Audi R10 takes on ALMS, jet-fighter
Not content with making motorsport history at Le Mans, Audi is taking on jets and going after ALMS victoryFollowing its landmark victory for a diesel car at the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race, Audi's amazing R10s are being prepared to take on the American Le Mans Series.
Starting in the series' fifth round at Salt Lake City this weekend (15 July), Team Audi Sport North America will enter a pair of Audi R10 TDI prototypes, driven by Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro and Dindo Capello/Allan McNish.
"After the successful conclusion of the Audi R8 era, we will now attempt to conquer America with the R10 TDI," said Head of Audi Motorsport, Dr Wolfgang Ullrich.
"We are well prepared and are intrigued to see just how the R10 TDI, which was built specifically for Le Mans, will perform on alternate racetracks. Our target is that the R10 TDI is competitive on every type of circuit -- exactly like the R8 was. The entire team is working towards this," Ullrich stated.
According to Audi the two R10 prototypes were stripped and rebuilt following the Le Mans 24-hour race before being flown to the USA. They will be prepared between US races at Champion, Audi's largest dealership, in Pompano Beach Florida.
The first race for the R10 will be at the all-new Miller Motorsport complex in Salt Lake City.
The R10's petrol-fuelled predecessor, the R8, celebrated its 50th overall victory in the American Le Mans Series at the Lime Rock round this year.
Audi drivers, Dindo Capello and Allan McNish lead the ALMS LM P1 class. Defending champions Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro will start for the first time in the ALMS since Sebring's 12-hour season opener.
In other R10 news organisers of the Goodwood Festival of Speed pitted the might of the Audi up against a Harrier GR7 'Jump Jet'.
The 485kW R10 took on the 11,185kW combat aircraft at the RAF base at Wittering in the UK. Despite the R10 being designed to start races from a "rolling" as opposed to "standing start", the sportscar was quicker off the line and in the lead for almost the entire kilometre before the Harrier GR7 overtook the sportscar, driven by Allan McNish.
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