• McNish, Rockenfeller and Prémat start at 3:00 p.m.
  • Heart stopping moments for Kristensen & Werner in the warm-up
24h Le Mans 2009
Audi R15 TDI #1 (Audi Sport Team Joest), Allan McNish

Audi Sport Team Joest named the drivers who will sit at the wheel of the three Audi R15 TDI to start the 77th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Starting driver of the Audi R15 TDI with start number “1” is the Scot Alan McNish, who was the fastest Audi driver in Thursday evening’s qualifying with a lap time of 3m 23.65s (240.925 km/h). The other two Audi R15 TDI are driven at the start by Mike Rockenfeller and Alexandre Prémat.

As is usually the case at Audi Sport Team Joest, the Audi drivers will then complete their stints during the race in alphabetical order:

Audi R15 TDI #1: McNish > Capello > Kristensen
Audi R15 TDI #2: Rockenfeller > Werner > Luhr
Audi R15 TDI #3: Prémat > Bernhard > Dumas


The Audi R15 TDI will pit for refueling as planned about every 45 minutes. Subject to strategy two or four stints in succession are planned before the tires and drivers are changed.

During Saturday morning’s warm-up Audi Sport Team Joest concentrated on checking the race set-up of the cars. All nine drivers drove. Furthermore, driver and tire changes were also practiced.

There were heart stopping moments for both Tom Kristensen and Marco Werner: The Le Mans record winner had to drive through the gravel bed at the Dunlop Chicane because a cable became detached in the pedal box of his Audi R15 TDI and jammed the throttle pedal open. Marco Werner spun at the chicane before the start-finish when he had to swerve to avoid a GT2 car.

The start of the 77th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans is at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Eurosport broadcasts almost the entire race live.