24h Le Mans
In 2000, the Audi R8 won all three big endurance races of the year: the 12 Hours of Sebring, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Petit Le Mans. A look back at the first great winning prototype of the 21st century.
The R8 was born in 1999 out of a "comparative study" conducted at Audi's first participation at the 24 Hours. That year, the marque was thinking big, with two cars of different configurations: an open R8R prototype (R for Roadster) and a closed R8C prototype (C for Coupe). Third and fourth at the finish, the R8R won over Audi's technical managers. So began in 2000 a saga that would see the R8 become and remain the top prototype until 2006.
Innovative (3.6-liter, V8 twin turbo compressor and injection engine), easy to repair (gearbox, brake system and suspension could be changed out in less than seven minutes!) and rock solid...in short, a dream race car for every driver and outfit owner. From 2000 to 2006, the Audi R8 amassed 63 wins, including 17 between the 24 Hours of Le Mans (five), the 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans (six consecutive for each of the two races). At its wheel, six drivers won the three races: Tom Kristensen, Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro, JJ Lehto, Dindo Capello and Marco Werner.
Audi's history in endurance was written with open prototypes (R8, R10 TDI, R15 TDI, R15 TDI "Plus") until 2011 when the generation of R18s first appeared: TDI, ultra then e-tron quattro, which in 2012 became the first hybrid to win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SUNDAY JUNE 18 2000, FINISH. The Audi R8 scored a one-two-three for its first win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Four more followed in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005.
