“There are times when business takes an unexpected turn and for us this was the case with the disappearance of the FIA GT2”, is how Rudi Penders started off the conversation following the race alterations in GT2. “To our regret we won’t be in a position to defend our title FIA GT2. The FIA GT2 championship will not take place this year and this highly unexpected change of schedule resulted in our decision, in consultation with all partners concerned, to opt for the Le Mans Series. (continue reading…)
The Test Days have been the final rehearsal before the season kicks off, and testing could scarcely have gone better for Team ORECA Matmut as Soheil Ayari was fastest overall with the ORECA 01 – AIM and Olivier Panis was second with the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP.
As we’ve said Audi will push the R8 LMS program further. Unfortunately, 20 will be available for the European market so it is unlikely we will see one in the U.S. United Autosports is entering one in the 2010 FIA GT3.The Audi R15 plus will be at the highlight racing in the newly formed Le Mans Intercontinental Cup. They do not mention Sebring but do call out the Petit Le Mans race. More good news is the DTM commitment. They’ve got the hat-trick, now can they go for 4 Championships in a row? With the DTM now negotiating a rule merger with the Japanese Super GT, we may see BMW and Toyota enter!
Two Audi R15 TDI cars in the new “Le Mans Intercontinental Cup”
Three prototypes in the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours
Clear commitment to the DTM – customer sport with the Audi R8 LMS
In 2010, the DTM, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the customer sport program with the Audi R8 LMS will again be the three cornerstones of AUDI AG’s motorsport commitment. By participating in the inaugural “Le Mans Intercontinental Cup” Audi has opted for a new, forward-thinking racing series in which alternative drive concepts will be used. Continue reading ‘Audi opts for new prototype racing series, commits to DTM and R8 LMS programs for 2010′
Although the team started this morning from ninth position on the fourteen car GT2 grid, both Jarek Janis and Tom Coronel fought their way to the front of the field to finish in a strong second place. It is the second time in a row that SNORAS Spyker Squadron finishes on the podium. In the previous round, the 1000 km of the Nurburgring, the team also finished in second place.
Le Mans Series, round 5 in Silverstone, Great Britain
Porsche works drivers Marc Lieb (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria) are just one point off winning the GT2 class title of the Le Mans Series. In a thrilling qualifying session, Lietz clinched pole position in the 911 GT3 RSR of the German Felbermayr-Proton team and, with this, extended the advantage of the top duo to nine points heading into the season’s final 1,000 kilometre race. With a top time of 1:48.638 minutes on the 5.141 kilometre time-honoured circuit, the Austrian relegated their only remaining rival in the championship, the Ferrari F430 GT manned by Gianmaria Bruni and Robert Bell, to second on the grid by 0.192 seconds.
SNORAS Spyker Squadron driver Tom Coronel set the ninth quickest time for the fifth and last Le Mans Series round, the 1000 km of Silverstone. Dutchman Coronel was one of the first drivers to leave the pit lane. In sunny and mild conditions his times improved in each of the three hot laps he completed, but his time of 1:50.342 was unfortunately not translated into a front row starting position.
Le Mans Series, round 5 in Silverstone, Great Britain
Porsche is in a promising position to win the title at the final round of the Le Mans Series in Silverstone. After notching up three victories at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR, the Porsche works drivers Marc Lieb (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria) have pulled away from their strongest rivals in the GT2 class and travel to the 5.141 kilometre time-honoured English race track with a clear points’ lead.
At a gripping home race, the Porsche works drivers took a large step towards winning the title. Securing a hard-fought win on the Nürburgring, Marc Lieb (Germany) and Richard Lietz (Austria) snatched back the championship lead in the GT2 class at the fourth and penultimate round of the season. In mid-summer temperatures, the top pair of the German Felbermayr-Proton team drove a brilliant race in their 911 GT3 RSR – and in three weeks travel to the final of the Le Mans Series in Silverstone (Great Britain) as title favourites with an eight point advantage. Works driver Patrick Pilet and his teammate Raymond Narac (both France) claimed fifth for their IMSA Performance Matmut team, and with seventh position, the second Felbermayr 911 racer rounded off the good Porsche result at the German 1,000 kilometre race.
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