2007 January | oneighturbo.com

Archive for January, 2007

Audi testing in Spain

Published January 17, 2007 in Audi, DTM and Racing. 0 Comments

Preparations for the 2007 DTM season are running at full song. This week, Audi is testing with five cars in Spain. Alongside the Audi works-drivers from last year, Tom Kristensen, Christian Abt, Vanina Ickx and Martin Tomczyk, Mike Rockenfeller and Lucas Luhr are also involved. Audi’s two new signings are completing their maiden laps with the Audi A4 DTM. The to-do-list for the team from Ingolstadt includes testing components for the current 2007-spec race cars.

Technorati Tags: Audi, DTM, Tom Kristensen, Christian Abt, Vanina Ickx, Martin Tomczyk, Mike Rockenfeller, Lucas Luhr

Audi’s Dindo Capello talks 2006/07

Published January 16, 2007 in ALMS, Audi, Events, Racing and TDI. 0 Comments

Audi’s Dindo Capello was in Indianapolis over the weekend to accept first-team honors from the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association’s All-America team, an honor he won with his teammate Allan McNish. It marked the second major award for the Italian following his American Le Mans Series championship.

AlMS had the chance to talk with Dindo following the banquet and get his thoughts on the past year and the coming season with Audi and the R10 TDI, among other subjects.

Right click > Save as Talk with Dindo mp3

Technorati Tags: ALMS, Audi, R10, TDI, American Le Mans, Dindo Capello, Allan McNish

Ekström: “Now, I have to look ahead”

Published January 16, 2007 in Audi, DTM and Racing. 0 Comments

For Mattias Ekström, the 2006 DTM season ended in an equally disappointing way as it had started. In the first two rounds of the year, the Audi-driver failed to score any points and in the final two rounds, he didn’t achieve any meaningful result either. In the final standings of the championship, he occupied eighth place. A surprise for fans and experts, as the 2004 DTM champion had been among the pre-season favourites for the title.

The start of the 2006 season wasn’t easy for Ekström. “The most difficult thing for me was getting my head clear and find the right rhythm for the third round following two non-scores in the first two races”, says Ekström. “However, motivation is always there. Should that be different one day, I would retire.”

Therefore, his verdict on the 2006 season is not totally negative. He is already boosting himself for his seventh DTM season. He says: “Last year wasn’t like I had expected. Sometimes things are going better, sometimes they are going worse, that is life. Now, I have to look ahead.“

The Swede scored points in five out of ten races. Among them is the race at Brands Hatch, during which he crossed the finish line as ther winner and scored maximum points. Ekström rates this success as the high point in a season that was otherwise rather poor. “A win is a win. Brands Hatcg was a great race, but I was very happy with my own performance at Barcelona, too, had it not been for that drive-through penalty. But my performance was all right”, the 28-year old says.

On the other hand, Ekström also readily admits to having had trouble with the new qualifying format and not getting to grips with the new system. This is mirrored by his grid positions: four times, he made it into the top five and he failed to claim a pole-position.

In spite of all, Ekström tried to support his team-mate Tom Kristensen in the battle for the title, even though that is not always easy for an ambitious racing driver. “Anyone who knows me, also knows that I don’t have a problem with that. In the past, I also raced for Laurent”, says Ekström. “In the team, it is about giving and taking. And especially when there is such a fierce battle between two manufacturers, it is important that there are no problems within the team.”

- DTM

Technorati Tags: Audi, DTM, Mattias Ekstrom

Miller finishes third, Sainz fifth!

Published January 16, 2007 in Audi, Dakar, Racing, TDI and Volkswagen. 0 Comments

Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/South Africa), currently best Volkswagen driver in sixth position overall in the Dakar Rally, recorded their best result of this year’s rally by claiming third place on the tenth stage.

In the Race Touareg 2, the American finished the 400 kilometre long loop around Nema in Mauritania only 1:49 minutes behind the day’s winner Nasser Al-Attiyah from Qatar (BMW), the Japanese driver Hiroshi Masuoka (Mitsubishi) was second.

Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (Spain/France), who led yesterday’s stage, but had to be towed to the finish because of an engine problem and lost seven hours in the process, set the fifth fastest time after successful overnight repairs. The duo is in tenth place in the overall standings, which are currently led by Stephane Peterhansel (France/Mitsubishi).

Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (South Africa/Germany) crossed the finish line in 14th position. An engine problem on yesterday’s stage also cost the South African-German duo the overall rally lead. After overnight repairs they started the tenth stage of the “Dakar” rally a little late, which they finished 23m50s behind the winner.

- Volkswagen Motorsport

Technorati Tags: VW, Volkswagen, Touareg, TDI, Dakar, Dakar Rally

Bitter disappointment for the Volkswagen team

Published January 15, 2007 in Dakar, Racing, TDI and Volkswagen. 0 Comments

After making an impressive start to the 29th Dakar Rally the Volkswagen team was dealt a cruel blow today: The factory duo Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (South Africa/Germany) started the ninth stage as leaders but, like their team mates Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (Spain/France) in fourth place, were also stopped by a technical defect on the Race Touareg 2 during the ninth stage from Tichit to Nema in Mauritania.

A cam follower in the engine’s valve train broke on Giniel de Villiers’ car. A hole was punched in the valve cover as a result, and the escaping oil ignited on the hot turbocharger. The flames were doused immediately with the onboard fire extinguisher. The car is being towed back to the bivouac by one of the Race-Trucks. Carlos Sainz, who had led the stage comfortably, was slowed when his engine cut-out suddenly and refused to restart probably due to an electrical problem. He is also being towed to the bivouac.

Volkswagen had led the Dakar Rally convincingly from the start on 6 January in Lisbon until today, 15 January. The de Villiers/von Zitzewitz tandem held a 31 minute lead entering the ninth stage. Sainz/Périn only lost second overall on the eighth stage after a hydraulic steering hose chaffed through, and which left Sainz without steering assistance. Volkswagen was able to win six of the nine stages run to date.

Carlos Sousa/Andy Schulz (Portugal/Germany) in the Lagos Team Race Touareg and the factory pairing of Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/South Africa) ended the ninth stage in seventh and ninth positions respectively, each about half-an-hour behind the winner after sacrificing valuable time to help Sainz. In the overall classification, which is now led by Stéphane Peterhansel (France/Mitsubishi), Miller/Pitchford and Sousa/Schulz hold sixth and seventh positions.

- Volkswagen Motorsport

Technorati Tags: VW, Volkswagen, Touareg, TDI, Dakar, Dakar Rally

Dakar: Lead change but still VW!

Published January 12, 2007 in Dakar, Racing, TDI and Volkswagen. 0 Comments

At the halfway point Volkswagen continues to lead the Dakar Rally but a change at the top of the leader board before the rest day makes for an additional thrill: Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz took the lead, having clinched their second stage victory on the way from Zouérat to Atâr in Mauritania.

The South African-German duo that won the leg ahead of Mitsubishi driver Stéphane Peterhansel and the Volkswagen factory team of Carlos Sainz/Michel Périn (Spain/France), is lying 1.39 minutes in front of Sainz after seven stages in the Race Touareg. Due to a sand storm the stage was shortened from its original length of 542 to 407 kilometers.

Up to the halfway point Volkswagen scored five of seven possible stage victories, with the Race Touareg having maintained the lead throughout the rally since it started on 6 January.

- Volkswagen Motorsport

Technorati Tags: VW, Volkswagen, Touareg, TDI, Dakar, Dakar Rally

Dakar: Audi Q7 3.0 TDI

Published January 12, 2007 in Audi, Dakar, Racing and TDI. 0 Comments

Now, I’m not a big fan of K&N Filters but I am a big fan of the Audi Q7 and Dakar Rally. This Q7 is not racing in the Dakar but it is a support vehicle for Michel de Groot, biker, and his Vicking Race Team. The Q7 is a 3.0TDI.

Audi Q7 Equipped with K&N Filters has Key Role at The 2007 Dakar Rally

In the past caravans crossed the desert out of necessity, at the 2007 Dakar Rally a different kind of caravan will cross the shifting sands of the Sahara desert, this time for bragging rights.

More than 500 teams from over 40 countries will participate in the toughest motor race in the world. The Dakar Rally covers 5000 miles and begins on January 6th in Portugal, goes through Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and ends on January 21st in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. The drivers and bikers must cross the Mediterranean Sea by boat.

On the other side of the Mediterranean the bikes, cars and trucks race next to the forests and villages of the African continent. The heart of the race is in the middle of the Sahara where temperatures average 130 degrees daily. The Dakar is full of extreme challenges with different stages everyday. Racers have to be great navigators and be on the lookout for the slightest traps.

Continue reading ‘Dakar: Audi Q7 3.0 TDI’

Dakar: Audi TT buggy

Published January 12, 2007 in Audi, Dakar, Racing and This blog. 1 Comment

The other night watching the Dakar updates on VS. I saw an Audi boarding the ferry. It was a brief shot of the rings and front of the car.

It wasn’t easy finding their site or info but I finally got it. Unfortunately there’s not an English version.

Dakarvrienden Racing Team If you head over and click on Foto’s, you can see a bit more, including the build. There’s not much info, or at least I couldn’t find, on the engine etc.

Hint: Look in the back. Q7? Ha, more in a sec on that one.

Technorati Tags: Audi, TT, Dakar, Dakar Rally, Dakarvrienden

Dakar Day 6: VW still on top with Sainz leading

Published January 11, 2007 in Dakar, Racing, TDI and Volkswagen. 0 Comments

The Race Touareg continues Volkswagen’s domination at the head of the leader board after six of the Dakar Rally’s 15 stages: The Spaniard Carlos Sainz and his French co-driver Michel Périn lead the Dakar Rally now for the fourth day in succession.

On the extremely fast stage from Tan Tan in Morocco to Zouérat in Mauritania, at 817 kilometres also the longest of the rally, Sainz recorded the fourth fastest time. Under these conditions the buggies were able to exploit their weight and power advantages granted to them by the regulations– the American Robby Gordon won from the Frenchman Jean-Louis Schlesser. The third fastest time went to Giniel de Villiers in a Volkswagen Race Touareg. The South African and his German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz clawed back 25 seconds from the overall leader and now lie second 3:11 minutes behind Sainz.

Continue reading ‘Dakar Day 6: VW still on top with Sainz leading’

Audi unveils plans for title defense with R10 TDI

Published January 11, 2007 in ALMS, Audi, Racing and TDI. 0 Comments

Allan McNish and Dindo Capello have been given the opportunity to retain their American Le Mans Series LMP1 championship in 2007 as Audi AG announced its full-season lineup and program with the diesel-powered R10 TDI. Audi Sport North America will field two of the revolutionary cars for all 12 rounds of the 2007 season, starting with the 55th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring.

McNish and Capello will be joined by Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner, each two-time champions in the Series’ highest class. All four full-season competitors have combined for seven class driving titles, 66 victories and 150 starts in the American Le Mans Series. In 2006, Audi swept the P1 class with 10 wins in 10 starts, including seven with R10 TDI. The group’s collective work at Le Mans is just as impressive with nine overall wins between them.

Audi Sport North America once again assumes responsibility for running the pair of R10 TDI cars. The team’s core personnel originate from Champion Racing. As last year, Dave Maraj’s team receives support in a similar way from Audi Sport and Joest Racing.

“Audi is convinced that TDI is also the strong and economical alternative vehicle power source of the future for the United States”, explained Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. “The R10 TDI is a forerunner for the nationwide diesel offensive in the USA, and the increasingly popular American Le Mans Series is the perfect platform for this.”

McNish and Capello teamed for a record eight LMP1 victories in 2006 on their way to the class crown (the second for McNish and first for Capello). Five of those came with the R10 TDI and the other three with the venerable Audi R8.

Pirro, the 2005 and 2001 class champion, made six starts in 2006 with Frank Biela, posting two victories in the Series. They were joined by Werner (Series champion in 2003 and 2004) at Sebring, Petit Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the trio made history by winning the world’s most prestigious race for the first time with diesel power.

Audi will defend its 2006 Sebring title with the two-car lineup. The German marque is unbeaten at America’s greatest sports car race since debuting in 2000.

American Le Mans Series :: World Class

Technorati Tags: ALMS, Audi, R10, TDI, American Le Mans, Dindo Capello, Allan McNish