Motorsport Newsletter 23/2004
Audi drivers Lehto/Werner clinch ALMS title
ALMS: With their fifth victory of the season, Audi drivers JJ Lehto and Marco Werner prematurely clinched the Drivers’ title of the 2004 American Le Mans Series (ALMS). At Road America (USA), the reliability of the Audi R8 was yet again a key factor. The MG Lolas started from the front row of the grid but encountered problems in the early stages of the race and eventually retired while Team ADT Champion Racing’s Audi R8 ran like clockwork over the entire distance. However JJ Lehto had to work hard for the success: The Finn dropped to ninth position following a first-lap collision. After one hour, he took the lead handing the R8 over to Marco Werner with a comfortable advantage. The German became the first driver in ALMS history to win two championships in the series´ top Prototype class.
1-2 victory and lead for Audi SPEED GT: Audi driver Michael Galati regained the lead of the North American SPEED GT World Challenge with a flag-to-flag victory at Road America (USA). Randy Pobst finished second giving the Audi RS 6 Competition another 1-2 victory - the third of the season. Reigning champion Pobst captured pole position in qualifying, letting his team-mate by at the start and fending him off until the finish.
News from the Audi brand group
Two SEAT victories at Brands Hatch BTCC: Another successful weekend for SEAT in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC): At Brands Hatch, Jason Plato won the second of three races with his SEAT Toledo Cupra, moving up to third position in the overall classification. For the SEAT driver, it was the sixth victory of the season. In the third heat, Plato looked set for another victory before a last-lap tangle with Matt Neal and Yvan Muller dropped him to second position. Plato’s team-mate Robert Huff took advantage from the thrilling final stages, scoring his first ever BTCC victory.
Frank Biela competes in BTCC MastersBTCC: Audi works driver Frank Biela will compete in the first "BTCC Masters" which will take place at the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) finale at Donington Park on September 26. In this invitation race, 18 former BTCC stars will be at the wheel of identical SEAT Leon Cupra spec race cars. "When I first heard about this idea, I was excited," says Biela, the 1996 BTCC Champion. "When I received the invitation, I immediately confirmed my participation. I’m sure this will be an great race."
Results and points
Road America (USA), 22 August, American Le Mans Series (ALMS) round 7 1 JJ Lehto/Marco Werner (Audi R8) 80 laps in 2hrs 46m 24.215s 2 Jon Field/Duncan Dayton (Lola-Judd) - 1 lap 3 Olivier Beretta/Oliver Gavin (Chevrolet) - 3 laps 4 Ron Fellows/Johnny O`Connell (Chevrolet) - 3 laps 5 Ian James/James Gue (Courage-AER) - 5 laps Positions after 7 of 9 rounds: 1 Lehto and Werner, 138 points; 3 Wallace, 85; 4 Weaver and Leitzinger, 79. Next Race: "Petit Le Mans", Road Atlanta (USA), 25 September
Road America (USA), 21 August, SPEED GT World Challenge Round 8 1 Michael Galati (Audi RS 6 Competition) 18 laps in 41m 46.393s2 Randy Pobst (Audi RS 6 Competition) + 1.324s 3 Phil McClure (Chevrolet) + 1.831s 4 Michael Culver (Porsche) + 3.589s 5 Max Angelelli (Cadillac) + 6.515s Positions after 8 of 10 rounds: 1 Galati, 205 points; 2 Archer, 193; 3 Pilgrim, 173; 4 Pobst, 167; 5 Angelelli, 153. Next race: Road Atlanta (USA), 24 September
Brands Hatch (GB), 22 August, British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) round 22 1 Matt Neal (Honda) 27 laps in 24m 39.495s 2 Yvan Muller (Vauxhall) + 1.011s 3 James Thompson (Vauxhall) + 10.880s 4 James Kaye (Honda) + 11.401s 5 Luke Hines (Vauxhall) + 12.453s .. 7 Robert Huff (SEAT Toledo Cupra) + 14.063s 9 Jason Plato (SEAT Toledo Cupra) + 15.830s Brands Hatch (GB), 22 August, British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) round 23 1 Jason Plato (SEAT Toledo Cupra) 27 laps in 25m 33.956s 2 Colin Turkington (MG) + 0.807s 3 Robert Huff (SEAT Toledo Cupra) + 1.122s 4 James Thompson (Vauxhall) + 3.013s 5 Matt Neal (Honda) + 3.407s Brands Hatch (GB), 22 August, British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) round 241 Robert Huff (SEAT Toledo Cupra) 27 laps in 26m 10.528s 2 Jason Plato (SEAT Toledo Cupra) + 1.364s 3 Michael Bentwood (Vauxhall) + 1.608s 4 Matt Neal (Honda) + 2.127s 5 Yvan Muller (Vauxhall) + 2.359s Positions after 24 of 30 rounds: 1 Muller, 214 points; 2 Thompson, 211; 3 Plato, 177; 4 Reid, 175; 5 Neal, 161; ... 7 Huff, 122. Next race: Snetterton (GB), 5 September
Coming up the next two weeks Rounds 10 and 11 of the German SEAT Leon Supercopa at Nürburgring (Saturday/Sunday August 28/29) ... Audi drivers Johnny Herbert and Allan McNish compete with historical DKW cars at the Goodwood Revival Meeting (Saturday, 4 September) ... Round 8 of the DTM at Zandvoort (Sunday, 5 September) ... Rounds 17 and 18 of the Swedish Touring Car Championship (STCC) at Jyllandsringen (Sunday, 5 September) ... Rounds 11 and 12 of the Finnish Super 2000 Touring Car Championship at Ahvenisto (Sunday, 5 September) ... Rounds 15 and 16 of the FIA European Touring Car Championship at Imola (Sunday, 5 September) ... Round 8 of the FIA GT Championship at Imola (Sunday, 5 September) ... Rounds 25, 26 and 27 of the British Touring Car Championship at Snetterton (Sunday, 5 September) ...
