In 2006, the Audi R10 TDI was the first diesel prototype to win at the 24 Hours. After three consecutive victories (with Frank Biela-Emanuele Pirro-Marco Werner in 2006 and 2007, then Dindo Capello-Tom Kristensen-Allan McNish in 2008), in 2009 it returned for one last participation, with Colin Kolles. The No. 14 was driven by German driver André Lotterer, New Zealander Charles Zwolsman and Indian driver Narayn Karthikeyan. The latter is the first citizen of his country to be entered at the 24 Hours. His two teammates were also newcomers at Le Mans...and competed in the race as a duo: on Saturday, shortly before the start, Kathikeyan hurt his shoulder following a bad fall.

Qualified on the seventh row of the starting grid, Colin Kolles's two R10 TDIs made it to the checkered flag. The car driven by Lotterer-Zwolsman was even in fifth position at daybreak on Sunday, before being delayed by gearbox problems. It still manage to finish in seventh place, while the sister car driven by Christijan Albers-Christian Bakkerud-Giorgio Mondini (No. 15) finished 10th at that edition won by the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP of David Brabham-Marc Gené-Alexander Wurz. The following year, Lotterer joined the Audi factory team. He has since raced along with Swiss driver Marcel Fässler and French driver Benoît Tréluyer with great success: in addition to three shared wins (2011-2012-2014), Lotterer scored the pole in 2012 and clocked a new lap record this year at an average of 248 km/h (3:17:476). Colin Kolles, his 2009 employer, is still active in the World Endurance Championship (WEC): at the wheel of the CLM P1/01, in 2015 his drivers Pierre Kaffer and Simon Trummer were Rebellion Racing's main rivals for the FIA Endurance LM P1 Private Teams Trophy.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SUNDAY JUNE 14 2015, FINISH. The two private Audi R10 TDIs entered by Colin Kolles both finished in the top 10 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.