Goodbye American Le Mans Series 1999-2013

By Tarek Ramchani

Road Atlanta hosted the last ever race for the American Le Mans Series last weekend. Founded by Don Panoz in 1999, following the successful Petit Le Mans race in 1998, the ALMS changed the world of sportscar racing. Audi took part in this legendary series with great success and memorable moments.

The first ALMS race was the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1999. Audi was there, debuting in sports prototypes with the brand new Audi R8R. A fine third in the end for Audi Sport Team Joest, as they prepared for the Le Mans 24 Hours. It was a single appearance in the series that year, but things would change months later with a full North American assault.

In 2000 Audi decided the enter the full ALMS season. Audi challenged BMW and Panoz with thrilling battles all year long. Wins came with the legendary Audi R8 and in the end it was Allan McNish who won the title. A year later Audi again fielded two factory Audi R8 cars, joined by two privately run cars from Champion Racing and Johansson Motorsport (Arena). Great battles in house at Audi and against the strong Panoz team, Emanuele Pirro took the title in the end. 2002 was the final year for the Audi R8 with a factory effort, Tom Kristensen won the title at the season finale, his last ever full ALMS season. In 2003 the ALMS saw an epic battle between Team Joest and Champion Racing. Both were customer teams, thus it meant that they had equal chances. Breathtaking duels throughout the season with Frank Biela and Marco Werner crowned as champions for Team Joest in the end. In 2004 only Champion Racing represented Audi in the ALMS. That was not a brilliant year for the LMP1 field, with low entries, but fans enjoyed great fights between the Champion Racing Audi R8 and the Lolas from Dyson Racing. Marco Werner and JJ Lehto were the 2004 series champions. 2005 was the final year for the all-conquering Audi R8. Again it was Champion Racing who represented Audi, with a two-car effort this time. Again battles raged between the Audis and the Lolas from Dyson Racing, with Frank Biela and Emanuele Pirro the series champions.

For 2006 Audi introduced a revolutionary new weapon, the R10 TDI. The car won the ALMS opener at the 12 Hours of Sebring. The cars then headed back to Europe to prepare for Le Mans. Champion Racing, now a factory team under the Audi Sport North America banner, gave the R8 additional wins during the three ALMS events that followed on from Sebring. The farewell for the legendary Audi R8 was set at Lime Rock with a winning goodbye. The R10 TDI then returned to the ALMS and dominated the P1 field. Audi had great battles with the Penske Racing Porsche RS Spyders from the LMP2 class, fighting for overall wins. Dindo Capello and Allan McNish were the series champions. That was the case again in 2007, with Acura joining Audi and Porsche. 2008 was the final year for Audi as a full season competitor in the ALMS. Titanic battles between the three brands for outright honors that year, with Marco Werner and Lucas Luhr crowned as the series champions for Audi. Petit Le Mans was a magical edition that year, when Audi beat Peugeot in style. At Laguna Seca Audi had three major moments, the last ever Audi race for Emanuele Pirro in LMP, the last ever race for the R10 TDI as a works team and the last ever race for Champion Racing. That ended a great era for Audi in North America. The 2007-2008 seasons are still seen as some of the best periods in the American Le Mans Series.

Since 2009 Audi only took part in the major endurance events, the 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans. In 2009 Audi won at Sebring with the brand new R15 TDI, but they were beaten by Peugeot at a rain-shortened Petit Le Mans. Audi missed Sebring in 2010, but they did race at the Road Atlanta classic, again losing to Peugeot. In 2011 Audi raced in both of the ALMS premier endurance events, with the R15++ at Sebring and the R18 TDI at Petit Le Mans, but again no victories. In 2012 the ALMS, and the newly formed FIA WEC, had a combined event at Sebring. Audi was victorious with the R18 TDI, the first win for the Four Rings in Florida since 2009. This year Audi returned to Sebring. Two factory R18 e-tron quattro cars were entered, preparing for Le Mans and to give a farewell to the ALMS. A fine 1-2 win in the end, a perfect result in front of huge amounts of Audi fans and sportscar enthusiasts.

Petit Le Mans 2013 was the last chapter in the history of the American Le Mans Series. Rebellion Racing, with their Lola-Toyota, took the outright win. In the past fifteen years the ALMS gave the fans some of the best sportscar battles in recent memory. There are no doubts that it was the ALMS that boosted sportscar racing, ahead of the European Le Mans Series and even the launch of the FIA World Endurance Championship. Now that the series has been merged with the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, creating a unified Tudor United SportsCar Championship, it's time to say goodbye to the American Le Mans Series and to thank Don Panoz for these fifteen years of memorable moments.

Photo credit: Audi Media

Looking beneath the skin: Comparison between Audi sports prototypes

Audi Press Release

14 years have passed since Audi competed at Le Mans for the first time. The first LMP sports car in 1999 was an Audi R8R. Today, the brand relies on the Audi R18 e-tron quattro. There is a world of difference between these two models. Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi Sport, has accompanied the development of the sports prototypes back then and today. A look beneath the carbon fiber skin of the race cars brings back memories of exciting developments in all areas.

Not even the mathematical calculation methods have remained the same,” says Dr. Martin Mühlmeier, Head of Technology at Audi Sport, recalling the transition period shortly before the start of the new millennium. Until 1998, all Audi race cars were still based on steel structures. Except for the 1989 Audi 90 IMSA GTO, all rally models and touring cars were directly derived from production models. “The 1999 R8R was our first concept with a stressed CFRP structure. This material exhibits a completely different behavior. While metallic materials bend or break in a crash, carbon fiber collapses. Consequently, the calculation methods used here are totally different.”

In the early phase, Dallara assisted with their experience. The Italian company acquired its expertise over many years as a constructor of ‘monoposti’ (open-wheelers) and sports prototypes. “Audi Sport ­subsequently entered the field of CFRP on its own,” Dr. Mühlmeier goes on to explain. “We implemented this know-how, strengthened our resources by recruiting highly skilled personnel and developed proprietary calculation methods. This soon made it possible for us to calculate structures, strength and crash behavior in-house.”

When comparing the 1999 R8R and the R18 e-tron quattro, 14 years of progress in all areas become evident – starting on the outside. The first car featuring a roadster concept, which laid the foundation for the ‘R’ being used in the name of the ‘R8’ model range abbreviation, looks pretty plain by today’s standards. But how can progress be measured?

Dr. Mühlmeier cites weight as an impressive example: “With the R8R we met the prescribed ­minimum weight of 900 kilograms with relatively high accuracy. Today, an R18 e-tron quattro that tips the scales at 915 kilos weighs almost the same. However, it is powered by a diesel engine, which is heavier due to its basic design, has a closed cockpit and contains a complex hybrid system. Still, it remains below the minimum weight. That’s why we can work with ballast weight on the set-up.”

How are such major strides achieved? “When we were developing our first car, a steel roll bar was typically used,” recalls Mühlmeier, who has a PhD in engineering. “As of 2000, an integrated CFRP roll bar was implemented. Since 2011, we have been fielding the R18 with a closed monocoque that is completely made of CFRP and features a one-piece design.” In the case of the body, a lot has changed as well. The first skin was designed for relatively high robustness and permitted severe body contact in duels. Now, the body consists of a very thin-layered carbon construction. The steering system is another example. In 1999, power steering was still a hydraulic system supported by the engine. Since the R10 TDI, which made its debut in 2006, the driver’s work at the wheel has been electrically assisted.

ultra-lightweight design, which achieves significant savings in current Audi production models, is desirable in all areas of racing. The suspension of the LMP sports prototypes has become notably lighter. The lithium-ion battery that has been used since the 2009 R15 TDI saved 7 kilograms of weight compared with a lead battery. One of the major single steps the engineers achieved concerned the carbon fiber transmission: Since 2012, Audi has been saving a double-digit number of kilos in just one step.

At the same time, the engineers improved the efficiency of the entire race car. Aerodynamically, the R18 e-tron quattro is a lot more efficient than the first model. Engine technology has even seen true leaps in efficiency. Not only the switch from gasoline to diesel engines in 2006 represented a major step, as the current V6 TDI engine makes very favorable fuel consumption possible. More than 20 percent fuel savings have been achieved in the diesel era. Next season, a fundamentally different set of regulations will place an even greater focus on efficiency.

But Audi has not only clearly progressed in terms of technology but also with respect to manpower. Today, a total of 250 employees are working for Audi Sport at the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm locations. Under the direction of Audi Head of Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, they take care of the factory-backed motorsport commitments in the DTM and in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). For 2013, new responsibilities have been established. Dieter Gass, as Head of DTM, is responsible for the program with the Audi RS 5 DTM. Chris Reinke, as Head of LMP, manages the sports car program with the Audi R18 e-tron quattro. Both report directly to Dr. Ullrich, who has overall responsibility for all factory-backed programs.

The development of the seven generations of LMP race cars

Audi R8R (1999)
On its debut, Audi opted for a conventionally designed sports car. A V8 bi-turbo unit powered the mid-engine race car. Its water radiators were installed at the front. At both the Sebring 12 Hours and the Le Mans 24 Hours, Audi celebrated a podium finish with the roadster. Its opponents at La Sarthe back then were the factory teams of Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota, BMW and Panoz.

Audi R8 (2000–2005)
Audi’s so far most successful sports prototype owes its list of 63 victories in 80 races to its concept, as well as to its long life. Five of the sports car’s six runs at Le Mans ended in victory, despite increasingly severe limitations imposed on power and performance by the regulations. In addition to constant further development of aerodynamics, the engine changed as well. In 2001, TFSI gasoline direct injection made its debut.

Audi R10 TDI (2006–2008)
Unbeaten – this is the strong track record of the Audi R10 TDI at Le Mans. Visually, the revolutionary car still bore some resemblance to its predecessor, the R8. But the V12 TDI engine with more than 650 hp was a pioneering achievement. From the cooling system to the wheelbase, from the axle load distribution to the aerodynamic concept, every area was affected by the diesel revolution.

Audi R15 TDI (2009–2010)
Audi’s last open sports car to date secured its entry in the history books. In 2010, Audi set a new distance record with the innovative roadster at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Its V10 TDI engine paved the way for VTG turbocharger technology in racing, its lithium-ion battery and LED high-beam headlights rang in a new era in other areas as well.

Audi R18 TDI (2011)
Audi ultra-lightweight technology was embodied by the R18 TDI in an exemplary way. The engineers created a lot of reserves for ideal positioning of ballast weight. Thus, the sports car powered by a V6 TDI engine excelled in delivering well-balanced handling. The closed sports car won one of the most thrilling Le Mans races in recent history with a 13.854-second advantage.

Audi R18 e-tron quattro (2012)
Visually a close relative of the R18 TDI, the R18 e-tron quattro carried the next revolution under its bodywork. The V6 TDI engine continued to drive the rear wheels. A hybrid system at the front axle completed the powertrain. A flywheel accumulator stored the recuperated energy and supplied it to the front wheels again on acceleration. The prototype immediately won the race.

Audi R18 e-tron quattro (2013)
In 2013, Audi is relying on an evolution of the revolution. The hybrid sports car has a more efficient hybrid system, new details and modern assistance systems such as the digital inside mirror and LED headlights with matrix-beam technology. Specifically for Le Mans, Audi has developed a new overall aerodynamics concept. The long-tail body catches the eye. Now, the bodywork is flush with the rear wing.

Photo credit: Audi Sport Communication / Media

Ten Audi victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring

By Tarek Ramchani

Since the debut of the Audi sportscar program with Le Mans prototypes, the German brand has almost always competed at the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring.

It all started back in 1999, with the all new Audi R8R. The car didn't win but took an honourable third overall. A year later, Audi's Sebring winning legacy started with the Audi R8. The car gave Audi six straight outright wins at Florida's classic from 2000 to 2005. In 2006 a brand new car and new technology debuted at Sebring, the Audi R10 TDI. The car was immediately victorious, winning the race in both 2006 and 2007. The Audi R15 TDI continued a long legacy of Audi cars winning on their debut when Audi won in 2009, and they repeated the debut win with the arrival of the R18 TDI in 2012. The victory last year marked the tenth overall Audi win at Sebring. The 2013 Sebring 12 Hours will be the last LMP1 Sebring, and Audi wants to take their eleventh overall victory as a swansong with the Audi R18 e-tron quattro.

Here is a complete round up of the ten outright victories of the Audi brand at Sebring.

2000:
The race debut of the legendary Audi R8. Two cars entered the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2000. With strong competition coming from Panoz and mainly from the 1999 Le Mans winners BMW with their V12 LMR. Audi won the race with a fantastic 1-2 victory for Audi Sport Team Joest. The winning drivers were Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Tom Kristensen. Second and finishing on the lead lap, the #77 Audi R8 with Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Rinaldo Capello.

2001:
For 2001, no less than four Audi R8 cars entered the 12 Hours of Sebring. Two fielded by the factory Audi Sport Team Joest and the others were privately run cars from Champion Racing and Johansson Motorsport. A stunning 1-2-3-4 Audi win. Victory went to the #1 Audi R8 driven by Dindo Capello, Laurent Aiello and the late Michele Alboreto. Again the sister car finished on the lead lap, the #2 Audi of Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Tom Kristensen.

2002:
The 2002 race was the final one for Audi as a full factory team with the Audi R8. Three cars entered the race. Two fielded by Audi Sport Team Joest and the third a privateer car from the American team, Champion Racing. The Audis battled with each other, but also had to attend to the strong Panoz team and the growing competitors of Team Cadillac. After a much fought race, victory went to the #2 Audi in hands of Dindo Capello, Christian Pescatori and Johnny Herbert. The #38 Champion Racing car finished in a strong second place, a lap behind the winning car, with drivers Andy Wallace, Jan Lammers and Stefan Johansson.

2003:
The 2003 season and a new era for the Audi R8. With the full factory Audi Sport program being over, all the teams were privateers on both sides of the Atlantic. For the 12 Hours of Sebring three Audi R8 cars were entered. Team Joest. Champion Racing and Audi Sport UK each fielding a single car. The factory Team Bentley also entered the race with their new Speed 8 GTPs. After a titanic battle between Joest Racing and Champion Racing, the German team was victorious. The #1 Audi R8 took race win with drivers Frank Biela, Marko Werner and Philip Peter. The #38 Champion R8 finished in second on the lead lap with Emanuele Pirro, JJ Lehto and Stefan Johansson.

2004:
For 2004, Joest Racing stopped their sportscar efforts after four straight victories at Sebring. Three Audi R8 cars entered the 12 hour race. Two from Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx, and a single car from Champion Racing. The three cars gave Audi a clean 1-2-3 win. Victory in the end for the #28 Audi R8 of Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx with drivers Allan McNish, Pierre Kaffer and Frank Biela. Champion Racing with Emanuele Pirro, JJ Lehto and Marco Werner finished in second, but five laps down from the winning car.

2005:
The final race of the Audi R8 at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Only two cars entered the 2005 race. The two Audi R8s from team Champion Racing, the reigning ALMS champions. While facing a very small field of LMP1 competitors, the two Champion R8s battled with each other during the whole race. In the end a 1-2 victory with the #1 machine taking the overall win with drivers Tom Kristensen, JJ Lehto and Marco Werner. The #2 Audi was driven by Allan McNish, Emanuele Pirro and Frank Biela. A few months later, the Audi R8 won its final ever race at Le Mans 24 Hours.

2006:
A new car and a new technology. Audi made history by debuting in and winning a major international race with a Diesel powered race car. Audi Sport Team Joest was back to Sebring as a full factory team, the only American race for them, as they were preparing Le Mans 24 Hours. The brand new Audi R10 TDI stormed Florida's race taking victory with the #2 car of Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen. The #1 Audi failed to finish, the car was driven by Emanuel Pirro, Frank Biela and Marco Werner.

2007:
The Audi R10 TDI was back to defend its 2006 crown. Two cars entered by Audi Sport Team Joest (under Audi Sport North America name). Once again the competition wasn't that strong in LMP1. The challenger this time came from the lower LMP2 cars, with factory teams from Porsche and Acura. The Joest team won the race in the end with the #2 Audi R10 TDI of Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Marco Werner. The sister #1 car driven by Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen faced some problems and finished fourth overall, 11 laps behind the winning car. This is the last victory for the Audi R10 TDI at Sebring.

2009:
In 2008 Audi failed to win Sebring for the first time since 2000. The victory went to Penske Racing and their Porsche RS Spyder LMP2 machine. For 2009 Audi Sport replaced the three year old Audi R10 TDI with the new LMP1 challenger, the Audi R15 TDI. Yet again the race debut for the new car was at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Peugeot and new comers from Acura in the top LMP1 class were the rivals to beat. The race against the Peugeots proved to be one of the most fought for Audi in Florida. In the end the #2 Audi R15 TDI won the race overall with drivers Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen, just ahead of the second placed #08 Peugeot 908. The sister #1 Audi of Lucas Luhr, Marco Werner and Mike Rockenfeller finished in third, 2 laps down.

2012:

After a two year drought at Sebring, Audi Sport Team Joest arrived with the Audi R18 TDI in 2012. Armed with three cars they were determined to reclaim victory at the legendary endurance event. The Audi R18 TDI cars proved to be the class of the field and qualified 1-2-3, a position which they held for most of the opening hours. Various issues dropped the #1 car down the field, driven by Marcel Fässler, Benoît Tréluyer and Andre Lotterer, who ultimately finish 16th overall, 15 laps down. The race came down to a duel between the #2 Audi R18 TDI (Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish) and the sister #3 car of Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Loic Duval. The team mates battled for hours but in the end the #2 crew came home to win the race, leading an Audi 1-2. They won the race by 4 laps, securing Audi's tenth overall Sebring 12 Hours victory. 

Photo credit: Audi Sport Media

Videos: All the Audi Le Mans short films

By Johan Laubscher

In recent years Audi has always produced a short video documenting the Le Mans 24 Hour races. They are normally released a few months after the race in June, and they are always well received. These online videos started in 2009 and each year since then we have seen the annual addition of another new video. Audi also published similar videos in previous years which included 2006 and 2008. The 2012 video was published yesterday and once again it is an exciting production featuring the race this year. With the arrival of the new video we thought it would be a good idea to look back on all the previous videos. We have included all the Audi Le Mans short feature films below, they are all well worth watching again. 

2012  

2011

2010  

2009  

2008  

2006

Le Mans onboard videos: Audi R8, R10, R15, R15 plus, R18, R18 e-tron quattro

By Johan Laubscher 

Audi’s legacy at Le Mans began in 1999. Since then many different Audi race cars have competed at Le Mans achieving ten victories in thirteen years. Below we have included onboard videos from all the different Audi Le Mans prototype race cars that have competed at Le Mans. From the all-conqueringAudi R8 to the current Audi R18 e-tron quattro. Unfortunately there are no videos available of the 1999 R8R and R8C cars, but the six videos below do make for some interesting watching as they cover all the cars since 2000. Enjoy: 

Audi R8

   

Audi R10 TDI

   

 Audi R15 TDI 

Audi R15 TDI plus  

Audi R18 TDI  

Audi R18 e-tron quattro

Audi LMP1 cars technical and cutaway drawings by PAN_NULLO

By Johan Laubscher

There are many technical based websites focusing on sports car racing. One such website is Antonio Pannullo’s blog, also known as PAN_NULLO. 

 PAN_NULLO Le Mans Prototypes Blog link

He is an extremely talented individual who produces these drawings and also has a great technical understanding for these types of race cars. His blog is filled with updated articles showing all the latest news in sports car racing regarding the cars. He makes brilliant side by side drawings of the different versions of the cars as they are developed, showing all the small detail changes during their development. He documents the evolution of LMP car designs. 

These cutaway drawings are just a small taste of what his blog has in store:

Audi R10 TDI cutaway drawing

Audi R15 TDI plus cutaway drawing

Audi R18 TDI cutaway drawing

Here are a few links to Audi related articles on his blog:

Link: Audi R18 e-tron quattro vs Audi R18 ultra

Link: 2012 Sebring Hybrid Testing

Link: Audi R10 TDI

Link: Audi R15 TDI

Link: Audi R15 TDI plus 

If you scroll through his blog you will find much more fascinating and detailed Audi content along with equally brilliant content and information about the other LMP cars and manufacturers. Antonio Pannullo’s blog really does make for a great read. 

Audi 9 Overall Victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring

By Tarek Ramchani

Since the debut of the Audi sportscar program with Le Mans prototypes, the German brand has always competed at the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring

It all started back in 1999, with the all new Audi R8R. The car didn't win but took an honourable third overall. A year later, Audi's Sebring winning legacy started with the Audi R8. The car gave Audi six straight outright wins at Florida's classic from 2000 to 2005. In 2006 a brand new car and new technology debuted at Sebring, the Audi R10 TDI. The car was immediately victorious, winning the race in both 2006 and 2007. The last ever win for Audi at Sebring dates back to 2009 with the Audi R15 TDI. The Audi R18 will try this year to bring Audi its tenth overall victory in the prestigious endurance race, second only worldwide to Le Mans.

Here is a complete round up of the nine outright victories of the Audi brand at Sebring.

2000:
The race debut of the legendary Audi R8. Two cars entered the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2000. With strong competition coming from Panoz and mainly from the 1999 Le Mans winners BMW with their V12 LMR. Audi won the race with a fantastic 1-2 victory for Audi Sport Team Joest. The winning drivers were Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Tom Kristensen. Second and finishing on the lead lap, the #77 Audi R8 with Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Rinaldo Capello.

2001:
For 2001, no less than four Audi R8 cars entered the 12 Hours of Sebring. Two fielded by the factory Audi Sport Team Joest and the others were privately run cars from Champion Racing and Johansson Motorsport. A stunning 1-2-3-4 Audi win. Victory went to the #1 Audi R8 driven by Dindo Capello, Laurent Aiello and the late Michele Alboreto. Again the sister car finished on the lead lap, the #2 Audi of Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Tom Kristensen.

2002:
The 2002 race was the final one for Audi as a full factory team with the Audi R8. Three cars entered the race. Two fielded by Audi Sport Team Joest and the third a privateer car from the American team, Champion Racing. The Audis battled with each other, but also had to attend to the strong Panoz team and the growing competitors of Team Cadillac. After a much fought race, victory went to the #2 Audi in hands of Dindo Capello, Christian Pescatori and Johnny Herbert. The #38 Champion Racing car finished in a strong second place, a lap behind the winning car, with drivers Andy Wallace, Jan Lammers and Stefan Johansson.

2003:
The 2003 season and a new era for the Audi R8. With the full factory Audi Sport program being over, all the teams were privateers on both sides of the Atlantic. For the 12 Hours of Sebring three Audi R8 cars were entered. Team Joest. Champion Racing and Audi Sport UK each fielding a single car. The factory Team Bentley also entered the race with their new Speed 8 GTPs. After a titanic battle between Joest Racing and Champion Racing, the German team was victorious. The #1 Audi R8 took race win with drivers Frank Biela, Marko Werner and Philip Peter. The #38 Champion R8 finished in second on the lead lap with Emanuele Pirro, JJ Lehto and Stefan Johansson.

2004:
For 2004, Joest Racing stopped their sportscar efforts after four straight victories at Sebring. Three Audi R8 cars entered the 12 hour race. Two from Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx, and a single car from Champion Racing. The three cars gave Audi a clean 1-2-3 win. Victory in the end for the #28 Audi R8 of Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx with drivers Allan McNish, Pierre Kaffer and Frank Biela. Champion Racing with Emanuele Pirro, JJ Lehto and Marco Werner finished in second, but five laps down from the winning car.

2005:
The final race of the Audi R8 at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Only two cars entered the 2005 race. The two Audi R8s from team Champion Racing, the reigning ALMS champions. While facing a very small field of LMP1 competitors, the two Champion R8s battled with each other during the whole race. In the end a 1-2 victory with the #1 machine taking the overall win with drivers Tom Kristensen, JJ Lehto and Marco Werner. The #2 Audi was driven by Allan McNish, Emanuele Pirro and Frank Biela. A few months later, the Audi R8 won its final ever race at Le Mans 24 Hours.

2006:
A new car and a new technology. Audi made history by debuting in and winning a major international race with a Diesel powered race car. Audi Sport Team Joest was back to Sebring as a full factory team, the only American race for them, as they were preparing Le Mans 24 Hours. The brand new Audi R10 TDI stormed Florida's race taking victory with the #2 car of Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen. The #1 Audi failed to finish, the car was driven by Emanuel Pirro, Frank Biela and Marco Werner.

2007:
The Audi R10 TDI was back to defend its 2006 crown. Two cars entered by Audi Sport Team Joest (under Audi Sport North America name). Once again the competition wasn't that strong in LMP1. The challenger this time came from the lower LMP2 cars, with factory teams from Porsche and Acura. The Joest team won the race in the end with the #2 Audi R10 TDI of Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela and Marco Werner. The sister #1 car driven by Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen faced some problems and finished fourth overall, 11 laps behind the winning car. This is the last victory for the Audi R10 TDI at Sebring.

2009:
In 2008 Audi failed to win Sebring for the first time since 2000. The victory went to Penske Racing and their Porsche RS Spyder LMP2 machine. For 2009 Audi Sport replaced the three year old Audi R10 TDI with the new LMP1 challenger, the Audi R15 TDI. Yet again the race debut for the new car was at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Peugeot and new comers from Acura in the top LMP1 class were the rivals to beat. The race against the Peugeots proved to be one of the most fought for Audi in Florida. In the end the #2 Audi R15 TDI won the race overall with drivers Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Tom Kristensen, just ahead of the second placed #08 Peugeot 908. The sister #1 Audi of Lucas Luhr, Marco Werner and Mike Rockenfeller finished in third, 2 laps down.