The new Audi R15 TDI plus cruised to victory today in its first Le Mans series at the Paul Ricard 8 Hours, dominating the field with a five lap — five lap! — triumph.
The driver lineup of Dindo Capello and Allan McNish grabbed the lead during the first lap and never looked back, unless, I suppose, it was to see its competition disappear over and over again.
Ferrari F1 back-up driver Giancarlo Fisichella was third in the GT2 class in a F430.
Second place in the LMP1 class went to Aston Martin Racing’s Harold PRimate, Stefan Mucke and Adrian Fernandez. The Oreca Peugeot finished off the podium in fourth.
Here are the complete results; sorry for the lousy formatting. You can get them here, too:
1 7 LMP1 M Audi Sport Team Joest CAPELLO Dindo/McNISH Allan Audi R15 TDI 8:00:36.415 266 192,308 1:42.541 – 221 203,310
2 009 LMP1 M Aston Martin Racing PRIMAT Harold/MUCKE Stefan/FERNANDEZ Adrian Lola – Aston Martin 8:00:40.654 261 5 L 188,665 1:44.572 – 5 199,361
3 13 LMP1 M Rebellion Racing BELICCHI Andrea/BOULLION Jean-Christophe/SMITH GuyLola B10/60 – Rebellion 8:01:48.333 261 1:07.679 188,223 1:45.175 – 245 198,218
4 4 LMP1 M Team Oreca Matmut PANIS Olivier/LAPIERRE Nicolas/SARRAZIN Stephane Peugeot 908 HDi-FAP 8:02:02.017 258 8 L 185,972 1:43.166 – 5 202,078
5 6 LMP1 D AIM Team Oreca Matmut AYARI Soheil/ANDRE Didier/DUVAL Loic Oreca 01 – AIM 8:02:10.496 258 0:08.479 185,917 1:44.425 – 238 199,642
6 008 LMP1 D Signature Plus RAGUES Pierre/MAILLEUX Franck/ICKX Vanina Lola – Aston Martin 8:01:22.070 256 10 L 184,785 1:45.417 – 3 197,763
7 42 LMP2 M Strakka Racing LEVENTIS Nick/WATTS Danny/KANE Jonny HPD ARX-01c 8:00:36.949 250 16 L 180,737 1:46.590 – 183 195,587
8 35 LMP2 D OAK Racing MOREAU Guillaume/HEIN Richard Pescarolo – Judd 8:01:10.441 250 0:33.492 180,527 1:49.453 – 188 190,471
9 25 LMP2 D RML ERDOS Tommy/NEWTON Mike/WALLACE Andy Lola HPD Coupe 8:00:40.855 249 17 L 179,990 1:49.396 – 3 190,570
10 24 LMP2 D OAK Racing LAHAYE Mathieu/NICOLET Jacques Pescarolo – Judd 8:01:20.769 249 0:39.914 179,741 1:50.078 – 136 189,389
11 12 LMP1 M Rebellion Racing PROST Nicolas/JANI Neel Lola B10/60 – Rebellion 8:00:52.894 248 18 L 179,192 1:45.021 – 192 198,509
12 41 LMP2 D Team Bruichladdich OJJEH Karim/GREAVES Tim/EBBESVIK Thor-ChristianGinetta-Zytek 09S 8:01:41.503 248 0:48.609 178,891 1:49.463 – 4 190,453
13 30 LMP2 P Racing Box GERI Ferdinando/PICCINI Andrea/PICCINI Giacomo Lola Coupe B09 – Judd 8:01:11.789 246 20 L 177,630 1:50.445 – 197 188,760
14 5 LMP1 D Beechdean Mansell MANSELL Nigel/MANSELL Leo/MANSELL Greg Ginetta-Zytek 09S 8:00:37.047 243 23 L 175,676 1:46.647 – 180 195,482
15 49 FLM M Applewood Seven TOULEMONDE Damien/ZOLLINGER David/ZAMPATTI RossFLM – Oreca – 09 8:01:32.842 237 29 L 171,007 1:55.209 – 197 180,955
16 48 FLM M Hope Polevision Racing PILLON Christophe/BECHE Mathias/CAPILLAIRE VincentFLM – Oreca – 09 8:01:49.858 237 0:17.016 170,906 1:55.398 – 8 180,658
17 43 FLM M DAMS BARLESI Andrea/CICOGNANI Alessandro/CHALANDON GaryFLM – Oreca – 09 8:01:19.222 235 31 L 169,644 1:56.246 – 206 179,340
18 77 LMGT2 M Team Felbermayr Proton LIEB Marc/LIETZ Richard Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 8:01:55.662 233 33 L 167,988 1:59.662 – 206 174,221
19 47 FLM M Hope Polevision Racing ZACCHIA Steve/KAUFMANN Wolfgang/MORO Luca FLM – Oreca – 09 8:00:38.474 231 35 L 166,992 1:56.197 – 209 179,416
20 88 LMGT2 M Team Felbermayr Proton RAGGINGER Martin/RIED Christian/LONG Patrick Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 8:00:40.101 231 0:01.627 166,983 1:59.716 – 139 174,142
21 95 LMGT2 M AF Corse ALESI Jean/FISICHELLA Giancarlo/VILANDER Toni Ferrari F430 GT 8:01:10.556 231 0:32.082 166,806 1:59.522 – 131 174,425
22 90 LMGT2 M CRS Racing EHRET Pierre/QUAIFE Phil/KAFFER Pierre Ferrari F430 GT 8:02:27.929 231 1:49.455 166,361 1:59.079 – 137 175,074
23 94 LMGT2 M AF Corse COMPANC Luis Perez/RUSSO Matias Ferrari F430 GT 8:02:28.473 231 1:49.999 166,358 1:59.883 – 212 173,900
24 50 LMGT1 M Larbre Competition GARDEL Gabriele/GOUESLARD Patrice/CANAL Julien Saleen S7-R 8:00:37.868 229 37 L 165,550 1:57.364 – 209 177,632
25 78 LMGT2 D BMW Team Schnitzer MULLER Jorg/WERNER Dirk BMW M3 8:02:00.546 225 41 L 162,193 2:00.096 – 145 173,591
26 36 LMP2 D Pegasus Racing SCHELL Julien/METZ Jean-Christophe/DaROCHA FredericCourage-Oreca LC75 8:01:18.155 219 47 L 158,100 1:55.304 – 4 180,806
27 76 LMGT2 M Imsa Performance Matmut PILET Patrick/NARAC Raymond Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 8:01:23.680 219 0:05.525 158,069 1:59.164 – 193 174,949
28 85 LMGT2 M Spyker Squadron DUMBRECK Peter/CORONEL Tom/BLEEKEMOLEN JeroenSpyker C8 Laviolette 8:01:37.993 215 51 L 155,105 1:59.967 – 215 173,778
29 39 LMP2 D KSM NODA Hideki/de POURTALES Jean/KENNARD JonathanLola B08/47 – Judd 8:00:57.350 188 78 L 135,818 1:51.394 – 132 187,152
30 89 LMGT2 H Hankook Team Farnbacher FARNBACHER Dominik/SIMONSEN Allan Ferrari F430 GT 7:28:50.310 204 62 L 157,923 2:00.082 – 150 173,611
31 44 FLM M DAMS STIRLING Dean/HINES Luke/PISCOPO Edoardo FLM – Oreca – 09 7:04:46.891 203 63 L 166,049 1:55.787 – 7 180,051
32 46 FLM M JMB Racing KUTEMANN Peter/BASSO Maurice/HARTSHORME JohnFLM – Oreca – 10 7:15:56.047 203 11:09.156 161,801 2:01.155 – 130 172,074
33 40 LMP2 D Quifel – Asm Team AMARAL Miguel/PLA Olivier/HUGHES Warren Ginetta-Zytek 09S 6:29:30.792 200 66 L 178,407 1:48.430 – 194 192,268
34 45 FLM M Boutsen Energy Racing KRAIHAMER Dominik/de CREM Nicolas/DELHEZ BernardFLM – Oreca – 09 7:25:31.317 195 71 L 152,079 1:55.598 – 182 180,346
35 37 LMP2 D WR / Salini SALINI Philippe/SALINI Stephane/GOMMENDY Tristan WR-Zytek 7:35:20.341 168 98 L 128,197 1:53.053 – 26 184,406
36 96 LMGT2 M AF Corse BRUNI Gianmaria/MELO Jaime Ferrari F430 GT 5:16:03.391 152 114 L 167,103 1:59.509 – 123 174,444
37 91 LMGT2 M CRS Racing KIRKALDY Andrew/MULLEN Tim Ferrari F430 GT 4:14:26.763 123 143 L 167,963 2:00.227 – 122 173,402
38 29 LMP2 P Racing Box PERAZZINI Piergiuseppe/CIOCI Marco/PIRRI Luca Lola Coupe B09 – Judd 3:47:21.962 116 150 L 177,271 1:51.985 – 10 186,164
39 27 LMP2 D Race Performance FREY Michel/MEICHTRY Ralph/DUECK Tyler Radical SR9 – Judd 3:05:09.757 66 200 L 123,850 1:54.774 – 27 181,640
40 92 LMGT2 D JMW Motorsport BELL Robert/TURNER Darren Aston Martin Vantage 3:01:16.984 65 201 L 124,584 1:59.833 – 52 173,972
41 75 LMGT2 M Prospeed Competition HOLZER Marco/WESTBROOK Richard Porsche 997 GT3 RSR 1:51:59.452 54 212 L 167,539 2:00.884 – 31 172,460
7 LMP1 M Audi Sport Team Joest CAPELLO Dindo/McNISH Allan Audi R15 TDI 221 1:42.541 – 221
— Not Classified — Not Flagged or less than 186 laps ( 70%)
— Fastest lap —
— RETIREMENTS —
