The two Audi Sport North America R10 TDI prototypes missed out on an 'adequately good result' on Saturday at the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park following one big impact and a small pit-stop error.
On the shortest track of the ALMS schedule, the two Audi R10 TDI prototypes started from the fourth row of the grid, but it took Emanuele Pirro and Lucas Luhr just ten minutes to overtake the Acura/Hondas and Porsches in front of them and take a 1-2 lead.
Particularly impressive was the performance of Pirro, who opened a commanding 20-second lead before he handed the R10 TDI over to Dindo Capello just before the end of the first hour.
At his comeback in the ALMS, the defending champion and Le Mans winner, however, enjoyed just eight laps before colliding with a slower GT1 car and crashing into the barrier in spectacular style. Although he could continue after a 40-minute repair, the time lost was just too much and in the end the #1 car finished a lowly 21st overall and third in class.
"It is unfortunate," said Pirro. "We had the superior car. Everything was looking great. Personally after a disappointing Le Mans I really enjoyed every single corner of this race. It was really looking good without taking any risks. Then the accident happened. This is racing."
"I'm very disappointed because we had a car to win the race," added Capello. "Emanuele did a very good and fast first stint. When I got into the car I tried not to take any risks because I knew the car was fast.
"Regarding the accident I have to say that this year - apart from Le Mans - something is going wrong. I always seem to be in the wrong place at the wrong moment. I tried to be very careful and to stay away from any kind of contact. But suddenly I got a hit from behind. To be honest, I still don't really know what happened."
Luhr meanwhile needed just twelve laps to move from eighth to second after a careful start in the #2 car. While he then suffered a spin and dropped to fifth, he was back up in third before handing the car over to team-mate Marco Werner.
