Photo : Ferdi Kräling - Audi Communications Motorsport
The two illustrious Audi crews are separated by 15.5 points, but they have to also take into account the Toyota TS030 Hybrid that has already won twice since their appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The five drivers and their boss Wolfgang Ullrich give an update on their strengths as well as the specifics of the Shanghai circuit ;
Marcel Fässler (Audi R18 e-tron quattro n°1): "For us, the last race of what has so far been a very successful season, is now coming up. I’ve driven a race at Shanghai before, albeit not on the GP track version but on a shorter variant. It’s a great track on which we’ll no doubt have a lot of fun with our sports prototypes."
André Lotterer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro n°1): "The track is completely new to me. That’s why I want to learn it on the simulator. I’m sure it’s not an easy track. For us, it’s about achieving a big aim: the World Championship title. Up to now. Now the decision will be made."
Benoît Tréluyer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro n°1): "Shanghai is said to be a very special track. Many of the turns are relatively complicated. We want to battle for race victory at the finale - it’s important for us to finish in front of Toyota. At the same time, for my team-mates and me, it’s also about the drivers’ world championship."
Tom Kristensen (Audi R18 e-tron quattro n°2): "I’ll be driving a race for the fifth time in China: twice I ran at Zhuhai in sports prototypes, contested a race with the DTM in downtown Shanghai and competed in the Race of Champions at the National Stadium in Beijing. For the WEC finale on the challenging Shanghai GP circuit, our wish is to achieve victory."
Allan McNish (Audi R18 e-tron quattro n°2): "The WEC finale at Shanghai will be held on a track I don’t know yet. If you look at the layout you can see similarities to the previous circuits in Bahrain or at Fuji because most of the turns are long and driven at low speed. The race will be the high point of the season. That’s when the drivers’ world championship will be decided. For Tom and I to have any chance left at all we’ll have to clinch victory."
Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport): "For us, it’s still about the title decision in the drivers’ championship which, after the early title win in the manufacturers’ championship, is crowning an exceptional endurance racing season for Audi. After the open race at Fuji, it’s guaranteed that we’ll be in for a thrilling finale."
The final round of the FIA World Endurance Championship the 6 Hours of Shanghai will be on the 28th of October. For more information CLICK HERE.
(Source: Audi Motorsport press information)
Photo : OYAMA-CHO (SHINOZUKA DISTRICT, JAPAN), FUJI CIRCUIT, 6 HOURS OF FUJI, FREE PRACTICE & QUALIFYING, 13th OCT 2012. Leaders in the points standing for the drivers' title, Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer (shown here) have scored three victories in 2012, including the '24 Heures du Mans'.
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