24h Le Mans
Who better than Tom Kristensen to present the new version of the Audi R8 road car? The latest addition to the Audi family was inspired by the prototype in which the Danish driver claimed five of his nine victories at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Photo : DR Archives ACO
Just like Olivier Gendebien and Ferrari, Jacky Ickx and Porsche, if you think of Tom Kristensen, you automatically think of Audi. All three drivers are record-holders at Le Mans and are synonymous with the cars that they drove. Until Tom Kristensen came along, no driver had won as many times at Le Mans with the same car.
Everything began in 1999 when Audi entered the 24 Hours with two variations of the R8, an open cockpit prototype (called R8R, for roadster) and a closed cockpit (called R8C, for coupé). The two roadsters finished third and fourth, leaving no room for doubt—the roadster had assured its future and hailed the start of a winning streak for Audi at Le Mans. In six outings, the R8 made its mark on the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At the wheel, Frank Biela, Tom Kristensen and Emanuele Pirro were the first three-driver team to win three times in a row (2000, 2001, and 2002). After Bentley claimed victory in 2003, Kristensen went on to win another two Le Mans 24 Hours, breaking the record for the total number of wins at Le Mans on 19 June 2005. In all, seven drivers won Le Mans in the R8: Seiji Ara, Frank Biela, Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen, JJ Lehto, Emanuele Pirro and Marco Werner.
In 2006, the R8 gave way to the R10 TDI, the first diesel prototype to win the 24 Hours. Three months later, at the Paris motor show, Audi presented a high-performance road car called R8 in reference to the prototype that remains the brand’s most successful car at Le Mans. Initially fitted with a V8 engine, then a V10, the R8 became the queen of 24-hour races in the GT category. It won Spa three times (2011, 2012 and 2014) and Nürburgring twice (2012 and 2014), making a total of ten wins in all. At Audi, good results run in the family.
Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO Translated by Emma Paulay
Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, LE MANS 24 HOURS, SATURDAY 18 & SUNDAY 19 JUNE 2005. Ten years ago, the Audi R8 prototype won the Le Mans 24 hours for the fifth and last time before bowing out. The drivers that year were Tom Kristensen, JJ Lehto and Marco Werner.
