• Audi, second au classement après 5 courses sur 8
• Di Grassi/Duval/Kristensen 5ème à Fuji
• Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer 6ème remportent eux aussi des points
La 5ème course de FIA WEC a marqué la fin d’une succession de victoires pour Audi. Après 2 doublés consécutifs et un total de 5 podiums depuis mai, l’Audi Sport Team Joest a fini 5ème et 6ème à Fuji. La bataille pour le Championnat du Monde s’intensifie donc puisque le leader du classement change à nouveau 3 courses avant la fin de la saison. Audi, 2ème au classement constructeur, suit désormais Toyota de 8 points.
Pour la 3ème fois consécutive, Audi est prêt à remporter le titre WEC. Pour cela, l’équipe a remporté 18 points au Japon dans des conditions difficiles et reste proche de la tête du classement. Sur le circuit japonais de 4.563 km, composé d’une longue ligne droite de départ-arrivée et d’un dernier secteur étroit plutôt adapté à des systèmes hybrides très puissants, Lucas di Grassi/Loïc Duval/Tom Kristensen (BR/F/DK) ont réussi à remonter de la 6ème position sur la grille à la 5ème. Une performance de conduite équilibrée et un 3ème arrêt au stand favorable lors d’une période de drapeau jaune les ont notamment aidés.
L’Audi Sport Team Joest a opté pour une stratégie différente avec la voiture n°2. Après un superbe début de course, André Lotterer a tenté d’utiliser son premier set de pneus une 2ème fois après le premier plein de carburant. Mais l’équipe l’a arrêté rapidement car ses temps au tour n’étaient pas suffisamment réguliers.
Le pilote allemand s’est donc arrêté à nouveau après seulement 17 tours au lieu de 35, ce qui lui a tout de même permis d’économiser un arrêt au stand. Les pneus de l’Audi R18 e-tron quattro ramassaient du caoutchouc sur le circuit lors de dépassements, ce qui a ralenti la voiture.
Malgré cela, Audi remporte 18 points précieux dans le classement constructeur sur un circuit qui n’était pas le plus adapté à l’Audi R18 e-tron quattro. Dans 3 semaines, le 2 novembre, la 6ème course de la saison se disputera à Shanghai, en Chine. Audi y avait décroché sa 6ème victoire de la saison l’an dernier.
Déclarations après la course
Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Chef d’Audi Motorsport): “Congratulations to Toyota on victory in their home round. We managed a case of damage limitation in Japan because we continue to be in a promising position in the manufacturers’ world championship. It was foreseeable that we’d be having a difficult time at Fuji. Still, our two driver squads and the whole team were not unsettled by this and scored valuable points for us in Japan.”
Chris Reinke (Chef du LMP): “Our squad showed a flawless performance – that applies to the team as well as to our drivers. We used different tactics with both cars in order to maintain our chances. In the end, this earned us 18 points that will still be very important in the battle for the title.”
Ralf Jüttner (Directeur de l’équipe Audi Sport Team Joest): “The positive thing about the race was that we made no mistakes. Strategically, we tried everything and all the pit stops were superb. But, unfortunately, the pit stops were the only aspect in which we were quicker than the competition. We didn’t manage to get the tires to work optimally. In the Championship, we relinquished the lead at this juncture. Now we’re planning to attack in the coming round at Shanghai and to recapture the lead.”
Lucas di Grassi (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1): “We didn’t achieve what we intended to do, although essentially, we didn’t drive a bad race. We gave everything from the beginning, had a good strategy and good pit stops too. Now we’ve noticed that there are still a few things left to improve. But, it’s a fact that there are some race tracks on which you’re less competitive than on others. We mustn’t be disheartened now but have to be better again in the next race.”
Loïc Duval (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1): “We tried everything today. Principally, there’s nothing we can fault ourselves for because we made no mistakes and had no technical issues whatsoever. We simply weren’t fast enough. But that’s how racing is at times. We’ve got to analyze this and improve before the next race.”
Tom Kristensen (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #1): “Congratulations to Toyota on their deserved victory. We traveled to Japan with great expectations. We were aiming to reward our numerous fans here with a nice result. But our love for Japan is equaled by the challenge for us to prevail at Fuji International Circuit.”
Marcel Fässler (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2): “It was a difficult race for us because we weren’t able to keep the pace. On my first stint, it was very difficult to get into a reasonable rhythm. Somehow I didn’t find the balance. Fortunately, the car clearly felt better later in the race. But on the whole I’m not satisfied. We need to analyze the entire weekend, look ahead and strike back at Shanghai.”
André Lotterer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2): “It’s not a great result. Positions five and six are very unusual for us. We’ve got to face the fact that we didn’t have the potential this weekend. We did everything correctly in the race in every respect. We’re going to learn our lessons from this and try and improve. The Championship remains open.”
Benoît Tréluyer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro #2): “It was a difficult race. Today, we weren’t fast enough for a place on the podium. We simply lost too much time to the competition in several places. But that’s racing. We’ve got to improve in order to be in contention at the front on a track configuration like this one as well. Now the preparation for the next race begins.”
Résultats de la course
1 Buemi/Davidson (Toyota), 236 tours en 6h 00m 39.367s
2 Nakajima/Sarrazin/Wurz (Toyota) + 25.627s
3 Bernhard/Hartley/Webber (Porsche) – 1 tour
4 Dumas/Jani/Lieb (Porsche) – 2 tours
5 Di Grassi/Duval/Kristensen (Audi R18 e-tron quattro) – 2 tours
6 Fässler/Lotterer/Tréluyer (Audi R18 e-tron quattro) – 3 tours
7 Canal/Pla/Rusinov (Ligier-Nissan) – 17 tours
8 Bradley/Howson/Imperatori (Oreca-Nissan) – 17 tours
9 Brundle/Ihara/Yacaman (Morgan-Judd) – 20 tours
10 Mediani/Minassian/Zlobin (Oreca-Nissan) – 21 tours
