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The Audi R10 TDI has written motorsport history, winning the 12-hour race at
Sebring, USA over the weekend. Audi drivers, Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and
Allan McNish won the 12-hour race, achieving the first ever victory of a diesel
powered sportscar.
"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
confirms the efficiency of modern TDI technology. It is particularly remarkable
that this success was achieved at the very first race of the new Audi R10 TDI”,
said Prof Dr Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of AUDI AG.
Tom Kristensen became the first driver to win America’s most famous endurance
race for the fourth time, achieving another record after his seventh Le Mans
victory last year.
High humidity and asphalt temperatures reaching up to 43 degrees caused
particularly difficult circumstances on the Florida track which is considered
one of the most demanding in the world. Allan McNish showed the 650-hp V12 TDI
engines potential with a record-breaking pole position time during qualifying.
Due to the heat exchanger being replaced after the morning warm-up, Dindo
Capello was forced to start the R10 TDI from the pit-lane beginning his chase
from the back of the field.
It took Capello only half an hour before he had moved from 35th position to
second, finally taking the lead before the end of the second hour, which he kept
until the finish-line.
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