Audi R10 claims 1-2 finish at Road America despite disadvantage

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Despite the decision by American Le Mans Series officials to handicap both Audi R10 race cars in Round 7 at Road America, the two diesel-powered LMP1 race cars, one driven by Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro and the other by Allan McNish and Dindo Capello, won the race with the team's second successive 1-2 finish.

The Audi teams were racing against competing LMP1 Lolas from the Dyson team that were allowed to compete with 143 lbs. less, a decision made by ALMS officials to even the playing field. It didn't work, as both Audis overcame some hairy contact with the field on the first lap to finish the race in an all out duel.

Though both cars started on the pole (Allan McNish set a new ALMS track record in qualifying), the R10 driven by Frank Biela was forced off the track on the first lap and he spent the rest of the race charging the back of the field and eventually catching his teammate in the other R10. After McNish handed his R10 over to co-driver Capello, the pair lost the lead to their charging teammates and finished 0.4 seconds behind the R10 driven by Pirro. Round 8 of the AMLS will be in two weeks at Mosport in Canada.

[Source: Audi]

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