Photo : Ferdi Kräling - Audi Motorsport

 

From 2000 to 2013, six different cars have claimed 12 wins for Audi at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as two other endurance classics in the United States: Petit Le Mans (1000 miles or 10 hours) and the 12 Hours of Sebring.

R8R and R8C (1999) – For its debut, Audi presented two open-cockpit prototypes (R8R, for roadster) and two closed-cockpit prototypes (R8C, for coupe). The R8R finished in third position (Didier Theys-Emanuele Pirro- Frank Biela) and fourth (Dindo Capello-Michele Alboreto-Laurent Aiello). This promising result convinced Audi to take the open-top prototype route.

R8 (2000-2005) – With impressive reliability, the R8 claimed the first five wins for Audi at La Sarthe (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005) and made Danish driver Tom Kristensen the new record holder for victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The R8 also took six consecutive wins at Petit Le Mans and 12 Hours of Sebring, from 2000 to 2005.

R10 TDI (2006-2008) – The R10 TDI was a revolution in endurance racing, becoming the first diesel powered winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. From 2006 to 2008, the same driver lineup won with the R10 TDI (Frank Biela-Emanuele Pirro-Marco Werner) and took three wins at Petit Le Mans and two successes at Sebring (2006 and 2007).

R15 TDI and R15 TDI « Plus » (2009-2010) – The R15 TDI took its maiden win at its first race, the 2009 Sebring 12 Hours, but was beaten at Le Mans by Peugeot. In 2010, a "Plus" version added another record to the Audi history by not only winning the 24 Hours but setting the new distance mark covered in 24 Hours:  5, 405 kilometres (225 kph average) for Romain Dumas, Timo Bernhard and Mike Rockenfeller.

R18 TDI (2011-2012) – In the style of the R8 and R10 TDI, the R18 TDI won its first 24 Hours of Le Mans in its first participation, with drivers Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer. Audi also renewed its success at Sebring in 2012 with Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish taking the 50th edition of the American classic, which was also the first round of the new World Endurance Championship started by the ACO and FIA. In addition, the R18 began a new generation of closed-cockpit Audi prototypes.

R18 ultra (2012) – As in 1999, Audi entered two examples of two different models for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. An evolution version of the R18 TDI, the R18 ultra finished third (Oliver Jarvis-Marco Bonanomi-Mike Rockenfeller) and fifth (Timo Bernhard-Romain Dumas-Marc Gené). In May of 2012, the ultra took it's maiden victory in its first participation as well, at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, ahead of the new R18 e-tron quattro.

R18 e-tron quattro (since 2012) – Beaten by its "sister" car the R18 ultra in its first race, the R18 e-tron quattro became the first hybrid car to win the 24 Hours in 2012 with an impressive 1-2 finish by Fässler-Lotterer-Tréluyer ahead of Capello-Kristensen-McNish. In 2013, Kristensen and McNish joined Loic Duval to claim victory in 2013.  This same year, the R18 e-tron quattro became the last LM P1 to win the 12 Hours of Sebring (with Marcel Fässler, Benoît Tréluyer and Oliver Jarvis, who replaced the usual André Lotterer), before the rules change for 2014 involving the new merged Tudor United SportsCar Championship (TUSCC).

The 82nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be held June 14 and 15, 2014.  Click here for ticket information.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translated by Rainier Ehrhardt / ACO

Photo : In 2014, the R18 e-tron quattro version 2014 will celebrate the 15th anniversary of Audi's presence at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.