Le Mans Scrutineering 12
Audi 2 - #2 Crew

Last year’s Le Mans 24 Hours saw the #2 Audi dominate the pace like few cars before, the Audi ‘Dream team of Kristensen / McNish/ Capello looking dead certs for a race win until a lost wheel at Indianapolis for Capello brought their run to a premature close.

Allan McNish:
“I’m still very hungry for this race win but it is different this year when we aren’t coming in as favourites.  It takes a bit of pressure off us.

“The event is still really special, and this early part of the week is a great grounding for us.  It’s quite right that the public get such great access.  It’s a good health check for all of us and it reminds us that there are an awful lot of people that would like to be us!”

Tom Kristensen:
“Pole position really means nothing here other than a nice trophy and finding the money to pay the excess baggage to get the trophy home.

“I love this race and what it takes to race well and to win here.  It’s still a passion and to see people like Nielsen, Pescarolo and Terada still drawn back to it just underlines that.

“2007 was a real bad way to end the race.  Particularly for Dindo who was in the car when it happened, despite the fact that it was nothing to do with him, and for Allan who still hasn’t won this race for Audi.”  

So what are your goals now with the win record now secured?

“Well I now want to win with Allan and Dindo, I love racing with both of them and of course I want to win the DTM too.

“The race this year has a particular appeal as of course you want to look back at the end of your career and relish the hard fought races.  A win against a strong Peugeot team like this one would mean a lot.

“The good thing for us is that there is more pressure on them.  We just cannot afford any mistakes.”

Rinaldo Capello:
“This is still special. It’s still the main event of the year for all of us.

“But it is also the race with the most pressure.  We work hard through the winter to prepare and then it’s a one shot deal.

“I never forget though how important a win here is, every win is important and of course when you have one win there is the relief that “at least that is done” from a career point of view but you should never forget that it is equally important fo others, there are very good drivers that never make it – Remember Bob (Wollek)!

“In a way it is the same as I feel about Petit Le Mans. I have raced there five times and won it four times. I didn’t compete here in 2005 and missed it very badly.

“”It is though very true to say that the way that our race ended in 2007 hurt me very badly indeed, our pace, our gap, the difference was very big and it was a stupid way to lose the race.