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LE MANS, France - Audi was still in the lead after three hours of racing on Saturday but lost a car when Allan McNish's Audi No. 3 collided with a Ferrari during the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
McNish, then running second, was lapping Ferrari No. 58 driven by Anthony Beltoise - who was trailing by two laps - when the two cars collided and the Audi slid off the track, across the gravel trap and disintegrated as it smashed into the tyre barrier.
Marshals and spectators were lucky to survive as the car soared skywards and wreckage was spewed towards them. The Ferrari also slid, but backwards, into the barrier just metres away.
30-MINUTE PACE CAR
"I have absolutely no idea what happened," Beltoise said. "I didn't even see the Audi coming up behind me. The impact was very heavy."
The spectacular crash, barely 50 minutes in, led to the neutralisation of the race behind the pace car for 30 minutes while the debris was cleared.
McNish, amazingly, was unhurt and got out of his cockpit to walk away from the track. The Scottish driver was taken to a medical centre as precaution and then to hospital for further checks.
"The Ferrari closed the door, Allan had no chance," Audi Sport director Wolfgang Ullrich said. "He went off very quickly but managed to get out of the car unharmed. To see that the cars are so strong is good but that's not the way we like to demonstrate it."
NEW NOSE PROBLEM
Pole-starter Benoit Treluyer of France clocked the fastest lap (3min28.263) on the 13.6km circuit to recapture the lead, completing 41 laps after three hours.
Peugeot No. 7, driven by Anthony Davidson, was second but 36sec back. Simon Pagenaud moved into third in his Peugeot No. 9, a lap behind.
Defending champion Timo Bernhard took advantage of the first pit stops to hit the front in his Audi No. 1 at the end of the first hour but had to change the nose of his car and slipped to fourth.
56 cars started the 79th edition of the French endurance race which will end on Sunday afternoon. It will be won by the team that completes the most laps in 24 hours, alternating up to three drivers.
Audi took the top three spots in 2010. No Peugeot finished that race.
McNish, then running second, was lapping Ferrari No. 58 driven by Anthony Beltoise - who was trailing by two laps - when the two cars collided and the Audi slid off the track, across the gravel trap and disintegrated as it smashed into the tyre barrier.
Marshals and spectators were lucky to survive as the car soared skywards and wreckage was spewed towards them. The Ferrari also slid, but backwards, into the barrier just metres away.
30-MINUTE PACE CAR
"I have absolutely no idea what happened," Beltoise said. "I didn't even see the Audi coming up behind me. The impact was very heavy."
The spectacular crash, barely 50 minutes in, led to the neutralisation of the race behind the pace car for 30 minutes while the debris was cleared.
McNish, amazingly, was unhurt and got out of his cockpit to walk away from the track. The Scottish driver was taken to a medical centre as precaution and then to hospital for further checks.
"The Ferrari closed the door, Allan had no chance," Audi Sport director Wolfgang Ullrich said. "He went off very quickly but managed to get out of the car unharmed. To see that the cars are so strong is good but that's not the way we like to demonstrate it."
NEW NOSE PROBLEM
Pole-starter Benoit Treluyer of France clocked the fastest lap (3min28.263) on the 13.6km circuit to recapture the lead, completing 41 laps after three hours.
Peugeot No. 7, driven by Anthony Davidson, was second but 36sec back. Simon Pagenaud moved into third in his Peugeot No. 9, a lap behind.
Defending champion Timo Bernhard took advantage of the first pit stops to hit the front in his Audi No. 1 at the end of the first hour but had to change the nose of his car and slipped to fourth.
56 cars started the 79th edition of the French endurance race which will end on Sunday afternoon. It will be won by the team that completes the most laps in 24 hours, alternating up to three drivers.
Audi took the top three spots in 2010. No Peugeot finished that race.