Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Notes from Day One of the 2013 Twelve Hours of Sebring]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/16/notes-from-day-one-of-the-2013-twelve-hours-of-sebring/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/16/notes-from-day-one-of-the-2013-twelve-hours-of-sebring/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/16/notes-from-day-one-of-the-2013-twelve-hours-of-sebring/#commentsFiled under: , ,

2013 Twelve Hours of Sebring with Audi

The 61st edition of The 12 Hours of Sebring is on, and Autoblog has come to central Florida with Audi to feast on jumbo boiled peanuts, pickled eggs and the final race for the LMP1 class at the oldest road course in North America. As Audi has been doing for more than a decade now, it's brought its latest endurance race car, the 2013-spec R18 etron quattro, to Sebring to begin testing for Le Mans.

Why the commitment to Sebring? Audi Sport executives have repeatedly called Sebring "punishing," "extremely demanding" and "one of the toughest tracks in the world." It is a 3.47-mile circuit that, in places, feels like it was made from the leftover bits of other circuits. Doing the 12-hour distance in Florida is thought to be a good start on lasting the 24-hour distance in France, and we can't think it a coincidence that Audi has won ten times here in the last 13 years and 11 times in Gaul.

Where there's rhyme - and victory - there is reason. We think we found a few of them on our first day where preparation, technology, fastidious attention to detail and sweat fit right in with swamp cabbage...

Continue reading Notes from Day One of the 2013 Twelve Hours of Sebring

Notes from Day One of the 2013 Twelve Hours of Sebring originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Mar 2013 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12 hours of sebringaudifeaturedmotorsportsr10r15r18r18 etron quattror18 ultraracingsebringSat, 16 Mar 2013 17:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20506170/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/03/16/notes-from-day-one-of-the-2013-twelve-hours-of-sebring/20506170/article-detail.xml 20506170 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/sebringr18etronquattro_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/03/sebringr18etronquattro.jpg <![CDATA[Audi commits two R18 E-Tron Quattros to final Sebring race for LMP1 cars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/audi-commits-two-r18-e-tron-quattros-to-final-sebring-race-for-l/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/audi-commits-two-r18-e-tron-quattros-to-final-sebring-race-for-l/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/23/audi-commits-two-r18-e-tron-quattros-to-final-sebring-race-for-l/#commentsFiled under: ,

Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro racecar - front three-quarter view

We were baffled a few weeks back when the American Le Mans Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series announced new classes that will make up their combined racing program in 2014. Gone from the list is the Le Mans Prototype class, otherwise known as LMP1. The LMP1 class has long been the top dog of endurance racing, both in Europe and the US, so we couldn't figure out why this newly minted racing series was jettisoning it like yesterday's donuts.

It appears as if Audi is confused by the move as well. The German brand has announced it will participate in this year's ALMS opening round, the famed 12 Hours of Sebring, as it does every year, and bringing two Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro hybrid race cars with which to compete. Unlike every other year, Audi is treating this year's race as its potential swan song in this famous Florida race.

There's a good reason that Audi is so fond of the 12 Hours of Sebring, as it debuted the gas-powered R8R there in 1999 that kicked off its participation in the upper echelon of endurance racing. The R8R preceded the R8, which debuted at Sebring in 2000 and won that race, starting an amazing career for that car that included five more wins at Sebring. The R8 was followed by the R10, then the R15 and R18, and finally we wind up at today's R18 E-Tron Quattro - all winners, all dominant, all exciting to watch.

Along with the two R18 E-Tron Quattros doing the actual racing, one of which will be a new updated version, Audi is bringing an R8 from the 2000-2005 era, an R10 TDI from the 2006-2008 era, an R15 TDI from 2009 and the R18 TDI that won there last year, all for the enjoyment of spectators who've watched Audi dominate this race, winning it outright in 10 of the last 12 years.

Though Audi has long since abandoned campaigning the whole ALMS season, it was still usually good for at least the season opener in Sebring, which provided a nicely timed testing opportunity ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, if not a couple of other races on the calendar. Unfortunately, with the demise of LMP1 in American endurance racing, March 16 in Sebring, Florida may be the last time for a while that we see Audi dominate an endurance race on American soil. Let's hope ALMS and Grand-Am find a solution.

Continue reading Audi commits two R18 E-Tron Quattros to final Sebring race for LMP1 cars

Audi commits two R18 E-Tron Quattros to final Sebring race for LMP1 cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12 hours of sebringalmsamerican le mans seriesaudie-trongrand amgrand am rolexr10r15r18r18 e-tron quattror18 prototyper8sebringWed, 23 Jan 2013 15:45:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20435536/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/23/audi-commits-two-r18-e-tron-quattros-to-final-sebring-race-for-l/20435536/article-detail.xml 20435536 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/audimotorsport-130121-0419-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/audimotorsport-130121-0419-opt.jpg <![CDATA[Audi R15+ shows off its new duds ahead of race debut]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/audi-r15-shows-off-its-new-duds-ahead-of-race-debut/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/audi-r15-shows-off-its-new-duds-ahead-of-race-debut/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/05/audi-r15-shows-off-its-new-duds-ahead-of-race-debut/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2010 Audi R15+ - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi has just dropped a bunch of photos of the new livery that its R15+ TDI race cars will wear for 2010 beginning with their competition debut this weekend in France. The heavily revised R15+ features a completely new aerodynamic treatment up front and along the sides, a change which Audi hopes will allow the car to have both better grip and lower drag than than last year's model. In fact, it looks like almost nothing but the cockpit area has been carried over, with the racer's side-pods and even the rear wing being heavily re-worked.

The 2009 car was something of a disappointment and for the first time in a decade (aside from 2003 when Audi stepped aside in favor of sister brand Bentley) was handily beaten at Le Mans. Audi opted to skip last month's American Le Mans Series opener at Sebring to spend the time testing. Only one R15+ will run at Le Castellet this weekend for the opener of the Le Mans Series, and we don't expect to see the R15+ racing in North America until the Petit Le Mans in September.


Gallery: 2010 Audi R15+ TDI


Gallery: Audi R15 TDI - studio images


[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi R15+ shows off its new duds ahead of race debut

Audi R15+ shows off its new duds ahead of race debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Apr 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 audi2010 audi r152010 audi r15+2010Audi2010AudiR152010AudiR15+ALMSaudiaudi r15audi r15 plusAudi R15 plus TDIaudi r15 TDIAudi R15 TDI Le Mansaudi R15+ tdiAudiR15AudiR15+TdiAudiR15PlusAudiR15PlusTdiAudiR15TdiAudiR15TdiLeMansPetit Le MansPetitLeMansR15SebringMon, 05 Apr 2010 10:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19426391/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/04/05/audi-r15-shows-off-its-new-duds-ahead-of-race-debut/19426391/article-detail.xml 19426391 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/audimotorsport-100405-0295-1270465913_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/04/audimotorsport-100405-0295-1270465913.jpg <![CDATA[Audi R15 "plus" TDI shows off new, more aerodynamic nose]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/15/audi-r15-plus-tdi-shows-off-new-more-aerodynamic-nose/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/15/audi-r15-plus-tdi-shows-off-new-more-aerodynamic-nose/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/15/audi-r15-plus-tdi-shows-off-new-more-aerodynamic-nose/#commentsFiled under: , ,


2010 Audi R15 plus - click above to enlarge

Testing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans doesn't begin until mid-June, but that doesn't mean that Audi isn't already hard at work bettering the chances of their diesel-powered R15 TDI racer.

Thanks to a belated rule change for the LMP1 class designed to hamper the dominance of diesel-powered vehicles, Le Mans rulemakers have mandated smaller-diameter air restrictors and curbed supercharger pressure in an effort to level the playing field. According to Audi, those alterations have made the German automaker prioritize aerodynamics and downforce even more than normal.

The result? Audi boffins have completely re-engineered the front-end of the car, so much so that the new split nose racer has been designated "R15 plus." The updated LMP1 entrant has already begun testing its new aerodynamics, revised cooling and fuel tank systems in the United States, and further testing in Europe will follow before the legendary French enduro. Audi says that the 5.5-liter engine continues to crank out upwards of 590 horsepower. Can't remember what last year's R15 look like? Compare and contrast by clicking here. Official press release after the jump.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi R15 "plus" TDI shows off new, more aerodynamic nose

Audi R15 "plus" TDI shows off new, more aerodynamic nose originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>24 hours of le mans24 hours of lemans24HoursOfLemansaudi R15audi racecarAudi racingAudiR15AudiRacecarAudiRacingclean dieselCleanDieseldiesel race cardiesel racerdiesel racingDieselRaceCarDieselRacerDieselRacingLe MansLeMansLMP1R15R15 TDIR15TdiTDIMon, 15 Mar 2010 10:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19399290/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/03/15/audi-r15-plus-tdi-shows-off-new-more-aerodynamic-nose/19399290/article-detail.xml 19399290 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/audimotorsport-r15plus-630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/audimotorsport-r15plus-630.jpg <![CDATA[Audi R15 wins debut at 12 Hours of Sebring]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/22/audi-r15-wins-debut-at-12-hours-of-sebring/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/22/audi-r15-wins-debut-at-12-hours-of-sebring/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/22/audi-r15-wins-debut-at-12-hours-of-sebring/#commentsFiled under: , ,


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.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12 hours of sebring12HoursOfSebringallan mcnishAllanMcnishaudiaudi r15AudiR15breakingdindo capelloDindoCapellopeugeotpeugeot 908 hdipeugeot908hdir15tom kristensenTomKristensenSun, 22 Mar 2009 02:41:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1494813/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/03/22/audi-r15-wins-debut-at-12-hours-of-sebring/1494813/article-detail.xml 1494813 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/03/001_sebring09_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/03/001_sebring09_opt.jpg <![CDATA[Audi back on again for two more ALMS races]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/05/audi-back-on-again-for-two-more-alms-races/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/05/audi-back-on-again-for-two-more-alms-races/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/05/audi-back-on-again-for-two-more-alms-races/#commentsFiled under: ,


Audi R15 - Click above to enlarge

Audi had previously announced it was pulling out of the upcoming American Le Mans Season altogether save for the season-opening 12 Hours of Sebring later this month, but new reports say the German automaker has reconsidered and added the Petit Le Mans at Road America in September and the season finale race at Laguna Seca in October. This means the company's new diesel-powered Le Mans racer, the R15, will touch rubber to racing surface three times in the U.S. this year rather than just one. Audi will also race a pair of R15s in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, which gives the R15 four chances around the globe to fill the very large shoes of its predecessors, the R8 and R10, which have both largely dominated the LMP1 class in Le Mans racing since 2000.

[Source: Bleacher Report]

Audi back on again for two more ALMS races originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almsamerican le mans seriesAmericanLeMansSeriesaudiaudi almsaudi r15AudiAlmsAudiR15r15Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:33:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1480188/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/03/05/audi-back-on-again-for-two-more-alms-races/1480188/article-detail.xml 1480188 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/03/audi_motorsport-090213-0085_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/03/audi_motorsport-090213-0085_opt.jpg <![CDATA[Audi R15 TDI arrives early ahead of race debut]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/17/audi-r15-tdi-arrives-early-ahead-of-race-debut/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/17/audi-r15-tdi-arrives-early-ahead-of-race-debut/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/17/audi-r15-tdi-arrives-early-ahead-of-race-debut/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click above to enlarge

It really is a shame that Audi has pulled out of the American and European Le Mans Series, choosing only to run its new R15 TDI Le Mans Prototype racer at this year's 12 Hours of Sebring in March and 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. All that money, effort and time to develop a replacement for one of the winningest cars in all of motorsports seems like a waste on just two races, even if they are the sport's biggest.

This image released by Audi shows the design of the new R15 TDI ahead of its track debut in March. The new diesel-powered prototype car is much more radical compared to the R10 that it replaces than that car was to the R8. The most noteworthy difference is a new front end with an elevated nose that features two supports extending down to the pavement-scraping front chin spoiler. There's clearly some F1 influence up front, though Audi opted not to switch to a closed cockpit design like Peugeot uses for its 908 HDi.

The new R15 TDI will makes its race debut on March 21 at the 12 Hours of Sebring where its predecessors, the R10 and R8, have won eight times. Two cars will be campaigned using the same driver teams as last year: defending Le Mans winners Dindo Capello (Italy), Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland) in one car and Lucas Luhr, Mike Rockenfeller and Marco Werner in the second. With Acura now competing against Audi in the LMP1 class and Aston Martin joining the fray in June at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, we reiterate our sentiment that it's a damn shame the R15 TDI will only be campaigned twice.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi R15 TDI arrives early ahead of race debut

Audi R15 TDI arrives early ahead of race debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>12 hours of sebring12HoursOfSebring24 hours of le mans24HoursOfLeMansaudiaudi r15 tdiAudiR15Tdir15r15 tdiR15TdiTue, 17 Feb 2009 18:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1463356/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/02/17/audi-r15-tdi-arrives-early-ahead-of-race-debut/1463356/article-detail.xml 1463356 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/audi_motorsport-090213-0085_opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/audi_motorsport-090213-0085_opt.jpg <![CDATA[Spy Shots: Audi R15 TDI spied ahead of Sebring debut]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/11/audi-r15-tdi-spied-ahead-of-sebring-debut/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/11/audi-r15-tdi-spied-ahead-of-sebring-debut/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/11/audi-r15-tdi-spied-ahead-of-sebring-debut/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Following up on the immense success of the R10 TDI race car, Audi has been hard at work on its successor. A pair of new R15 TDI race cars will make their race debut at the Sebring 12-hour race next month, but the highly anticipated Le Mans Prototype has already been seen running development laps.

In developing the R15 TDI, Audi's motorsport engineers had to cope with new LMP1 regulations that place restrictions on downforce, while also trying to gain ground against the newer 908 HDi campaigned by rival Peugeot. The new R15 features a wider, higher front nose derived from the latest Formula One designs, radiators moved forward and a sleeker rear end with tail-lights integrated into the redesigned rear wing. Audi has also apparently chosen to stick with an open-cockpit design instead of the new school of closed cockpits embraced by Peugeot and Aston Martin's new LMP1 racer. We'll have to wait until Sebring on March 21 to see the R15 TDI in full race livery, but Italian magazine Sport Auto and British racing resource Autosport have already gotten a hold of shots of the car testing at Spain's Vallelunga circuit, so follow the links below to catch a glimpse.

[Source: Audi via Autosport and Sport Auto]

Continue reading Spy Shots: Audi R15 TDI spied ahead of Sebring debut

Spy Shots: Audi R15 TDI spied ahead of Sebring debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audiaudi motorsportaudi r15audi r15 tdiaudi sportAudiMotorsportAudiR15AudiR15TdiAudiSportr15r15 tdiR15TdiWed, 11 Feb 2009 16:21:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1457458/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/02/11/audi-r15-tdi-spied-ahead-of-sebring-debut/1457458/article-detail.xml 1457458 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/r15-spy_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/r15-spy.jpg -1 2