Gallery: Audi at the 2011 Le Mans test day

Gallery: Audi at the 2011 Le Mans test day

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Gallery: Audi at the 2011 Le Mans test day

Posted: 24 Apr 2011 05:00 AM PDT

Audi R18 #2 (Audi Sport Team Joest)

Gallery after the jump!

Here’s our first round of images coming in from France. Audi showed some amazing speed in the first test session this morning. It was Romain Dumas setting the fastest time with a 3:27.900 in the no1 Audi R18 TDI. In second, was the no2 R18 with Fassler/Treluyer/Lotterer at the wheel with a 3:28.503. The team of Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish, Dindo Capello followed up in third with a 3:30.382. Where were the Peugeots? 4th-7th!

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British GT: Scuderia Vittoria, Trackspeed share Oulton Park poles

Posted: 23 Apr 2011 10:41 AM PDT

Richard Westbrook celebrates pole

Michael Lyons secured top spot for Scuderia Vittoria for round one of the new campaign after beating defending champion David Ashburn to pole position, but it was Ashburn’s team-mate Richard Westbrook (pictured above) who then came out on top in the second session to put Trackspeed’s Porsche on pole for race two.

In the first 15 minute session, Lyons was the first driver to lap quicker than 1m 40s at the wheel of the new Ferrari 458 Italia and the 20-year-old eventually posted a best time of 1m 38.757s, which saw him secure pole by 0.167s ahead of Ashburn’s Porsche 997 GT3 R.

“It was difficult with traffic and the lap was scrappy, but it was enough,” Lyons said afterwards. “It was tight with the Porsche and that is where the big fight is.”

Behind the top two, the new Preci-Spark Mercedes AMG SLS GT3 was third quickest in the hands of David Jones while Mike Guasch’s Audi and Andrew Howard’s Aston Martin ensured there are five different marques filling the top five places on the grid for the opening 60 minute encounter on Easter Monday. Jim Geddie’s CRS Ferrari 430 Scuderia rounded out the top six.

United Autosports Audi R8 GT3

On the home weekend for the Speedworks Motorsport team, Ron Johnson put the new Corvette Z06 R into the top ten with the tenth quickest time, while Mtech’s new Ferrari 458 Italia turned its first laps in the opening session but will start from the back of the grid in the hands of Duncan Cameron.

The second session went the way of Trackspeed after a storming lap from Westbrook was good enough to put the #1 Porsche into pole position. Four laps was all that were needed for the 35-year-old to secure his spot at the front of the field with a lap of 1m 36.505s putting him well clear of the chasing pack.

Allan Simonsen in the Rosso Verde Ferrari 430 Scuderia was Westbrook’s closest challenger, but his best time was some six-tenths of a second slower than the poleman.

“I really had to push,” Westbrook said. “David did a superb job to get second on the grid for race one and the car felt really good when I went out. The tires came in on the second lap and I knew I had to push. I really hit the sweet spot with the tires on my best lap and there was some luck in that respect, but you have to take any luck that comes your way. We’ve got to stay out of trouble and get a good points haul on Monday.”

Charles Bateman set third-quickest time in the Scuderia Vittoria Ferrari only to lose his place in post-qualifying scrutineering, where his car failed a ride height test. Matt Bell’s United Autosports Audi was promoted to third as a result, ahead of series debutant Jonathan Adam in the Beechdean Aston Martin. Fifth quickest was Matt Griffin in the Mtech Ferrari, despite the car having failed to run in either free practice session earlier in the day.

“I’ve got to say big congratulations to the team as this was the first time the car had run,” Griffin said. “To come out of the box and get fifth on the grid is a massive achievement. We’re not on pole but we’re happy with fifth as there is a lot more to come. We haven’t even taken the lid off the bottle yet.”

The lone GT3B car, Mtech’s Ferrari 430 GT3 will start the two races from 21st and 15th on the grid for the two races.

Provisional results, Round 1 qualifying

GT3
1. Scuderia Vittoria Ferrari – Michael Lyons – 1m 38.757s
2. Trackspeed Porsche – David Ashburn – 1m 38.924s
3. Preci-Spark Mercedes – David Jones – 1m 39.088s
4. United Autosports Audi – Mike Guasch (USA) – 1m 39.883s
5. Beechdean Aston Martin – Andrew Howard – 1m 40.583s
6. CRS Racing Ferrari – Jim Geddie – 1m 40.853s
7. Trackspeed Porsche – Gregor Fisken – 1m 41.126s
8. Rosso Verde Ferrari – Hector Lester – 1m 41.132s
9. United Autosports Audi – Jay Palmer – 1m 41.290s
10. Speedworks Motorsport Corvette – Ron Johnson – 1m 42.314s

Provisional results, Round 2 qualifying AMENDED

GT3
1. Trackspeed Porsche – Richard Westbrook – 1m 36.505s
2. Rosso Verde Ferrari – Allan Simonsen (DEN) – 1m 37.156s
3. United Autosports Audi Matt Bell – 1m 37.562s
4. Beechdean Aston Martin Jonny Adam – 1m 37.956s
5. MTECH Ferrari – Matt Griffin (IRL) – 1m 38.007s
6. CRS Racing Ferrari – Glynn Geddie – 1m 38.055s
7. Predator CCTV Ferrari Adam Wilcox – 1m 38.342s
8. CRS Racing Ferrari – Alex Mortimer – 1m 38.670s
9. Chad Racing Ferrari – Steven Kane – 1m 38.697s
10. United Autosport Audi – John Bintcliffe – 1m 39.032s

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British GT: Westbrook leads second practice with Trackspeed Porsche

Posted: 23 Apr 2011 07:14 AM PDT

United Autosports Audi R8 GT3

Trackspeed Porsche is definitely showing their track speed early on this weekend. Richard Westbrook topped the charts in the second round of practice. A 1:37.512 in the Porsche 997 GT3 R lead the way over Scuderia Vittoria and Michael Lyons.

Trackspeed Porsche 997 GT3R

“We’ve run through some race set-ups and both myself and David feel comfortable in the car,” Westbrook said. “There is some pressure when your team-mate is the defending champion but the whole team has extra motivation because the #1 is on the side of the car.

“We’re happy so far, but the field seems to have closed up a lot. We don’t feel like we have the quickest car but we are getting the best from it. It looks like it’s going to be a close year.”

The second Trackspeed Porsche was once again in third. Only two cars made it out of the 1:38 mark as well. Gregor Fisken and Tim Bridgman could only manage a 1:38.019.

United Autosports managed 4th again with Mike Guasch and Matt Bell. The sister Audi R8 GT3 remained in the garage.

GT3
1 Trackspeed Porsche David Ashburn/Richard Westbrook 1m 37.512s
2 Scuderia Vittoria Ferrari Michael Lyons/Charles Bateman 1m 37.703s
3 Trackspeed Porsche Gregor Fisken/Tim Bridgman 1m 38.019s
4 United Autosports Audi Mike Guasch (USA)/Matt Bell 1m 39.406s

5 Rosso Verde Ferrari Hector Lester/Allan Simonsen (DEN) 1m 39.462s
6 CRS Racing Ferrari Jim Geddie/Glynn Geddie 1m 39.636s
7 CRS Racing Ferrari Andrew Tate/Alex Mortimer 1m 39.644s
8 Preci-Spark Mercedes David Jones/Godfrey Jones 1m 39.894s
9 Predator CCTV Ferrari Phil Burton/Adam Wilcox 1m 40.766s
10 Speedworks Motorsport Corvette Ron Johnson/Piers Johnson 1m 40.993s etc

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British GT: Ferrari, Porsche, Audi in first practice from Oulton Park

Posted: 23 Apr 2011 04:35 AM PDT

Trackspeed Porsche 997 GT3R

With a time of 1:337.495, Allan Simonsen lead the first practice session. The Ferrari 430 Scuderia, was just ahead of Richard Westbrook in the Trackspeed Porsche who ran a 1:37.982.

Matt Bell in the United Autosports Audi R8 GT3, split the two Trackspeed Porsche for third. Creeping just outside the 1:37 mark, Matt hit a 1:38.045 with the team of Gregor Fisken/Tim Bridgman pulling the Porsche up to fourth.

The United Autosports sister car ran into gearbox issues and out of the session. Lets hope they get it worked out by second practice or qualifying.

GT3
1. Rosso Verde Ferrari Hector Lester/Allan Simonsen (DEN) 1m 37.495s
2. Trackspeed Porsche David Ashburn/Richard Westbrook 1m 37.982s
3. United Autosports Audi Mike Guasch (USA)/Matt Bell 1m 38.045s
4. Trackspeed Porsche Gregor Fisken/Tim Bridgman 1m 38.512s

5. Preci-Spark Mercedes David Jones/Godfrey Jones 1m 38.908s
6. Predator CCTV Ferrari Phil Burton/Adam Wilcox 1m 39.048s
7. Beechdean Aston Martin Andrew Howard/Jonny Adam 1m 39.271s
8. Scuderia Vittoria Ferrari Michael Lyons/Charles Bateman 1m 39.328s
9. CRS Racing Ferrari Jim Geddie/Glynn Geddie 1m 39.354s
10. CRS Racing Ferrari Andrew Tate/Alex Mortimer 1m 40.151s etc

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