- Almost 3,400 kilometres without any significant problems
- Good start of newcomers to Audi Sport Team Joest
- Over 20,000 spectators watched the tests

During the eight hours available, Audi Sport Team Joest fully concentrated on
reeling off the testing programme that had previously been defined in detail. As
usual with Audi Sport, the tasks were clearly divided: The Audi R10 TDI car number 2
(Dindo Capello/Allan McNish/Mike Rockenfeller) was fitted with additional data
acquisition equipment in the morning. In the afternoon, the team in car number 2 ran
tyre tests. Last year’s winners Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner (car
number 1) compared various suspension set-ups. The R10 TDI bearing number 3 in the
race (Mattias Ekström/Lucas Luhr/Alexandre Prémat) was equipped with various
aerodynamic variants.

“We had a very extensive programme on our agenda, which we managed to work through
almost completely,” Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang summed up the positive
outcome of the tests. “In the end, we were lacking merely ten minutes, otherwise we
could have even completed the final tyre test we’d been planning to do. I think
we’ve worked out a good base for the race today.”

A strong impression was left by the four newcomers to Audi Sport Team Joest. In his
Le Mans début at the wheel of an LM P1 sports car, Mike Rockenfeller (23) set the
third-best time of the day behind Sébastien Bourdais (Peugeot) and Frank Biela
(Audi). Lucas Luhr (27) was the quickest driver of the number 3 Audi R10 TDI, while
his team-mates Alexandre Prémat and Mattias Ekström - both Le Mans rookies - were
only slightly slower.

Frank Biela - at 3m 28.277s (237.362 kph) - managed the fastest lap so far of an
Audi R10 TDI at Le Mans. That last year’s lap times were clearly beaten, however,
cannot only be attributed to the evolution of the cars: With 13.629 kilometres, the
circuit is 21 metres shorter than before and - particularly due to a modification
in the “Tertre Rouge” sector - almost two seconds faster, as data logs have
shown.

More than 20,000 spectators witnessed the test day at Le Mans, which took place
without record winner Tom Kristensen. The Dane continues to recover from the
injuries he sustained in the serious accident during the DTM season opener. Whether
or not Kristensen will be able to compete at Le Mans on 16/17 June will be decided,
at the latest, at the beginning of the race week.

To be optimally prepared even in the event that Kristensen should not be fit for
racing, Audi Sport Team Joest changed the driver teams before the test day: Mike
Rockenfeller and Mattias Ekström swapped cars because Rockenfeller, in terms of body
size, is better matched with Dindo Capello and Allan McNish, while Ekström is more
compatible with Lucas Luhr and Alexandre Prémat.

Up to the race, the three Audi R10 TDI cars will stay at Le Mans for trackside
preparation for the week of the race by Audi Sport Team Joest. The race week will
start for Audi on Tuesday afternoon with the public Technical Scrutineering on the
Place des Jacobins. The first qualifying practice is scheduled to start on Wednesday
(13 June) at 7 p.m. (local time).

Result of the test day

1 Bourdais/Lamy/Sarrazin (Peugeot) 3m 26.707s (60 laps)
2 Biela/Pirro/Werner (Audi R10 TDI) 3m 28.277s (92 laps)
3 Capello/McNish/Rockenfeller (Audi R10 TDI) 3m 28.406s (76 laps)
4 Bouillion/Collard/Dumas (Pescarolo-Judd) 3m 28.574s (77 laps)
5 Gene/Minassian/Villeneuve (Peugeot) 3m 30.314s (79 laps)
6 Ekström/Luhr/Prémat (Audi R10 TDI) 3m 30.613s (81 laps)
7 Bleekemolen/Hart/Lammers (Dome-Judd) 3m 34.035s (75 laps)
8 Chilton/Johansson/Shimoda (Zytek) 3m 34.340s (38 laps)
9 Campbell-Walter/Nakano/Oritz (Creation-Judd) 3m 34.398s (64 laps)
10 Primat/Tinseau/Treluyer (Pescarolo-Judd) 3m 34.941s (85 laps)

Communication Motorsport
Telephone +49 (0)841 89 34200,Telefax +49 (0)841 89 38617
motorsport-media@audi.de