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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">25/04/2001</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">Michele Alboreto</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">More Tragedy</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><img border="1" src="Storage/retoMoreLE%20.jpg"></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"> The testing that the Audi Sport North America R8s have been putting in week after week has been a key part of their development into what Stefan Johansson described as the best sportscar team ever. He's almost certainly right.<BR> <BR> But the glory at the race meetings - 11 consecutive wins - only happens after the successful tests. The R8s have probably been all over Europe in recent weeks, in the build up to Le Mans. But the only reason why we know they have been testing at the Lausitzring is that poor Michele Alboreto lost his life there this afternoon. It sounds like a freak accident, which resulted in the car somersaulting down the track. If the team are the best ever, the R8 is probably the best ever too; not the most sensual, evocative or exciting to see and hear, but the most effective. Very tough too. Ortelli bounced off the armco and carried on last year at Le Mans.<BR> <BR> But this one sounds as though it wasn't survivable. The man who safely got through 194 Grands Prix - winning five - and who only raced the Audis in the longer events, lost his life in the process of making sure the R8 was the best sportscar ever. <BR> <BR> Audi, who've looked so strong for 12 months, have had that greatest of misfortunes thrown at them. It has been a very sad 2001. But experience counts for nothing when circumstances work against you, as they have for Dale Earnhardt, Bob Wollek and Michele Alboreto. <BR> <BR> Dr Wolfgang Ullrich: "We will do everything in our power to find the reason for this accident. But right now our thoughts and condolences are with Michele´s wife Nadia, his two daughters, and his whole family."<BR> <BR> <BR> Janos Wimpffen provides his sportscar record:<BR> <BR> Lancia Beta MC<BR> 1980 Brands Hatch, 2nd overall<BR> 1980 Mugello, 2nd overall<BR> 1980 Silverstone, 4th overall<BR> 1980 Watkins Glen, 2nd overall<BR> 1981 Daytona, DNF<BR> 1981 Mugello, finished, DQ, illegal repairs<BR> 1981 Le Mans, 8th overall<BR> 1981 Watkins Glen, 1st overall<BR> <BR> Lancia LC1<BR> 1982 Monza, DNF<BR> 1982 Silverstone, 1st overall<BR> 1982 Nurburgring, 1st overall<BR> 1982 Le Mans, DNF<BR> 1982 Spa-Francorchamps, DNF<BR> 1982 Mugello, 1st overall<BR> 1982 Fuji, DNF<BR> 1982 Brands Hatch, DNF<BR> <BR> Lancia LC2<BR> 1983 Monza, 9th overall<BR> 1983 Silverstone, DNF<BR> 1983 Nurburgring, DNF<BR> 1983 Le Mans, DNF<BR> 1983 Spa-Francorchamps, 11th overall<BR> 1983 Brands Hatch, 4th overall<BR> <BR> Ferrari 333SP (Scandia)<BR> 1995 Daytona, DNF<BR> 1995 Sebring, 4th overall<BR> 1995 Texas, 2nd overall<BR> 1996 Daytona, DNF<BR> 1996 Sebring, 2nd overall<BR> <BR> TWR-Joest Porsche, called Porsche LMP1 98 in 1998<BR> 1996 Le Mans, DNF<BR> 1997 Le Mans, 1st overall<BR> 1998 Le Mans, DNF<BR> 1998 Petit Le Mans, 2nd overall<BR> <BR> Audi R8 & R8R<BR> 1999 Sebring, 3rd overall<BR> 1999 Le Mans, 4th overall<BR> 2000 Sebring, 2nd overall<BR> 2000 Charlotte, 20th overall<BR> 2000 Le Mans, 3rd overall<BR> 2000 Petit Le Mans, 1st overall<BR> 2001 Sebring, 1st overall<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <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>