Audi fastest in damp warm-up at LeMans

Audi Sport Team Joest has completed its preparations for the 78th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours with a fastest time in the warm-up session. On a wet track Allan McNish recorded the quickest time of all 56 participants in the number 7 Audi R15 TDI.

With 3m 51.401s the Scotsman was over a second faster than the best Peugeot. The two other Audi R15 TDI prototypes were also quick in the difficult conditions in positions four and five. All nine Audi drivers have been driving in the warm-up session, all of them being happy with the handling of their cars despite the slippery track. "The race can come, we are well prepared," said Allan McNish.

Dry conditions are forecast for the start of the race at 3 p.m.

At 14.22pm local time, a modern version of the classic Le Mans start will be re-created where drivers are set to run to their cars to form the dummy grid. At 15.00 the race will begin with 55 cars of 4 different classes battling it out on the famous and challenging 8.72-mile circuit.

Conditions for the race are expected to be dry this afternoon. However, this morning the warm up session was held in damp conditions and many cars suffered excursions due to the treacherous track surface.