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32767 view(s)  Since the turn of the new millennium the immaculate Audi R8 has dominated Sportscar racing. In all the races they entered, the open topped cars were near invincible.
Audi has been one off the few major manufacturers that contested and conquered Sportscar series on both sides of the Atlantic.
The most colorfull R8 of them all ...?the "Crocodile Audee" that was raced in the and even made an one off appearnce in the Australian final race.
The Audi R8 is a sports-racing car prepared for sports car racing in the LMP900 class at Le Mans and in the American Le Mans Series. The car was developed by Audi Motorsport and Joest Racing and first debuted in 2000, winning the 12 Hours of Sebring.
The R8 has won Le Mans five times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005) and the overall season championship in the American Le Mans Series six times in a row (from 2000 to 2005).
The R8 won a hat trick at Le Mans (three wins in a row) campaigned by Audi Sport Infineon Team Joest and driven by Tom Kristensen, Emanuele Pirro and Frank Biela during the 2000-2002 seasons. First time out in 2000, the team won a 1-2-3 finish, which was just a small preview of what this all-new Audi was capable of. Since then, the Audi R8 has won numerous championships and races, including wins at Le Mans in 2004 and 2005.
The R8 is powered by a 3.6 L twin-turbocharged and intercooled Audi FSI V8. FSI stands for Fuel-Stratified Injection, which is a variation on the concept of gasoline direct injection developed by VW which maximizes both power and fuel economy at the same time. FSI technology can be found in products available to the normal public, across all brands in the Volkswagen Group.
The power supplied by the R8, officially limited to about 580 hp (about 430 kW) during the 2004 race, is sent to the rear wheels via a Ricardo six-speed sequential transmission with an electro–pneumatic gear change. That means it has a computer-controlled clutch that allows the driver to make gear changes without touching the clutch pedal. These gear changes can be done by the computer far quicker than even the fastest human being with a conventional manual transmission.
However, while the R8's speed was quite dominant during the races, speed is but a minor factor in winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The main key is reliability. The R8 was a reliable car, yes; but not far more so than its competitors. The real reason for the R8's dominance at La Sarthe was its ingenious design.
The Audi R8's structure was designed from the very beginning to expedite parts changes during the race. The car has a chassis that has been likened to a Lego model — anything on the car can be changed and changed quickly. During its campaign, the Joest pit crew was able to change the entire rear transaxle of a damaged R8 — a process which usually takes between one and three hours — in four and a half minutes, a feat that was unprecedented in its efficiency and speed. The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), organizers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the American Le Mans Series acted quickly to void this advantage by mandating the gearbox casing be the same item through the duration of the race, with only the internals being allowed to be changed. However, the R8 still had quicker access to the gearbox internals than any other car due to its quick-change construction.
The R8's structure and body are both composed of carbon fiber, a lightweight polymer material which is extremely lightweight and strong; however it is very expensive and time-consuming to mould.
Audi Sport's programme saw tragedy in 2001 when on April 25, popular driver Michele Alboreto died in an accident after suffering a high-speed tire failure during an RB test session at the Lausitzring in eastern Germany.
Sources: Wikipedia, Mulsanne Corner, Dailysportscar.com
Audi R8 Data:
Length: 4650 mm, Width: 1980 mm, Height: 1080 mm,
Wheelbase: 2730 mm,
Front Overhang: 900 mm,
Rear Overhang: 1020 mm,
Wheels: O.Z. forged magnesium rims, Front: 13.5 x 18 inches, Rear: 14.5 x 18 inches, Tires: Michelin Radial, Front: 33/65-18, Rear: 36/71-18
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Models for Audi R8 00
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| Manufacturer |
Model |
Scale |
Dimensions (LxWxH) |
Wheelbase |
Front spur |
Rear spur |
| Carrera |
Joest racing LM 00 |
1/24 |
99.9x84.0x44.0 |
99.9 |
84.0 |
84.0 |
| Carrera |
Champion Racing ALMS 01 |
1/24 |
99.9x84.0x44.0 |
99.9 |
84.0 |
84.0 |
| Carrera |
Gulf LM01 |
1/24 |
99.9x84.0x44.0 |
99.9 |
84.0 |
84.0 |
| Le Mans Miniatures |
LM 00 Audi/Joest. |
1/24 |
99.9x82.5x42.5 |
99.9 |
82.5 |
82.5 |
| Le Mans Miniatures |
LM 00 Gulf |
1/24 |
99.9x82.5x42.5 |
99.9 |
82.5 |
82.5 |
| Le Mans Miniatures |
ALMS 01 Champion Racing |
1/24 |
99.9x82.5x42.5 |
99.9 |
82.5 |
82.5 |
| Le Mans Miniatures |
ALMS 00 Crocodile Audee |
1/24 |
99.9x82.5x42.5 |
99.9 |
82.5 |
82.5 |
| Mad Productions |
LM 00 Audi/Joest.
|
1/24 |
99.9x82.5x42.5 |
99.9 |
82.2 |
82.2 |
| Top Slot |
LM 00 Audi/Joest.
|
1/24 |
99.9x82.5x42.5 |
99.9 |
82.2 |
82.2 |
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Liveries
