Porsche and Audi: Sibling rivalry fires up Le Mans

By Jason K. Ang July 22,2015

The Winning Porsche 919 HybridThe 24 Hours of Le Mans race is one of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, along with the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Indy 500. It is the most famous race on the FIA World Endurance Championship, where the races last for at least six hours. In contrast to the two-hour time limit of Formula One races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a titanic battle that tests the capabilities of man and machine.

 

IT WAS a monumental 1-2 finish for the Porsche and Audi teams in this year’s Le Mans.

IT WAS a monumental 1-2 finish for the Porsche and Audi teams in this year’s Le Mans.

The Le Mans race takes place on the Circuit de la Sarthe, located in the picturesque French countryside about 220 kilometers southwest of Paris. The race has been run since 1923. Parts of the 13.629-km circuit use public roads, with quaint houses just beside the track. The Le Mans prototypes are some of the fastest racecars on earth. This year they were powered by engines producing in excess of 800 horsepower. The race is a challenge for machine endurance, as 85 percent of the circuit is driven at full throttle.

 

As for the drivers, not only must they contend with driving monstrously powered cars on narrow country roads, they have to deal with changing conditions such as darkness and rain. Add to that the separate GT category, where cars have half the power and are much slower than the Le Mans Prototype class. Drivers have to maintain intense concentration for any slight error can mean damage, a race-ending crash, or even a fatality. Crews must also be capable of nearly superhuman feats of racecraft, changing major components in just minutes.

 

This year’s edition of the 24 Hours race was one for the books, as it pitted two of the top teams in the championship: Porsche and Audi. Both have made their mark on the 24 Hours race, with Porsche winning its first victory in 1970, and Audi winning the last five races up to 2014.

 

The rivalry between the two brands is especially fierce, even if the two marques are both part of the huge Volkswagen Group. Porsche brought Formula One drivers to the starting line, with current F1 driver Nico Hülkenberg and ex-driver Mark Webber in its roster. Even the technology used by the cars were distinct, with Porsche using a gasoline turbo engine with electric hybrid system, and Audi pursuing its diesel turbocharged direct injection (TDI) with e-tron hybrid system.

 

Audi began its winning ways with its R8 racecar. The brand started racing in 1999, and by 2000, won the overall victory. The R8 was powered by a fuel-stratified injection (FSI) V8 engine. For its successor car, Audi turned to diesel power. The Audi R10 TDI was powered by a diesel engine with twin turbocharges using turbocharged direction injection (TDI) technology. Initially, the V12 engine produced an estimated 700 HP. It was the first diesel-powered car to win the 24 Hours Le Mans race and the 12 Hours of Sebring. The R10 TDI was followed by the R15 TDI and R18 e-tron quattro. Audi has won the 24 Hours race 13 times.

 

For 2015, Audi is challenging the World Endurance Championship with the R18 e-tron quattro. The R18 uses a relatively fuel-efficient TDI power plant. The car uses a 4-liter V6 turbodiesel engine that produces 558 HP and 850 Nm while consuming 2.5 percent less diesel fuel than the previous year. The engine is combined with an electric motor good for an additional 272 hp. The car uses a seven-speed sequential transmission.

 

AUDI triumphs in the 2014 edition.

AUDI triumphs in the 2014 edition.

The R18’s exterior was revised substantially for the 2015 season. The new bodywork produces improved airflow, as seen in the new wheel arches. Large air intakes reduce drag and result in a striking new headlamp design. The headlamps themselves, a significant asset in the 24-hour race, use LED and laser light technology. The monocoque chassis is made of carbon fiber to help cut down on weight. The R18 clocks in at a lean 870 kilograms, nearly 200 kg lighter than the current Audi 1, and even lighter than the innovative A2 that uses a lightweight aluminum chassis.

 

AUDI in full force with the Audi R10 that used the TDI technology and the Horch during the opening parade

AUDI in full force with the Audi R10 that used the TDI technology and the Horch during the opening parade

Audi opensPorsche has a rich history of winning at Le Mans. The German marque first won in 1970 with the iconic Porsche 917 race car.

 

The brand won in 1996 and 1997 with a Tom Walkinshaw Racing chassis fitted with a Porsche engine, raced as the private Joest Racing team. The Porsche 911 GT1 won the overall victory again in 1998. The German brand announced its return to the series for the 2014 season, with then Formula One driver Webber signing up to lead its challenge.

 

THE AUDI R18 e-tron quattro

THE AUDI R18 e-tron quattro

Porsche won an outright victory at the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours, taking a 1-2 finish in front of 263,500 spectators and a worldwide audience in the millions. Hülkenberg became the first driver to win the overall victory since 1998, the year of Porsche’s last overall victory, and the first current F1 driver to win since Johnny Herbert and Bertrand Gachot in 1991. Hülkenberg won with teammates Nick Tandy of Britain and Earl Bamber of New Zealand in the No. 19 Porsche 919 Hybrid. They were followed by Webber, Brendon Hartley and Timo Bernhard in the No. 17 Porsche. The No. 18 Porsche 919, which started the race in pole position, had several incidents which resulted in their dropping down to fifth place.

 

THE 2014 Audi R18 e-tron quattro team enjoys a rousing welcome.

THE 2014 Audi R18 e-tron quattro team enjoys a rousing welcome.

Audi took the third and fourth slots following several uncharacteristic problems, with all three of its racecars going to the garage for repairs and component checks. The 2014 winners André Lotterer, Benoît Tréluyer and Marcel Fässler settled for third place. Lotterer did set a new race lap record of 3 minutes 17.475 seconds.

 

THE PORSCHE 919 Hybrid drivers (from left) Nick Tandy, Earl Bamber and Nico Hülkenberg celebrate their victory with two other Porsche teams coming in second and fifth.

THE PORSCHE 919 Hybrid drivers (from left) Nick Tandy, Earl Bamber and Nico Hülkenberg celebrate their victory with two other Porsche teams coming in second and fifth.

Porsche has the record for most Le Mans wins, with 17 victories since 1970. Audi is in second place with 13 wins since 2000.

JUST some of the 16 Porsches that have emerged victorious at Le Mans

JUST some of the 16 Porsches that have emerged victorious at Le Mans

AUDI’S winning Le Mans cars led by the R18 e-tron quattro

AUDI’S winning Le Mans cars led by the R18 e-tron quattro

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