2005 was the R8 prototype’s final full season of racing. From 2006 onwards new technical regulations are valid for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the European Le Mans Series. The R8, the most successful Le Mans Prototype ever, is only permitted to start in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and in Japan – but, however, with the same restrictions that were valid during the 2005 season and in Le Mans.
The R8 was forced to compete at Le Mans and in the Le Mans Endurance Series (LMES) with 50 kilograms of additional ballast (total weight 950 kilograms instead of 900) and an even smaller engine-air intake restrictor than the previous year. The power produced by the TFSI engine sank to approximately 520 hp. As a comparison: In March 2000 the Audi R8 made its debut with significantly more than 620 hp.
Accordingly the Audi drivers no longer had the fastest car; however they still had the most reliable and economical. It was only because of this that JJ Lehto, Tom Kristensen and Marco Werner took victory in Le Mans – the fifth R8 victory in six starts. An American team, the Dave Maraj owned Team ADT Champion Racing, won at Le Mans for the first time since 1967. Tom Kristensen surpassed the former record holder Jacky Icky with his seventh Le Mans win.
The responsibility for racing the R8 was, as last year, in the hands of customer teams. Team ADT Champion Racing, from America, entered two R8 cars. The ORECA team, a pure French team, is new to the Audi Motorsport family.
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