Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe
Autosport Plus

Audi's forgotten winner that still holds a Le Mans record

In 2010, a 39-year distance record was finally beaten at the Le Mans 24 Hours as Audi claimed its ninth win at the event. It achieved both with a car that's largely forgotten, the 'ugly duckling' R15-plus TDI

It's the - almost - forgotten Audi in the German manufacturer's line of LMP machinery straddling nearly 20 years, and the ugly duckling of the pack. Yet the R15-plus TDI didn't just add to the marque's tally of Le Mans 24 Hours victories in 2010, it did so at a record speed. Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Mike Rockenfeller broke the long-standing distance record set by Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep in 1971 and hold it to this day.

There was, however, a massive element of good fortune to the ninth of Audi's 13 wins at Le Mans in the battle of the turbodiesels 10 years ago. The final incarnation of the V12-powered Peugeot 908 HDi outgunned the revised version of the R15, which had endured a disastrous debut at the Circuit de la Sarthe 12 months before. But what looked like certain victory for the French manufacturer was lost with a major engine issue on Sunday morning.

Previous article What we'll miss about Le Mans this weekend
Next article Le Mans 1997: The wager that brought an endurance legend to the fore

More from Gary Watkins

Drugovich joins Vector Sport for European Le Mans campaign

Drugovich joins Vector Sport for European Le Mans campaign

ELMS European Le Mans
4 Hours of Barcelona
Drugovich joins Vector Sport for European Le Mans campaign Drugovich joins Vector Sport for European Le Mans campaign
Penske rules out chance of Indianapolis hosting WEC in 2025

Penske rules out chance of Indianapolis hosting WEC in 2025

WEC WEC
Losail
Penske rules out chance of Indianapolis hosting WEC in 2025 Penske rules out chance of Indianapolis hosting WEC in 2025
Lamborghini motorsport boss Sanna departs

Lamborghini motorsport boss Sanna departs

WEC WEC
Losail
Lamborghini motorsport boss Sanna departs Lamborghini motorsport boss Sanna departs
Cadillac and Ganassi to split after 2024 WEC and IMSA seasons

Cadillac and Ganassi to split after 2024 WEC and IMSA seasons

WEC WEC
Cadillac and Ganassi to split after 2024 WEC and IMSA seasons Cadillac and Ganassi to split after 2024 WEC and IMSA seasons
Newgarden not set to race Penske Porsche at Le Mans

Newgarden not set to race Penske Porsche at Le Mans

LM Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
Newgarden not set to race Penske Porsche at Le Mans Newgarden not set to race Penske Porsche at Le Mans
Cadillac has no plans for customer Hypercars in WEC or IMSA

Cadillac has no plans for customer Hypercars in WEC or IMSA

WEC WEC
Losail
Cadillac has no plans for customer Hypercars in WEC or IMSA Cadillac has no plans for customer Hypercars in WEC or IMSA
WEC grid airfreighted back from Qatar to Europe to avoid Imola delay

WEC grid airfreighted back from Qatar to Europe to avoid Imola delay

WEC WEC
Losail
WEC grid airfreighted back from Qatar to Europe to avoid Imola delay WEC grid airfreighted back from Qatar to Europe to avoid Imola delay
How Porsche made the perfect start in WEC despite late drama in Qatar

How Porsche made the perfect start in WEC despite late drama in Qatar

Plus
Plus
WEC WEC
Losail
How Porsche made the perfect start in WEC despite late drama in Qatar How Porsche made the perfect start in WEC despite late drama in Qatar

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe