The 80th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans takes place on June 16 and 17 and Audi will be there with four LMP1 sports cars. For the first time, two of the cars will be equipped with hybrid drives.

It’s fitting that Audi would be first to make this technical leap; Audi was the first to win the Le Mans event with a diesel-powered car in 2006 and the first to win with a TFSI engine in 2001.

“To develop the hybrid technology for Le Mans is at least as ambitious and challenging as our diesel project was in its early stages,” explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “The first test results are very encouraging and we are intrigued to see just how this technology performs in combination with our ultra lightweight technology on the race track at Le Mans. As before, we still, however, see potential with the conventional drive – just as our colleagues do in production development. This is why we are absolutely delighted that the ACO and FIA selection committee has accepted our entries and that we can join the grid with four cars at the commemorative running of the Le Mans race.”

The cars to watch at this year’s running are Audi cars 1 and 2 piloted by André Lotterer and Allan McNish, respectively.

The new Audi sports prototype with hybrid drive will be presented at the end of February. The first competition following the debut is the 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps on May 5.

Audi has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans a total of ten times since the year 2000 and is, hands-down, the most successful brand in the race’s recent history.