Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx recorded second and fifth positions in the 72nd Le Mans 24 Hours which finished yesterday. The Jamie Davies/Johnny Herbert/Guy Smith Audi started from pole-position with the similar Frank Biela/Pierre Kaffer/Allan McNish R8 completing an all-Veloqx Audi front row.
The two Michelin-shod Veloqx Audis dominated the opening stages with Davies only briefly losing the lead to McNish during two scheduled pit-stops. But shortly before two hours, with Davies 25secs ahead, McNish skated off on oil at the high-speed Porsche Curves.
Allan, stunned by the heavy impact with the barriers, miraculously nursed his severely damaged Audi back to the pits after it had been dragged back on to the circuit by a recovery vehicle. Incredibly, seconds after McNish’s accident, the closely following American-entered Audi skated off at the same corner. This car would finish third.
Back at the pits, McNish was immediately examined by doctors from Audi before being taken to the circuit’s Medical Centre for a precautionary check-up. Although suffering no injuries and declared physically fit, he was advised by race officials not to take any further part in the race unlike his Audi which, after magnificent work by the crew, resumed in 46th position after two pit-stops, accounting for 75mins.
The Davies/Herbert/Smith Audi continued at the front of the field but lost time after nine hours with a stop-go penalty moments before making contact with a slower car necessitating an unscheduled, precautionary pit-stop.
For the first time, with the race 15hr 09mins old, Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx lost the lead when a 7min pit-stop was required to cure a handling imbalance on the lead #88 Veloqx Audi caused by a seized rear suspension pushrod bearing. Davies resumed over a lap down in second place, but immediately set a series of fastest laps in the race.
With three hours to run, the Davies/Herbert/Smith Veloqx Audi had narrowed the gap to 90secs, and with just two hours remaining it was less than one minute. With 30mins to run, Herbert now at the wheel, had sliced the gap down to 35secs. Johnny, pushing to earn Veloqx Audi a famous victory ran wide, and briefly into a gravel trap, such was his determination to claim the first-ever victory achieved by three British drivers.
But after 24 hours of hard racing which saw 3,204-miles clocked-up (379 laps) and covered at an average speed of almost 133mph, just 41.354secs separated the winning Japanese Audi of Seiji Ara/Rinaldo Capello/Tom Kristensen and the Davies/Herbert/Smith Veloqx Audi.
The #8 Biela/Kaffer/McNish car amazingly recovered to ultimately take fifth place - 29 laps off the winner’s lap. The Canon & Infineon supported “British” Audi team, formed just six months ago, won the Sebring 12 Hours (ALMS) and Monza 1,000km (LMES) races earlier this year. The team will exhibit an Audi R8, a sportscar which has now won the Le Mans 24 Hours four time in the past five years, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (25-27 Jun) and continues its bid for honours in the LMES at the Nurburgring on 3 July.
