Audi unveils experimental long-tail R18 e-tron quattro car
Audi has unveiled an experimental long-tail version of its R18 e-tron quattro hybrid sports car that could race at the Le Mans 24 Hours this year.


Audi has unveiled an experimental long-tail version of its R18 e-tron quattro hybrid sports car that could race at the Le Mans 24 Hours this year.
The car will be raced at Spa during the second round of the World Endurance Championship next month.
Marc Gene, Lucas di Grassi and Oliver Jarvis will drive the long-tail R18, while the other two crews will continue to race the standard-spec car that competed at the opening round of the WEC at Silverstone.
The long-tail R18 has been optimised for the high speeds of the Le Mans straights. The German manufacturer will use the Spa race as a test to compare the performance between the two cars.
"The comparison, however, is not focused on absolute lap times. Instead, the team will analyse the time differences to be expected between both models on individual track sectors," said Audi in a statement.
Audi motorsport chief Wolfgang Ullrich said: "We thoroughly reviewed the first race of the season and accomplished our tasks in order to be well prepared for the second round of the WEC.
"Fielding the Le Mans aero variant on the third vehicle that hasn't been optimised for the lap times at Spa is an important element of the preparation for the 24-hour race."
Audi won the opening round of the WEC with Loic Duval, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish. The final car will again be driven at Spa by WEC champions Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer.

Ho Pin Tung gets KCMG Le Mans seat
BMW Brazil plans Spa assault with Ricardo Zonta

How Formula E's double-duty drivers influenced their Le Mans teams' fortunes
Eight Formula E drivers made the 7,000-mile sprint from the streets of Jakarta to the fabled Circuit de la Sarthe and every one had a story to share at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours. Despite a range of triumphs and disappointments, each driver doubling up on the day job played a key role in their teams' fortunes
How an Italian junior formula giant is readying for its Le Mans future
Prema remains a colossus in single-seaters, but the serial Formula 2 and Formula 3 title-winning squad has joined forces with top GT squad Iron Lynx for an attack on sportscars in the World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series. Ahead of its debut at the Le Mans 24 Hours, its sights are firmly fixed on LMP2 glory – and a future in Hypercars next year...
The British rookies targeting a good first impression at Le Mans
Three young Britons will make their first starts in the Le Mans 24 Hours this weekend in the highly-competitive 23-car GTE Am field. But how did they get here? Autosport hears their stories.
The wingless wonder Peugeot hopes will restore it to Le Mans glory
Peugeot went radical with the initial plan for its Le Mans Hypercar project, and then stuck to its guns. Here’s how things are shaping up a few weeks before the debut of the 9X8 in next month's Monza World Endurance Championship round
How Toyota’s sole survivor turned the tables at Spa
After a chastening opening to the season at Sebring that ended in an enormous accident, Toyota's #7 crew got their World Endurance Championship underway with victory at a treacherously slippery Spa to make up for its sister car's Sebring defeat to Alpine, as Glickenhaus's promising qualifying turned to disaster in the race
The Chinese sportscar protege targeting a path to the top with Porsche
Yifei Ye came within one lap of winning the LMP2 class on his Le Mans 24 Hours debut last year, and his eye-catching 2021 has gained Porsche’s interest. With the German manufacturer preparing for a return to the top tier, the Chinese youngster is on the path to join it
How WEC got off to a stormy start in 2022 as rulemakers dampen Toyota's dominance
Toyota’s stranglehold on the World Endurance Championship ended at the 2022 opener at Sebring, but all accusing eyes were on the Balance of Performance system as the key to the shake-up. Here's how it unfolded, to see Alpine celebrating under a stormy sky having blown away the defending champions
Why Penske remains ambitious for its WEC learning year
Team Penske is gearing up for its role in running Porsche’s LMDh programme from 2023 by entering this year's World Endurance Championship with an LMP2 car. Although the team is considering 2022 as a season to learn, it is no less serious about winning than ever - which should make the already fiercely competitive class even more so