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Audi Confirms Drivers' Lineup for 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours Race

German manufacturer Audi will come to this year's Le Mans 24 Hours race eager to wipe off the poor impression they left last year, when their newly-developed R15 TDI failed to beat its rival Peugeot 908 HDi FAP for the overall win. It was Audi's first loss to the French manufacturer in the history of the competition, and the former plans to get even from as early as 2010.

Four and a half months before the official start of the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours race, Audi revealed their full lineup for the event. As confirmed by the Germans in December last year, they will field 3 R15 TDI prototypes in this year's event, the spearhead of which will most definitely be the classic Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish team.

They will be the leading group of Audi's lineup in 2010, as they have a joint record of 12 victories in the famous endurance sports car race. Additionally, this particular crew has brought Audi their last title in the Le Mans Series, back in 2008.

The second lineup starting this year's Le Mans race in an R15 TDI is formed of Timo Bernhard (Germany), Romain Dumas (France) and Mike Rockenfeller (Germany). The DTM driver recently scored his first win of the season in the American Le Mans Series, in the 24-hour race at Daytona.

Finally, the third and last crew of Audi is formed only by newly-signs, namely Marcel Fassler (Switzerland), Andre Lotterer (Belgium) and Benoit Treluyer (France). From those three, only Lotterer has so far contested in an Audi car at Le Mans, driving a privately-owned Audi R10 TDI last year.

Our stated goal is to bring back the Le Mans trophy to Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. Three cars mean three chances – and we feel that all three R15 TDI cockpits have been filled with top-class drivers,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our colleagues from Porsche for again making two of their best drivers – Timo (Bernhard) and Romain (Dumas), with whom we were very pleased at their first Le Mans race for Audi – available to us,” added Ullrich.
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