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MCNISH: We’ll Be Back
Written by: Allan McNish   allanmcnish.com
06/23/2009
Monte Carlo, (MCO)
 
After looking back on the Le Mans 24 Hours one week later, I still come to the same conclusion that I did just after the race. Ultimately, we have to hand it to Peugeot, David Brabham, Marc Gene and Alex Wurz. The best team won.
Speedy Peugeots and too much time spent in the pits ended Audi's efforts to win with the R15 in 2009, but as Allan McNish affirms, the team will be back stronger than ever. (Marshall Pruett) » More Photos

We arrived with the Audi R15 TDI: A new car, and a pretty much a new concept in a V10 engine and quite different aerodynamics that caught the attention of quite a lot of people. Through the course of the race week, our preparations were very much like our past preparations for past races, but we were really hampered by the weather. With no test day, it was tough for everybody.

We arrived there on Wednesday night and had rain most of the evening, meaning Thursday was our standard dry running day. So from that point of view we had to try and do some work on the tires. We also had to take time to understand the car and qualify the car as well, if there was an opportunity to do so. With a couple of minutes before the end of the mid session, I was able to get a reasonable clean run and put the car on provisional pole.

I think that was a small false dawn for quite a lot of people outside that were looking at our progress, purely and simply because it was a new tire run, I pushed very hard and got a good clean lap. I wouldn’t say I took risks, but I do enjoy qualifying around Le Mans.

However, when we got into the race itself, then it was very clear that Peugeot had us covered, I’d say in pure performance. It wasn’t as much as in 2008 when we had the R10 TDI, but certainly they had us covered in pure performance with straight-line speed, and they were also a bit better in the chicanes.

We were suffering with quite a lot of understeer at that time. We just didn’t get the car hooked up early enough, and by the time we were six hours into the race, when we did get the balance onto the car, when the circuit grip was building up, when it suited us a bit more, we were already basically a lap down at that point.

By that time, we were then really having to work very hard in a race we know that was going to be dry pretty much through. There was a slight risk of showers at the end, but I don’t think that would have hampered Peugeot as much as it did in 2008. We kept fighting and pushing and kept doing everything we could. Our pace was close, and in fact just tenths of a second different to the actual winning car itself.
McNish hoped to grab the lead at the start but the fleet of 908s proved too much to overcome, despite spending numerous stints on the ragged edge. (LAT) » More Photos

But Le Mans is just not about pace on one lap. I think we proved that quite clearly in 2008. It’s the course of doing the most miles in a given period. To do that, you’ve got to stay out of the pits. With the R15 TDI, we had a couple of gremlins on the car. We had an electrical one which required a change of a center console panel, and I was in the car at that point. We were starting to lose power down the straights and intermittent shifting and things like that. So it did require changing quite quickly, and at the same time, the team took the opportunity to replace one of the suspension areas in the back because they had spotted something that could have caused an issue later. Since the car was already in the garage, the time loss was minimal.

That stop was the final straw for us because it put us down to a definite third position, even possibly losing that position to the Aston Martin. So from that point of view, we were just there to try and get to the end. If there was to be a battle up front, we would have maybe picked up a place, but the reality was that it was done and dusted.

All in all, it would be very easy to be disappointed because we go there to achieve one goal, and that’s to win. Especially with Audi’s history its had at Le Mans, but also the history we’ve had racing against Peugeot. Up until this point, we’ve pretty much won every big prize, and stolen it from them a few times. Sebring at the beginning of this year was a continuation of that in many ways. But you cannot win every year, and Audi’s fairy tale of victories at Le Mans had to come to an end at some point. We didn’t want it to be 2009, but it was because we were beaten by a very, very strong and capable team.

From my personal point of view, I don’t think defeat is a bad thing. I think it certainly makes you refocus and reminds you that motor racing isn’t easy at any level. While fighting at the top level, it gives us some satisfaction that we’ve staved off the might of Peugeot for the last couple of years.
Allan made the most of the podium celebrations and congratulated his old friend and rival David Brabham on earning his first overall win. If all goes according to plan, McNish will grab his third overall win next year. (LAT) » More Photos

It was very nice to see two of my best friends in racing standing on the top step of the podium, with David Brabham and Alex Wurz. Alex is a guy I go training with quite a lot at home. We see each other socially as well. I’ve known Brabs for 21 years…crikey!

21 years we’ve been racing against each other! We’ve fought out championships, we’ve fought out races. It was great seeing those two guys standing up there having taken the 24 Hour win.

Both of them rightly deserved it because they both brought very, very different attributes to the Peugeot team prior to this weekend. If you look back on my pre-Le Mans blog, you’ll notice the car I was talking about was the one that concerned me most out of the Peugeot line-up was car No. 9. They had the ingredients to race a very clever race, a tactical race in terms of setup, tires. I knew they’d be there at the end.

Ultimately, we’d prefer to have been first, but on this occasion it wasn’t to be. I think anybody that’s seen us fight and seen us race knows we’ll be back, and I’m very, very much looking forward to that next event.

~Allan

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, SPEED, FOX, or NewsCorp.



Allan has been racing since the age of 11 and progressed up the motorsport ladder until he reached the pinnacle, Formula 1. Having started in karting, he then progressed through the junior formula, Formula 3, Formula 3000 en route to Sportscar racing, Le Mans 24 Hours and F1.

A two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, McNish’s tenure as a factory Audi driver has netted the Scottish native three ALMS championships and multiple wins at Sebring and Petit Le Mans.

Allan lives in Monte Carlo, Monaco with his wife Kelly, son Finlay and daughter Charlotte.

Learn more about Allan at www.AllanMcNish.com, about the Audi Driving Experience at www.TruthinEngineering.com, and to enroll in the Jim Russell Racing School, visit www.JimRussellUSA.com.
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