McNish, Audi Aiming to Extend Points Lead in Texas

Photo: DPPI/WEC

After scoring two wins, including the double-points paying 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi’s Allan McNish and co-drivers Tom Kristensen and Loïc Duval head into this weekend’s Six Hours of the Circuit of The Americas looking to increase their lead in the drivers World Championship.

While having settled for a runner-up finish in the last FIA World Endurance Championship round at Interlagos, which saw its sister No. 1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro of Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler take victory, the drivers of the No. 2 car hold a 22-point advantage entering the one-and-only U.S. stop for the WEC.

“It’s important that Tom, Loïc and I score well in terms of the championship,” McNish said. “Audi goes to North America to continue its winning form over there which historically has been very successful and a great hunting ground for us.”

While the German manufacturer has a long and storied record of success in the American Le Mans Series, Sunday’s six-hour enduro will be unfamiliar territory for the majority of the WEC paddock, as the series races at the state-of-the-art, Hermann Tilke-designed F1 circuit for the first time.

While Audi has already won in America this year, taking top honors in the American Le Mans Series season-opening Twelve Hours of Sebring in March, it was without the challenge of Toyota, which has been making notable strides as the WEC enters the second half of its championship.

“Audi has definitely taken the fight to Toyota this year winning every WEC [round] so far this season but knowing the competition, they’ll be out to get revenge and so I’m sure the battle at the front is going to be strong, if not stronger than ever,” McNish added.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John