Audi Sport Team Joest

Audi Sport Team Joest
TorontoGuy79 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Audi Sport Team Joest
Founded	1990
Base	Ingolstadt, Germany; Le Mans, France
Principal	Reinhold Joest; Ralf Jüttner; Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich
Series	FIA World Endurance Championship; 24 Hours of Le Mans; IMSA; Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft
Manufacturer	Audi AG
Notable drivers	Tom Kristensen; Allan McNish; Frank Biela; Emanuele Pirro

Audi Sport Team Joest is a works-supported racing team formed through a collaboration between Audi AG and Joest Racing, competing primarily in endurance racing series including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, FIA World Endurance Championship, and IMSA SportsCar Championship. The team combined Joest Racing's endurance expertise with Audi's engineering programs such as Audi R8 prototypes and Audi R18 diesel and hybrid prototypes. Audi Sport Team Joest became synonymous with multiple overall victories at 24 Hours of Le Mans and championship success in FIA World Endurance Championship precursor series.

History

Audi Sport Team Joest traces origins to Joest Racing's privateer entries at24 Hours of Le Mans and the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft before formal Audi backing began in 1999. The partnership emerged from Audi's motorsport strategy led by executives at Audi AG and engineers from Quattro GmbH, aligning with management figures such as Reinhold Joest and Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. Early success came with the Audi R8 winning 24 Hours of Le Mans multiple times against rivals from Porsche AG, BMW M, Mercedes-AMG, and prototypes by Peugeot Sport. The team adapted to regulation shifts imposed by the FIA and ACO including transitions to diesel powertrains and then hybrid systems, competing against manufacturers like Toyota Gazoo Racing, Nissan, Mazda, Ferrari, and Bentley Motors.

Operations and Management

Operations combined Joest Racing's headquarters near Wiesbaden with Audi's technical centers in Ingolstadt and testing facilities at Circuit de la Sarthe and Bilster Berg. Team management included Reinhold Joest overseeing sporting direction, Ralf Jüttner coordinating logistics, and Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich guiding Audi Motorsport strategy alongside engineers from Volkswagen Group subsidiaries. The administrative structure interfaced with series organizers such as the FIA World Endurance Championship commission, race stewards at 24 Hours of Le Mans, and promoters like SRO Motorsports Group. Logistics and pit strategy leveraged support from partners including Shell, Castrol, Michelin, and DHL while complying with homologation rules from FIA and ACO technical delegates.

Racing Programs and Cars

Audi Sport Team Joest campaigned a succession of prototypes and GTs: the dominant Audi R8 LMP, the Audi R10 TDI pioneering diesel technology, the Audi R15 TDI evolutionary platform, the Audi R18 TDI and later Audi R18 e-tron quattro hybrids. The program integrated systems developed in coordination with suppliers such as BorgWarner, Bosch, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, and Mahle GmbH. Cars were homologated and prepared under endurance regulations from the FIA World Endurance Championship and ACO. The team also supported customer entries and collaborated with outfits like Team Joest (privateer), Audi Sport North America, Champion Racing, Team Kolles, and Epsilon Euskadi in various GT and prototype campaigns.

Notable Drivers and Personnel

Drivers and personnel associated with the team included multiple 24 Hours of Le Mans winners such as Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish, Emanuele Pirro, Frank Biela, Marco Werner, Rinaldo Capello, and Dindo Capello, alongside younger pilots like André Lotterer and Lucas di Grassi. Engineering and technical leadership featured figures from Audi Sport, Quattro GmbH, and suppliers including engine designers from MTU Aero Engines alumni and aerodynamicists with previous experience at McLaren Racing and Sauber Motorsport AG. Team strategists and pit engineers often came from backgrounds at Porsche AG and BMW M, creating a cross-pollination of endurance expertise. The driver lineup also included names from single-seater backgrounds like Jenson Button-class peers and sportscar veterans who competed in events such as the 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans.

Major Victories and Records

Audi Sport Team Joest's notable achievements encompass multiple overall victories at 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2000s and 2010s, numerous FIA World Endurance Championship titles and predecessor Le Mans Series championships, dominant performances at the 12 Hours of Sebring, and endurance records for diesel and hybrid prototypes. The R10 TDI achieved firsts in diesel endurance racing, challenging entries from Peugeot Sport and marking milestones against competitors like Toyota Gazoo Racing and Nissan Motorsport. Drivers set lap and distance records at Circuit de la Sarthe, with team successes contributing to Audi's motorsport awards and manufacturer championships contested with rivals such as Porsche, Ferrari, Toyota, and Bentley.

Technical Partnerships and Development

Technical development relied on partnerships with technology firms and component suppliers including Bosch, Magneti Marelli, ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Brembo, Michelin, Mahle GmbH, Shell, and Siemens. Hybrid powertrain work involved collaboration across Volkswagen Group research centers and external specialists experienced with Formula One and IndyCar hybrid technologies. Aerodynamic and chassis development drew on wind tunnel facilities shared with organizations like Dallara and consultancy input from former McLaren Racing and Williams Grand Prix Engineering personnel. Data and telemetry integration used systems compatible with FIA sporting regulations and facilitated driver training alongside programs at Red Bull Ring and testing at Hockenheimring and Paul Ricard.

Category:Auto racing teams in Germany Category:Endurance racing teams