For the final two hours, Audi was comfortably sitting in the top two positions, and went on to take the win, their 13th overall victory at the French event, beating the odds of the slower pace it showed in comparison during the qualifying runs in relation to its competitors and having the least mechanical problems of the prototypes. "[8], Changes from 2013 R18 e-tron quattro include the introduction of blue laser beam backlights with a yellow phosphor crystal lens complementing the LED headlights, a revised V6 TDI engine with an electric turbocharger, upgrades to the flywheel accumulator system and an exhaust heat recovery system. On race day, the rain held up to a temperature of 13 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit), and out the rolling start formation, the positioning of the LMP1-H field changed quickly. They would take the grid third, fourth, and fifth. The fastest time for a LMP1 around the track was set in the first practice session by Porsche, setting a 1:47.231 (at the time). In the fourth hour, the #8 went to second place briefly before a pit stop infringement pushed the car back to fourth, and the #7 car was promoted to second by the end of the fourth hour. Audi upgraded the R18 to the 6 MJ class, and for the new car, an electrochemical battery storage system will accumulate energy in the hybrid system instead of a flywheel, which will be located in the monocoque. Porsche did not waste any time setting pace within the qualifying session, with both cars times being in the low 1:36 range. The #7 Audi driven by André Lotterer at the time set a new race lap record (at the time, which was eventually broken in 2019) of 3 minutes and 17.476 seconds. The #9 car would be in seventh place. Learn how and when to remove this template message, at the time, which was eventually broken in 2019, http://blog.caranddriver.com/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-audis-r18-e-tron-quattro-le-mans-racer/, "Audi and Peugeot Battle at 12 Hours of Sebring", "Honeywell Turbo Technologies » Honeywell Turbo Technologies Boosts Audi to Le Mans Victory", "2012 Technical Regulations for Prototype", "Honeywell Turbo Technologies » Honeywell Turbos Boost 14th Consecutive Victory at 24 Hours of Le Mans", "Audi R18 e-tron Quattro Flywheel KERS Hybrid System", "Spinning the (fly)wheel: Audi's quest for hybrid history", "10 Things You Need to Know About Audi's R18 e-tron Quattro Le Mans Racer", "The next Audi R18 e-tron quattro: new technology for the World Champions", "Audi MediaServices - Audi R18 e-tron quattro with laser light", "Audi debuts all-new R18 E-Tron Quattro with novel secondary hybrid system", "Audi abandons F1-style hybrid system on 2014 R18 WEC challenger", "The New Audi R18 Is Here And Its Livery Is Just As Mean As The Car", "Audi captures 11th title at 24 Hours of Le Mans", "Audi Sport Team Joest one-two victory at Sebring", "Audi Wins Classic 60th Anniversary Race at Sebring", "Audi 1-2-3-4 victory at Spa on premiere", "The 80th 24 hours of Le Mans in numbers", "Audi brings the quattro back to the race track", "Audi to field two R18 e-tron quattros in Bahrain", "FIA WEC: Circuit of the Americas, Race Report, LMP1 – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Fuji Race Report, Toyota Score Dominant 1-2 On Home Soil – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Shanghai, Quick Race Report, Clever Tactics Give Toyota Their Fourth Win – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Bahrain, Race Preview, Part 1, LMP – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Bahrain, Full Race Report – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Interlagos, Race Report, Porsche Win In TK's Final Race – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Silverstone, Final Hour Report, Audi Survive Late Penalty – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Silverstone, Hours 2 & 3 Report, Monumental Scrap For The Lead – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Silverstone, Hours 4 & 5 Report, Lotterer & Audi Take Charge – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Spa Francorchamps, Hour 1 Report – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Spa Francorchamps, Hour 3 Report – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Spa Francorchamps, Hour 6 Report, #7 Audi Wins – dailysportscar.com", "Le Mans 24 Hours: Hour 1 Report, Early Lead For Porsche – dailysportscar.com", "Le Mans 24 Hours: Hour 2 Report, Charging Lotterer Leads For Audi – dailysportscar.com", "Le Mans 24 Hours: Hour 5 Report, New Race Lap Record From Audi – dailysportscar.com", "Le Mans 24 Hours: Hours 10 & 11 Report, Tandy Leads For Porsche – dailysportscar.com", "Le Mans 24 Hours: Hours 12 & 13 Report: Porsche Lead Solidifies – dailysportscar.com", "Le Mans 24 Hours: Hour 16 Report, #7 Audi Delayed – dailysportscar.com", "Le Mans 24 Hours: Hour 21 Report, Close GT Action – dailysportscar.com", "Le Mans 24 Hours: Hour 24 Report, 17th LM24 Win for Porsche – dailysportscar.com", "Changes To LMP1 EoT For Nürburgring 6 Hours – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Nürburgring: Hours 4-5 Report, KCMG Leads P2, Ferrari First In GTE Am – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Nürburgring: Hour 1 Report, Porsche Leads Both Classes – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Nürburgring, Hours 2-3 Report, Mixed Fortunes For Porsche – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Nürburgring, LMP Wrap-Up, Porsche's #17 Crew Takes Its Maiden Win – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Fuji, Hours 1 & 2, Audi Lead After Extended Safety Car – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Fuji, Hours 3 & 4, Porsche Back On Top After Audi Tyre Gamble – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Shanghai, Free Practice 1, Audi 1,2 – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Shanghai, Free Practice 2, Porsche Respond – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Shanghai, Free Practice 3, Hartley Fastest, Dramas Elsewhere – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Shanghai, LMP Qualifying, Record Breaking Porsche, G-Drive In LMP2 – dailysportscar.com", "FIA WEC: Shanghai, Quick Report, Porsche Win The World Championship (& The Race!) Porsche also had the ability to win the manufacturers' title in Shanghai. [47] The first practice session of the race week was affected by weather in the area. The #2 car finished in second place three laps behind the sister car. Wet track conditions would continue into the next practice session as well. [52] The third hour began with a three-way fight for first place, and the #7 held off both of the rival Porsches until it pitted with 3 hours and 45 minutes to go. The #7 would be the only Audi on the podium, finishing third, two laps down. [2] Ninety-five lasers inspect the entire car in five seconds to ensure that over 220 measurements are within 0.1 millimetres of the programmed plans. The #7 Audi would salvage a fifth place finish, five laps down off the lead. The #8 Audi was still in fifth place, four laps down. The race would prove to be a worthy challenge for Audi by their rivals Toyota. The #7 and #8 finished off the hour second and third. The #9 would finish the race in fourth, two laps down and the #8 would finish in seventh place, eight laps down. All the Audi prototypes would be seconds back off the pace, sitting in positions fourth through sixth, the fastest Audi being the #7 setting a lap in the 3 minute and 19 second range. Audi gained the manufacturers championship lead after this race, leading by 18 over rival Toyota. However, a mechanical problem in the closest challenging Toyota provided Audi with an easy 1-2-3 finish as the race concluded, with the #1 winning in Belgium. [33][34][35], After securing a hard-fought win in Silverstone, the championship moved onto Spa-Francorchamps for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. The #8 was about seven and a half tenths off the leading Porsche's time. Initial models included the R8 4.2 FSI coupé (with a V8 engine) and R8 5.2 FSI coupé (with a V10 engine). However, they would prove to be largely ineffective at challenging any of the LMP1 field, due to a failed hybrid system. [17], In Asia, the R8 is available in India, Israel, Japan, Taiwan, Bahrain, Kuwait, South Korea, Philippines, Thailand, Pakistan, Hong Kong and Vietnam, and has been available in China, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia since 2008. Through the first hour, the #7 was in fourth and the #8 was in fifth. The duo of Toyotas finished third and fourth, both three laps down, and the #17 car finished fifth, nine laps down. In comparison to the 2014 car the 2015 R18 e-tron quattro's aerodynamics have been significantly improved and the turbocharged 4.0L V6 diesel engine now produces more power while using less fuel. For the third and final practice session, the #1 car set the fastest lap, not just in this session, but the entire practice sessions, driven by Duval. The monocoque is 4,560 millimeters in length (which is the maximum length per the regulations). This is less than the outgoing R15, but the V6 engine's fuel consumption will more than likely be lower than that of the outgoing V10 engine on the R15. However, the #1 car was able to recover passing the Porsche it was trailing and taking the lead when the #2 went out with its problem. The car uses a high-pressure central hydraulics system to reduce weight while still actuating braking, transmission, and engine operations. The race was a hot one, with track temperatures at 41 degrees Celsius (about 106 degrees Fahrenheit) and 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit). Silverstone was the first race on the 2014 calendar, and in addition to the competition presented by Toyota and their brand new car, the TS040 Hybrid, and Audi's sister company Porsche returned to prototype racing with the 919 Hybrid prototype racer. [41] As the sun began to set over the track in the seventh hour, the #9 was able to pass the #17 Porsche on raw pace after a pit stop, and the #7 followed in third. With the win, Audi's first of the season, Audi would remain in third place, but gain forty points in the manufacturers championship, three points behind Toyota and sixteen behind Porsche.[67][24]. Audi was presented with an opportunity to regain the lead of the race. The #9 was in an intense battle with the #2 Toyota for fourth position. Toyota had brought a revised version of the successful TS040 Hybrid that won them both the drivers' and manufacturers' championships in the 2014 FIA WEC season. This is called a 'hot valley' configuration and is opposed to the traditional configuration with each cylinder bank of a V engine exhausting outwards to their respective turbochargers. The regulations also called for larger openings in the front wheel arches to keep the car grounded. More dramas would remain through as the #2 would be driven into the garage to replace a failed turbocharger in the sixteenth hour of the race. Porsche edged out Audi in the first free practice, by seventeen thousandths, placing the #7 in second and the #8 about sixth tenths back in third. [44] The race would continue to wear on Audi as it neared its conclusion. Meanwhile, the #7 Audi would suffer from floor damage after running over a curb, resulting in a visit to the garage. The duo of Toyotas led the way, the fastest of the two lapping over a second and a half clear of the #7 Audi. The prototype weighs in at 870 kg.[25]. For the opening practice session of the season, Porsche was able to secure the first two positions, both a second and a half clear of the next best LMP1 runner, their best time a 1:42.182. Meanwhile, the #9 fell behind the #19 Porsche. The #8 finished the practice session in third place behind the second of the Porsches in second and the #7 finished the session last in the hybrid class, having to cut the practice short due to alternator issues. The flywheel accumulator system's capacity has been increased from 500KJ to 700KJ as the 2015 Audi's energy output per round has been increased from 2MJ to 4MJ. The #9 and #8 sat fifth and sixth respectively. Type 42 models were used in the Iron Man Trilogy with a V8 in Iron Man,[31] a V10 Spyder in Iron Man 2,[32] and an e-tron prototype in Iron Man 3. The #8 rounded off the LMP-H category, eleven laps down. The R18 is also the first racing car from Audi to feature hybrid power. Despite the result, Audi would still win the manufacturer's title by sixty-four and a half points. The #2 was the only car that started inside the top three in third position, about a second off the pace of the leading Porsche. Both drivers could leave their car without serious injuries despite both cars being completely destroyed. By the end of the third hour, the #7 placed second and the #8 placed fourth. Going into the final lap, the gap between the #7 Audi and the #18 Porsche was just under six seconds. The new gearbox is electrically controlled instead of pneumatically controlled, saving weight by eliminating the pneumatic system. The race got underway in wet conditions, with the safety car leading the field when the race timer started. [37], Mid-engine sports car manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Audi, This article is about the road-going sports car. Finally, there are numerous smaller upgrades to vision and ergonomics to improve drivability.[10][11][12][13]. In qualifying, the #2 posted a time of a 1-minute 44.792 lap, positioning it fifth. The #8 would lose a position to the #2 Toyota, but soon regain the position back. The driver lineup consisted with the same driver lineup as last year, assigned to the same car numbers, with the #7 driven by André Lotterer, Benoît Tréluyer, and Marcel Fässler. [55] In the final practice, The results from the second practice still held for the manufacturer positioning, except the #7 finished the practice ahead of the #8 in third place. While the battle between the #7 and #18 continued, the #8 gained time on the two upfront as it aimed to get back on the lead lap. By the end of the first hour, the #7 sat in second and the #8 sat in fourth, both cars behind Porsches. Behind the #8, the #2 Porsche was laps down in third. [22] Audi has instead run two e-tron Quattros since Bahrain.[23]. [58] Porsche would also have the opportunity to clinch the drivers' (with the #17 Porsche driver lineup) with a fourth-place finish or better next round. [56] Qualifying had much of the same result seen in the last two practice sessions, with the #8 placing third and the #7 placing fourth on the grid for the race. Ensimmäisen sukupolven A3:een perustuva Audi S3 esiteltiin vuoden 1999 alussa. The #7 and #8 finished the first practice in positions first and second, besting the duo of Porsches in third and fourth. Audi has been rolling out successive concepts based on the new TT. They finished second in the Manufacturers' Championship. The first two practice sessions got the race weekend off to a great start, as the #1 locked the first position and the #2 took the second position through the first and second practices. The championship would then visit China for the 6 hours of Shanghai. Two of Toyota's drivers, Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi in the #8 Toyota TS040 Hybrid had the ability to clinch the drivers' championship with a position of fifth place or better or the #2 Audi finishing lower than first place. The #1 car would move back to fourth by hour four and the #2 car remained in sixth. The KERS for the 2016 R18 has also been changed from a flywheel system to a lithium-ion battery, and has been upgraded to the 6MJ class from the 4MJ class to improve boosting. The spring damper elements are activated through pushrods at the front and pull rods at the rear. The #2 still remaining in sixth. The first practice was held on a wet track, and #2 ended the session third and the #1 finished the session fourth. The #1 was not classified within the first qualifying run. The newly built monocoque was made bigger and more layered on the outside for safety purposes; to withstand higher loads during a collision. Initially, through traffic, the Audis struggled to keep pace with the Porsches. The put the #8 in second place behind the leading Toyota. [66] The race would have a completely different look by the end of the fifth hour that would favor Audi. A brake force distribution system works automatically and is connected to the hybrid system to regulate energy generated under braking. Now holding the manufacturers lead, Audi hoped to continue the success and fight it showed in Austin. During hour two, rivals Toyota leaped two positions to take fourth and third away from the Audis. Behind was the sister car, also one lap down. The pace would significantly decrease for qualifying practice two, as the #7 Audi set a lap of a 3-minute and 20.561-second lap to place second behind the leading Porsche by a difference of 1 second and sixth tenths. The #3 car of Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Loïc Duval finished 2nd four laps behind (321); the two ran much of the race in the same lap until the latter stages when the #3 car fell behind pace of the #2 and made contact with another car, causing a lengthy final pit stop for nose repair (besides the refuel). When hour five concluded, the #7 Audi was leading the race, with the #18 Porsche only eight seconds off the lead. Both Audis got away cleanly and the #7 gained a significant lead off the start. The #1 would finish fifth and #2 would finish sixth, the #1 being two laps down and the #2 being three laps down on the leading Toyota TS040 Hybrid. Audi would revise their R18 e-tron quattro. Snowfall plagued free practice, three and session was red-flagged and eventually was suspended. Di Grassi's #1 lost traction and crashed in the first hour while leading the race at Woodcote, resulting in suspension damage that would be terminal to the #1 car's chances of finishing the race. The R18 TDI, which was unveiled at a launch in Ingolstadt on 10 December 2010, has made its race debut at the 1000 km Spa round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in May, finishing 3rd. However, the #2 car would finish third. However, a mistake by the #7 sent the car spinning at the bus stop chicane, dropping the #7 to fourth place behind the #8. Following averaging a tenth behind was the #8, which snapped an 11-race streak starting from pole for Porsche. The #1 Porsche would have the best lap time of the weekend, setting a 1:55.691. Both the Audis had already taken three pit stops in contrast to both Porsche's two, using their slicks and drying line forming on the track to catch the Porsches, who were trying to conserve their wet tires over the race session. In addition, the Audi #2 finished too low; and did not earn enough points, giving Anthony Davidson and Sébastien Buemi in the #8 Toyota TS040 Hybrid the drivers' championship title in the penultimate round of the season. Audi determined to use this car for its Le Mans effort, using the race at Spa as a test bed for both the #3 car and team. By the end of the fourth hour, the rapid pace by the #2 dissolved, and now the car dropped to fourth, one lap down. The #18 Porsche was able to reclaim its starting position rather quickly. The car would be only eligible to earn manufacturer points in Le Mans. Audi would evolve the R18 e-tron quattro into an entirely new and different looking car from its revised 2013 predecessor to adapt to the changes that the new LMP1 regulations (for hybrids) presented. All throughout the race Audi brought a significant challenge to get both of their cars on the podium, particularly the #1. The #2 led the race with the #1 behind it by the end of the first hour. [53] Throughout this point to the end of the race the positions of the Audis would not change, and the #8 and #7 finished third and fourth, with the #7 setting the fastest lap of the race at a 1:26.008. However the remaining Audi R18 (#2 of Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer) went on to win the race by 13.854 seconds. Car number #2 qualified sixth and car #3 qualified seventh. The MGU (motor generated unit) at the front axle will gather kinetic energy through the rotation of the wheels until braking and disperse to help the car accelerate. The season started once again at Silverstone Circuit, on the traditional grand prix layout for the 6 Hours of Silverstone. For all the rounds except Le Mans, in all car categories the times for the top two fastest drivers were averaged together, and the car grid was set by fastest time based on the fastest duos first. The MGU can store and output more than 476 HP (limited to 408 HP at Le Mans). With the retirement of the #8 car during the event and the exclusion of the #7 with the failure to comply to regulations, Audi would receive one point (from winning pole position) for Silverstone and would sit last in the manufacturer standings below Porsche and Toyota. In the next session, the #2 would be the best of the cars in third place. [18][19], Both the Ultra and e-tron Quattro made their racing débuts at the 2012 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps as part of a four-car Audi entry in the FIA World Endurance Championship. The #7 placed in fifth and the #9 placed sixth. The vehicle weight is 875 kilograms. For practice one, Audi respectively sat in second and fourth, but by the second practice session the #1 and #2 car led the entire field, with the #1 ahead of the #2 by four-tenths flat and the #2 ahead of the nearest competitor by five-tenths. In the third free practice, the #7 Audi was briefly on top early, but by the end a very fast lap by one of the Porsches would put it well ahead of the #7 Audi by two and a half seconds. At the conclusion of the third hour, the #7 would move up to fourteenth place, but continued to lose laps after a pit stop to clean the ducts to prevent overheating after a piece of rubber clogged a portion of the air duct. Entering the eleventh hour, the gap between the #19 Porsche and #7 would come down after the #19 Porsche pitted and by lap 161, they were nose to tail. Testing took place two weeks prior to the race, and the #3 car driven by Marco Bonanomi was the fastest time set by Audi during the test session, setting a time of 3 minutes and 23.799 seconds. Instead, Audi opted for two Audi R15 Plus models, which ran in the 2010 configuration with balance of performance adjustments; the two cars finished 4th and 5th, behind an Oreca 2010-spec Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, a Highcroft Racing HPD ARX-01e and a factory Peugeot Sport 2011-spec 908. By the end of the third hour, the Porsche trailing the lead Audi in hour two led the race. Through pitstops, the #19 Porsche was able to keep its lead over the two Audis trailing in second and third. For the first time since the 1999 R8C, Audi's Le Mans prototype uses a closed cockpit design. To catch you up, the E-Tron GT as we know it is powered by a 350kW/630Nm dual electric motor system – with “extreme driving situations” capability of 175kW at the front and a mighty 320kW at the rear. By the end of hour four, the #1 was the only car on the lead lap in second place, while #3 was in fifth and #2 in sixth third one lap down. The victory also marked Kristensen's sixth Sebring win, and as a three-driver team, the third (2006 and 2009).