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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">LE MANS</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">05/12/2000</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">Audi Confirm 2001 Plans</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">Le Mans & ALMS Again</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2"> AUDI AG has confirmed that next year will see the company defend their Le Mans and ALMS titles – with two cars in each, rather than two in the ALMS and three at Le Mans. Audi Sport Team Joest will enter a revised version of the successful R8, which will incorporate detail modifications to the 2000 car. <BR> <BR> “I am delighted that we will tackle Le Mans and the ALMS again next year,”<BR> stated Head of Audi Sport, Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. “The Le Mans classic is a very special challenge which becomes even bigger any time you go there. This year's vehicle concept still has a lot of potential that we will capitalise on by intensive fine tuning.”<BR> <BR> The six members of the 2001 Le Mans squad have already signed to drive - Laurent Aiello, Michele Alboreto, Frank Biela, Rinaldo Capello, Tom Kristensen, and Emanuele Pirro. That includes the three Le Mans winners of course. So there’s no longer any room for Allan McNish, who might have been available subject to his Toyota commitments.<BR> <BR> Biela, Capello, Kristensen, and Pirro will drive in the regular ALMS events, with the other two pitching in at Sebring and Atlanta. “The feedback after our successes in the ALMS is extremely positive, said Dr Ullrich. “Therefore, it is logical for Audi of America to continue their engagement by trying to defend the title.” <BR> <BR> Revisions to the R8s were apparently on the cards during 2000, if necessary, but Audi were able to hold them back throughout this year as they marched to a sequence of ALMS victories.<BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>