Audi R15 TDI
Encyclopedia
The Audi R15 TDI, commonly abbreviated to the R15, is a Le Mans Prototype
(LMP) racing car
constructed by the German
car manufacturer
Audi AG
. It is the successor to the Audi R10 TDI. Like its predecessor, the R15 TDI uses a turbocharged
diesel engine
, although the R15's V10 engine
is physically smaller than the R10's V12
. The smaller engine is pushed further toward the middle of the car than in the R10, resulting in a more neutral weight balance that gives the car better agility around the corners than its predecessor.
The car was tested for the first time in December 2008, before its official unveiling and competition debut at the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring
race, 21 March 2009. Three R15 TDIs participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
in June 2009, under the control of Joest Racing
. Audi did not defend their American Le Mans Series
, or Le Mans Series
titles with the R15 TDI.
The R15 made its competition debut at the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring in March 2009, and followed this event at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
in June. The R15 got off to a perfect start by winning the 12 Hours of Sebring, setting a new race record in the process, but then lost in its second entry. Peugeot
, its rival, with its 908 HDi FAP, took the top two spots in the 24-hour race, ending Audi's five-win streak that lasted back to 2004
with the gasoline
-powered R8.
The R15 TDI features a 5.5 litres (335 cu in) Turbocharged Direct Injection
(TDI) turbodiesel
V10 engine
, rated at over 600 PS and 1050 newton metres (774 ft·lbf) torque. The electrical system uses a lithium-ion battery, a first for Audi sports prototypes, as well as LED
headlights
, and a unique system of LED rear lights that are mounted on the rear wing endplate.
In the week running up to the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans
, rivals Peugeot lodged a protest against the R15, claiming that its bodywork did not comply with regulations stating that parts of the bodywork cannot be fitted with the sole purpose of generating downforce. However, after the Wednesday free practice session, the ACO rejected Peugeot's protest. At the 2009 Le Mans, Audi was unable to continue its winning streak that dated back to 2004. The #3 R15 ran off at Indianapolis corner, and the #2, driven by Luhr, crashed and retired. In the evening, the #1 Audi lost a lap to the leading Peugeot which was faster, and further technical issues dropped it a full 7 laps down the order. The sole surviving Audi clinched a podium win, finishing in third place.
Audi announced on August 25, 2009 that two R15s would race at the 2009 Petit Le Mans
. Both Audis led for approximately 90% of the race but a late spin during the final rain-soaked caution handed the victory to one of the Peugeot 908 HDi FAPs entered by Team Peugeot Total. This loss was Audi's first since competing in Petit Le Mans since their initial attempt at Road Atlanta back in 2000.
.
The 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans race got off to a tightly contested start with Peugeot occupying the top spots (as they did for qualifying) and for a large part of the race. However, it was apparent throughout the race that Audi were able to match pace with the Peugeots, but were working according to a different race strategy. By pushing the French manufacturer to the limit, three of the Peugeot cars experienced engine problems due to connecting rod failure towards the latter part of the race. With engine troubles for three of the Peugeots that forced the cars to retire before the end of the race, and an early exit by the #3 due to a suspension failure, the three Audis would finish 1-2-3 (the #9 took 1st, #8 took 2nd and #7 took 3rd), with all cars exceeding the previous distance record of 5335.313 km (3,315.2 mi) set in the 1971 race
by Dr Helmut Marko
and Gijs Van Lennep
: the winning #9 car, led by Mike Rockenfeller
and two Porsche
factory drivers Timo Bernhard
and Romain Dumas
, set not only a record-tying number of laps around Le Mans of 397 laps, but eclipsed the distance record outright at a distance of 5410.7 km (3,362.1 mi).
Post-Le Mans Audi did not collect any more victories and lost all 3 remaining races to the Peugeot 908, which happened to be part of the ILMC championship. Audi fielded 2 cars into the Silverstone 1000 km but the #7 crashed and retired. The sole remaining #8 finished 3rd. At Petit Le Mans 2 cars were entered but both lost to a Peugeot 1-2 victory. At the R15's last race, 2 cars were entered into the Zhuhai 1000 km. Both cars were leading the 908s by 30 seconds after Sebastian Bourdais make contact with a GT2 Porsche. A late safety car session saw the Audi's lead shrink to 13 seconds. Afterwards a controversial team-work by Peugeot saw the #1 908 slowed down the #7 Audi enough to let the #2 Peugeot come out of the pits just 2 seconds ahead. The race ended with Peugeot #2 winning 4 seconds ahead of the Audi. Audi did not win the LMP1 Le Mans Series team championship nor the ILMC LMP1 championship.
The R15's final race was at the 2011 Sebring 12 Hours. Both cars ran in 2010 configuration with new restrictors. The #1 Audi finished 5th overall after 2 consecutive tyre punctures and rear bodywork damage in the hands of Mike Rockenfeller. Later in the race the #1 had to serve a penalty for speeding in pitlane. The #2 ran at the front exchanging the lead with Peugeot until a shunt by one of the Peugeots at turn 17 put Capello out of contention with a suspension failure. The #2 finished 4th overall, albeit 5 laps down from the winning Oreca Peugeot.
Throughout its career the R15 won 3 of the 10 races it entered; Sebring in 2009, Paul Ricard and Le Mans in 2010.
Magazine, the head of Audi's Motorsport programme Doctor Wolfgang Ullrich stated that the R18 will be a closed roof coupe similar to the 908, however Ullrich did not state the car would be a hybrid or what fuel it will be running on. What he did state however is that one of the advantages of an open-top prototype has been lost with the recent regulation changes: open-top prototypes often shorten pit times compared to closed coupes; however with pit times slowed down due to new rules requiring only one man with one airgun in the pits, the advantage has been negated. The R18 would be Audi's first-ever coupe since the failed Audi R8C
in ; the Bentley Speed 8
(which won in with Audi-developed engines) were also closed prototypes. Along with the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP (replaced with a new generation 908), the R15 TDI will be replaced; however, due to developmental reasons, the R15 TDI will make its final run at the 2011 12 Hours of Sebring
under the R15 plus plus configuration.
Le Mans Prototype
A Le Mans Prototype is a type of sports prototype race car most notably used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series...
(LMP) racing car
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
constructed by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
car manufacturer
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
Audi AG
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
. It is the successor to the Audi R10 TDI. Like its predecessor, the R15 TDI uses a turbocharged
Turbodiesel
Turbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines...
diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
, although the R15's V10 engine
V10 engine
A V10 engine is a V engine with 10 cylinders in two banks of five with a distinct exhaust note.- Mechanics :The V10 is essentially the result of mating two even-firing straight-5 engines together. The straight-5 engine shows first and second order rocking motion...
is physically smaller than the R10's V12
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
. The smaller engine is pushed further toward the middle of the car than in the R10, resulting in a more neutral weight balance that gives the car better agility around the corners than its predecessor.
The car was tested for the first time in December 2008, before its official unveiling and competition debut at the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring
2009 12 Hours of Sebring
The 2009 Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring was the 57th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring and the opening round of the 2009 American Le Mans Series season. It took place at the Sebring International Raceway, Florida on March 21, 2009...
race, 21 March 2009. Three R15 TDIs participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
in June 2009, under the control of Joest Racing
Joest Racing
Joest Racing is a racing team that was established in 1978 by former Porsche works racer Reinhold Joest...
. Audi did not defend their American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
, or Le Mans Series
Le Mans Series
The Le Mans Series is a European sports car racing endurance series based around the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and run by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest . The series was originally named the Le Mans Endurance Series, but changed its name prior to the 2006 season...
titles with the R15 TDI.
The R15 made its competition debut at the 2009 12 Hours of Sebring in March 2009, and followed this event at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
2009 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 77th Grand Prix of Endurance, an endurance auto race run over 24 hours. It took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and was organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest over June 13–14, 2009 and was started by Fiat and Ferrari chairman Luca...
in June. The R15 got off to a perfect start by winning the 12 Hours of Sebring, setting a new race record in the process, but then lost in its second entry. Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
, its rival, with its 908 HDi FAP, took the top two spots in the 24-hour race, ending Audi's five-win streak that lasted back to 2004
2004 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 72nd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 12 and 13 2004.-Race:With the end of the Bentley project, there were no official factory teams at this years race, theoretically leaving it open to anyone...
with the gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
-powered R8.
The R15 TDI features a 5.5 litres (335 cu in) Turbocharged Direct Injection
Turbocharged Direct Injection
TDI or Turbocharged Direct Injection is a design of turbodiesel engines, which feature turbocharging and cylinder-direct fuel injection, developed and produced by Volkswagen Group. These TDI engines are widely used in all mainstream Volkswagen Group marques of passenger cars and light commercial...
(TDI) turbodiesel
Turbodiesel
Turbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines...
V10 engine
V10 engine
A V10 engine is a V engine with 10 cylinders in two banks of five with a distinct exhaust note.- Mechanics :The V10 is essentially the result of mating two even-firing straight-5 engines together. The straight-5 engine shows first and second order rocking motion...
, rated at over 600 PS and 1050 newton metres (774 ft·lbf) torque. The electrical system uses a lithium-ion battery, a first for Audi sports prototypes, as well as LED
Light-emitting diode
A light-emitting diode is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices and are increasingly used for other lighting...
headlights
Headlamp
A headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
, and a unique system of LED rear lights that are mounted on the rear wing endplate.
In the week running up to the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans
2009 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 77th Grand Prix of Endurance, an endurance auto race run over 24 hours. It took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and was organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest over June 13–14, 2009 and was started by Fiat and Ferrari chairman Luca...
, rivals Peugeot lodged a protest against the R15, claiming that its bodywork did not comply with regulations stating that parts of the bodywork cannot be fitted with the sole purpose of generating downforce. However, after the Wednesday free practice session, the ACO rejected Peugeot's protest. At the 2009 Le Mans, Audi was unable to continue its winning streak that dated back to 2004. The #3 R15 ran off at Indianapolis corner, and the #2, driven by Luhr, crashed and retired. In the evening, the #1 Audi lost a lap to the leading Peugeot which was faster, and further technical issues dropped it a full 7 laps down the order. The sole surviving Audi clinched a podium win, finishing in third place.
Audi announced on August 25, 2009 that two R15s would race at the 2009 Petit Le Mans
2009 Petit Le Mans
The 2009 Petit Le Mans powered by Mazda6 was the twelfth running of the Petit Le Mans and the ninth round of the 2009 American Le Mans Series season. It took place at the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Georgia on September 26, 2009. Originally schedule to run for a distance or a time of ten...
. Both Audis led for approximately 90% of the race but a late spin during the final rain-soaked caution handed the victory to one of the Peugeot 908 HDi FAPs entered by Team Peugeot Total. This loss was Audi's first since competing in Petit Le Mans since their initial attempt at Road Atlanta back in 2000.
R15 TDI Plus
In response to losing the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Petit Le Mans to the Peugeot 908s, Audi updated their R15 for the 2010 season, creating the R15 plus. 2010 Regulations reduced the size of diesel LMP1 air restrictors and turbocharger boost pressure. However, despite this Audi's engineering team led by Dr Ulrich Baretzky were able to achieve engine power and performance that was comparable to the 2009 powerplant. Aerodynamic efficiency was also a major area of focus for 2010. The frontal area of the car was redesigned to reveal the raw crash structures. The front fenders were also lowered in an effort to reduce drag while the concept of air running through the car was abandoned for a more conventional design. The air channel that exited to the side of the car was redesigned resulting in a more conventional configuration, and a new headlight concept was introduced. Audi stated that they had improved the fuel tank and cooling system as well.Racing history
The new vehicle was a success at the 2010 8 Hours of Le Castellet, winning 5 laps ahead of the next competitor Aston Martin. The Oreca Peugeot, which was supposedly its rival, dropped a full 8 laps down the order because of the airjacks failed to come off. Audi continue to go flat out and in the end finished 10 laps ahead of the Peugeot. Audi had now been able to achieve both the speed and reliability combination that they considered sufficient to match the Peugeot challenge for Le mans. A full squad of 3 cars was entered for the next race which was the 2010 Spa 1000 km, finishing 3rd (#7, behind the two Peugeots - #3 took 1st, #2 took 2nd), 5th (#9) and 12th (#8) respectively. Audi treated the race as a setup exercise for car configuration at Spa that would then be used for the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans2010 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 78th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, also known as the Grand Prix of Endurance. The race took place on 12–13 June 2010 at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, and was organised by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest . Fifty-six cars participated in the...
.
The 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans race got off to a tightly contested start with Peugeot occupying the top spots (as they did for qualifying) and for a large part of the race. However, it was apparent throughout the race that Audi were able to match pace with the Peugeots, but were working according to a different race strategy. By pushing the French manufacturer to the limit, three of the Peugeot cars experienced engine problems due to connecting rod failure towards the latter part of the race. With engine troubles for three of the Peugeots that forced the cars to retire before the end of the race, and an early exit by the #3 due to a suspension failure, the three Audis would finish 1-2-3 (the #9 took 1st, #8 took 2nd and #7 took 3rd), with all cars exceeding the previous distance record of 5335.313 km (3,315.2 mi) set in the 1971 race
1971 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 39th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 12 and 13 June 1971. It was the ninth round of the World Sportscar Championship.-Pre-race:...
by Dr Helmut Marko
Helmut Marko
Dr. Helmut Marko is a former racing driver from Austria.A friend of Jochen Rindt, he entered racing, and eventually participated in 10 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 15 August 1971...
and Gijs Van Lennep
Gijs van Lennep
Jonkheer Gijsbert van Lennep is a Dutch esquire and former racing driver who gave a good account for himself in his eight Formula One drives.- Career :...
: the winning #9 car, led by Mike Rockenfeller
Mike Rockenfeller
Mike Rockenfeller , nicknamed "Rocky", is a German race car driver, currently an Audi factory driver competing in the Le Mans Series and DTM.-Career:...
and two Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
factory drivers Timo Bernhard
Timo Bernhard
Timo Bernhard is a sports car racer. He is currently a Porsche factory driver, but has been seconded to Audi for selected events in 2009 and 2010...
and Romain Dumas
Romain Dumas
Romain Dumas is a French racing driver.Dumas started karting in 1992, in 1996 he competed in the French Formula Renault Championship. In 1998, he joined the French Formula 3 Championship....
, set not only a record-tying number of laps around Le Mans of 397 laps, but eclipsed the distance record outright at a distance of 5410.7 km (3,362.1 mi).
Post-Le Mans Audi did not collect any more victories and lost all 3 remaining races to the Peugeot 908, which happened to be part of the ILMC championship. Audi fielded 2 cars into the Silverstone 1000 km but the #7 crashed and retired. The sole remaining #8 finished 3rd. At Petit Le Mans 2 cars were entered but both lost to a Peugeot 1-2 victory. At the R15's last race, 2 cars were entered into the Zhuhai 1000 km. Both cars were leading the 908s by 30 seconds after Sebastian Bourdais make contact with a GT2 Porsche. A late safety car session saw the Audi's lead shrink to 13 seconds. Afterwards a controversial team-work by Peugeot saw the #1 908 slowed down the #7 Audi enough to let the #2 Peugeot come out of the pits just 2 seconds ahead. The race ended with Peugeot #2 winning 4 seconds ahead of the Audi. Audi did not win the LMP1 Le Mans Series team championship nor the ILMC LMP1 championship.
The R15's final race was at the 2011 Sebring 12 Hours. Both cars ran in 2010 configuration with new restrictors. The #1 Audi finished 5th overall after 2 consecutive tyre punctures and rear bodywork damage in the hands of Mike Rockenfeller. Later in the race the #1 had to serve a penalty for speeding in pitlane. The #2 ran at the front exchanging the lead with Peugeot until a shunt by one of the Peugeots at turn 17 put Capello out of contention with a suspension failure. The #2 finished 4th overall, albeit 5 laps down from the winning Oreca Peugeot.
Throughout its career the R15 won 3 of the 10 races it entered; Sebring in 2009, Paul Ricard and Le Mans in 2010.
Future
With a change in Le Mans Prototype engine regulations planned for 2011 Audi is working on a successor to the R15 TDI, known as the R18. In interview with AutosportAutosport
Autosport is a weekly magazine covering motorsport, published in the United Kingdom every Thursday by Haymarket Consumer Media. It was first published on 25 August 1950 by Gregor Grant, immediately prior to the Silverstone International Trophy meeting of that year...
Magazine, the head of Audi's Motorsport programme Doctor Wolfgang Ullrich stated that the R18 will be a closed roof coupe similar to the 908, however Ullrich did not state the car would be a hybrid or what fuel it will be running on. What he did state however is that one of the advantages of an open-top prototype has been lost with the recent regulation changes: open-top prototypes often shorten pit times compared to closed coupes; however with pit times slowed down due to new rules requiring only one man with one airgun in the pits, the advantage has been negated. The R18 would be Audi's first-ever coupe since the failed Audi R8C
Audi R8C
The Audi R8C was a Le Mans Prototype automobile built by Audi for the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans designed by Peter Elleray. It was developed alongside the open Audi R8R spyder, prior to being replaced by the all-new Audi R8 in 2000.-Development:...
in ; the Bentley Speed 8
Bentley Speed 8
The Bentley Speed 8 was a Le Mans Prototype race car that was designed by Peter Elleray. EXP Speed 8 debuted in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2001, the Speed 8 car finally winning in 2003...
(which won in with Audi-developed engines) were also closed prototypes. Along with the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP (replaced with a new generation 908), the R15 TDI will be replaced; however, due to developmental reasons, the R15 TDI will make its final run at the 2011 12 Hours of Sebring
2011 12 Hours of Sebring
The 59th Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida was held at Sebring International Raceway on March 19, 2011. It was the opening round of the 2011 American Le Mans Series season and the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.-Qualifying Result:...
under the R15 plus plus configuration.
Technical data
| Audi R 15 TDI | |
|---|---|
| Design | Le Mans Prototype (LMP1) |
| Motor type | V10-Diesel motor with turbocharger |
| Engine displacement Engine displacement Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches... |
5500 cc |
| Power | over 440 kW (590 HP) |
| Torque | 1050 Nm (774 lb ft) |
| Vmax | over 330 km/h (205 mph) |
| Drive wheels | Rear wheels |
| Gearbox | CFK-gearbox |
| Transmission | sequential, pneumatic actuated 5-gear |
| Brakes | 2-circuit hydraulic braking system, carbon fibre disc brakes front and back |
| Length | 4650 mm (183.1 in) |
| Width | 2000 mm (78.7 in) |
| Height | 1030 mm (40.6 in) |
| Fuel tank capacity | 81 l (21 US gal; 18 imp gal) |
| Weight | min. 900 kg (1,984 lb) |
External links
- Audi.com – Audi R15 TDI: "second" generation diesel racing sports car
- MulsannesCorner.com – Mulsanne's Corner's January/February 2009 R15 observations
- MulsannesCorner.com – Mulsanne's Corner's March/April 2009 R15 observations