WEC
Too close to call in LMP1
The big question hanging over Le Mans this year is ... Peugeot or Audi? The two manufacturers are battling for honours in the LMP1 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and qualifying suggested the battle could be extremely close as the teams traded ...
Published: Jun 15, 2007, 9:59 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The big question hanging over Le Mans this year is ... Peugeot or Audi? The two manufacturers are battling for honours in the LMP1 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and qualifying suggested the battle could be extremely close as the teams traded fastest laps right down to the wire in the first session in the dry and also ran closely in the wet.
Peugeot admitted that this year, their first with the Peugeot #908, was being regarded as a test, a practice run in preparation for challenging for victory in 2008, but after a strong qualifying performance the team now find themselves in the hunt in 2007.
"We can't say anything right now," said #8 Team Peugeot Total driver Sebastien Bourdais. "It's really tough in practice to know what they [Audi] have done. I've heard some comments about all these drivers, they said that we were doing this or that, they haven't got a clue, and we don't either to be honest with you.
"I think if anything the biggest improvement they can have made from last year to this year is fuel consumption, because the power hasn't changed that much when you look at it closely they haven't had so many evolutions but if anything they tuned the balance and found something more appropriate to the car, and the drivers seemed to be much happier with the car, and they made a significant jump with the consumption, so it may be tough for us."
Frank Biela hinted at these changes in the Audi press conference. "Last year saw that the R10 was a very good solution, there was just details that needed to be modified. These have now been done and at first sight you wouldn't see that. Last year the power came on so suddenly - this year we have improved that."
Alan McNish returned compliments about the Peugeot entry - the #2 Audi Sport North America driver spoke about his observations of the Peugeot cars in the test and qualifying sessions: "I have seen Peugeot on the monitors and they are always there. There have never been conditions in which they have been slow. They are a very good team and they have a very strong car."
Bourdais concluded that it was impossible to predict what was going to happen, "We have no idea [about fuel consumption] because they will never go the full distance to give us any kind of indication. We haven't got a clue what load they will start with, what tyre they will use, how hard they will push, this and that. There are so many factors in the system that you will know until who is doing what until it is properly done."
Both teams share the front row with the #8 Peugeot of Bourdais, Pedro Lamy and Stephane Sarrazin on pole position and the #2 Audi Sport Team America of McNish, Rinaldo Capello and Tom Kristensen in second place.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Next article Toyota Le Mans prototype has support from ORECA for 2012
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Sébastien Bourdais
Bourdais, Moss headline second batch of Sebring's 75 all-time greatest drivers
IMSA
IMSA
Bourdais, Moss headline second batch of Sebring's 75 all-time greatest drivers
The unselfish anchor behind Jack Aitken’s first IMSA GTP title, Earl Bamber reflects on 2026 campaign
IMSA
IMSA
Petit Le Mans
The unselfish anchor behind Jack Aitken’s first IMSA GTP title, Earl Bamber reflects on 2026 campaign
Title battles and bittersweet farewells headline packed 54-car Petit Le Mans grid
IMSA
IMSA
Petit Le Mans
Title battles and bittersweet farewells headline packed 54-car Petit Le Mans grid
Latest news
Red Bull identifies two "key focus" areas after Max Verstappen's promising start in Austin
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 min
Red Bull identifies two "key focus" areas after Max Verstappen's promising start in Austin
Supercars Gold Coast: Chaz Mostert dominates wet race for Walkinshaw Toyota
Supercars
SUPC Supercars
Gold Coast 500
33 min
Supercars Gold Coast: Chaz Mostert dominates wet race for Walkinshaw Toyota
Alex Marquez says overtaking Marc Marquez was “too risky” in Australian GP sprint
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
50 min
Alex Marquez says overtaking Marc Marquez was “too risky” in Australian GP sprint
Jorge Martin declared unfit for Australian GP after suffering fracture in sprint
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Jorge Martin declared unfit for Australian GP after suffering fracture in sprint
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe