Le Mans winners compete in Germany
The winners of this year´s Le Mans 24 Hour race come to Germany. At the fourth round of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), held on the 9th of July at the Nürburgring, the winners of the French classic, Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro and Allan McNish/Rinaldo Capello will drive two Audi R8s. After the triumph at Le Mans, where the Audi Sport Team Joest secured the first three places, the hunt for the leading BMW team now begins in the ALMS.
Team director Reinhold Joest shows optimism: "Of course we can´t rest on our laurels after Le Mans. Our preparation for the Nürburgring round was successful, and on Friday before the race we will test there again to try out several set-ups specifically for this circuit."
For the first time since the season-opening round of the American Le Mans Series at Sebring in March where Audi celebrated a double victory, the pilots tackle an ALMS race with the new generation R8. In the previous rounds at Charlotte and Silverstone, modified vehicles from last year were raced in order not to disrupt preparations for Le Mans.
Le Mans winner Frank Biela is looking forward to the race. The Rhinelander regards the Nürburgring as his home track. "Although I am totally familiar with the `Ring from my many races there, this will be a premiere for me. I´ve never competed here in a sportscar."
With the only guest appearance of the ALMS in Germany, the legendary 1000 kilometre race on the Nürburgring celebrates a renaissance. In the seventies it was one of Germany´s most important motorsport events.
Nürburgring schedule
Saturday, 8 July
08.30 – 09.30 hrs Free practice
12.30 – 13.30 hrs Free practice
15.55 – 16.15 hrs Qualifying
Sunday, 9 July
08.30 – 08.50 hrs Warm-up
12.15 hrs Start