Official: Audi qualifies 1-2 at Le Mans with new R18 TDI

[Rania Elhoseny]

For the past several years at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Peugeot has had the fastest car on track – last year the brand took the top four qualifying spots. Audi, which has essentially dominated the last decade at Le Mans, have had to rely on fuel mileage, reliability and pit strategy to make up time.

This year, however, Audi has brought a brand new car to the race, the R18, and it appears that it has finally leveled the playing field. Audi captured the top two spots in qualifying, albeit by a small margin. In fact, the top six cars were separated by only a little more than half a second, with the Peugeots positioned in third, fourth and sixth.

While qualifying position matters very little to the actual outcome of the race, it does indicate the overall capability of each of the cars. Given the close proximity of the lap times, especially given the 8.47-mile length of the circuit, the winner will most likely be whoever can stay out of the pits the most. Typical Le Mans, and potentially very exciting.

You can read more about Audi's qualifying efforts in the PR after the jump, and check back this weekend for more Le Mans coverage.