Photo : Frederic GAUDIN (ACO)

 

In 2012, Audi became the first manufacturer to win the Le Mans 24 Hours and the FIA World Endurance Championship with a four-wheel-drive LM P1 sports car. “Innovations only become pioneering achievements when they’re successfully used and others start to adopt them,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. In the past two years, on achieving the string of success in the WEC, the brand proved that e-tron quattro – the combination of a hybrid system with four-wheel drive – offers significant advantages.

 A fundamentally new Motor Generator Unit (MGU), together with a differential, sits in the monocoque at the level of the front axle. Under braking, the kinetic energy of the race car is converted into electric current which flows into an optimized flywheel energy storage device located in the cockpit next to the driver. During acceleration, the recovered energy is converted again by the MGU and powers the front wheels. “We’ve developed the entire hybrid drive from scratch again for 2014,” explains Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi Sport. “It’s become even lighter and more efficient than before.” As of 2014, these front-wheel drive components are completely integrated into the monocoque of the R18 e-tron quattro. The recuperated energy is stored in a newly designed flywheel energy storage system.

Up to now, Audi had been allowed to use four-wheel drive only above 120 km/h. In 2014, this speed-related rule no longer applies. This year, for the first time, Audi’s two LMP1 challengers on the manufacturers’ side are also relying on LMP1 sports prototypes with four-wheel drive.

(Based upon Audi Motorsport press information)

The 82nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place June 14-15, 2014 (ticket information and entry list).

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), 24 HOURS OF THE LE MANS, SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013, FINISH LINE. The R18 e-tron quattro of Duval-Kristensen-McNish (N°2) scored Audi's second Le Mans win with a 4-wheel drive hybrid system.