Allan McNish Petit Le Mans qualifying report

McNish Audi Starts 1,000 Mile Petit Le Mans Race From Second Row

The Audi of Britain’s Allan McNish will start the Petit Le Mans endurance sportscar race tomorrow (SAT) from the second row of the capacity 53-car grid.

Allan McNish

Photo by: Eric Gilbert

McNish is aiming to score his fifth and Audi’s 10th victory in the annual 1,000-mile race staged at Road Atlanta.

The Dumfries-born ace is partnered by Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Dindo Capello (Italy) in the race – the penultimate round of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.

Capello set the fourth fastest time (1min 8.013secs), an average speed of 134.445mph, in today’s (FRI) 15mins qualifying session.

“We’ve a strong, fast car for the race and for one lasting 1,000-miles, that’s what is required,” said McNish.

“It’s always very busy here at Petit in terms of ‘traffic’ when you get into the official sessions due to the high number of cars but we’ve concentrated heavily on race ‘runs’ during the practice sessions and it’s gone well.

“Tom, who will start the race in our car, was very happy with the Audi during night practice on Thursday evening.”

The “sister” Audi Sport Team Joest R18 TDI of Timo Bernhard (D)/Marcel Fässler/Romain Dumas (F) will begin the 14th running of Petit Le Mans from the front row after Bernhard set a personal fastest time of 1min 7.556secs around the 2.54-mile circuit. McNish and the Audi team have been testing at the track north east of Atlanta since Sunday.

Anthony Davidson (Peugeot) claimed pole-position (1:7.428).