WEC – Audi marque 22 points et rate le podium aux 6 Heures de Shanghai

WEC – Audi marque 22 points et rate le podium aux 6 Heures de Shanghai

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• Audi second du classement constructeur au championnat WEC
• Les vainqueurs du Mans Fässler / Lotterer / Tréluyer au pied du podium
• Di Grassi / Duval / Kristensen atteignent la cinquième place dans la course

WEC 6 Hours of Shanghai 2014

Audi a manqué de peu une place sur le podium lors de la sixième manche du Championnat du Monde d’Endurance FIA (WEC) à Shanghai. Marcel Fässler / André Lotterer / Benoît Tréluyer (CH / D / F) ont été le meilleur équipage Audi avec leur Audi R18 e-tron quattro. Ils ont dû admettre leur défaite dans la course de six heures. Les vainqueurs du Mans ont franchi la ligne d’arrivée à la quatrième place, devant leurs équipiers Lucas di Grassi / Loïc Duval / Tom Kristensen (BR / F / DK).

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Audi avait aucune chance de répéter la victoire de l’an dernier sur la piste mesurant 5.451 kilomètres à Shanghai. Les qualifications avaient précédemment démontré que l’Audi R18 e-tron quattro était incapable de montrer son plein potentiel dans les virages serrés et dans les longues lignes droites. En dépit de cet inconvénient, une bataille palpitante a eu lieu avec la Porsche n°14 pour une place sur le podium. Grâce à des conditions de course réussies et aux performances de conduite, Audi est resté proche de son rival, qui avait réalisé le meilleur temps en qualifications. Cependant, un ravitaillement supplémentaire, peu de temps avant la fin de la course, a privé l’équipe Audi de toute chance de remporter une victoire.

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Marcel Fässler / André Lotterer / Benoît Tréluyer ont été à la cinquième place pendant une longue période. Cependant, un cinquième arrêt au stand qui a été fait plus tôt que prévu pour des raisons tactiques a donné aux champions du monde 2012 un avantage sur la voiture sœur et ils ont ainsi pu se hisser à la quatrième place. En conséquence, le trio de pilotes passe de la troisième à la deuxième place au classement des pilotes. Di Grassi / Duval / Kristensen finissent la course en Chine à la cinquième place, dépassant la Porsche n°20 Porsche.

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Après la sixième des huit courses du WEC, la marque aux quatre anneaux, devancée par Toyota avec un écart de 29 points, reste seconde en tête du classement des constructeurs. Ainsi, la décision de titre a été reportée. Dans 13 jours, la septième manche du championnat FIA WEC se tiendra sur le Circuit International de Bahreïn. Audi – qui a remporté les titres constructeurs et pilotes en 2012 et 2013 – va continuer à se battre pour récupérer le titre dans le désert de l’Etat du Golfe.

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Déclarations après la course

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Directeur d’Audi Motorsport): “Although the results are a little better than those in qualifying, they’re obviously not satisfactory. We knew that it would be difficult here. The yellow period at the beginning helped our competitors with gasoline engines. They were able to refuel early and, as a result, saved a stop at the end. In our case, due to the prescribed fuel tank capacity and the stopping intervals, this wasn’t possible. At Shanghai, we simply didn’t have a chance on the long straights.”

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Chris Reinke (Chef du LMP): “We experienced a difficult race on a track that doesn’t ideally suit our concept. We weren’t in contention for the top spot but the competition within the team and the battle with our ‘Group sister’ Porsche was all the more thrilling. The team and the drivers made use of their possibilities and did an impeccable job.”

WEC 6 Hours of Shanghai 2014

Ralf Jüttner (Directeur de l’équipe Audi Sport Team Joest): “The way the race went was a bit unfortunate for us. The cars with gasoline engines profited from an early safety car period. As a result, they didn’t have to pit at the end. Only the number 20 Porsche, which had a puncture, ultimately made the same number of stops as we did. At the finish, it was trailing us. A nice battle ensued with the number 14 Porsche but due to the number of stops we were unfortunately not on an equal footing. But at Shanghai we were better than in the previous race at Fuji.”

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Marcel Fässler (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2): “In terms of positions, this was the maximum we could achieve today. The early safety car period didn’t help us because the cars with gasoline engines were able to pit earlier, which saved them a stop at the end. We had the disadvantage of having to refuel again at the end of the race because, due to the regulations, we have to compete with a smaller fuel tank. For us, the duel within our team was thrilling. That was high strategic art.”

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André Lotterer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2): “It’s a shame that we didn’t finish on the podium. We made the best of the situation. More isn’t possible on tracks with such characteristics under the current circumstances. Hopefully, things will be a bit better in Bahrain. We’re going to give it our all.”

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Benoît Tréluyer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2): “It was a tough race. The whole team did a tremendous job. Due to the regulations we’re not good enough on the straights. But the car was running without the slightest problems. Driving was fun; we had a great sporting contest with our sister car and the Porsche. We tried to beat Porsche and finish on the podium but it wasn’t enough for that. We’re happy with the teamwork and are very motivated for the end of the season.”

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Lucas di Grassi (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1): “This wasn’t our best weekend. On a positive note, we improved by one position compared to qualifying. Audi took positions four and five but of course we’d have liked to battle for the podium. We gave everything but more wasn’t possible on this track.”

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Loïc Duval (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1): “It was a tough and thrilling race. We fought an intense battle with our sister car and with Porsche. But we weren’t as good as our competitors. We’d have liked to have been in contention for a top result but the outcome today was the best we were able to achieve. Now we’ve got to prepare for the coming races.”

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Tom Kristensen (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1): “Another bittersweet weekend. The whole team made no mistakes, the cars were running perfectly. The drivers gave their best. We had a great battle; that was probably good for television. Unfortunately, we weren’t good enough on the straights. At the same time, we had to refuel earlier. But nothing’s been decided yet. We won’t give up.”

WEC 6 Hours of Shanghai 2014

Résultats de la course

1 Buemi/Davidson (Toyota), 188 tours en 6h 01m 15.319s
2 Nakajima/Sarrazin/Wurz (Toyota) + 1m 12.564s
3 Dumas/Jani/Lieb (Porsche) – 1 tour
4 Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro) – 1 tour
5 Di Grassi/Duval/Kristensen (Audi R18 e-tron quattro) – 1 tour
6 Bernhard/Hartley/Webber (Porsche) – 2 tours
7 Beche/Heidfeld/Prost (Rebellion-Toyota) – 8 tours
8 Belicchi/Kraihamer/Leimer (Rebellion-Toyota) – 8 tours
9 Canal/Pla/Rusinov (Ligier-Nissan) – 11 tours
10 Dalziel/Gonzalez/Sharp (HPD-Honda) – 14 tours

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