Capello expects LMP2 threat

The Italian took the ALMS title with Allan McNish last season, but he believes that new cars from Porsche and Acura will raise the bar in the series.

"This year will be even harder," said Capello. "Porsche have a new car and there will be some new LMP2 which I think will be competitive, especially on the four street courses.

"I am 100 per cent certain that 2007 will be much harder for us, and we have to work hard and avoid mistakes if we are to retain our title."

One of Audi's main rivals in the LMP1 class last year, Dyson Racing, have switched from running Lolas to LMP2 Porsches, meaning that Audi could have little opposition from cars in the same class.

The diesel-powered Audi R10s were given performance restrictions in the latter part of the season, but Capello believes that the team proved their ability when they were penalised, and he expects the car to be even better in 2007.

He said: "We showed we could win races, even when the car was not the quickest on the track, especially in the last three races.

"The engineers have improved every detail of the car a little bit. You can't see the different, the car will be 99 per cent  the same, but they will improve the car a lot."