An idea goes globalIntercontinental Le Mans Cup 2010

Audi R15 TDI at Intercontinental Le Mans Cup

Motorsport titles with a global reach have been particularly important in Audi’s 30-year success story: The brand with the four rings won the World Rally Championship in the eighties and the Touring Car World Cup in the nineties.

In 2010, Audi is returning to the global stage as it takes part in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) comprising three races on three continents.

This new series being staged by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) is the logical extension of a successful idea. There has been an American Le Mans Series since 1999, the Le Mans Series in Europe has now been running annually since 2004, and an Asian Le Mans Series was launched just last year.

This new Intercontinental Le Mans Cup is especially important for Audi, as the prototype category allows for the application of alternative drive concepts and technologies. Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich comments as follows: “In 2001, we won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time with Audi’s TFSITFSIAudi was the first manufacturer in the world to combine petrol direct injection with turbocharging in large-scale car productionTFSI technology and, in 2006, we entered the history books as the fi rst diesel-based winner, with an Audi TDITDISynonymous with muscular torque delivery and outstanding efficiency: TDI. Today, TDI engines are sporty, smooth and economical.TDI engine. We will continue to put new and pioneering technologies to the test and will lend weight to our Vorsprung durch Technik slogan on the racetrack too. We are therefore delighted that the ACO has announced its intentions to host this international racing series in 2010. We are confi dent that it will be interesting from a technical perspective and that it has come at the right time and has a great future ahead of it.

The Intercontinental Le Mans Cup will consist of the main races in the Le Mans Series in Europe, the USA, and Asia. In 2010, its first year, these will be the 1,000-kilometer race at Silverstone (UK), the Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta (USA), and a race in Asia. To be eligible to win the LMP1 title, the GT2 title, or the team cup, entrants must participate in all three races as well as five other races hosted under the Le Mans label, with the exception of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This international series is then likely to increase to at least six races in 2011.

Audi will participate in the new Le Mans Intercontinental Cup in the 2010 season with two R15 TDI cars being entered by Audi Sport Team Joest.