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| Audi: a new power in the World Sportscar Championship |
Audi shaped the new FIA World Endurance Championship, not only by the double title: Five times the team secured the top spot, and five times in eight races managed an Audi R18 overall victory - including the eleventh success of the brand in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Here, the e-tron Audi R18 quattro scored the first victory of a hybrid sports car in the endurance classic.
Toyota in China better
An intense battle with Toyota coined the second half of the season - including the final in China. The new world champions was enough in hybrid racer with the number one third place in the six hours from Shanghai to win the title. Your leadership in the table is now 13.5 points. Three individual wins, the driver trio has secured this season, three second places complete the balance.
The second place in the standings is going to a team's Audi drivers Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish, who had started from the front row in China, arrived in the race in second place behind the Toyota of Nicolas Lapierre and Alex Wurz. Seven podium finishes, including the opening game of the Twelve Hours of Sebring - together with Dindo Capello - stand in the season record of the Danish-Scottish Audi duo. They were also the most efficient combination in the field: In seven out of eight races of the season the Michelin Green X Challenge award went to the race number two.
The title win with the R18 e-tron quattro in China completes a unique long-distance season of Audi. With the GT3 sports car Audi R8 LMS this year has already decided the twelve hours of Bathurst and the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring, Spa-Francorchamps and Zolder for themselves.
Quotes after the race
Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): "It's nice that after the mark WM also could decide the drivers' championship for us Unfortunately, we were not the year end with a victory in China We have very strong competition.. , which is a great incentive to work hard for the next year. "
Ralf Jüttner (Technical Director Audi Sport Team Joest): "Well, we won all the titles Congratulations to Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish have reported widely in China, although it was not enough to win... Both teams have implemented at the end of a hard season flawless pit stops. WEC is a great new championship, and we've won the first. "
Tom Kristensen (Audi R18 e-tron quattro, race number two): "This course has our Japanese competitors located very well congratulations on winning the race I look forward at the same time have a good race from Allan, had our team and me on the title.!. we for one simple reason no chance. Our opponents in the title fight went an Audi, and these cars are simply not Marcel, André and Ben have really earned the title with her performance. "
Allan McNish (Audi R18 e-tron quattro, race number two): "Second place was the best thing that could reach we now We have got the maximum out of the car and the tires, but Toyota was simply faster Congratulations to Marcel, André.. and Ben to the world title. They were incredibly good. we compete against each other, work as a team, however. "
Marcel Fässler (Audi R18 e-tron quattro, starting number one), "I want Audi to sincerely thank, because without this brand I had to experience such success never I have super teammate and a great team to me the title means a lot... It's a nice feeling to be world champion. "
André Lotterer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro, starting number one): "Le Mans and win the world title together is just great and I am pleased to share this success with Marcel and Ben We have three really good friends yet... Our huge thanks to Audi and to our team. car was always top. Unfortunately, it has not been enough for the win today, but we can be very happy after winning the title. "
Benoît Tréluyer (R18 Audi e-tron quattro, starting number one): "I'm more than happy for this beautiful season, the world champion title is a nice section in his biography Many thanks to Audi for the good season..."
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