>>There's always a lot of talk during the race commentary about how Le Mans has become a 24 hour sprint.  Certainly that is true relative to years past.  But it is highlighted when you look at a comparison between the average qualifying laps and the fastest race laps as set by the Audi R8 squads over the years.

>>2000 Audi R8 times, qaulifying/race:

Car #9 Car #8 Car #7

3:36.124 3:36.650 3:37.086

3:37.359 3:38.184 3:38.758

Average time difference, qualifying to race: 1.480 seconds

>>2001 Audi R8 times, qaulifying/race:

Car #1 Car #2 Car #3 Car #4

3:32.458 3:32.429 3:34.392 3:35.128

3:39.096* 3:39.046* 3:42.883* 3:40.362*

*Note the presense of rain through out the 24 hours
Average time difference, qualifying to race: 6.745 seconds

>>2002 Audi R8 times, qaulifying/race:

Car #1 Car #2 Car #3 Car #5

3:30.220 3:29.905 3:30.800 3:38.130

3:33.483 3:33.886 3:34.603 3:38.215

Average time difference, qualifying to race: 2.783 seconds

>>2003 Audi R8 times, qualifying/race:

Car #5 Car #6 Car #10

3:36.418 3:36.857 3:35.745

3:37.335 3:39.013 3:39.235

Average time difference, qualifying to race: 2.167 seconds

>>2004 Audi R8 times, qualifying/race:

Car #2 Car #5 Car #8 Car #88

3:34.927 3:34.038 3:33.233 3:32.838

3:35.419 3:35.672 3:35.490 3:34.264

Average time difference, qualifying to race: 1.452 seconds

These times help highlight one of the R8's strengths, the ability to be driven at a high percentage of its fastest (qualifying) time.  Five years on and the R8 has continued success which is testimony to Audi's initial investment.

Time data compiled from the 2004 ACO website and the 2000-2003 ACO Le Man annuals