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All four Audis 'free to race' for Spa World Endurance Championship victory

Audi's four cars will fight between each other for outright victory in the 6 Hours of Spa rather than be forced to run under team orders, according Allan McNish and Marcel Fassler

McNish who took the first pole position for the German carmaker's R18 e-tron quattro hybrid prototype in qualifying for the Belgian round of the World Endurance Championship, said after qualifying that the only rules were not to crash with another Audi.

"There is a requirement for us, but we are allowed to race each other so long as we don't drive into one another," said the Scot - who also said his pole lap was a good message to send to the crew of the sister #1 e-tron car.

"I think Sebring was an important sort of statement that our car crew is still strong and fighting, and that was a victory," said McNish, who earned an extra point for his crew with the pole position. "And this lap suggests we're still fast as well!

"I was very happy with the lap. I had to overtake someone just coming into the braking area at La Source just a touch, but the rest of the lap was peachy. Really a good strong hard lap, right on the limit, right on the edge of everything.

"I had a few oversteer moments coming off kerbs and that sort of thing! Tom [Kristensen] said it looked like I was pushing."

Last year's Le Mans 24 Hours winner Fassler admitted to AUTOSPORT that while he had been disappointed to qualify only fourth behind McNish, and Audi's two conventional R18 turbo-diesel machines, he expected to race for victory on Saturday.

"A point is always a point, and at the end of the season a point can decide between winning or losing and that's for sure so you have to try and take all the points you can," he said, "but for sure when you win the race you make more points!

"Dr Ullrich doesn't like it if we crash into one another! But in all the other things we are free, so we can race hard and fair against each other, there is nothing decided in advance.

"So the race is open and we will race, because everyone is trying to win the world championship, even if we fight in between us at the moment. We all want to be the world champion at the end of the year."

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