Salt Lake City
Contacts prevent Audi from winning at Salt Lake City
Monday 19 May 2008 - 12h24
Team Audi Sport North America’s pair of Audi R10 TDI prototypes had the chance to clinch another overall victory in the exciting fourth round of the American Le Mans Series near Salt Lake City (US state of Utah). After a dramatic finish, however, Audi had to be content with victory in the LM P1 class.
 
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The start at the Miller Motorsports Park was once again an impressive demonstration of the performance of Audi TDI Power: Starting from rows three and four, Marco Werner and Frank Biela were able to use the torque of the V12 TDI engine to overtake all cars in front of them, diving into the first corner in first and second positions.

Despite using an early caution period for refuelling, both Audi R10 TDI cars were running at the front of the field at half-distance of the 2hour 45minute race. Still the final score was just a class victory.

A problem during the second pit-stop cost Marco Werner and Lucas Luhr 25 seconds and the lead. Despite that, Luhr was able to catch the leading Porsche again before he was hit by a slower GT2 car. This cut the right rear tyre of the Audi R10 TDI. Luhr spun and lost the chance to fight for the overall victory. It was quite a surprise that a stop-and-go penalty was imposed on Luhr for "avoidable contact”.

Only two laps later, also Emanuele Pirro was hit by a GT car. The Italian stopped off the track with a broken left rear suspension. At that time he was running in second position only 16 seconds behind the eventual winner.

Despite the retirement, Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro were classified third in the LM P1 class. Lucas Luhr and Marco Werner finished the race in seventh place overall and scored the maximum points in the LM P1 class for the third consecutive time, thus further extending their lead in the Drivers' Championship.
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