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Endurance: Audi to race hybrid cars at Le Mans

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Khatir Soltani
From Audi Motorsport

Audi will compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 16-17, 2012 with a total of four LMP1 sports cars. Two of the four cars in action will be equipped with hybrid drive for the first time.

Audi Hybrid
Audi LMP1 car (Photo: Audi Motorsport)

Audi Sport Team Joest has entered two cars for the new FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Audi plans to field additional cars at selected races such as the 12-hour race at Sebring (USA) and in the 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) which doubles as a dress rehearsal for Le Mans for the Audi squad.

At the 80th running of the French endurance classic, Audi competes with the start numbers ‘1’ and ‘2’ (hybrid drive) as well as ‘3’ and ‘4’. As stipulated by the regulations one driver per car is now nominated. Those drivers are André Lotterer, Allan McNish, Timo Bernhard and Oliver Jarvis.

The new Audi sports prototype with hybrid drive will be presented at the end of February.

The first competitive outing follows in the 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps on May 5.

For the World Championship opener at Sebring on March 17 Audi Sport Team Joest will rely once again on the Audi R18 TDI that proved victorious at Le Mans last year.

Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
  • Over 8 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada