Here Is The Audi That Will Race At The 24 Hours Of Le Mans
The Volkswagen empire (via Audi) is a key player in endurance racing; since the turn of the century, the German brand won multiple races on the most prestigious tracks. And more recently, thanks to its frugal, reliable and powerful diesel powertrain.
Today, the brand is competing against Porsche (which is also part of VW) for domination in this race class. While the 2015 season ended with a win for the Stuttgart-based manufacturer – as well as an overall win at Le Mans – Audi is set on coming back; to do this, they launched the 2016 R18, which will race in WEC (World Endurance Championship) races.
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Just like the current version, the 2016 R18 will be powered by a diesel powertain, while the other two main competitors, Porsche and Toyota, are using regular racing fuel. The hybrid system is different, however: instead of storing energy in the flywheel, the R18 packs a lithium-ion battery.
Audi's Motorsport director stated that Audi deliberately chose to keep using a TDI engine, showing their commitment to this powertrain which had its recent share of bad rap.
At the next 24 Hours Of Le Mans, Audi will only field two cars instead of the three they usually race, probably because of VW's unexpected budget cuts.
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