• DTM and Le Mans – a big challenge
ALMS 2006
Dindo Capello in the Audi R10 at the Sebring Winter Test

Just 29 days remain before the opening race of the 2006 DTM at Hockenheim. Because of the ambitious objectives preparations for the new DTM season are running at full speed at Audi Sport in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm: “We will do everything we can to recapture the title from Mercedes-Benz,” emphasizes Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich.

Over the winter Audi Sport has developed the Audi A4 DTM even further. The “R12” – as called internally – has become the “R12 plus”. To a large extent the V8 engine is new, the suspension and the aerodynamics have been fine-tuned. This should all help to bring the prestigious DTM title back to Ingolstadt.

But it is not only the Audi A4 DTM seeking glory during the 2006 season. Audi will become the first manufacturer to fight for overall victory with a diesel engine in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Audi R10, powered by a 650-hp V12 TDI engine, will race for the first time at Sebring (Florida) on 18 March.

Audi Sport’s sports car team flew into the USA on Saturday – and will not come back to Europe before their DTM colleagues have started testing at Brands Hatch. Things will continue like this over the forthcoming weeks and months. Trying to be successful in both the DTM and with the R10 project at the same time is not only logistically a big challenge – the “double mission” also demands maximum performance from all employees.