Autoblog

Live shots of Audi R18 Le Mans crash site show the devastation

Alex Nunez — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:04:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, Audi, Racing

Audi R18 TDi wreckage at the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans - Click above for high-res image gallery

As you're likely aware, the #3 Audi R18 TDI driven by Allan McNish was destroyed in a spectacular accident earlier this morning at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. McNish walked away from the scene, was checked out at the hospital, given a clean bill of health, and has since returned to the Audi garage.

QuattroWorld.com is onsite at Le Mans and was only 100 yards away from being in the very wrong spot at the wrong time as the Audi crash took place. Those guys were able to capture some unique photos that they're now graciously sharing with Autoblog.

Please follow QuattroWorld on Facebook to keep up to date on the action at Le Mans (just don't expect too many Peugeot pictures). Thanks again to QuattroWorld, Josh Decker and Mike Juergens for the photos, which you can check out in the gallery below.

Live shots of Audi R18 Le Mans crash site show the devastation originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Win an autographed Audi flag from this year's Twelve Hours of Sebring

Michael Harley — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Racing

2011 59th Annual Twelve Hours of Sebring - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi invited us to warm and sunny Florida for the 59th annual Twelve Hours of Sebring, the opening round of the 2011 American Le Mans Series that was held this past weekend. While the French racing team Oreca took the surprise win in the LMP1 class (beating the factory Peugeot 908 HDi team in their older first-generation Peugeot 908 HDi-FAP), Audi held on through punctured tires and collisions to deliver both the fourth and fifth spot in matching R15++ diesel-powered prototypes (Audi will run its brand-new R18 prototype at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June). In the GT class, BMW proudly nailed first and second place with its hot M3 GT.

Spending time behind-the-scenes with a race team offers a completely different perspective, especially when it comes to an endurance event. While huge crowds of spectators down cold beer and blister from sunburn at Sebring's huge infield and midway (with some seriously creative camping accommodations), dozens of Audi Sport Team Joest crew sweat out the long hours working on the minute details - everything from track concrete composition to atmospheric barometric pressure is taken into account. During our glimpse into a whirlwind 48-hour period (encompassing qualifying and the race), the pace was maddening whether the drivers were attending signing events or the crew was rehearsing pit stops.

Check out our extensive photo gallery with coverage of the 56-car field. Note the amount of race telemetry delivered in real-time to the team engineers in the hot pits, and the exhaustion of the crew in the 85-degree ambient temperatures (who capture shut-eye only while the car is running well). A special shout-out to Xander Walker, who we bumped into hanging with the folks in Turn 10 - see you guys next year!

Audi's Sebring drivers (Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish, Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller) signed a flag for us before the race. While it looks great on our wall, we're going to give it to one of you (official rules). Leave a comment on this post to enter (only one comment or else you're disqualified), and we'll choose one lucky recipient for the win.

How to Enter:

Leave a single comment on this post (if you leave two or more, all of your comments will be disqualified)
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec)
Limit 1 entry per person during entry period
This entry period begins 7:30 PM EST on Friday, March 25 and ends at 7:30 PM EST on Saturday, March 26. We'll randomly select 1 winner at that time to receive an Audi flag signed by the team's 2011 Sebring drivers.
For a list of complete rules, click here

UPDATE: We have a winner! The Audi Sebring flag goes to reader "Xenu." Thanks for all of your comments.

Gallery: 2011 59th Annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring

Win an autographed Audi flag from this year's Twelve Hours of Sebring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi R15 wins debut at 12 Hours of Sebring

John Neff — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 02:41:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi, Peugeot

2009 12 Hours of Sebring - Click above for high-res image gallery

The R8, the R10 and now the R15. Each of Audi's last three prototype Le Mans race cars have won their race debut, with the latest R15 recording its first victory yesterday at the 57th 12 Hours of Sebring. The winning #2 R15 was driving by Audi's dream team of Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen. Of course, Audi's win did not come easy in the top tier Le Mans P1 class. Peugeot was right there the whole time with its pair of diesel-powered 908 HDi cars, swapping the lead with Audi a total of 23 times. In fact, both teams remained on the same lap with each other throughout the entire 12-hour race.

Follow the jump to continue reading Autoblog's run down of the 57th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring.

Gallery: 12 Hours of Sebring - 2009

[Source: AmericanLeMans.com]

Continue reading Audi R15 wins debut at 12 Hours of Sebring

Audi R15 wins debut at 12 Hours of Sebring originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Mar 2009 02:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REVIEW: Audi & NFL Films find Truth in 24

Alex Nunez — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:57:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

With most sports documentaries, you know how the story's going to end before you even sit down. That knowledge doesn't make Truth in 24 any less fascinating, dramatic, or exciting. The story of Audi's 2008 effort at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Truth in 24 provides a very rare glimpse behind the scenes as Audi Motorsport prepares for, competes in, and ultimately wins the world's most famous endurance race. Audi went to NFL Films to make the movie, and director Keith Crossrow has applied that outfit's uniquely compelling storytelling ability to motor racing -- a sport he was largely unfamiliar with by his own admission. The results, fortunately, make for one Hell of a watch.

Continue reading REVIEW: Audi & NFL Films find Truth in 24

REVIEW: Audi & NFL Films find Truth in 24 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Stephane Ortelli's wild ride at Monza

Alex Nunez — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:09:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Europe, Videos

Motorsport is a game of inches and tenths. A few inches here and a few tenths of a second there can mean the difference between spectacle and tragedy. Case in point: Team ORECA driver Stephane Ortelli's horrifying crash during today's Le Mans Series race at Monza. Ortelli, driving the ORECA Courage LC70-Judd, lost control of the car, which spun off the pavement and onto the grass. The prototype then became airborne, barely missing Allan McNish in the Audi R10 TDI. And then things got really ugly. The Courage touched back down and went into a series of cartwheels, shedding bodywork all over the place before crashing into the wall and landing right-side up. Ortelli suffered a broken ankle, but Team ORECA reports he is otherwise in good health. As you'll see in the video, things could have been a whole lot worse. You know. A few inches here, a few tenths there...

We wish him a speedy recovery.

[Sources: Maximum Motorsport, Crash.net]

VIDEO: Stephane Ortelli's wild ride at Monza originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi clinches ALMS title

Alex Nunez — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi

With their victory at Mosport on Sunday in the #2 Audi R10 TDI, factory drivers Allan McNish and Dindo Capello locked up the LMP1 title for Audi with two races still to go on the schedule. For McNish, this is his second ALMS title and for Capello, his first. The pair guided the #2 car to a hard-fought win over Dyson Racing's pair of Lola-AERs, which finished second and third and were just seconds behind the Audi.

The 2006 ALMS season for Audi saw them open at Sebring with their new R10 TDI racers. After securing the opening round win, the V12 diesel prototypes were spirited away to prepare for the 24 Hours of LeMans. With the R10s out until after LeMans, Audi called upon the legendary R8, which won overall at Houston, finished first in class at Mid-Ohio, and then ended its racing career in style with an overall win at Lime Rock. The R10s returned after Lime Rock, fresh off a win at LeMans, and haven't lost since. Next up on the to-do list is locking up the manufacturer's championship in the final two weeks.

(Press release after the jump)

[Source: Audi Motorsport]

Continue reading Audi clinches ALMS title

Audi clinches ALMS title originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Sep 2006 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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