Photo : Arnaud CORNILLEAU - ACO/Nikon

Like the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, the Audi R15 prototype is near the end of its life as a works car. It has been a worthy opponent to its French rival over two seasons, and made history in 2010.

The R15 appeared in early 2009, the successor to the R8 and R10, which accumulated eight wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It  immediately showed itself worthy of this prestigious legacy, by winning at its first appearance at the 12 Hours of Sebring, in the hands of Tom Kristensen, Dindo Capello and Allan McNish.

Unsuccessful at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2009 against the 908 HDi, in 2010 it re-emerged as in a new version, called the R15 TDI 'plus' and its first race ended with a success at the 8 Hours of Le Castellet. The three rounds of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, the scoresheet may give a gloomy picture for Audi, but it was no walkover for the 908 HDi FAP. Allan McNish in the R15 made pole position in the opening 1000km ILMC race at Silverstone, and was in a fight for the lead of the race with Peugeot's Anthony Davidson before premature retirement due to mechanical failure. At Road Atlanta, Dindo Capello was slowed by helmet problems while leading Petit Le Mans. At the finish of the 1000km of Zhuhai, there were just four seconds separating the Kristensen-McNish Audi from the winning 908 of Franck Montagny and Stéphane Sarrazin.

It was at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2010 where the Audi R15 TDI put a 1-2-3 finish into the history books after the retirement of all three Peugeots. They also set a new record race distance of 397 laps at an average speed of 225.228 km/h and a distance of 5410.713 km.

As the history of the 908 HDi FAP and the R15 ends, this fabulous Franco-German dual is far from over. We can be sure that new records and new achievements await us in 2011 ...

Jean-Philippe Doret - Translated by Dave Davies

Photo: LE MANS (France), 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, 13th June, 2010. The day of glory for the R15 TDI: Audi's ninth victory, a new distance record and fourth triple victory. Romain Dumas, Timo Bernhard and Mike Rockenfeller ahead Marcel Fässler-Andre Lotterer Benedict Tréluyer and Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish.