#8 AUDI R8 AUDI SPORT UK VELOQX

Allan McNish(UK)

Frank Biela (D)

Pierre Kaffer (D)

Francesc Reyes (E)

Juanma de Torres (E)

Salvatore Noviello (I)

RACE FACTS - Having finished second at the Monza 1,000-kms, behind the sister British Veloqx Audis, the #8 Audi starts from rank 2 as one of the four top favourites. During the first hour Allan McNish is always very close to the leading #8 Audi Veloqx. Just before the end of the second hour McNish and J.J. Lehto (in the #2 Audi Champion Racing) go off at the entrance of the Porsche Curves. The car of McNish hits the tire wall and is collided by Lehto's Audi. Later it becomes obvious that both cars were victim of non signaled oil on the track. Both cars are towed backwards. The cosmetic damage on the #88 is far worse than on Lehto's car: the whole front bodywork is missing and the left front wheel points at 45 degrees to the norm. Allan McNish is taken away for a precautionary check in the circuit medical centre. Repairs will cost nearly two full hours, dropping the car into 45th postion after 4 hours of racing. Once repaired Pierre Kaffer sets several 3'41" laps - just unbelievable. Meanwhile it seems that Allan McNish my have been momentarily knocked unconscious in the earlier accident,  then felt unwell and laid down behind the pit garage. Audi doctors checked him over immediately and discovered nothing seriously awry.
Albeit 22 laps down to Johnny Herbert in the sister car, Kaffer increases speed and has now not the smallest problem to follow the race leader, turning in 3'39" in a car that looked ready for the scrapyard earlier this evening. At 21.37h the #8 Audi comes into the pits for an engine check. When Frank Biela takes over the car is dropped in 37th position, and all field won by Kaffer is made undone in the pits. A furious come-back by Biela and Kaffer makes that the car is already 16th at mid-race, hower 26 laps down to the sister car setting the pace. At 07.00h in the morning the car is again in the top-10, despite a light collision with the #24 and a spin off, in both cases with Kaffer at the wheel. After 18 hours of racing is already ninth, 29 laps down.
When shortly after 11.00h the #17 Pescarolo has to retire from the fifth place, and when at 11.40h the #66 Ferrari 550, then in fifth position, looses more than one hour with a blocked wheel after a puncture, the #8 Veloqx Audi can move into sixth. After having passed the new GTS leader, the #64 Corvette, the car is even fifth with four hours to go. Only the #18 Pescarolo Judd splits the Audi train at the fourth place. Eventually the #8 finishes as fifth, 29 laps down.