Keeping in touch with 24 heures du Mans 2011

The Audi R18 TDI (No 2) the race winner completed 355 laps in the 24 hours - the LMP1 class car was entered by Audi Sport Team Joest. For Audi Sport Team Joest, their record before the 79th 24 heures du Mans was impressive - they had entered the event 13 times and won 10 times. An epic event le Mans 24 hour race for 2011 It can only be described as an epic race with intense competition for the lead. Even on the last lap, with only a 16 second gap between the leading Audi and the chasing Peugeot 908 (No 9) entered by Team Peugeot Total, the outcome was still in doubt. An illustration of that uncertainty was a dangerous incident which could have seen the leading Audi crash and fail to finish. It occurred within around 30 minutes of the end of the race - as the sole remaining Audi came up behind one of the three Peugeot 908s some several laps behind the leader, the driver of the Peugeot twice moved in a most dangerous way so the Audi was nearly forced off the track onto the grass. The TV commentary team were outraged as it was clearly a most disgraceful attempt to impede the Audi or worse. It could easily have been a repeat of an earlier accident that saw the second Audi crash out in the night. Fortunately the Audi slipped past the Peugeot but it was a very close shave! The epic battle between Audi and Puegeot hinged on the Audi's better speed and lap times (around one and a half to two seconds) and the Peugeot's economy enabling it to run for a few more laps before refuelling. So the race became the ultimate 24 hour sprint - there was never a sufficient gap between the leading Audi and a Peugeot to provide a margin of comfort. As the race reached the last half an hour that gap was down to around 10 seconds - simply quite extraordinary after 24 hours of intense racing. The event in 2012 will see even more than the 55,000 British spectators there again I am sure. See our race end photos. More & Final placings Radio le Mans Radio Le Mans 91.2FM has its fm broadcast around the circuit and campsites for 2011. Over the weekend race fans at the track can tune in to 91.2fm to hear Radio Le Mans in crystal clear stereo. You can also tune in to Radio Le Mans online for the latest news. Radio Le Mans online Live TV coverage You will need to mute the sound and listen in to the Radio Le Mans commentary. Use the latest LiveTV link below for coverage. Peugeot LiveTV1 and LiveTV2 Press articles See the articles in the Scottish Daily Record and the Daily Telegraph. 100611 Latest news & highlights See the lemans website for news updates. Latest news & Highlights Official timing and placings See the official timing. More Final practice times See the times from the third practice session on Thursday. More Weather reports and forecast for le Mans Weather reports from: msn.com or meteofrance News online at lemans.org For the first time since 2006 Audi will start on pole. See the news update online. More Entry list See a copy of the entry list for the 24 heures du Mans over the weekend of 11th to 12th June 2011. More Le Mans 2011 Spotter Guides See the very useful spotter guide produced by Andy Blackmore powered by Nissan. www.spotterguides.com & Guide Background to the 24 heures du Mans See the Wikipedia entry. More

Timetable for 24 heures du Mans 2011 Wednesday 9th June 16:00hrs – 20:00hrs Free practice sessions for the 24 Heures du Mans 20:30hrs – 21:30hrs Free practice sessions for the Porsche Carrera Cup 21:00hrs - 24:00hrs Concert featuring BB Brunes (Dunlop bridge stage) 22:00hrs – 24:00hrs Qualifying practice sessions for the 24 Heures du Mans Thursday 10th June 16:00hrs – 17:00hrs Qualifying sessions for Group C cars 17:30hrs – 18:30hrs Qualifying sessions for the Porsche Carrera Cup 19:00hrs – 21:00hrs Qualifying sessions for the 24 Heures du Mans 21:15hrs – 21:35hrs Qualifying sessions for the GP ELEC cars 22:00hrs – 24:00hrs Qualifying sessions for the 24 Heures du Mans Friday 11th June 10:00hrs – 20:00hrs Pit Walk (General enlcosure race ticket holders) 12.00hrs - 13.00hrs Radio Le Mans & Driver Q&A at Travel Destinations' private campsite (campsite guests only) 18:00hrs – 19:00hrs Drivers' parade in Le Mans City centre Saturday 12th June 09.00hrs - 09:45hrs Warm-Up for the 24 Heures du Mans 10:00hrs – 10:40hrs Porsche Carrera Cup Race 11:05hrs – 11:50hrs GP ELEC Race 14:15hrs Starting procedure for the 24 Heures du Mans 15:00hrs Start of the 78th race of the 24 Heures du Mans 21:00hrs – 24:00hrs Concert featuring UB40 (Dunlop bridge stage) Sunday 13th June 15:00hrs Finish of the 78th of the 24 Heures du Mans

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