Allan McNish Blog

Another Cool Audi R8 Advert

2009-07-09T14:19:00+01:00

Another cool Audi R8 advert:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6rj5jisB7g

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McNish Celebrates Audi's Centenary In Style at Goodwood Festival of Speed

2009-07-07T16:48:00+01:00

Allan McNish thrilled massive crowds at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend.

The Dumfries-born ace reaquainted himself with the Audi R8 "Crocodile" sportscar in which he won the 2000 American Le Mans Series title as well as driving a 2007 Audi A4DTM and the diesel-engined Audi R15 TDI in which he won and finished third in the Sebring 12 Hour and Le Mans 24 Hours races respectively this year.

Audi, which formally began life as a car manufacturer on July 16 1909, wheeled out its "stars and cars" as part of its Centenary celebrations.

The German manufacturer has supported the annual motorsport extravaganza for the past 13 years and fittingly was the "featured marque" at this year's "True Grit - Epic Feats of Endurance" themed event attended by 150,000 spectators over all three days.

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Le Mans Reflections

2009-07-01T12:24:00+01:00

Well here we are a couple of weeks since Le Mans, and we [Audi] weren't able to retain the title, that we had fought very hard for in 2008 and on this occasion, Peugeot got the better of us. They had looked as if they could be able to do this in the past but we stole the trophies from under their noses more often than not. Sebring 2009 was another example of this but, you know, really this is racing at its best. There is us, Peugeot, Aston Martin and if they had been a bit more consistent, they would have been in there all the time, in fact we had to watch over our shoulder for them at the end of the race and, all in all, I think right now sport car racing is probably at its most difficult.

Even the privateer teams, we call them privateer because they are the non road car making manufacturers, like Oreca, they are definitely, in my opinion, them and Pescarolo, are far far higher quality calibre of a team than some of the manufacturers of 10 years ago. The level of performance now is just so high. It means that the testing and development is very critical and all of our testing and development was behind closed doors all of the time and this is something, that unfortunately, we can't talk too much about and obviously we weren't in a position, or we didn't want to give any information away to the opposition, but they didn't want to give anything away to us either.

Part of it was the performance to improve the R15 TDI and the low downforce ‘spec' that you are going to have at Le Mans. Part of it was obviously reliability and that bit us a little bit at Le Mans however. If we are quite frank about it, then a new car engine concept with the experience of Audi coming to Le Mans is very difficult and I didn't think it was logical or even likely in the slightest way that all of the cars would go through without a problem.

Unfortunately we ‘lost' a car very early on and we also had a problem with the other car and so from that side it kind of left us as the lone gunner up at the front, not the intention, but it's the way it turned out. The final thing that we were working very hard on was the change of the regulations. You know the 30 kilos additional weight into the car that the ACO mandate, and I'm not big into the politics of it but I do know it's a wee bit of a headache for the engineers and designers to suddenly throw in 30kg somewhere. It doesn't sound like very much but you can't just put it in one place, it's got to be spread around and the space just isn't designed for it in there.

But it had been a heavy workload for everyone at Audi Sport leading up to the race and there was also a lot of marketing as well which I had to do, in London, at Silverstone, Manchester, Dumfries and in Glasgow, with newspaper, radio and TV journalists, which was also very cool. I also had a blast with the R8 V10 in Spain with UK media and now that V10 engine is just stunning in that car, absolutely no question about it.

One of the big strengths of Audi is their ability to use the Le Mans sportscar programme and drag the technology and development through to the road car production. Also just to have that racing link between the two and now with the R8 LMS hitting the tracks and finishing second in the Nurburgring 24 Hours, having led much of the race, it was quite nice to have all that buzz around. In May, I was also darting between the endurance test because some of my sponsors from Jewson were at the Monaco Grand Prix. Also trying to grab five minutes of TV because it was the Indy 500 where I was thinking at one point that Mr Franchitti was going to make it a pretty special weekend again by winning but it didn't come together.

Then just prior to actually going to Le Mans, I went to Silverstone and this is something I'm very proud of as Dalbeattie High School again won the British Model Car Championship after designing, building and project managing and then finally racing their remote controlled car. If you log onto http://www.allanmcnish.com/ and go to DBT McNish Racing, you will see how a group of 14-year-olds, basically ran a ‘mini' racing team. They came back from their second position in 2008 to re-design the rear wing to have a better aero platform which they did in their own wind tunnel.

Even my engineer, Howden "H" Haynes, who came along with my data engineer, Leena Gade, were impressed with their little tyre warmers. You get back to some of the basics doing this, how do you make a tyre warmer for a remote controlled car? Well they made a little box and put a travel hair dryer in there to heat it up. It's ingenious really isn't it? Can you imagine if Formula 1 went back to that sort of basics - it would be quite good wouldn't it! But I was very, very pleased and proud for them because, like I say, they came back from not having won in 2008.

The other fact was that for the first time they were not the lone school from Scotland as they competed against a 100 other schools from the UK. They were actually part of a five school group coming from my region, Dumfries & Galloway, and two other of these schools picked up rookie awards. You know I would say that the history of our region for the automobile industry with designers and engineers, never mind the drivers and things, is probably going to continue quite strongly if I just look at that.

But DBT's fight back from second position last year to first is a very good lesson for us at Audi Sport in so far as that you know you can be knocked on the nose, you can be beaten on a day by someone that basically does a better job than you and a reminder of how hard it is and then suddenly you have got to lick your wounds, you have got to get back out there fighting and take the charge to them and use that as motivation and so the group of Dalbeattie have certainly given us the encouragement to just get back on track and we are very much looking forward to the next challenge of showing Peugeot what it is all about.

I hope I'll see some of you at Goodwood this weekend. I'll be driving up the hill on Friday, Saturday and Sunday so please come and say hello. It's a big, big event for Audi as it's their Centenary year in 2009. Audi has the main display in front of the house.

Many of their latest cars will be on display in the central section so go take a look at those - some on show for the first time in the UK. Audi R8R, R8 "Crocodile", R10 TDI and R15 TDI sports-prototypes will be going up the hill at the fantastic Festival of Speed event - Lord March really knows how to put on a great show each year. See you there!

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Round 5 of the Jim Russell Championship Series

2009-06-17T16:52:00+01:00

Saturday, JUNE 13, 2009, Sonoma, CA - Round five of the Jim Russell Championship Series delivered plenty of thrills at Infineon Raceway. Visiting racer, Igor Sushko, earned pole position in his first race in FJR-50 and rookie Greg Liefooghe earnt his first overall win.

At the checkered flag, it was Liefooghe, Sushko and Asseo in the championship race, as Galante take the win in Masters Class joined on the podium by visiting racer Will Hill.

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Allan McNish Voted World's Fastest Sportscar Driver

2009-06-17T14:24:00+01:00

In a poll that includes drivers, team owners, and journalists, SPEEDtv.com has determined the two fastest sportscar drivers in the world Allan McNish and David Brabham.

See speedtv.com, for the full story.

Posted by webmaster in News

Le Mans 24 Hours Race Report - Podium Finish for McNish

2009-06-14T15:03:00+01:00

Allan McNish missed out on claiming his Le Mans 24 Hour “hat trick” and a second consecutive win when the Briton steered his new diesel engined Audi home third in this year’s race today (14 Jun).

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Allan McNish & SpeedTV.com – Le Mans 24 Hours 2009

2009-06-12T23:55:00+01:00

Keep up to date with news from Le Mans by checking out Allan’s latest blogs with Speed TV.

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Le Mans 24 Hours Qualifying Report - McNish Second on Grid

2009-06-12T10:15:00+01:00

Allan McNish lines-up his diesel-engined Audi second on the capacity 55-car grid for the Le Mans 24 Hours which begins on Saturday (2pm BST).

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Le Mans Opening Practice News - McNish Fastest

2009-06-11T12:13:00+01:00

Allan McNish swept his diesel-engined Audi to the fastest time in the opening practice session for this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours last night (WED).

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TV & Radio Broadcast Times for 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans

2009-06-09T16:07:00+01:00

TV & Radio Broadcast Times for 77th Annual 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans

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Le Mans 24 Hour Race Preview

2009-06-05T14:27:00+01:00

Allan McNish will bid for a second consecutive Le Mans 24 Hours race victory when the Briton drives a new diesel engined Audi in this year’s race next weekend (13-14 June).

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Dalbeattie High School Claims National Title - AGAIN

2009-06-04T13:54:00+01:00

Dalbeattie High School was crowned the Formula Schools Model Car Champions for the second time in three years in the Finals staged at Silverstone (2 June).

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DALBEATTIE HIGH SCHOOL GUNS FOR NATIONAL TITLE IN FORMULA SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIP

2009-05-26T16:51:00+01:00

Dalbeattie High School heads south for the Formula Schools Model Car Championship Finals at Silverstone on Tuesday (2 June) determined to recapture the National title the Kirkcudbrightshire educational institution claimed on its debut in 2007.

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Pressure Builds in the Third Race of the Jim Russell Championship Series Season

2009-05-11T12:04:00+01:00

Master Champion Earns Overall Win

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Mistakes Highlight Round Four Race of the Jim Russell Championship Series Season

2009-05-11T11:46:00+01:00

LeDuc Goes from Green to Checker to Win

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Young Champions of the Future - 2009 JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SEASON OPENER

2009-04-20T12:22:00+01:00

I thought I would keep you in touch with some of the young champions of the future! Check out the new blood in the 2009 JIM RUSSELL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SEASON OPENER.

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Allan's Post Sebring Blog

2009-04-06T16:18:00+01:00

With the 12 Hours of Sebring just behind me, I must say that it's fantastic to finally get the 2009 racing season underway. It's been quite a long time since Petit Le Mans 2008, and since then we've been busy testing in Europe with the new Audi R15 TDI but also just planning our 2009 season.

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Allan McNish : Peugeot Hunter

2009-04-01T10:29:00+01:00

Allan McNish : Peugeot Hunter

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Truth IN 24 - Le Mans 2008 Documentary

2009-03-25T13:20:00+01:00

Truth IN 24, an incredible documentary of our Le Mans 2008 is available on iTunes. Check it out.

Posted by in News

Audi Bags Sebring Victory

2009-03-22T09:23:00+01:00

Allan McNish became the most successful British driver in one of America’s oldest motor races when the “Flying Scotsman” earned his new diesel engined Audi a sensational and hard fought debut victory in the Sebring 12 Hour endurance sportscar race in Florida tonight (Sat 21 Mar).

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ALMS: Audi's Allan McNish on Sunday's Wind Tunnel live from Sebring

2009-03-21T13:03:00+01:00

2008 Le Mans 24 Hour winner Allan McNish is to appear as a featured guest live from Sebring Sunday night on SPEED's Wind Tunnel Talk Show. Fans can email questions for Allan to windtunnel@speedtv.com or can send in questions LIVE during the show via Chat at http://www.speedtv.com/programs/wind-tunnel-with-dave-despain

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Emotive and Allan McNish Announce Exclusive Partnership

2009-03-21T12:09:00+01:00

Today Emotive and Allan McNish announced their exclusive partnership at the 57th running of 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race. The strategic alliance will involve McNish’s participation in various Emotive-produced automotive events, including the all-new Jim Russell Racing Drivers School and Jim Russell Championship Series, the Audi Driving Experience, and the Audi Sportscar Experience.

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Audi R15 TDI on the front row on its debut

2009-03-20T16:53:00+01:00

Ingolstadt/Sebring – Good debut for the Audi R15 TDI: The all-new diesel-powered sports car from AUDI AG will start its first ever race from the front row of the grid. Le Mans record winner Tom Kristensen (Denmark) missed the pole position for the 12-hour race at Sebring (US state of Florida) by just 0.082 seconds. Almost as fast was youngster Mike Rockenfeller (Germany) who qualified fourth with the second R15 TDI.

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Sebring 12 Hours Qualifying Report

2009-03-20T10:40:00+01:00

Allan McNish starts his brand new diesel powered Audi from the front row of the 28-car grid in the Sebring 12 Hours race in Florida on Saturday (2.30pm GMT).

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First major challenge for the Audi R15 TDI

2009-03-19T17:20:00+01:00

First major challenge for the Audi R15 TDI

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TV & Radio Times - 2009 American Le Mans Series 57th Annual 12 Hours of Sebring

2009-03-17T14:42:00+01:00

Keep up to date with my progress at Sebring with the following radio and television schedule.

Posted by in News

Sebring 12 Hours Race Preview

2009-03-16T11:06:00+01:00

Allan McNish aims to record his Sebring 12 Hours race win “hat-trick” in Florida on Saturday (21 Mar) and earn Audi the perfect “warm-up” for a successful Le Mans 24 Hour race defence.

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Allan McNish Returns to Motor Racing Legends Dinner

2009-02-24T12:26:00+01:00

The Motor Racing Legends Annual Dinner, on Friday 13th February at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall, saw the return of Allan McNish as guest speaker. McNish gave a thrilling from-the-cockpit account of Audi’s victory in the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours.

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Allan McNish Returns to Motor Racing Legends Dinner

2009-02-24T12:26:00+01:00

Posted by in Allan's Blog

AUTOSPORT SHOW... WHAT CAR? AWARDS... STAYING FIT... LOOKING AHEAD TO SEBRING... R8 V10 LAUNCH

2009-02-10T15:50:00+01:00

First of all Happy New Year to you all. Sitting down at the beginning of the year, I always look towards the first race in the middle of March. It’s Sebring and it seems like a long way away. Three months is a tremendous amount of time to wait. However, once you get into the swing of the start of January then that becomes a very short period of time and this year more so than probably last year because we have got all that anticipation. We don’t know how Acura is actually going. We don’t know exactly how Peugeot is going. We don’t know how some of the other competitors are going to be and we have got a new car ourselves, so there is a learning period that we are going through, but I would say that there is that real excitement about what actually Sebring is going to bring.

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Allan McNish to début Audi’s latest diesel powered sportscar in the Sebring 12 Hour race

2009-02-10T15:36:00+01:00

Allan McNish will début Audi’s latest diesel powered sportscar in the Sebring 12 Hour race in Florida next month.

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Allan McNish to début Audi’s latest diesel powered sportscar in the Sebring 12 Hour race

2009-02-10T15:36:00+01:00

Allan McNish will début Audi’s latest diesel powered sportscar in the Sebring 12 Hour race in Florida next month.

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Audi factory drivers Allan McNish, Oliver Jarvis and Katherine Legge at Winter Camp in Ofterschwang

2009-02-02T17:19:00+01:00

Ingolstadt/Ofterschwang – Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich left the traditional Audi Winter Camp in Ofterschwang, Bavaria, at which the AUDI AG factory drivers prepared for a week together with their team bosses between 24 and 31 January for the 2009 motorsport season, extremely satisfied.

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Allan McNish is attending the Autosport International Show, NEC, Birmingham, 10-11 January 2009

2009-01-07T11:15:00+01:00

The 2009 edition of the Autosport International opens to the public this Saturday and Sunday at the NEC, Birmingham to form the world’s biggest motorsport show with a new lay-out and new activities and attractions for the delights of all motorsport fans.

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AWARDS, SEMINARS, MORE AWARDS, PARTIES... THEN IT MUST BE CHRISTMAS!

2009-01-05T17:03:00+01:00

Happy New Year! It’s funny but when the season is over, you think you’re going to get a bit of a rest but in reality, as soon as it comes around to December it actually turns out to be one of the busiest months of the year for me. There have been a lot of promotional events and award ceremonies – and personally collecting awards makes December a very nice month!

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Season's Greetings

2008-12-20T10:00:00+01:00

Hi,

Posted by in Allan's Blog

DUMFRIES Star of Tomorrow Ross Wylie

2008-12-12T15:25:00+01:00

Ross Wylie is following in the wheel tracks of hero and fellow Dumfries motor racing ace Allan McNish. The 17-year-old from Thornhill, secured the BRDC “Stars of Tomorrow” Junior Rotax Kart Championship and West Of Scotland Club Champion Junior Rotax titles this year.

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AUDI’S McNISH COLLECTS PRESTIGIOUS MOTORSPORT AWARDS IN HONOUR OF LE MANS VICTORY

2008-12-08T16:33:00+01:00

Audi ace Allan McNish has collected two prestigious awards in recognition of his brilliant Le Mans 24 Hour race victory this year.

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Busy, Busy, Busy Since Petit Victory...

2008-11-28T16:34:00+01:00

I’ve been pretty busy since my final race of the season in Atlanta. I headed back to the US to be a part of the Audi Mileage Marathon two weeks after Petit, a two-week, 4,800-mile cross-country diesel challenge which saw over 20 diesel-powered Audis zigzag the US from New York to Los Angeles.

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Allan McNish has been voted “Driver of the Decade” in the American Le Mans Series

2008-11-14T17:14:00+01:00

The Audi ace, who won the 2000, ’06 and ’07 ALMS championship titles, received the most votes cast by fans of the North American-based endurance sportscar series.

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Petit Le mans Part 3 - The End!

2008-11-10T12:42:00+01:00

So I got back into the car when it turned dark with a couple of hours to go and at this point it was just a run to the chequered flag. We had basically two full stints to run and that was it for the 1,000 miles duration of this race. Peugeot were still out front with our sister car second. Then there was an almighty crash at a restart and I was able to get through it, but just through luck, not judgement at all. There were cars going in all directions and we came through and after that restart it was the most bizarre thing. Over the pit-to-car radio they gave me the race order: first it’s Werner, second is the Peugeot, third is Porsche, fourth is Porsche, and you’re fifth Allan!

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Petit Le Mans Part 2

2008-11-04T14:22:00+01:00

Race warm-up at 8am on Saturday morning was good. The car was quite nice if a little tricky in the opening laps. Then came the big hammer blow... That’s the only way to put it. When you’re feeling good, when you think that everything is going well for you, when you’re confident about your racing, suddenly motorsport can bring you straight back down to earth. It reminds you that it is the boss – I crashed the car on the way to the grid.

Posted by in Allan's Blog

PETIT LE MANS – PART ONE

2008-10-28T16:11:00+01:00

Sorry for the delay from my last newsletter but I’m still having to pinch myself after another big, big roller coaster ride that brought an end to my 2008 season...

Posted by in Allan's Blog

ALMS Petit Le Mans Race Report

2008-10-04T08:52:00+01:00

Allan McNish brought the curtain down on his 2008 racing activities in spectacular style when the Scotsman steered his diesel-powered Audi to victory in the 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta tonight (Sat 4 Oct) for a fourth time to maintain his 100% winning record in the annual race.

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ALMS Petit Le Mans Qualifying Report

2008-10-04T08:51:00+01:00

Allan McNish lines-up his diesel-engined Audi on the front row for today’s (SAT) Petit Le Mans endurance sportscar race at Road Atlanta.

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ALMS Petit Le Mans Live on TV

2008-10-02T11:58:00+01:00

Britain’s Le Mans 24 Hour race winner, Allan McNish, has been drafted in to strengthen Audi's American team for the 10th round of the American Le Mans Series in the Petit Le Mans race. The 1,000-mile/10-hour race in Road Atlanta, Braseldon, GA is scheduled for 4.15pm (uk time) on Saturday 4th October.

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A SWEET, SWEET LE MANS SERIES VICTORY ON HOME SOIL... AUDI TAKE DESERVED CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES...

2008-09-22T15:53:00+01:00

Well it has taken me a week or so to gather my thoughts after the last round of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone which was absolutely unbelievable. I don’t think anyone would have thought anything other than a Peugeot 1-2. I don’t think anyone would have not believed Marc Gene and Nic Minassian were going to win the Driver’s title and Peugeot to win the Manufacturers’. Let’s be honest, they’ve had a very, very fast car with Peugeot heading to Silverstone having won four out of four LMS races. So going into the final round we knew we had nothing to lose. But we also knew that while we weren’t the bookie’s favourites to take any title never mind a race victory.

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Allan McNish to strengthen the Audi Squad at Petit Le Mans

2008-09-20T09:30:00+01:00

Britain’s Le Mans 24 Hour race winner Allan McNish has unexpectedly been drafted in to strengthen the Audi's American team for next month’s Petit Le Mans 1,000-mile race at Road Atlanta (4 Oct).

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Dalbeattie High School Pupils Visit Race Ace McNish At Silverstone

2008-09-16T11:30:00+01:00

Pupils and staff from 2007 Formula Schools Model Car Championship winners Dalbeattie High School attended the Le Mans Series race at Silverstone last weekend (13-14 Sep) as guests of Audi ace Allan McNish.

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LMS Silverstone Race Report

2008-09-14T23:53:00+01:00

Allan McNish made a spectacular and triumphant homecoming when the Flying Scotsman steered his diesel-engined Audi to an amazing victory in the Autosport 1,000km of Silverstone today (SUN).

Posted by in News

LMS Silverstone Qualifying Report

2008-09-13T22:34:00+01:00

Allan McNish lines-up his Le Mans 24 Hour race winning Audi in third place on the 46-car grid for the pioneering diesel engined sportscar’s British race début at Silverstone tomorrow (14 Sep).

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LMS Silverstone Live on MotorsTV

2008-09-12T20:07:00+01:00

The fifth and final round of the Le Mans Series gets under way this weekend on the 3.19-mile Grand Prix circuit in Northamptonshire. Allan is eager to get back in his Audi R10 TDI to contest in the Autosport 1,000km of Silverstone which promises to be an exciting race in view of the extremely mixed weather conditions predicted over the weekend.

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New Arrival, Charlotte Amélie McNish

2008-09-08T14:08:00+01:00

Allan and Kelly are delighted to announce the birth of their baby girl Charlotte Amélie, and Finlay is so proud of being the big brother.

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LMS Silverstone Race Preview (13-14 Sept)

2008-09-05T16:16:00+01:00

Allan McNish aims to mark the British race début of Audi’s pioneering and history making diesel-powered sportscar by making a triumphant homecoming and win the fifth and final round of the Le Mans Series at Silverstone on Sunday (14 Sep).

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A thrill of a lifetime... My sincere thanks to Randy Mamola...

2008-09-02T11:03:00+01:00

Hello everyone. I have just left Misano in Italy and I have had one of the best motorsport experiences for a long time. It was superb. The Moto GP scene is very different to the last time I was there when it was the old 500’s. The competition in all of the classes is just as extreme. But it was topped off by a ride on the two-seater Moto GP Ducati with Randy Mamola. I have been into bikes for a very long time, as some of you may know, and actually started in motocross when I was just a wee lad, but I never really appreciated, even though I have been in quite a few paddocks and riding bikes on the road and things like that, what it was like to be perched on top of one of those things going into a corner at 260kph, when braking so hard that the rear wheel goes up in the air, skipping underneath you, and you start to then crank the bike in and lean it in towards the apex.

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Great Britain’s Olympic Games heroes... Nurburgring disappointment... Roll on Silverstone...

2008-08-26T17:20:00+01:00

Hello everybody and I hope you enjoyed the Olympics, and the 47 medals, including 19 Golds, that Great Britain brought home. It is a fantastic effort by everybody and shows all the hard work that UK Sport did in the past with the Elite Coach programme for example, who are really starting to reap rewards which bodes really well for 2012.

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Nurburgring Race Report

2008-08-18T13:36:00+01:00

Allan McNish steered his diesel-engined Audi home to fourth place in the penultimate round of the Le Mans Series at the Nürburgring today (17 Aug).

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Nurburgring Qualifying Report

2008-08-16T21:24:00+01:00

The diesel-engined Audi of Allan McNish starts the fourth round of the Le Mans Series from fifth place on the 45-car grid at the Nürburgring tomorrow (17 Aug).

Posted by in News

LMS Nürburgring live on TV

2008-08-13T15:56:00+01:00

The fourth Le Mans Series round of the season gets under way this weekend in Nurburgring and promises to be an exciting race event with Allan predicting that Peugeot will be out for a revenge after he and team mates Dindo and Tom went to France and took the coveted Le Mans winner’s trophy.

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LMS Nurburgring (17 August) Race Preview

2008-08-11T11:12:00+01:00

Le Mans 24 Hours race winner Allan McNish is bracing himself for a backlash from Audi’s main competitor at the Nürburgring on Sunday (17 Aug).

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Busy, busy, busy... Nurburgring prospects... Dindo & I determined to claim LMS win...

2008-07-30T14:13:00+01:00

You may have thought I've been sitting at home since Le Mans with my feet up waiting for my next race at the Nürburgring. We'll you'd be wrong - big time.

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Free entry voucher for this weekend’s race meeting at Knockhill

2008-07-30T12:51:00+01:00

The Scottish Championship Car Racing event is taking place this weekend at the Knockhill racing circuit on Sunday 3 August. A 15 race program will feature double races for Formula Ford 1600, Fiesta XR2's, Saloons & Sports Cars, Classic Sports & Saloons, 3 races for the Legends and the first ever 3 race format for the smartycars.com Mini Coopers (for more details please visit www.scottishcoopercup.co.uk).

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Go Motorsport Ambassadors out in force at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

2008-07-24T15:05:00+01:00

A number of the high profile Go Motorsport Ambassadors were present at this year’s magical Festival of Speed including Murray Walker, Allan McNish, Jenson Button, Damon Hill, Malcolm Wilson and Vicki Butler-Henderson.

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The Goodwood Festival of Speeds gets under way this weekend, 11th-13th July 2008.

2008-07-10T13:58:00+01:00

Allan is a big fan of the Festival of Speed as it is the biggest and most diverse annual celebration of the history of motor sport and car culture. Once again Allan has happily accepted Lord March’s invitation to this key event in the motorsport social calendar and will be one of many high profile motorsport personalities attending the classic event. Unfortunately, this year, due to an overwhelming number of commitments with his Audi team following his great Le Mans win, Allan is only able to attend the event on Saturday 12th July.

Posted by in News

MSA launches Let's Go Karting

2008-06-25T16:37:00+01:00

John Surtees OBE, Gary Paffett, Colin Hilton, David Brabham and Rod Taylor join children at Buckmore Park to celebrate the launch of Let's Go Karting Stars from the world of Formula One and motor sport were at Buckmore Park on Monday 23 June to give the green light to the Motor Sports Association`s (MSA) Let`s Go Karting campaign, which will enable children to experience the thrill of Karting for just £5.

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AT LAST MY SECOND LE MANS VICTORY IN WHAT WAS A TRUE “CLASSIC” RACE

2008-06-24T21:51:00+01:00

Sorry for the delay in sending this out but hopefully you will understand that since winning the Le Mans 24 Hours, it’s been pretty hectic. I think that anyone who witnessed this year’s Le Mans race, either trackside, watching it on Eurosport or listening to it on Radio Le Mans, will agree that it was one of the best races in the history of the race and motor racing in general, although I’m biased, it was a titanic battle for 24 hours between two big guns in sportscar racing.

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Dalbeattie Finish Runners-Up in National Model Car Title Race

2008-06-19T11:56:00+01:00

Reigning champions Dalbeattie High School were dethroned in the Formula Schools Model Car Championship at Silverstone last week (Thursday 12 June) but netted the next best placing.

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Le Mans 24 Hours Race Report

2008-06-15T22:15:00+01:00

Allan McNish became the first Briton to drive a diesel engined sportscar to victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours today (15 June) when the Scotsman’s Audi scored an emotional and hugely popular win.

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My thoughts of Ove Andersson

2008-06-13T17:10:00+01:00

Obviously the passing of Ove Andersson is very sad. He was really the stalwart behind Toyota’s racing programmes both

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Le Mans 24 Hour Final Qualifying Report (12 June)

2008-06-13T16:41:00+01:00

Allan McNish leads Audi into a battle for the 76th Le Mans 24 Hours tomorrow (SAT, 2pm BST) adamant that the German

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Allan congratulates DBT Racing’s fine performance

2008-06-13T16:30:00+01:00

Congratulations to DBT McNish Racing. Dalbeattie High School has again finished on the podium at the British Formula

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Le Mans 24 Hours Qualifying 1 Report (11 June)

2008-06-12T15:38:00+01:00

Britain’s Allan McNish set the fourth quickest time at the wheel of his diesel-engined Audi in the opening qualifying sessions for this weekend’s Le Mans 24 Hours (14-15 June).

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AUDI ACE McNISH INVOLVED IN GO MOTORSPORT CAMPAIGN

2008-06-11T15:27:00+01:00

Scotland’s Allan McNish is to play a leading role in an initiative to encourage new people into motorsport which was launched by Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton today (11 June, 12 noon).

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Le Mans 24 hours Live on Eurosport this weekend

2008-06-10T15:45:00+01:00

The 76th staging of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans gets under way this weekend in La Sarthe and features 55-cars battling for honours around the 8.47-mile circuit, a twice-around-the-clock duel from start-to-finish, between Audi and Peugeot.

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Le Mans 24 Hours - Race Preview (14-15 June)

2008-06-06T17:10:00+01:00

Allan McNish bids to become the first Briton to drive a diesel engined sportscar to victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours next weekend (14-15 June) – a race the Scotsman believes will be a “Battle of the Titans”.

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Le Mans Test Wash Out... Imterviews & More Interviews... Whistle-stop to visit Scotland and Monaco... Race Thoughts...

2008-06-06T15:09:00+01:00

The Le Mans test day was a bit of a wash out. It was more like a January day at Croft rather than a June day at Le Mans. The weather from the first moment we got there looked very overcast, drizzly and rainy and then on Sunday itself, it effectively rained either lightly, medium or extremely heavily all day apart from a little period during lunchtime and for a 10-15 minute part of the beginning of the afternoon session where the circuit was predominately dry then it immediately rained again.

Posted by in Allan's Blog

Dalbeattie School Targets Second Consecutive National Title

2008-06-03T18:26:00+01:00

Dalbeattie High School heads south flying the flag for Scotland in an attempt to successfully defend its Formula Schools Model Car Championship title at the famous Silverstone motor racing circuit next week (Thursday 12 June).

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Le Mans 24 Hours Official Test Day Report (1 June)

2008-06-02T10:50:00+01:00

Allan McNish set an unrepresentative tenth fastest time in official trials for the 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours today (Sun 1 Jun) which was blighted with adverse weather.

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Le Mans 24 Hours - Official test Day Preview (1 June)

2008-05-25T15:23:00+01:00

Dumfries-born Allan McNish competes in an official one-day test at Le Mans in France on Sunday (1 June).

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Testing times at Ricard... More LMS misery at Spa... Looking ahead to Le Mans test...

2008-05-19T11:36:00+01:00

We went directly to Paul Ricard after the Monza LMS race for a 30 hour endurance test where we simulated a complete Le Mans race. That’s quite hard because you’re working and pushing for that level of time but also because we’re the only people on the track so from that point of view we’re racing against ourselves – whether it be day or night. It’s also mentally draining for everyone and is possibly one of the least glamorous parts of our programme. However, it’s also one of the most important elements because this type of endurance testing reinforces our reliability and shows up any weaknesses that we may have that can be rectified in time for next month’s big race. Thankfully the test went well with no issues which was a relief to us all. Personally, my “issue” was that the first time I sat in the car was at midnight! Doing over 200mph down the straight at Ricard in complete darkness certainly wakes you up.

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LMS Spa Race Report

2008-05-12T09:30:00+01:00

Allan McNish’s hopes of claiming the Le Mans Series “crown” for Audi are still alive – albeit faintly – after the Scotsman posted his best result of the season despite another luckless encounter in Belgium on Sunday (11 May).

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LMS Spa Qualifying Report

2008-05-11T08:48:00+01:00

Allan McNish lines-up his diesel-engined Audi on the front row of the 43-car grid for the third round of the Le Mans Series at Spa in Belgium today(SUN).

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LMS SPA Live on MotorsTV

2008-05-08T16:14:00+01:00

Tune in this weekend to follow the third round of the season of the Le Mans Series Championship which is getting under way on Sunday 11th May in Spa-Francorchamps, the legendary Belgian circuit which Allan rates as one of the top 3 top circuits in the world.

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Flash News: Allan McNish's column on www.autosport.com

2008-05-06T11:02:00+01:00

Don't miss out on Allan's latest Autosport column which is now available on www.autosport.com.

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DINDO AND STÉPHANE GET LUCKY... ANOTHER “RECOVERY” DRIVE FOR US... “SISTER” CAR ALMOST SNATCHES VICTORY...

2008-05-02T16:12:00+01:00

he second round of the Le Mans Series was at Monza and it’s a fantastic place to come to. To be honest Monza is a great circuit steeped in history and I enjoy coming here every single time. I don’t think you ever have a bad race at Monza just because of the nature of the place. In the respect of our race, though, it was definitely a little frustrating. We know the Peugeot is quicker. We know the Aston Martin is nipping at our heels and we know that the Courage, run by Oreca, is going to be very strong and certainly this race proved that it is getting there.

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LMS Spa Race Preview

2008-05-02T10:29:00+01:00

Audi’s Allan McNish contests the final race before the highlight of this year’s racing with the Scotsman praying his poor fortune will quickly turnaround.

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LMS Monza Race Report

2008-04-28T07:52:00+01:00

Allan McNish’s miserable 2008 season continued when the Scotsman suffered disappointment in the second round of the Le Mans Series at Monza yesterday (SUN).

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LMS Monza Live on MotorsTV on Sunday 27th April

2008-04-25T16:59:00+01:00

The second round of the Le Mans Series Championship is taking place this weekend on Sunday 27th April in Monza, Italy. Allan McNish aims to steer his diesel-powered Audi to his first victory of the season and is predicting another epic encounter in the 1,000km race with around 50 cars on the track.

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Flash News: SMRC Knockhill Events on Motors TV

2008-04-23T16:38:00+01:00

You can watch the first of the Scottish Motor Racing Clubs events tonight on Motors TV, Sky channel 413 at 20.00. It will cover the Smartycars.som Mini Cooper Cup, the Scottish MRC Legends Championship and the Scottish MRC Formula Ford 1600 Championship, which take place at Knockhill.

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LMS Monza (27 Apr) Preview

2008-04-18T17:45:00+01:00

Allan McNish makes the short journey from his Monaco home to Monza in Italy which hosts the second round of the Le Mans Series on Sunday (27 Apr).

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David RIP... you were unique, you were a one-off and we’ll miss you desperately

2008-04-15T09:34:00+01:00

I attended the funeral of David Leslie yesterday. It has been a deeply sad affair. The light aircraft accident in Kent had taken the lives of five people, three from motorsport, two of which I knew very well. Richard Lloyd had been involved with Audi through its British Touring Car programme in the mid 1990s and then Audi’s R8C sportscar project in 1999. He was then heavily involved in the Bentley Le Mans programme. He was a great friend to everyone in sportscars.

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Flash News: Allan McNish Column on Autosport.com

2008-04-11T12:25:00+01:00

In addition to my regular blogs on the website, I shall be writing a column on Autosport.com after each race through the year in which I would like to share with you our highs and lows, give you an insight as to what it is like to race for a factory team in sportscars, and hopefully, give you an insider's view into our Le Mans 24 Hours campaign.

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Disappointment in LMS Opener... Strong Competition.... LMS is bigger and better...

2008-04-09T09:37:00+01:00

Well, we’ve have the first round of the Le Mans Series in Barcelona. Everyone at Audi Sport and certainly us drivers just wanted to get on with it having known about this confirmed programme for a good while now. Dindo and I were especially looking forward to a new challenge after two championship winning seasons in the American Le Mans Series.

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LMS Barcelona Race Report

2008-04-06T19:53:00+01:00

Allan McNish heads for the next race in Italy later this month hoping for an upturn in fortune after a miserable opening Le Mans Series race in Barcelona today (SUN).

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LMS Barcelona Qualifying Report

2008-04-05T00:47:00+01:00

Allan McNish starts his diesel-engined Audi from the second row of the 47-car grid in the Le Mans series opener in Barcelona tomorrow (SUN).

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LMS Barcelona Day One (Practice 1 & 2)

2008-04-04T16:17:00+01:00

Allan McNish recorded the second fastest time in the first trials for the Le Mans Series opener in Barcelona today (FRI).

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Follow Allan’s progress in the LMS Barcelona Race this Weekend

2008-04-02T17:44:00+01:00

The first round of the Le Mans Series gets under way this weekend on Sunday 6th April in Barcelona. Allan is eager to get back in his diesel-powered Audi and will bid to get his Le Mans Series title aspirations off to a flying start by steering his Audi home to top honours in the opening race.

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McNish Looking To Make Good Start In Barcelona Le Mans Series Opener

2008-03-30T18:30:00+01:00

Allan McNish bids to get his Le Mans Series title aspirations off to a flying start by steering his diesel-powered Audi home to top honours in the opening race at Barcelona on Sunday (6 Apr).

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Sebring Misery...

2008-03-20T13:21:00+01:00

We knew that this year’s Sebring 12 Hours was going to be one of the hardest fought in recent years and so it proved. There were probably eight or nine cars, representing four different manufacturers, that had a chance of victory with Dindo, Tom and I being one of the candidates with us starting from pole-position. We had got pole in bizarre circumstances after qualifying was stopped after eight minutes or so following a big accident then ultimately the remaining time in the session was cancelled. Organisers then annulled the opening eight minutes of qualifying and took each car’s best time set in either practice 1, 2 or 3.

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12 Hours of Sebring Report

2008-03-16T04:12:00+01:00

Allan McNish missed out on recording a “hat-trick” of Sebring 12 Hour race wins when the Briton brought his diesel-engined Audi home in to third place overall, first in LM P1 class, today (Saturday 15 Mar).

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