2012 Audi R8 LMS Ultra

Audi has launched the R8 LMS Ultra, a race car that’ll be available to customer teams from March 2012.

An evolution of the R8 LMS GT3, the Ultra has been developed by quattro GmbH and incorporates numerous changes.



In the engine bay, the 562 bhp (419 kW / 570 PS) 5.2 litre V10 gets a new exhaust system that allows for improved low-range torque, and there are larger engine oil and transmission fluid coolers. Air supply has also been improved thanks to bigger intakes in the R8’s side blades.



Tweaks to the bodywork include a broader front bonnet section that features extra vents, while the rear wing is wider than before and has larger end plates to maximise aerodynamic downforce. In the interests of reducing weight, the doors are now constructed from carbon fibre reinforced plastic, and they incorporate a new high-energy absorbing crash foam.



Wider 12-inch front wheels are fitted, and these benefit from better brake cooling and improved tyres. Suspension modifications are limited to enhanced, lighter Bilstein dampers and uniball joints for the transverse control arm mounts.



The 2012 Audi R8 LMS Ultra is priced at €329,900 (plus VAT), an amount that equates to around £281,900 or US$444,100 at current exchange rates.



Owners of existing cars will be able to get them updated to full Ultra spec or, for any teams considering just a partial upgrade, Audi is working on obtaining individual homologation for each new aerodynamic component.



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2012 Porsche 911 GT3 RSR

Porsche has unveiled an updated 911 GT3 RSR for 2012.



Aimed at customer race teams, the 997-based car has been built to ACO GTE regulations, which means it’ll be able to compete in next year’s inaugural FIA World Endurance Championship, as well as the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series and International GT Open.

The most striking visual changes are the larger wheel arches, which make the 911 GT3 RSR 48 millimetres (1.9 inches) wider than before. Consequently the rear section, front valence and door sills have all had to be adapted, while modified intakes in the rear panels now feed air to the engine.



Installed in its customary place out back is a four litre, six-cylinder boxer engine that develops 453 bhp (338 kW / 460 PS) and drives through a sequential six-speed transmission. That power output might seem strangely low given that the street-legal 911 GT3 RS 4.0 boasts 493 bhp (368 kW / 500 PS), but the race version has a mandatory air restrictor fitted that’s clearly doing its job.

Deliveries of the revised Porsche 911 GT3 RSR are due to begin in January 2012. The price, excluding VAT, is €498,000 (around £428,200 or US$685,900 at current exchange rates).



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Hybrid Toyota for Le Mans

Toyota is developing a petrol-hybrid LMP1 racing car to contest selected rounds of the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship.



That includes the Le Mans 24 Hours, and Toyota’s titanic challenge will be to overcome the recent dominance of diesel-powered entrants in that event.

The hybrid powertrain is to be produced by Toyota in Japan, but the design and manufacture of the car’s chassis and the running of the race team has been entrusted to Toyota Motorsport in Cologne, Germany. There’s no word yet on possible drivers.



Tadashi Yamashina, Toyota Motor Corporation Senior Managing Officer and Toyota Motorsport Chairman, said: “Toyota has entered Le Mans before, but by using our hybrid technology this time will be a completely new challenge. We want to write a new chapter in the history of the Le Mans 24 Hours, as in the FIA World Endurance Championship, through our use of hybrid technology.”



2012 will see the inaugural running of the FIA World Endurance Championship, and it comes as the result of a new partnership between the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO). The race calendar is expected to closely follow that of this year’s Intercontinental Le Mans Cup series.



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Audi takes Le Mans pole

The grid for 2011’s Le Mans 24 Hours will see an all-Audi front row.



Both R18 TDI Audi Sport Team Joest entries managed to just better the times set by any of the Peugeots, surely their greatest rivals for the race.

Indeed, the first seven spots are occupied by either an R18 TDI or a 908, both of which are diesel-powered. That dominance would suggest that efforts by race organisers, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, to equalise performance between petrol and diesel cars hasn’t been successful.

2011 24 Heures Du Mans - Qualification
Pos.	Race No.	Team	Drivers	Car	Class	Time
1	2	Audi Sport Team Joest	M. Fassler / A. Lotterer / B. Treluyer	Audi R18 TDI	LM P1	3:25.738
2	1	Audi Sport Team Joest	T. Bernhard / R. Dumas / M. Rockenfeller	Audi R18 TDI	LM P1	3:25.799
3	9	Team Peugeot Total	P. Lamy / S. Bourdais / S. Pagenaud	Peugeot 908	LM P1	3:26.010
4	8	Peugeot Sport Total	F. Montagny / S. Sarrazin / N. Minassian	Peugeot 908	LM P1	3:26.156
5	3	Audi Sport North America	R. Capello / T. Kristensen / A. McNish	Audi R18 TDI	LM P1	3:26.165
6	7	Peugeot Sport Total	M. Gene / A. Wurz / A. Davidson	Peugeot 908	LM P1	3:26.272
7	10	Team Oreca Matmut	N. Lapierre / L. Duval / O. Panis	Peugeot 908 HDI-FAP	LM P1	3:30.084
8	12	Rebellion Racing	N. Jani / N. Prost / J. Bleekemolen	Lola B 10/60 Coupe-Toyota	LM P1	3:32.883
9	16	Pescarolo Team	E. Collard / C. Tinseau / J. Jousse	Pescarolo Judd	LM P1	3:33.066
10	13	Rebellion Racing	A. Belicchi / J. Boullion / G. Smith	Lola B 10/60 Coupe-Toyota	LM P1	3:34.573
11	15	Oak Racing	T. Monteiro / G. Moreau / P. Ragues	Oak Pescarolo-Judd	LM P1	3:34.933
12	22	Kronos Racing	V. Ickx / M. Martin / B. Leinders	Lola Aston Martin	LM P1	3:36.551
13	20	Quifel-Asm Team	M. Amaral / O. Pla / W. Hughes	Zytek 09 SC	LM P1	3:37.393
14	26	Signatech Nissan	F. Mailleux / L. Ordoñez / S. Ayari	Oreca 03-Nissan	LM P2	3:41.458
15	24	Oak Racing	J. Nicolet / R. Hein / J. Yvon	Oak Pescarolo-Judd	LM P1	3:41.908
16	42	Strakka Racing	N. Leventis / D. Watts / J. Kane	Honda Performance Development Arx 01	LM P2	3:42.615
17	48	Team Oreca Matmut	A. Premat / D. Hallyday / D. Kraihamer	Oreca 03-Nissan	LM P2	3:43.098
18	39	Pecom Racing	L. Perez-Companc / M. Russo / P. Kaffer	Lola B11/40-Judd BMW	LM P2	3:43.223
19	49	Oak Racing	S. Nakano / N. De Crem / J. Charouz	Oak Pescarolo-BMW	LM P2	3:43.479
20	41	Greaves Motorsport	K. Ojjeh / O. Lombard / T. Kimber-Smith	Zytek Nissan	LM P2	3:43.802
21	40	Race Performance	M. Frey / R. Meichtry / M. Rostan	Oreca 03-Judd BMW	LM P2	3:44.294
22	007	Aston Martin Racing	C. Klien / S. Mucke / D. Turner	Aston Martin AMR-One	LM P1	3:45.918
23	36	RML	T. Erdos / M. Newton / B. Collins	Honda Performance Development Arx 01	LM P2	3:47.308
24	5	Hope Racing	S. Zacchia / J. Lammers / C. Elgaard	Oreca Swiss Hy Tech-Hybrid	LM P1	3:47.691
25	009	Aston Martin Racing	A. Fernandez / A. Meyrick / H. Primat	Aston Martin AMR-One	LM P1	3:48.355
26	44	Extreme Limite AM Paris	F. Rosier / P. Haezebrouck / J. De Fournoux	Norma M200P-Judd BMW	LM P2	3:48.420
27	35	Oak Racing	A. Barlesi / F. Da Rocha / P. Lafargue	Oak Pescarolo-Judd BMW	LM P2	3:48.665
28	33	Level 5 Motorsports	S. Tucker / C. Bouchut / J. Barbosa	Lola Coupe-Honda Performance Development	LM P2	3:48.863
29	55	BMW Motorsport	A. Farfus / J. Muller / D. Werner	BMW M3 GT	LM GTE Pro	3:57.592
30	51	AF Corse Srl	G. Fisichella / G. Bruni / T. Vilander	Ferrari 458 Italia	LM GTE Pro	3:58.040
31	56	BMW Motorsport	A. Priaulx / D. Muller / J. Hand	BMW M3 GT	LM GTE Pro	3:58.426
32	74	Corvette Racing	O. Gavin / J. Magnussen / R. Westbrook	Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1	LM GTE Pro	3:59.519
33	89	Hankook-Team Farnbacher	D. Farnbacher / A. Simonsen / L. Keen	Ferrari 458 Italia	LM GTE Pro	3:59.519
34	73	Corvette Racing	A. Garcia / T. Milner / O. Beretta	Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1	LM GTE Pro	3:59.633
35	77	Team Felbermayr-Proton	M. Lieb / R. Lietz / W. Henzler	Porsche 911 RSR (997)	LM GTE Pro	3:59.662
36	59	Luxury Racing	S. Ortelli / F. Makowiecki / J. Melo	Ferrari 458 Italia	LM GTE Pro	3:59.901
37	75	Prospeed Competition	M. Goossens / M. Holzer / J. Van Lagen	Porsche 911 RSR (997)	LM GTE Pro	3:59.962
38	79	Jota	S. Dolan / S. Hancock / C. Buncombe	Aston Martin Vantage	LM GTE Pro	4:00.747
39	66	JMW Motorsport	R. Bell / T. Sugden / X. Maassen	Ferrari 458 Italia	LM GTE Pro	4:00.890
40	80	Flying Lizard Motorsports	J. Bergmeister / P. Long / L. Luhr	Porsche 911 RSR (997)	LM GTE Pro	4:01.024
41	58	Luxury Racing	A. Beltoise / F. Jakubowski / P. Thiriet	Ferrari 458 Italia	LM GTE Pro	4:01.176
42	61	AF Corse SRL	P. Perazzini / M. Cioci / S. Breslin	Ferrari F430	LM GTE Am	4:01.282
43	88	Team Felbermayr-Proton	B. Miller / N. Tandy / A. Al-Faisal	Porsche 911 RSR (997)	LM GTE Pro	4:01.752 33
44	71	AF Corse	R. Kauffman / M. Waltrip / R. Aguas	Ferrari 458 Italia	LM GTE Pro	4:02.216
45	76	Imsa Performance Matmut	P. Pilet / R. Narac / N. Armindo	Porsche 911 RSR (997)	LM GTE Pro	4:02.548
46	63	Proton Competition	C. Ried / H. Felbermayr Jr. / H. Felbermayr	Porsche 911 RSR (997)	LM GTE Am	4:03.532
47	81	Flying Lizard Motorsports	S. Neiman / D. Law / S. Pumpelly	Porsche 911 RSR (997)	LM GTE Am	4:03.648
48	70	Larbre Competition	C. Bourret / P. Gibon / J. Belloc	Porsche 911 RSR (997)	LM GTE Am	4:03.918
49	83	JMB Racing	M. Rodrigues / J. Menahem / N. Marroc	Ferrari F430	LM GTE Am	4:04.640
50	60	Gulf AMR Middle East	F. Giroix / R. Goethe / M. Wainwright	Aston Martin Vantage	LM GTE Am	4:04.825
51	57	Krohn Racing	T. Krohn / N. Jonsson / M. Rugolo	Ferrari F430	LM GTE Am	4:05.211
52	50	Larbre Competition	P. Bornhanuser / J. Canal / G. Gardel	Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1	LM GTE Am	4:05.955
53	62	CRS Racing	P. Ehret / S. Lynn / R. Wills	Ferrari F430	LM GTE Am	4:07.236
54	65	Lotus Jetalliance	J. Rossiter / J. Mowlem / J. Hirschi	Lotus Evora	LM GTE Pro	4:07.465
55	68	Robertson Racing LLC	D. Robertson / A. Robertson / D. Murry	Ford GT-Doran	LM GTE Am	4:08.208
56	64	Lotus Jetalliance	O. Slingerland / M. Rich / J. Hartshorne	Lotus Evora	LM GTE Pro	4:12.569

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Aston Martin AMR-One

Aston Martin Racing has unveiled its AMR-One LMP1 racer, which will be used to contest this year’s Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. Although it seems likely that the team will miss the opening round at Sebring, it is expected to participate in the remaining events, including the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Unlike the rival Peugeot 908 HDi FAP and Audi R18 TDI, the AMR-One’s two litre, six cylinder, turbocharged engine uses petrol, not diesel. That choice follows a commitment by ILMC organisers, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, to modify the regulations to better equalise performance levels from the two fuels.



Further emphasising the different approach from its two main opponents, the AMR-One is an open-cockpit car. The bespoke carbon fibre monocoque chassis is brand new, and features a prominent aerodynamic fin.

When plans for an LMP1 challenger were first revealed last year, it was said that just six cars would be built. Aston Martin Racing has indeed been true to its word, and the factory team will be running two of them. Car #007 is going to be in the hands of Darren Turner, Stefan Mücke and an as yet unconfirmed third driver, while car #009 will see Adrian Fernandez, Andy Meyrick and Harold Primat behind the wheel.



Aston Martin is planning to commence testing the AMR-One soon, ahead of a competition debut at the 6 Heures du Castellet, the first race of the 2011 Le Mans Series that takes place on 3 April.



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Peugeot 908 HDi FAP

Peugeot Sport has revealed the car that will be going head-to-head with the Audi R18 TDI in this year’s Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

It’s still called the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP, which is rather confusing because there are plenty of differences compared to 2010’s version. Those changes are thanks to a revised set of regulations, designed to cut the continued dominance of diesel-powered cars in endurance racing.



Not that Peugeot has been persuaded to switch to a petrol engine, though.



The 908 is still fuelled by diesel, but its motor is no longer a 5.5 litre V12. In its place is a 3.7 litre V8, capable of producing 542 bhp (404 kW / 550 PS). An impressive figure, but that smaller capacity means the 2011 908 is around 147 bhp (110 kW / 150 PS) down on its predecessor.

Having won the 2010 ILMC series, Peugeot is naturally eager to defend its title this season. The expanded championship now includes the Le Mans 24 Hours, a round which will receive particular focus given that all three 908s failed to finish 2010’s disastrous event.



Interestingly, the driver roster for the June race has already been decided, and it’s exactly the same as last year:



#7 908: Alexander Wurz / Anthony Davidson / Marc Gené

#8 908: Franck Montagny / Nicolas Minassian / Stéphane Sarrazin

#9 908: Sébastien Bourdais / Pedro Lamy / Simon Pagenaud

Commenting on the decision Olivier Quesnel, the Director of Peugeot Sport, said: ‘At our debrief after the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours at our base in Vélizy, I told all our drivers that I had every confidence in them for 2011. They are true professionals, every one of them. We have nine world class drivers who count among the discipline's very best. We have everything to gain from sticking to the same line-up.’

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 2011
Round	Event	Country	Date
1	Sebring 12 Hours	USA	19th March
2	Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours	Belgium	8th May
3	Le Mans 24 Hours	France	11th - 12th June
4	Imola 6 Hours	Italy	3rd July
5	Silverstone 6 Hours	UK	11th September
6	Petit Le Mans (Road Atlanta)	USA	1st October
7	(Circuit TBC) 6 Hours	China	12th November

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BMW to contest ILMC

BMW has confirmed its plans to compete in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup with the M3 GT2.

Following the withdrawal from the World Touring Car Championship by the BMW works entries at the end of last season, drivers Andy Prixaulx and Augusto Farfus have been redeployed to the ILMC programme and will contest all seven rounds.



For the European races and the Chinese event, where two cars will be run by BMW Team Schnitzer, they will be joined by Jörg Müller as the third regular driver.

Meanwhile, in North America, BMW Team RLL (Rahal Letterman Lanigan) will be fielding a pair of BMW M3 GT2s in every round of the American Le Mans Series.



At the two ALMS races that also form part of the ILMC - Sebring and Road Atlanta - regular BMW Team RLL works drivers Dirk Müller and Dirk Werner will be supported by Prixaulx and Farfus, plus American drivers Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand.

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 2011
Round	Event	Country	Date
1	Sebring 12 Hours	USA	19th March
2	Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours	Belgium	8th May
3	Le Mans 24 Hours	France	11th - 12th June
4	Imola 6 Hours	Italy	3rd July
5	Silverstone 6 Hours	UK	11th September
6	Petit Le Mans (Road Atlanta)	USA	1st October
7	(Circuit TBC) 6 Hours	China	12th November

Audi unveils R18 race car

Audi has revealed the car it hopes will add to the marque’s tally of Le Mans 24 Hours wins.



The new R18 TDI will, like its R15 TDI predecessor, compete in the LMP1 class and it does run on diesel. But there are a couple of significant differences compared to the old car.

Firstly, the R18 is a closed coupé. This change in configuration has come about because Audi believes that, compared to an open-cockpit car, benefits from improved aerodynamics will outweigh any time lost through slower driver change-overs.

Secondly, the 5.5 litre V10 engine of the R15 has been dropped in favour of a 3.7 litre V6, which is coupled to a specially modified six-speed transmission. Such a radical down-sizing is due to revised regulations that are being introduced for the 2011 season. Their purpose is to erode the recent dominance of diesel-powered cars at Le Mans, with the last petrol car to take overall victory in the French 24 hours race being an Audi R8 back in 2005.

Although the R18 completed its first test runs last month, a competition debut is not scheduled until next May’s Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours. The Belgian event is the second round of the expanded-for-2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, which will comprise seven races including the Le Mans 24 Hours for the first time.



Audi Sport Team Joest will be contending all rounds of the ILMC, although for the series-opener at Sebring in March it will be using a pair of R15 ‘plus plus’ cars.

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup 2011
Round	Event	Country	Date
1	Sebring 12 Hours	USA	19th March
2	Spa-Francorchamps 6 Hours	Belgium	8th May
3	Le Mans 24 Hours	France	11th - 12th June
4	Imola 6 Hours	Italy	3rd July
5	Silverstone 6 Hours	UK	11th September
6	Petit Le Mans (Road Atlanta)	USA	1st October
7	(Circuit TBC) 6 Hours	China	12th November

Aston wants Le Mans win

Aston Martin is developing a brand new LMP1 class car, which it’ll use to challenge for outright victory at the 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours. The last time it achieved that feat was in 1959, with Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori driving a DBR1, although more recently the DBR9 won the GT1 category in both 2007 and 2008.

The decision to compete was helped by the revised technical regulations introduced by the Automobile Club De L’Ouest (ACO), organiser of the race. These have been designed to give petrol-powered cars a more equal footing against their diesel counterparts, something that was arguably overdue given that the Audi R10 TDI and Peugeot 908 HDi FAP - both diesel-powered - have dominated in recent years. In fact, the last petrol car to win the Le Mans 24 Hours was the Audi R8 back in 2005.



Work on the chassis and bespoke race engine for the Aston Martin LMP1 has already begun, and there’ll be six cars built. The first test runs are planned to take place in early 2011.