American Le Mans Series
The Audi R15 TDI caught on camera!
The first pictures of the Audi R15 TDI in action at the Italian Vallelunga circuit popped up in several autosport magazines in the last couple of days. Audi was expected not to reveal any high-resolution shots of the car, but today they did just that.
Much has been said about the R15 TDI in the last couple of months and the ’spy pictures’ that came out. Other than similar rollbars the car is completely different when compared with its predecessor the R10 TDI.
The small pointy nose of the R10 has been replaced by a big nose section. Impressive sidepods (somewhat resembling the 2008 WR), interesting engine bay bodywork and a rear wing that looks like it has been taken off the other new LMP1 car, the Acura ARX-02a, are the major highlights of the car shown so far.
It will be interesting to see what this car can do against the Peugeot 908s and the Acuras.
Click here to see the high-resolution picture.
(Picture - © Audi Motorsport)
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well… I have a nickname for that nose…
PlAUDIpus
Perhaps they felt they needed to show the car now while it’s still reasonably soon after the Acura unveiling. If they waited until March, everyone would accuse them of copying the swan neck rear wing mount straight from the ARX-02.
Anyways, a VERY interesting design, and aside from the nose, a very pretty car as well. How could they spend all this time and effort designing something so radical and only plan to race it twice!?
The front reminds me of recent Welter Racing LMP2 machines.
It’s weird looking, but is it fast enough to beat the Peugeot’s again or the Audi R10. We shall see a Sebring only if Aston Martin will bring their new Prototype’s to Sebring the race will be a awesome one for the books
Wow, surprising. It looks horrid but is unique.
not so ugly guys and if it wins it will be beautiful!!
ill be in SEBRING and will probably be watching the audis do what they have been doing winning!!good point about audi only racing this car twice!!strange,but if youve got the money……
QUOTE: “How could they spend all this time and effort designing something so radical and only plan to race it twice!?”
Obviously R15 has been on the design table a long time. Even Dr. Ullrich said they planned and would have loved to race it in ALMS (full season) but as everyone knows, board members disagreed and thus the widthdrawal… I think it would be a big surprise if they do not come back in 2010.
QUOTE: “We shall see a Sebring only if Aston Martin will bring their new Prototype’s to Sebring the race will be a awesome one for the books”
Weirder things have happened, but I think it is safe to say no Astons @ Sebring… Reading between the lines what David Richards said on the interviews couple of weeks ago, the decision to go for it (the whole LMP program) was a bit too late to be prepared properly for Sebring.
we in the usa would of course love to se audi fulltime in th american lemans series. good insights from917K. thanks
Marco Werner having a little go around…
This is Peugeot’s year. All the other P1 cars are in their first year, so are not fully developped.
The Astons shouldn’t come until they have some racing under their belt. As good as last year’s Lola Aston was, in the ALMS the P2 Penske Porsches and the Acuras would have had their way with it.
Forwarded side radiator concept is highlight on the car. Surprisingly Audi show us(fans) a solution of weigh balance problem on big-dieseled car within wheelbase area! I think larger frontal area and water volume are small side effect on new concept.
Anyway, well-fit bodywork, Audi single-flame grill design and complex headlights already claim us a plenty of works-machine’s high quality. I look forward to see full livery of the LMP1.
Hope its just as fast
This might sound silly, but I wonder if Audi will be able to turn this car into a coupe in 2010. I can’t imagine they design the car for only this year, or will they just put on a roof next year? Seems too easy ….
Bart: “Coupes only” rule was abandoned long time ago… that’s what you meant?
My twins were born a few days before last year’s race. Must have been living under a stone since then … |shame|
That car is the bomb