Audi starts from fourth and eighth position
In the first European race of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) Audi starts from fourth and eighth position. On Saturday Allan McNish and Emanuele Pirro did not make it faster than during first qualifying session yesterday afternoon. The warmer temperatures affected the speed of the cars as well as track conditions making qualifying times generally slower than Friday.
For the race Allan McNish (No. 78) relies on the support of the team. “We have to work on a good strategy for the race so that we can make up some time during the pit stops. This will be our only chance.” As in Charlotte before Audi enters the modified models from last year. The new Audi R8 are currently prepared for Le Mans 24 Hour race.
The last year´s cars had been developed especially for Le Mans. „We tried to make an aerodynamic setup fit the Silverstone track“, says Emanuele Pirro. His Partner in the Audi R8R is Frank Biela, during this weekend Michele Alboreto strengthens the team No. 78. In the future the Italian will support Audi during the endurance races of the ALMS. “The team has absolute priority. I´m a part of it and always ready when I´m needed”, says the former vice champion in the Formula 1 World Championship.
Head of Audi Sport, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, sets realistic aims for the race (start: 18.00 hrs GMT): “It would be a good result to make it onto the podium. But to achieve this will be very hard.”
The grid
1. Schiattarella/de Radigues (Lola-Judd) 1m37.030s
2. Brabham/Magnussen (Panoz) 1m37.360s
3. Katoh/O´Connell (Panoz) 1m37.485s
4. Capello/McNish (Audi R8R) 1m37.495s
5. Lehto/Müller (BMW) 1m38.059s
6. Johansson/Smith (Reynard-Judd) 1m38.107s
7. Auberlen/Gounon (BMW) 1m38.697s
8. Biela/Pirro/Alboreto (Audi R8R) 1m38.713s
9. Blieninger/Simon/Simo (R&S-Judd) 1m39.046s
10. Tinseau/Goossens (Cadillac) 1m40.259s