World Champions honored at FIA gala

The FIA honored the title winners of the FIA racing series in Paris on Friday night. Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich accepted the trophy for the successful title defense of the Audi R18 e-tron quattro in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

The Audi factory drivers Loïc Duval, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish were honored as driver World Champions. All three attended the gala evening at Luc Besson’s ‘Cité du Cinéma’ together with their partners – Allan McNish appropriately clad in a Scottish kilt. The runners-up in the World Championship, Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer, represented Audi at the FIA ceremony held in honor of the winners as well. “Our whole squad achieved everything early this year that was to be achieved,” said Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “After the success at Le Mans we won both WEC titles and made a very good showing in all the races. We can be very pleased with this season.” Allan McNish was happy too: “Even in karting I battled for a World Championship.

I then drove in the Formula 1 World Championship but didn’t have a real chance. Now, in my third motorsport discipline with the sports cars, the World Championship title worked out.” Loïc Duval won the title right away: “This was my first full motorsport season with Audi. The Championship win in a season in which we also won Le Mans is an overwhelming feeling.”

Tom Kristensen summed up the season in these words: “After finishing a World Championship in karting as the runner-up I’ve now won a World Championship with Audi. In doing so, we defeated last year’s World Champions. Loïc, Allan and Audi Sport Team Joest were brilliant.”

Audi