spun on the flooded track. Only Frank Biela, who started extremely carefully and dropped to fourth position as a consequence, managed to stay out of trouble in this critical phase. During the second hour Biela, in his Infineon Audi R8 with starting number one, moved ahead of the field and continued to extend his lead. Laurent Aiello, who had dropped back to 29th position after his small off-track excursion, sliced through the field with quick lap times. Shortly after 18.30 hours, he passed the second-placed Bentley. After two and a half hours, both Infineon Audi R8 sportscars led the field for the first time before torrential rain caused another safety car phase. “Conditions were extreme“, explained Audi driver Laurent Aiello. “I could hardly manage to keep the car on the track with slick tyres in the rain. Even in the pits, we had aquaplaning!“ The weather forecast predicts changeable conditions for the night and into Sunday. |
| 22h49 |
| Pos |
N° |
Teams |
Drivers |
Lap |
Gap |
Best lap |
| 1 |
1 |
AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST |
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro |
81 |
3:39:096 |
| 2 |
2 |
AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA |
Aiello/Capello/Pescatori |
80 |
1 L |
3:39:046 |
| 3 |
3 |
CHAMPION RACING |
Herbert/Kelleners/Theys |
80 |
1 L |
3:42:883 |
| 4 |
8 |
TEAM BENTLEY |
Wallace/Leitzinger/Van De Poele |
78 |
3 L |
3:42:713 |
| 5 |
16 |
TEAM PLAYSTATION |
Beretta/Wendlinger/Lamy |
77 |
4 L |
3:46:181 |
| 6 |
15 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Dalmas/Montagny/Sarrazin |
77 |
4 L |
3:45:707 |
| 7 |
17 |
PESCAROLO SPORT |
Boullion/Bourdais/Redon |
77 |
4 L |
3:46:226 |
| 8 |
38 |
ROC AUTO |
Deletraz/Fabre/Gene |
75 |
6 L |
3:53:577 |
| 9 |
64 |
CORVETTE RACING |
Pilgrim/Collins/Freon |
74 |
7 L |
4:04:342 |
| 10 |
20 |
TEAM ASCARI |
Lupberger/Collins/Toivonen |
74 |
7 L |
3:47:276 |
| 23h49 |
| Pos |
N° |
Teams |
Drivers |
Lap |
Gap |
Best lap |
| 1 |
1 |
AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST |
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro |
98 |
3:39:096 |
| 2 |
2 |
AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA |
Aiello/Capello/Pescatori |
97 |
1 L |
3:39:046 |
| 3 |
17 |
PESCAROLO SPORT |
Boullion/Bourdais/Redon |
94 |
4 L |
3:46:226 |
| 4 |
16 |
TEAM PLAYSTATION |
Beretta/Wendlinger/Lamy |
92 |
6 L |
3:46:181 |
| 5 |
8 |
TEAM BENTLEY |
Wallace/Leitzinger/Van De Poele |
92 |
6 L |
3:42:713 |
| 6 |
15 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Dalmas/Montagny/Sarrazin |
91 |
7 L |
3:45:707 |
| 7 |
38 |
ROC AUTO |
Deletraz/Fabre/Gene |
90 |
8 L |
3:53:577 |
| 8 |
14 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Ara/Amorim/Kondo |
90 |
8 L |
3:46:287 |
| 9 |
63 |
CORVETTE RACING |
Fellows/O'Connell/Pruett |
90 |
8 L |
4:05:964 |
| 10 |
20 |
TEAM ASCARI |
Lupberger/Collins/Toivonen |
90 |
8 L |
3:47:276 |
| 0h50 |
| Pos |
N° |
Teams |
Drivers |
Lap |
Gap |
Best lap |
| 1 |
1 |
AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST |
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro |
110 |
3:39:096 |
| 2 |
2 |
AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA |
Aiello/Capello/Pescatori |
109 |
1 L |
3:39:046 |
| 3 |
8 |
TEAM BENTLEY |
Wallace/Leitzinger/Van De Poele |
104 |
6 L |
3:42:713 |
| 4 |
15 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Dalmas/Montagny/Sarrazin |
103 |
7 L |
3:45:707 |
| 5 |
38 |
ROC AUTO |
Deletraz/Fabre/Gene |
102 |
8 L |
3:53:577 |
| 6 |
14 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Ara/Amorim/Kondo |
102 |
8 L |
3:46:287 |
| 7 |
63 |
CORVETTE RACING |
Fellows/O'Connell/Pruett |
101 |
9 L |
4:05:964 |
| 8 |
20 |
TEAM ASCARI |
Lupberger/Collins/Toivonen |
101 |
9 L |
3:47:276 |
| 9 |
17 |
PESCAROLO SPORT |
Boullion/Bourdais/Redon |
100 |
10 L |
3:46:226 |
| 10 |
64 |
CORVETTE RACING |
Pilgrim/Collins/Freon |
99 |
11 L |
4:04:342 |
| 2h01 |
| Pos |
N° |
Teams |
Drivers |
Lap |
Gap |
Best lap |
| 1 |
1 |
AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST |
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro |
124 |
3:39:096 |
| 2 |
2 |
AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA |
Aiello/Capello/Pescatori |
123 |
1 L |
3:39:046 |
| 3 |
15 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Dalmas/Montagny/Sarrazin |
117 |
7 L |
3:45:707 |
| 4 |
8 |
TEAM BENTLEY |
Wallace/Leitzinger/Van De Poele |
115 |
9 L |
3:42:713 |
| 5 |
14 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Ara/Amorim/Kondo |
115 |
9 L |
3:46:287 |
| 6 |
63 |
CORVETTE RACING |
Fellows/O'Connell/Pruett |
114 |
10 L |
4:05:964 |
| 7 |
38 |
ROC AUTO |
Deletraz/Fabre/Gene |
114 |
10 L |
3:53:577 |
| 8 |
16 |
TEAM PLAYSTATION |
Beretta/Wendlinger/Lamy |
113 |
11 L |
3:46:181 |
| 9 |
20 |
TEAM ASCARI |
Lupberger/Collins/Toivonen |
113 |
11 L |
3:47:276 |
| 10 |
17 |
PESCAROLO SPORT |
Boullion/Bourdais/Redon |
112 |
12 L |
3:46:226 |
| 4h57 |
| Pos |
N° |
Teams |
Drivers |
Lap |
Gap |
Best lap |
| 1 |
1 |
AUDI SPORT TEAM JOEST |
Biela/Kristensen/Pirro |
166 |
3:39:096 |
| 2 |
2 |
AUDI SPORT NORTH AMERICA |
Aiello/Capello/Pescatori |
163 |
3 L |
3:39:046 |
| 3 |
8 |
TEAM BENTLEY |
Wallace/Leitzinger/Van De Poele |
156 |
10 L |
3:42:713 |
| 4 |
6 |
DAMS |
Taylor/Angelelli/Tinseau |
153 |
13 L |
3:47:942 |
| 5 |
38 |
ROC AUTO |
Deletraz/Fabre/Gene |
152 |
14 L |
3:53:577 |
| 6 |
16 |
TEAM PLAYSTATION |
Beretta/Wendlinger/Lamy |
151 |
15 L |
3:46:181 |
| 7 |
63 |
CORVETTE RACING |
Fellows/O'Connell/Pruett |
151 |
15 L |
4:05:964 |
| 8 |
14 |
VIPER TEAM ORECA |
Ara/Amorim/Kondo |
149 |
17 L |
3:46:287 |
| 9 |
60 |
SALEEN |
Borcheller/Gavin/Konrad |
148 |
18 L |