As Audi famously contest the 2006 Le Mans 24 Hours with the diesel powered R10 TDi, the six vastly experienced drivers that will hope to make history by winning this unique event reveal what lies ahead for them and the new car.
With Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish in the #7 Audi R10 and Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner in the #8 machine, the sextet gave an insight into where the challenges lie on the 13.650km circuit.
"From my point of view, the Porsche corners are the most difficult part," admitted Werner on his biggest challenge on the Le Mans circuit, "it is a high-speed section where an LMP1 car, such as the Audi R10 TDI, is much faster than an LM P2 or a GT car.
"It is very difficult if you catch up a slower car in the last part of this section, a long right-hand corner," added Marco, "You need to overtake on the outside but there is often a lot of rubber pick-up from tyres on the track surface on this off line part of the track. You can easily collect this rubber which deteriorates the grip of your own tyres."
Meanwhile, Capello, the man who alongside McNish in the American Le Mans Series, has enjoyed a hat-trick of victories for Audi in the R8, revealed the challenges of contesting a circuit that is made up of public roads and permanent race track.
"After so many years, Le Mans almost feels like a 'permanent' track for me," said Capello, "but still, you’ve got to be cautious at the beginning. The grip is very low, especially in places that are public roads for most of the year. Because of this, there are lots of different grip situations over one lap.
"There are also several different kinds of tarmac," added the Italian, "on a wet track, those differences are even more striking. Without the braking signs posted from 300 metres before each corner, it would be really difficult for us, whereas no such signs are required on a permanent track."
