Audi R18 TDI commercial

Slick and stylish cool promo video from Audi Motorsport on the R18, which has the new diesel-engine and is racing at Le Mans this weekend. Works driver, Allan McNish set the fourth fastest time in the opening qualifying session for this weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours last night. The Scotsman, who shares the Audi R18 TDI with co-drivers Dindo Capello (Italy) and Tom Kristensen (Denmark), set a personal fastest time for their car of 3mins 28.301secs, an average speed of over 146mph around the 8.47-mile circuit. Frenchman Stéphane Sarrazin (Peugeot) sits on provisional pole-position (3:27.033) for the 79^th running of France’s annual twice-around-the-clock race. “I put in a good, clean, tidy lap early in the session just after 10pm but the times are very close – it’s nip and tuck between Peugeot and us [Audi],” commented McNish who finished third in last year’s Le Mans race. “Each Audi had a specific programme to undertake and we’ve made steps forward. There are two more qualifying sessions but we’re looking towards the race as opposed out-and-out qualifying.” The similar “factory” entered “closed cockpit” 3.7-litre, V6 turbo diesel engined Audi R18 TDI sportscars of Marcel Fässler (Switzerland)/André Lotterer (Germany)/Benoît Treluyer (France) plus 2010 Le Mans winners Timo Bernhard (Germany)/Romain Dumas (France)/Mike Rockenfeller (Germany) set the second (3:27.939) and third (3:27.949) fastest times respectively in the opening two hour time trials staged in dry weather conditions. Two, two-hour qualifying sessions continue this evening. Good luck to one and all from Team Road!