Audi diesel takes chequered flag
Sebring sees first oil-burning winner
Audi diesel wins at Sebring
Thirty degrees in the shade, high humidity and asphalt temperatures of up to 43 degrees caused especially difficult circumstances on the Florida track.
McNish showed the potential of the 650bhp V12 TDI engine with a record-breaking pole-position time in qualifying. Because the heat exchanger had to be replaced after the morning warm-up, Capello was forced to start the R10 TDI from the pit-lane starting his chase from the back of the field.
It took Capello half an hour to move the Audi from 35th and last position to second just behind the sister car of Frank Biela (Germany), Emanuele Pirro (Italy) and Marco Werner (Germany).
Shortly before the end of the second hour, the McNish/Capello/Kristensen Audi took the lead and remained at the head of the field to the chequered flag, McNish also setting a new race lap record.
The Biela/Pirro/Werner Audi R10 TDI that had started alone from the front row led the race for the first two hours but did not reach the finish after it was withdrawn just before one-third distance due to an overheated engine. Shortly after the start of the race, the telemetry system had stopped working and Audi Sport’s engine technicians received no data.
When Werner reported high water temperatures via radio during the fourth hour of the race, the second placed R10 TDI was called into the pits. The team discovered the radiators were completely blocked by tyre rubber. After cleaning the radiators, the temperature sank immediately.
However, Team Audi Sport North America decided to withdraw the second placed R10 TDI from the race as a precautionary measure, because the engine had been running with significantly high temperatures for an extended period.
For Audi, it was a seventh consecutive Sebring race victory while Kristensen became the first driver to win America’s most famous endurance race for a fourth time, achieving another record after his record seventh Le Mans victory from last year.
Audi boss Martin Winterkorn was there and said: "Audi has once again written motorsport history, this time by being the first manufacturer to win an endurance race with a diesel powered sportscar. This impressively confirms the efficiency of the modern TDI technology. It is especially remarkable that this success was achieved at the very first race of the new Audi R10 TDI. The whole team from Audi Sport and the Technical Development of Audi has once again done a great job. I thank everyone who is participating in this ambitious project."
Meanwhile McNish, who claimed a Grand Slam by setting both the fastest qualifying and race laps combined with his second-ever Sebring race win, added: "The whole team should be very proud - we have created a little piece of history. In a few years time, people will look back and realise this was a monumental moment, not only in Audi Sport history, but also in motorsport where the first ever Diesel engine won an international sportscar race. We all worked very hard for this one."
The next race for the Audi R10 TDI, which features an all-aluminium V12, turbocharged 5.5-litre diesel engine producing 650-hp, is the Le Mans 24 Hours (17-18 June) - the twice around the clock marathon Audi has won five times since making its début in 1999.
Motor racing spectators tend to get quite attatched to the sounds not just the looks. The 956/962 flat six, the v12 Jags and the current crop of v8 Corvettes are prime examples of distinctive LM sounds.
If this new Audi sounds like an intercity 125 on full chat then all is not lost. However if it sounds like a tractor, I cant see the spectators on the Mulsane being in a rush to visit their local Audi dealerships.
I think the results speak for themselves though, it's a hell of a car.
Just remember that they'll be loads of noisy petrols at Le Mans to keep you awake, you just have to remember to keep your eyes at the front to spot the Audi's.
They've sacrificed a few horse power and added a DPF to stop the smoke, chassis weren't too happy with this as DPF's are heavy old b'stards.
What I am curious about the car is the useable power band between 3-5K. I would be interested to understand their gears etc. as they must surely be very tall to work with a narrow power band and the 1100+ Nm of twist.
oagent said:
Motor racing spectators tend to get quite attatched to the sounds not just the looks. The 956/962 flat six, the v12 Jags and the current crop of v8 Corvettes are prime examples of distinctive LM sounds.
I said exactly that on S2ki after the race.
More diesels are due, but what will having a half-diesel field do to the spectacle of the race???
Crook - effective gearing will be similar to the petrols. Yes the actual ratios will be twice as long as a race petrol engine redlining at 10k, but in effect they'll be hitting VMAX in each gear at similar speeds.
crook said:
Shame they can't make it sound like the Panoz from '03 they were the best by far.
All hail the Panoz (I heard the Audi`s on Motors TV on Sunday night, and although the sound quality wasn't that good, they sounded just like the petrol racing engine they used to use. They were quiet as well, I think its an Audi Racing think rather than a Diesel thing.)
Corvette (3rd overall) beat the Astons in the GT1 Class and both still make the right noises
The Panoz won the GT2 class to beat the new Ferrari 430 and also all the Porsche 911s. Also both the Spykers finished even if they are still way too slow.
Don't get me wrong I'm not anti derv (well maybe a little) its just some people constantly bang on about the massive torque
all the time and forget turbo'd petrol motors produce torque as well. There, got the retort in even before anyone said anything!
vetteheadracer said:
The new Porsche RS Spider won the LMP2 class and finished 2nd overall so my prediction of a Le Mans victory overall is still looking promising. I predicted this after the Laguna Seca race last October BTW
No, no they didn't. Neither of the Porsche Spyders finished, they broke down. The Intersport Lola took the P2 class win and P2 overall.
And your prediction for a Le Mans overall victory will also be difficult, the Porsches are NOT racing at Le Mans this year.
You need to read up.
225 said:
Just so long as people realise that the R10 uses a 5.5L engine running at 1.5bar of boost. The petrol turbo engines are limited to 4.0L and 0.5Bar of boost, no doubt a great engine but the rest of the car, driver and different rules make up 95% of the win I would say.
Don't get me wrong I'm not anti derv (well maybe a little) its just some people constantly bang on about the massive torque
There, got the retort in even before anyone said anything!
That's made me curious. In a straight fight, with equal rules, would the R10 be faster than the R8? I know the diesel would have the upper hand on fuel economy, but would it be faster? And wouldn't the R8 be lighter? With obvious benefits for performance.
runnersp said:
In a straight fight, with equal rules, would the R10 be faster than the R8?
I guess it depends what you mean by "equal rules" - if you mean making the cars equal, neither should be faster
however the fact that the R10 set new lap records in its first ever race (in the same class as the R8) suggests that the R10 is quicker.
GravelBen said:
In a straight fight, with equal rules, would the R10 be faster than the R8?
I guess it depends what you mean by "equal rules" - if you mean making the cars equal, neither should be faster
however the fact that the R10 set new lap records in its first ever race (in the same class as the R8) suggests that the R10 is quicker.
I think what he is getting at is that for the same capacity engines with the same air restrictors, the petrol engine will always be more powerfull.
as for the economy argument, I am not convinced that this is actually correct for a race engine assuming they are making the same power(as in an engine working at WOT all the time). Diesels are only more economical when not running flat out.
>> Edited by scuffham on Thursday 23 March 08:29
Gearing/revs - as I've said many times before, yes the rev range is shorter, bet with taller gearing supported by the torque the effective rev range in each gear will cover a similar speed range to a petrol engine. Put a sticker over the rev counter with bigger numbers on if your brain can't handle that.
Comparing like for like? Why?
Yes, the diesel needs to be greater capacity to produce the same power ... and your point is? They are different; you are comparing apples with oranges. It's like two stroke vs four stroke in bike racing - the four strokes need to be bigger because they can't produce the power of an equivalent capacity two stroke. Capacity is an arbitrary measure. Why the obsession with the size of the holes, why not compare on efficiency instead? Isn't that the true measure of an engine, how well it converts fuel to energy?
Hats off to Audi, they had the balls to do what was becoming inevitable and prove what modern diesels can do - which isn't too much of a surprise to those with an open mind. Diesels are much more popular on the continent, and this has to start breaking down the resistance over here. The Le Mans win will pile on more pressure.
It'll be fuel efficiency rather that emmissions, but the four stroke petrol engine will give way to the more efficient diesel in time.
racefan_uk said:
The new Porsche RS Spider won the LMP2 class and finished 2nd overall so my prediction of a Le Mans victory overall is still looking promising. I predicted this after the Laguna Seca race last October BTW
No, no they didn't. Neither of the Porsche Spyders finished, they broke down. The Intersport Lola took the P2 class win and P2 overall.
And your prediction for a Le Mans overall victory will also be difficult, the Porsches are NOT racing at Le Mans this year.
You need to read up.
I stand corrected......the RS Spider was winning it must have broke down near to the end as it was only 20 odd laps behind.
I read your posting yesterday about not competing at Le Mans.....I can't believe that they won't enter.
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