Audi is ready for one of the greatest challenges in motorsport: the Le Mans 24 Hours. Before the race on Saturday (start at 15.00, CEST), drivers and officials are confident. Quotes after qualifying.
Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): “I’m pleased with the work done by the entire squad. We went through everything that was possible in the time that was available to us. However, there were many interruptions during the three qualifying sessions. That interfered a little with our programs. Still, Audi has prepared well for the Le Mans 24 Hours. There are many strong rivals and teams in contention for victory. The crowd can look forward to seeing a classic in the 83rd running of the race.”
Chris Reinke (Head of LMP at Audi Sport): “I’d say our preparation for the race has been optimal. We used the driving time to gather as much data as possible. At the same time, our drivers did a perfect job and returned to the pits without the slightest body contact. The way the cars themselves ran technically was absolutely perfect as well. As always, we didn’t participate in the time chase because consistency is simply more important at Le Mans than a single fast lap is. Looking at the relative strengths, I’m sure that the first two thrilling WEC rounds at Silverstone and Spa provided a good taste of what the fans can expect here for 24 hours, starting on Saturday afternoon.”
Ralf Jüttner (Team Director Audi Sport Team Joest): “We did a lot of driving, our race drivers were able to adjust well to the cars and technically everything went smoothly. Obviously, this paid off because all our drivers achieved good lap times. Congratulations to Porsche on clinching the best grid positions. But for the race I’m optimistic as far as our pace is concerned because other factors come into play across the distance. I’m proud of the performances of our squad. The race cars become more technically complex every year. From Wednesday to Thursday we prepared all three Audi R18 e-tron quattro cars from scratch again for the race as planned. That’s an outstanding achievement in such a short time.”
Marcel Fässler (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #7): “We used the time in qualifying to set up our Audi R18 e-tron quattro for dry track conditions. We also paid attention to giving each driver the same amount of driving time as far as possible. André (Lotterer), Ben (Tréluyer) and I agree that our car is good to drive. So, we were never out to set a single fast lap time in any of the sessions. Plus, we could have hardly beaten the competition either. Instead, our race car is outstanding across the distance. This strategy will be crucial in this race. And the weather will play a role as well. We’re in for a very thrilling race. I’ve got a good feeling.”
André Lotterer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #7): “On the test day two weeks ago, we didn’t find a rhythm because the weather put a spoke in our wheels. That’s why I’m happy that the qualifying sessions during the race week developed well for us, even though there were some interruptions. We continually improved our car. The R18 e-tron quattro feels good and gives us the self-confidence you need for 24 hours.
Benoît Tréluyer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #7): “It’s been an exciting week up to now at Le Mans: scrutineering on Sunday, the traditional unveiling of the fingerprints on Monday, a lot of media commitments and then, obviously, the concentrated work with the squad on setting up our car. This build-up of suspense is exactly what makes Le Mans so unique. We feel comfortable in our car – that’s the best news you can have before a 24-hour race. We’re getting more and more excited about the start coming up.”