Freshly Squeezed; NEW AUDI WINS 12 HOURS OF SEBRING, WILL BE HARD TO STOP AT LE MANS.(NEWS)

Byline: GARY WATKINS

AUDI TURNED UP AT Sebring International Raceway for the American Le Mans Series season opener with a brand-new car, the R15 TDI, and narrowly beat Peugeot's proven contender. So the German manufacturer, which now boasts nine Sebring wins in the last 10 years, is favored to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, right?

Wrong, according to Audi.

No one likes to head to the Circuit de la Sarthe in France with the millstone of pre-event-favorite status around its neck. That's why Audi wants to pass that baton despite a thrilling win for Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Rinaldo Capello in the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring.

"To say we are favorites just because we have won with a new car is a bit presumptuous, said McNish, again the hero of the day at Sebring. "The Peugeot was quick here, which suggests it will be quick at Le Mans. McNish pointed out that his team was five seconds a lap slower than Peugeot last year, and there is no Le Mans test day to prove the car now that the race's organizers have canceled it to cut costs.

Perhaps McNish was being slightly disingenuous. Most parties, Peugeot included, marked Audi as the team to beat at Le Mans even before Sebring. Beating Peugeot by means of a problem-free runwith a car that previously had not tested in temperatures above 60 degreesonly reinforced that status.

There was little between the R15 TDI and the 908 HDi in terms of speed at Sebring. The French coupe held a slight advantage during the day's hotter conditions, while Audi's roadster enjoyed a slightly larger margin when darkness fell and the temperature dropped. But Peugeot should worry about the R15's potential for improvement, something that could create a clear performance gap by June.