PROTOTYP.
Peugeot 908 HDI FAP '09
Winner Le Mans 2009. David Brabham, Marc Gené, Alexander Wurz.
2008’s event saw speed and distance records fall due to the rapid pace of the big diesel cars. Tom Kristensen enjoyed breaking – and extending – his record of Le Mans wins. After nearly a decade of dominant performances since their 1999 debut, 2008 also proved to Audi Team Joest just how closely-run the race can be. The Peugeots were a bit faster, the Audis a bit more efficient and stable in the rain. The race came down to those subtle differences, one pit stop, and a strategy call on tires. Audi won over Peugeot, but only just barely and it was a proper fair fight.
For 2009 Peugeot made fairly subtle changes to their 908, tweaking airflow for less drag in light of regulations reducing power of the diesel cars. They also loaned one of last year’s cars to their friends at Pescarolo to make the Peugeot presence four-strong.
Pescarolo also ran one of his own open-top 01 prototypes in matching Sony PlayStation livery.
Audi took their chances with the entirely-new V10-powered R15 diesel featuring complex (and controversial) flow-through aerodynamics.
A pair of “old” Audi R10s are run by German F3 and Audi DTM Team Kolles.
Jans Charouz’ Prodrive-supported Lola effort last year has become a full factory Aston Martin prototype program with highly-developed Lola-based coupes wearing beautiful Gulf livery. And they’re fast, too, fastest of the petrol LMP cars and now nearly on the pace of the diesels.
Speedy Sebah return with the next iteration of Rebellion graphics.
Oreca replaced their Courage LC70 with the freshly-developed 01, benefitting from the partnership with Honda/Acura and the development of the ARX-01. They run a new AIM V10 which is smaller and lighter than the Judd engines.
The Porsche teams did well in the LMP2 class last year. Former Audi customer and ’04 Le Mans winner Team Goh run last year’s pole- and class-winning Merksteijn car, along with Swiss Team Essex who return for another shot.
Dome’s slick S102 coupe is absent due to business issues with the team who signed up to run it.
On the ten-year anniversary of their debut, the 2009 race simply kicked Audi’s ass. Qualifying times were tight, but the race didn’t go well for Audi. One R15 crashes out, one falls well behind on technical issues, one left to defend the race but hampered by grip issues stemming from compromises in the aero setup… Peugeot stomped away and ended (if you include the Audi-ish-powered, Joest-run, Tom Kristensen-driven Bentley win in 2003) Audi’s nine-year winning streak.
Follow along as I retrace the important and interesting prototypes of the Le Mans "LMP" era and the story of Audi's legacy. #legolemans
(Actually, I got the wing coloring wrong on these... Should be black with light-gray/chrome endplates :/ )
Peugeot 908 HDI FAP '09
Winner Le Mans 2009. David Brabham, Marc Gené, Alexander Wurz.
2008’s event saw speed and distance records fall due to the rapid pace of the big diesel cars. Tom Kristensen enjoyed breaking – and extending – his record of Le Mans wins. After nearly a decade of dominant performances since their 1999 debut, 2008 also proved to Audi Team Joest just how closely-run the race can be. The Peugeots were a bit faster, the Audis a bit more efficient and stable in the rain. The race came down to those subtle differences, one pit stop, and a strategy call on tires. Audi won over Peugeot, but only just barely and it was a proper fair fight.
For 2009 Peugeot made fairly subtle changes to their 908, tweaking airflow for less drag in light of regulations reducing power of the diesel cars. They also loaned one of last year’s cars to their friends at Pescarolo to make the Peugeot presence four-strong.
Pescarolo also ran one of his own open-top 01 prototypes in matching Sony PlayStation livery.
Audi took their chances with the entirely-new V10-powered R15 diesel featuring complex (and controversial) flow-through aerodynamics.
A pair of “old” Audi R10s are run by German F3 and Audi DTM Team Kolles.
Jans Charouz’ Prodrive-supported Lola effort last year has become a full factory Aston Martin prototype program with highly-developed Lola-based coupes wearing beautiful Gulf livery. And they’re fast, too, fastest of the petrol LMP cars and now nearly on the pace of the diesels.
Speedy Sebah return with the next iteration of Rebellion graphics.
Oreca replaced their Courage LC70 with the freshly-developed 01, benefitting from the partnership with Honda/Acura and the development of the ARX-01. They run a new AIM V10 which is smaller and lighter than the Judd engines.
The Porsche teams did well in the LMP2 class last year. Former Audi customer and ’04 Le Mans winner Team Goh run last year’s pole- and class-winning Merksteijn car, along with Swiss Team Essex who return for another shot.
Dome’s slick S102 coupe is absent due to business issues with the team who signed up to run it.
On the ten-year anniversary of their debut, the 2009 race simply kicked Audi’s ass. Qualifying times were tight, but the race didn’t go well for Audi. One R15 crashes out, one falls well behind on technical issues, one left to defend the race but hampered by grip issues stemming from compromises in the aero setup… Peugeot stomped away and ended (if you include the Audi-ish-powered, Joest-run, Tom Kristensen-driven Bentley win in 2003) Audi’s nine-year winning streak.
Follow along as I retrace the important and interesting prototypes of the Le Mans "LMP" era and the story of Audi's legacy. #legolemans
(Actually, I got the wing coloring wrong on these... Should be black with light-gray/chrome endplates :/ )