WEC: Audi solves Nurburgring pace problem

Audi has identified the problem that resulted in a loss of performance through the last round of the World Endurance Championship at the Nurburgring in July.

A problem with spent tire rubber blocking underfloor channels in the radical aerodynamics of the high-downforce version of the R18 e-tron quattro has been discovered and Audi believes it will not be a problem over the five-race flyaway leg of the WEC, which starts this weekend in Mexico City.

The issue was complicated by damage to the underside of the splitter of the #8 car that finished nearly a minute down down on the winning Porsche 919 Hybrid in Germany and the loss of the diveplane on the #7 Audi that ended up less than a second back in third position.

"When we changed the damaged nose of the #7 car, it was immediately back to the performance of before," Audi Sport boss Wolfgang Ullrich said. "We found another reason we were losing downforce, and this was the case on the other car.

"It was mainly caused by [rubber] pick-up. If you know where to look at a pit stop, you can clear it only losing a few seconds and then it is done."

Ullrich said he had "a good feeling" for the remainder of the WEC season as Audi strives to close the gap in the both the drivers' and manufacturers' standings to Porsche.

"We showed good potential [at the Nurburging] and will be better at the next races," he explained.

Benoit Treluyer returns to the #7 Audi alongside Andre Lotterer and Marcel Fassler after missing the Nurburgring after sustaining a back injury in training.

Originally on Autosport.com