Audi has maintained its unbeaten record in the Petit Le Mans after a dramatic win for the #1 R10 of Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Emanuele Pirro at Road Atlanta.
The trio bounced back from an accident for McNish on a reconnaissance lap prior to the start to take victory by less than five seconds from the lone Peugeot 908 HDi, while the sister Audi completed the podium in third.
McNish had left the team with work to do after spinning off into the wall with little more than an hour left until the start of the race and while the team managed to repair the damaged R10, the Scot was forced to start two laps down.
Consistently fast lap times, a good strategy and perfect pit-stops allowed the #1 Audi R10 TDI to come back onto the lead-lap but a tyre problem and coolers covered by tyre pick-up, however, later cost another lap.
Using the total of eleven caution periods in the best possible way, the team was again able to recover the lost lap. Finally it was decisive that Allan McNish changed the tyres once more at the last refuelling stop. On the fresher tyres he was first able to pass his team-mate Marco Werner and then, on lap 364 of 394, he was able to outbrake the leading Peugeot. The Peugeot tried to fight back but McNish kept the lead to secure victory.
I lost control of the Audi due to cold tyres it was my error, reflected McNish. The team did a magnificent job to get it repaired in just 45mins and get me out just three minutes after the start of the race I'd thought I was out of the race even before it had started!
This victory is very special. Brilliant strategy throughout the race got us back in to contention. I'm very proud of the drives of Emanuele and Dindo but the entire team as well without their efforts we would not have even started.
The sister car of Lucas Luhr and Marco Werner who had already wrapped up the LMP1 title took the flag in third, and Werner admitted he had no chance in the closing stages of the race on old rubber.
