Audi dominated endurance racing for the better part of two decades. The firm won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans 13 times in 15 years. One of the dominant cars to compete for the works outfit was the Audi R18. Part of Audi’s success was its preparation. Not only did the team conduct an endless amount of testing, but they also prepared for all eventualities.

Follow Double Apex on Instagram and Facebook where we share more car content.


Order from our online store and take advantage of free delivery in South Africa on orders over R349.


Testing, Testing and more Testing

Key to testing was also to get high-speed aero efficiency perfect for the La Sarthe track. However, the straights at the 24 Hours of Le Man track form part of the public road network around the full-time Le Mans circuit. This means that teams have to find other circuits with straights that are long enough.

Click here to see a gallery of iconic Le Mans winners. 

Monza Madness

A few years go, before Audi abandoned its endurance racing program, the team headed to Monza, just outside Milan in Italy. The front straight is quite long, but only once the track is reconfigured without the first chicane is it ideal for testing Le Mans aero set-ups.

We know that this footage is not new, but we return to it regularly as it conveys a sense of speed rarely seen in a video clip. Listen to the Audi R18 blasting down the front straight at Monza flat out. More incredible than that is how the car negotiates Turn One still at full throttle in top gear. Turn up your speakers for this…