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A. Préma (http://www.audi-motorsport.info) Photo : - |
The 2.918-kilometre track along St Petersburg’s southern marina is one of three city street circuits on the schedule of the 2008 American Le Mans Series. Lasting only 1:55 hours, St Petersburg is the second-shortest race of the season.
With the Audi R10 TDI, AUDI AG is impressively demonstrating how today’s modern diesel engines combine powerful performance with good fuel economy – and that racing cars do not have to be noisy. Its manufacturer’s commitment in the Le Mans Series gives Audi the opportunity to convince even more customers in Europe of the merits of TDI technology.
Every second Audi is a TDI
In St Petersburg, Audi clinched a 1-2 victory last year, proving that it is possible to be successful with a sportscar developed for the 24 Hours of Le Mans on a much slower city street circuit as well.
In St Petersburg, Lucas Luhr and Marco Werner as well as Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro are competing for Team Audi Sport North America. In Florida, Audi’s primary rivals are Acura/Honda and Porsche, at Barcelona, the closest rival is Peugeot.
"The weekend is a major challenge for Audi Sport, both in terms of logistics and the demands made on personnel, particularly as the 2008 DTM season presentation is taking place in Düsseldorf at the same time,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. "Still, in St Petersburg as well as at Barcelona we want to leave a better impression than we did at the season opener at Sebring – although we’re fully aware of the fact that we’ve got strong competition on either side of the Atlantic and are facing difficult tasks."
The race in St Petersburg will start on Saturday at 1:25 p.m., local time (7:25 p.m. in Germany).
Facts & figures, St Petersburg
The Audi driver line-up in St Petersburg
#1 Frank Biela/Emanuele Pirro
#2 Lucas Luhr/Marco Werner
Emanuele Pirro : "I was positively surprised last year – by the circuit as well as by the organization of the event. St Petersburg is one of the nicest races of the championship. The circuit is pretty technical and strenuous. But there are straights as well on which we can leverage the strengths of our TDI engine.”
Interesting snippets
Audi Sport North America celebrated a 1-2 victory in St Petersburg in 2007 with Dindo Capello/Allan McNish, ahead of Emanuele Pirro/Marco Werner ... Frank Biela contests his first race in the R10 TDI since his victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2007, Emanuele Pirro his first since Detroit 2007 ... Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro, who – as a team – have so far celebrated 16 overall victories in the American Le Mans Series, last competed together in America at Sebring in 2007 ... With an average qualifying speed of 165 kph, St Petersburg was the fastest city circuit in the American Le Mans Series last year ... The R10 TDI cars fielded in St Petersburg were not used at the Sebring season opener ... With 61 overall victories so far, Audi is the most successful brand contesting the American Le Mans Series