Audi started the 2013 World Endurance Championship season by sweeping the first two places at the 6 Hours of Silverstone Sunday, April 8. Audi’s 2013-spec R18 e-tron quattros proved to be faster, if a bit more thirsty, than the 2012-spec TS030s Toyota brought, even after the No. 1 car broke a left front driveshaft and lost use of its hybrid power.
The new Audis, one of which had been tested at Sebring, seemed more stable that the Toyotas over bumps, under braking, and through traffic. These advantages added up to give the No. 2 Audi, driven by Allan McNish, Loic Duval, and Tom Kristensen, a 3.5 second edge over the damaged e-tron of Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer, and Benoît Tréluyer, and a lap lead over the third-place No. 8 Toyota of Anthony Davidson, Stéphane Sarrazin, and Sébastien Buemi. The second Toyota driven by Alex Wurz and Nicolas Lapierre finished a further minute back.
