By Sam Tickell

Audi has their new R15 for Le Mans, a car that should be hard to beat

Twice round the clock. The fight for victory will be between two manufacturers. Audi vs Peugeot.

One has a record and a reputation to uphold and one as the promise to fulfil – both are desperate and committed to victory.

Audi come with their new challenger. Lighter and faster than their last dominating machine, the R15 will prove difficult to beat.

Self dubbed the ‘second generation’ diesel racecar, Audi naturally have high hopes that this car will continue their dominating form in all major ACO races.

They started well with a 1 from 1 record after recording victory in the 12 Hours of Sebring.

The R15 produces over 600hp and a staggering 1050 Newton metres of torque which continues the diesel tradition of dominating in low down acceleration.

The engine also features increased fuel efficiency, naturally something that will come in handy at Le Mans – a race where the time in pit lane can be the difference between winning and second.

Audi also claim that their electrical system produces more power, and is lighter. It utilises technology that is being honed in hybrid vehicle technology.

The car also has obvious styling changes but the car retains is open cockpit design, in difference from its arch rival – Peugeot.

Peugeot on the other hand come to Le Mans with their very rapid and well known version of the 908. Essentially the same car used over the past two years, the team knows the car inside out.

They know the strengths and weaknesses of the machine.

Peugeot’s V12 produces the torque and horsepower to make it nigh-on untouchable for most of its competitors.

The coupe’s aero has traditionally been very, very good and further updates for 2009 to comply with the revised rules for the race, and to further reduce drag should allow the 908 to retain its place at the front.

But the coupe’s design has disadvantaged the team in the pits and on the track.

The team struggle in pit stops and changing parts and the drivers struggle on track under certain circumstances.

Night racing and racing in traffic are the main follies for the car.

This is something that the drivers of the four cars must overcome if they are to beat Audi.

Because, despite all the tech stuff, Audi and Peugeot will undoubtedly have built equally incredible machines. Both have the very best Michelin tyres and the very best suppliers. It will be up to the pit crews and, importantly the driving teams to make the difference.

Audi have three squads (excluding their Kolles R10s – as they won’t challenge for the win). Peugeot have four – including their satellite car for the Pescarolo team.

Audi have the unquestioned kings of the sport in their cars.

Their lead car reads like a who’s who of contemporary endurance racing.

Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Dindo Capello will be the car to beat – if only because of that X factor that each driver brings to the car.

While these drivers are individual superstars, they have also worked together in the years past. They know how to work together and know how to drive together.

The second car also has a rapid and experienced team, even if they are not as fancied as their team leaders.

Mike Rockenfeller, Lucas Luhr and Marco Werner will also be there to take the win. The third car has drivers borrowed from organisational brothers, Porsche. Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas and Alexandre Prémat make up the drivers of the third car and while all the drivers are undoubtedly talented and fast, they make up the weakest squad.

Working with the Audi squad and working together in the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the weakness of this third car.

Peugeot have four cars. Three for the factory squad and a fourth for the private Pescarolo team.

Three of their cars read as Audi’s third. Three very talented drivers but drivers that do not have the experience with each other, with the team and with this style of motorsport.

The Pescarolo Peugeot consists of Simon Pagenaud ,Benoît Tréluyer and Jean-Christophe Boullion. Certainly talented but without the factory Peugeot squad behind it, it is hard to see this car topping the sheets come Sunday afternoon.

Marc Gené , Alexander Wurz and David Brabham in the 9 car and Franck Montagny , Stéphane Sarrazin and Sébastien Bourdais in the 8 car are talented but the drivers come from open wheel – and are only ‘sometimes’ endurance drivers. Except for Brabham of course, who is certainly the standout driver of this bunch and looking to emulate his brother’s win in 1993, in Peugeot’s last Le Mans car – the 905.

That being said, Peugeot would certainly love a win for the number 8 squad, who are all French.

The lead car for the team would be the strongest. Nicolas Minassian ,Pedro Lamy and Christian Klien represent three drivers who have worked together and two of them are sportscar experts.

This car is Peugeot’s best chance of finally overcoming the Audi juggernaut and taking the win they have craved since re-entering the sport.

But 2009 is also curious for another reason. Neither squad have had a full complement of races since the season’s start.

Normally schooled by four rounds of ALMS round and some European competition, this year, both teams have had decreased competition.

Audi have raced once, Peugeot - twice.

Yes, Audi proved to be the entire package at the Mobil 1, 12 Hours of Sebring but competitive racing does hone the skills.

And Peugeot also raced at Sebring, beaten by their arch rivals, but took revenge on an R15-less field at the 1000km of Spa.

This could be a factor. The other teams in the field will hope that this trips up the factory giants, but it is unlikely to do so – enough to let someone else win.

Both Audi and Peugoet have long traditions of innovation and winning. These traditions stretch back to the early days of the automobile and motorsport. They are deeply ingrained in the organisation and no amount of economic pressure or politics will diminish this drive to win.

You only have to look at the expressions on the faces of the Peugeot crews in past major races when they have been beaten by Audi. Second is not good enough.

Audi on the other had are trying to equal Ferrari’s total of nine wins and attempting to be the second most winning manufacturer at Le Mans. A win this year would also see their sixth consecutive win.

But the stakes for national pride and the honour of winning at Le Mans is still as important as ever. Despite all the marketing advantages that racing at Le Mans can bring, the engineering advances that it can bring, one races at Le Mans for the glory, the history and the competition.

Come the afternoon of 14 June, the 165th day of 2009, we will once again know, which of the world’s most advanced race teams will own Le Mans glory.

Peugeot finished second in their first year back. They want more this year