For the second consecutive year and 11th time in the last 13 years, Audi nabbed the chequered flag at the famed Le Mans 24 hours endurance race with drivers Marcel Fässler (CH), André Lotterer (D) and Benoît Tréluyer (F) behind the wheel of the R18 e-tron quattro.
Audi’s win at the Sarthe circuit was of particular importance as it was a first for a diesel-hybrid car. In 2011, Audi had won the top spot with a diesel model.
Some early mishaps from Audi’s chief rival Toyota, gave the two R18 e-tron quattro diesel-hybrids and the two conventionally diesel-powered R18s an edge in the race with the German brand occupying positions one (R18 e-tron), two (R18 e-tron), three (R18 Ultra) and five (R18 Ultra).
“By achieving this further success at the world’s most important endurance race our engineers demonstrated their high technological expertise in a particularly impressive way,” commented Audi board member Rupert Stadler.
He continued: “With the e-tron quattro in combination with ultra-lightweight design, we put a completely new technology on the grid and immediately won with it – this cannot be taken for granted by any means, particularly here at Le Mans.”
Rounding out the top six was the No.12 Rebellion Racing Lola Toyota of Neel Jani-Nicolas Prost-Nick Heidfeld that finished in fourth place and the No.22 JRM Motorsport HPD ARX-03a of David Brabham, Peter Dumbreck and Karun Chandhok that came in sixth.
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