WEC: Audi to stick with low-downforce R18

Audi is set to use the low-drag version of its R18 e-tron quattro for the remainder of this year's World Endurance Championship.

The German manufacturer will run the aero specification that it introduced at the Spa round in May and then used on all three cars at the the Le Mans 24 Hours in June over the course of a two-day test at the Nurburging next week.

Audi Sport boss Wolfgang Ullrich explained that this car, rather than the high-downforce version used at the WEC opener at Silverstone in April, would be "the best solution" for the remaining five races on the WEC schedule, starting at the 'Ring on August 30.

"You will see something similar to what you saw at Le Mans," he said. "It was about looking into the data, and out of that we have taken this decision, and we hope to find something that we can run with minor changes over the remainder of the season."

The second aero-spec of the latest car to carry the R18 name proved quicker than the original configuration at Spa, including through the middle sector which includes the fast double left-hander at Pouhon.

Nissan will continue its test program with its front-engined GT-R LM NISMO LMP1 at Austin next week.

Originally on Autosport.com