Along with announcing its motorsport programme for 2014, Ingolstadt-based Audi has unveiled its challenger for the LMP1 class of the World Endurance Championship (WEC), a redeveloped R18 e-tron quattro, a prototype designed from the ground up to dominate endurance racing with its unique blend of technological innovation and race-proven reliability.
Due to changes in the regulations that govern the pinnacle of endurance racing, the LMP1 class rules have changed to allow for more technical finesse concerning the powertrain, exterior dimensions, safety and aerodynamics.
“The idea behind this is to achieve similarly fast lap times as in the past with considerably less energy. Making more out of less: a forward-thinking approach,” says head of Audi Motorsport, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.
“Instead of power output, energy consumption will be subject to limitations. This is in line with the spirit of our times and opens up great technical freedoms to the engineers. In 2014, we’ll be seeing a wide variety of concepts on the grid at Le Mans,” says Chris Reinke, head of LMP at Audi Sport.
Once again, a turbodiesel V6 powers the R18 e-tron quattro’s rear wheels, while a kinetic energy recovery system sends drive to the front axle. But another hybrid system has been implemented with the use of an electric turbocharge in the internal combustion system, which stores energy that has been converted from heat.
On the outside, regulations specify that the prototype sits 20 mm higher than before, which makes the new R18 1 050 mm tall. Underneath, the cutouts for the front wheels also feature a different shape. Altogether this results in less areas of the vehicle that can produce downforce and negatively affects aerodynamic efficiency, engineers can compensate by employing a proper front wing with a movable flap instead of the diffuser used before. At the rear however, the use of exhaust gas in the area of the rear diffuser is now banned.
Although recent accidents at the 24 Hours of Le Mans have demonstrated how safe the LMP1’s carbon-fibre-reinforced-plastic cockpits are, the rules state that more layers of fabric have to be used on the monocoque, which would make it resist even higher loads and reduces the risk of intrusion by pointed objects in the event of high speed collisions.
Furthermore, while the previous R18 weighed 915 kg, the new prototype’s mass may be reduced to 870 kg – showcasing Audi’s lightweight design technology. The new R18 also uses blue laser beams that backlight yellow phosphorus crystal lenses through which the light beams are then emitted – vastly improving an already efficient LED system.
“We’re not going to reveal any more than that at this early stage, as in 2014 we’re facing an extremely tough competition and a year full of challenges for Audi Sport,” Dr. Ullrich stated.
