Audi won their 8th consecutive 24 hours car race of Le Mans against strong opposition from the Peugeot cars; the third race with the Audi R10, Audi driver Tom Kristensen established a new record with his 8th personal victory in this classic car race.

The diesel powered Audi Nº2 driven by Tom Kristensen from Denmark, Renaldo Capello from Italy and British driver Alan Mcnish, survived a scare when it collided with the Zytek 07S Nº32 in the 22nd hour, the Audi continued to race while the Zytek had to go back into the pits.

The Audi No. 2 completed 381 laps in 24 hours Le Mans with a lead of 4 minutes, 31.094 seconds over Peugeot No. 7, driven by Villeneuve, Marc Gene and Nicolas Minassian.

Le Mans 24 hours 2008 Car Race Final Standings:

1st - Audi Sport North America

2nd - Team Peugeot Total

3rd - Peugeot Sport Total

4th - Audi Sport Team Joest

5th - Team Peugeot Total

6th - Audi Sport North America

7th - Pescarolo Sport

8th - Team Oreca Matmut

9th - Charouz Racinf System

With the Start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. only days away Audi Teams are gearing up to defend last years win and try to make it 8 wins out of 10 Starts. And trying for a hat trick of wins for the Diesel powered Audi R10 which scored the first win for a diesel car in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Audi has proven that sporting dynamic and efficiency are not necessarily contradictory. The TDI version of the TT and TT Roadster are a logical development step from the Le Mans Programme. The 500 hp Audi R8 TDI Le Mans version of the Audi R8 is the world’s first Super Sports car with TDI Power – with a V12 TDI power plant closely related to the one powering the Audi R10.

This year Audi Are Running 3 Audi R10’s in the LMP1 Class:

Dr Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport) said:

We have seen from the results in both the LMS and ALMS that we can expect one of the most exciting Le Mans race in 2008. The competition is very strong and is preparing itself meticulously for this 24-hour race. This is a huge challenge for us. The main aim is to win the race again. It will probably be the toughest Le Mans race in which we have competed up to now. However, the bigger the challenge the greater the motivation.

The time table at Le Mans

Monday, 9 June

14:30 – 18:00 Technical scrutineering

Tuesday, 10 June

08:30 – 17:00 Technical scrutineering

Wednesday, 11 June

19:00 – 21:00 Qualifying 1, part 1
22:00 – 24:00 Qualifying 1, part 2

Thursday, 12 June

19:00 – 21:00 Qualifying 2, part 1
22:00 – 24:00 Qualifying 2, part 2

Friday, 13 June

18:00 – 19:00 Driver Parade

Saturday, 14 June

09:00 – 09:45 Warm-up

15:00 Start

Sunday, 15 June

15:00 Finish

Audi UK announces the return, for the sixth consecutive year, of its exclusive and luxurious campsite. Audi UK invites loyal Audi costumers to experience one of the most prestigious races on Earth - the Le Mans 24 hours race. The race will take place on the 14th and 15th of June.

Equipped with one the best facilities at Le Mans, Audi UK campsite has excellent toilet and shower facilities, a complimentary central bar, 24 hours security, catering is offered throughout your stay, each tent sleeps two people with comfortable air mattress and comes with designated parking for your Audi vehicle. Full Audi hospitality and luxurious facilities will ensure you to have the best Le Mans experience.

The fun begins on Thursday 12th of June and goes on until Monday 16th. The Audi UK campsite is close to the circuit and has easy access to the Le Mans Village. Your reserved grandstand seat allows you to marvel at our legendary Audi R10 LM P1 race cars, primed to defend Audi’s winning streak as you experience the thrills that the Le Mans 24 Hours Race delivers.

Access to the exclusive Audi UK campsite costs just £1,200 for two people and guarantees you one of the best Le Mans experiences.

Places are strictly limited, so to secure your experience at Le Mans with Audi UK, please contact the Audi Events Team on 08000 27 47 87 or email lemans@audi-events.co.uk , to follow all the action from the Audi team check out their podcast.

Audi Sport, the automaker’s in-house racing division, will be using an all new diesel fuel to be used by its R10 TDI LMP1 cars at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race-only fuel not only produces ample power, but also dramatically reduces CO2 emissions.

All three of Audi’s highly successful 650-horsepower R10 TDI machines will be powered by an innovative V-Power diesel race fuel created by Shell.  Previously, the 5.5-liter V-12 racecars have used a synthetic diesel fuel derived from natural gas through a process called Gas to Liquid (GTL).

Shell’s newest diesel fuel incorporates a process called BTL, or Biomass to Liquid, which transforms biowaste (waste food or wood) into suitable synthetic elements designed to be used in conjunction with GTL.  When the older GTL race diesel is combined with the BTL mixture, the resulting synthetic race fuel is said to reduce C02 emissions by almost 90 percent, according to Audi. 

Extensive testing of the fuel on Audi Sport’s dyno was performed in order to ensure the fuel’s efficiency and low carbon footprint. Audi is also keen to point out the two types of diesels are sulfur free and odorless when emitted — meaning no more plumes of black smoke trailing from the exhaust pipes.   

Michael Dick, board member of Audi AG, stated in a press release that the 8.5 mile course at Le Mans will continue to be a key setting for which the automaker will develop its latest technologies (and fuels) for use in future road vehicles.

At this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi’s fleet of R10s will be piloted by nine drivers, including experienced ex-F1 driver Alan McNish who is looking to win Le Mans once again.  The race is the weekend of June 14-15.

The first public track test of the R10s powered by Shell’s BTL fuel will take place this Sunday, June 1, in Le Mans during the official pre-race testing session. 

The #1 Audi R10 driven by Biela, Pirro and Werner has won  the 75th running of the famous 24 Heures du Mans endurance race.

Initially it was the #2 Audi of  Kristensen/McNish/Capello  that led the race After a quadruple stint in the night from McNish, in which the Scottish driver posted a series of ultra-fast laps, all was looking good for the No.2 Audi… until the left rear wheel flew off and the car speared into the barrier.

The diesel-powered Audis, making their Le Mans début, led every one of the record 380 lap distance in front of a sun-drenched 235,000 record crowd.

Audi had previously won the annual French race on five occasions (2000-2, ’04 & ’05) after making its Le Mans début in 1999. For Biela (41) and Pirro (44), this latest success brought both their fourth Le Mans triumphs with Werner (40) adding to last year’s victory.

Congratulations to Biela, Pirro and Werner and comiserations to the no2 crew of Kristensen/McNish/Capello.

A third Audi R10 will be racing at le mans with 3 drivers from  the DTM (German Touring Car Masters) 

The DTM drivers Lucas Luhr (27/Germany), Alexandre Prémat (25/France) and Mike Rockenfeller (23/Germany) are going to drive a third Audi R10 TDI (car number 3) in the French endurance classic on 16/17 June. 

In the event that Tom Kristensen (39/Denmark) should not be fit in time for racing again Former DTM Champion Mattias Ekström (28/Sweden) is Audi’s reserve driver