German car maker Audi has released their Audi R18 e-tron quattro racer. The new Le Mans prototype will make its race debut on May 5 in the six-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps and will compete for overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 16/17.
On the Audi R18 e-tron quattro kinetic energy is recovered on the front axle during the braking phase. It is fed as electric into a flywheel accumulator before being retrieved under acceleration again above a speed of 120km/h. During this procedure only the front axle is integrated. The V6 TDI power plant producing 510hp continues to transmit its power to the rear wheels.
Audi Sport Team Joest will field two R18 e-tron quattro and two R18 ultra prototypes in the Le Mans 24 Hours on June 16/17. The two hybrid cars are driven by last year’s winning trio Marcel Fässler (CH), André Lotterer (D) and Benoît Tréluyer (F) as well as Dindo Capello (I), Tom Kristensen (DK) and Allan McNish (GB) who have a total of 13 Le Mans wins between them. New signing Loïc Duval (F) starts together with Timo Bernhard (D) and Romain Dumas (F) in an R18 ultra as do Marco Bonanomi (I), Oliver Jarvis (GB) and Mike Rockenfeller (D).
