First test of the Audi R8 against opposition
Next Sunday’s pre-qualifying for the Le Mans 24 Hours is the first major test for the Audi R8 against major opposition. Six weeks before the race, Audi Sport aims to qualify the four car line-up for the traditional race at La Sarthe in June. „The pre-qualifying is the first opportunity to test the car on the Le Mans track“, explains Audi‘s Head of Sport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. „This is extremely meaningful for us since we are newcomers.“
Roll outs at Nürburgring and Silverstone
Each car has a time limit of just six hours to pre-qualify on Sunday hence the preparations are meticulous. Dr Ullrich: „The cars have been stripped down and re-built completely after the recent tests.“ In order to be prepared perfectly, both teams will do a roll out to check every part before they go to Le Mans. Audi Sport Team Joest will shake down the two open-topped R8Rs at the Nürburgring while Audi Sport UK will test the enclosed R8C at Silverstone.
Line-ups will be defined on Saturday night
The teams will qualify on Sunday in two separate groups. Only after the final scrutineering on Saturday night will organisers define which cars will start on Sunday morning or Sunday afternoon.
Both Audi Teams will attempt to pre-qualify on the 2 May. „Our goal is to get familiar with the track in the best possible way“, explains Dr Ullrich.
During pre-qualifying, 10 of the 12 Audi drivers will be present. Frenchman Laurent Aiello and fellow countryman Yvan Muller are missing the event because they will contest a round of the British Touring Car Championship.