Le Mans 2012: Hybrid Race Car clinches 11th Victory for Audi

2012-06-17 23:33:55 - - From Zbigniew Mazar

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It is more than 5,000 km long, fast, difficult and possesses a huge entertainment potential: the legendary 24 Hour Race of Le Mans. More than 200,000 visitors were present when Audi, as well as Toyota, started the race with two hybrid cars at the classic's 80th edition this year. One more joker of the car manufacturer from Ingolstadt: two R18 ultra based on the winner of last year.

After 24 hours of a gripping race it was finally done: the diesel hybrid with the starting number 1 was the first to cross the finish line. After the first victory with a petrol direct injection and the first diesel victory, now a hybrid car won quasi "off-the-cuff". André Lotterer, Marcel Fässler and Benoît Tréluyer in the car with the number 1 thus were able to repeat their last year's success and to come out on top of the runners-up, their fellow team members Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Dindo Capello with number 2, followed by the fastest non-hybrid R18 driven by Marco Bonanomi, Oliver Jarvis and Mike Rockenfeller. With their victory in Le Mans the race drivers are in a way ennobled because those who have been champions here belong to the big players. A driver who has been champion several times is already a legend in his lifetime. This is something that Jackie Ickx is also aware of...