Audi driver Marco Werner about Mosport
- Canada plays host to American Le Mans Series
- Second fastest track of the year
- Turns 1 and 2 are a “big challenge”
This coming weekend (24-26 August), the former Grand Prix circuit of Mosport, 60 miles northeast of the Canadian metropolis Toronto in Ontario state, plays host to the American Le Mans Series. Audi factory driver Marco Werner talks about the 4.102 kilometre (2.549 mile) track on which he won in 2003 driving an Audi R8 and around which he competes with the R10 TDI for the first time this year.
After Road America, Mosport is the second fastest circuit on the American Le Mans Series calendar. Do you like the circuit?
“Absolutely! I have very fond memories. Mosport is one of my favourites. As a circuit, it is just as challenging as Road America. I’m looking forward to Mosport.”
The Audi R10 TDI was the dominating car at the last race in Road America. Will this also be the case at Mosport?
“I don’t think that we’ll have things all our own way there, because the fast and slow circuit sections even things out. LM P1 and LM P2 should be about even. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to driving again at Mosport after a year away.”
Are there sections which are particularly impressive?
“In some parts at Mosport you really have to take the bull by the horns, especially in the first two corners. We took Turn 1 in fifth gear with the R8, Turn 2 in sixth. Very few circuits offer a driver such a challenge. These type of corners are exactly the reason why I would always give preference to American Le Mans Series over other championships.”
That means you particularly like fast corners?
“As a driver, you can really make a difference and squeeze a little bit more speed out of the car in this type of corner. During Practice at Road America I took the ‘Kink’ absolutely flat out – the only Audi driver. It’s something fantastic, indescribable. There are only a few challenges like this.”
There are, however, also slow corners at Mosport…
“Moss Corner, the so-called ‘turning point’, is a slow double right-handed corner, which is certainly not ideal for us. The chicane just before the start and finish destroys the rhythm. Apart from this, Mosport only has corners that suit the R10 TDI. The “Porsche Curves” at Le Mans are of a similar character – and the Audi was developed for these.”
In the American Le Mans Series you are permanently lapping slower cars. On a circuit like Mosport this must be particularly difficult.
“It’s similar to Road America: You lose an enormous amount of time when you run up behind a GT2 car in the fast corners. We are particularly fast in Turns 1 and 2 because of the aerodynamics, but you can’t just pass the slower cars around the outside – and if you do there is always an element of risk. If you stray away from the ideal line onto the rubber ‘pick-up’ you can fly off in an instant. You have to take this into consideration every time. You can win a lot, but you can also lose everything.”