On winning the Sebring 12 Hours
"At Sebring all eyes were on the R15, it was the first time that anyone had seen it outside of Audi sport. The car is very different. We've gone from a V10 to a V12, the car has better weight distribution and it's more aggressive-looking - Peugeot and Aston martin were left scratching their heads. From a driving point-of-view there is more turn-in sharpness, it has more pace - it's a real racing car! You can throw it around, do more wild things with it compared to the R10. And that allowed us to win in Sebring. The car did everything it was meant to and because our main battle was with Peugeot it was good to get one over on the French, a great feeling."
Thoughts on Le Mans 2009
"There's no doubt it's going to be tight this year. There is a very aggressive line up of talent coming to Le Mans including former and current Formula 1 racers. Le Mans is an F1 season's racing in 24 hours, it's now a flat out 'sprint' race from start-to-finish and requires absolutely everyone - the mechanics, engineers and drivers - to make a perfect, mistake-free race to be in with a chance of winning. And the one thing you can be sure of, is to expect the unexpected."
Audi's challengers at Le Mans
"This year there is a new challenge from Peugeot; the team has different structures and I think they're tried to replicate the Audi way. We'll have to work harder at Le Mans, that's for sure, because we'll be fighting Peugeot at their peak. There is an element of the unknown and they will have to be good to beat us but we know they are very good. And with Aston Martin coming up on the blind side, it sets up a very, very interesting 24 Hours. I wouldn't discount Oreca at le Mans either, they have a very good aero package, while Pescarolo have improved the last three or four months."
On his two Le Mans victories
"The win in 1998 was completely different; I fronted up, drove the car, won the race, drank the champagne and said 'thanks very much I'll be back next year'. In 2008 there was a real feeling of 'Thank God I've got that second win'. I appreciated it more than in 1998, took it all in - it's a very special place to the view the pitlane from the centre spot of the the podium. It was also more special because of the battle we had had over the previous 24 hours."
Le Mans Lows and highs
"I'd had 10 years of disappointments between my two Le Mans wins. Take 2004, I had a big crash because of oil on the track, the next year there was the tyre that blew and those things make it so frustrating. But, also that tells me why Le Mans is rightly billed as the world's greatest race, it's tough out there. Fortunately, Audi are good, we have a team that is adaptable and will always come out fighting."
Is the R15 ready
"Although the R15 TDI has only contested one race, we've spent the last three months vigorously testing it. We have 10 per cent less power by regulation but we managed to record the same times at Sebring as with the R10, so the R15 is better developed. There was no official test day unusually at Le Mans this year, which means the first time we see what 'true' speed everyone has will be in qualifying on Thursday evening."
A lap of Le Mans with Allan McNish - Dunlop to Tertre Rouge
"You start the lap doing nearly 200mph into the Dunlop Chicanes but need to get the car stopped and down into second gear (around 75mph) before the Esses and then onto Tertre Rouge. This is a critical corner, you're in fourth and you have got to get it right because the Mulsanne Straight is just around the corner and you need to make sure you've got the momentum right to get you from 140mph to nigh-on 210mph."
A lap of Le Mans with Allan McNish - Mulsanne Straight
"Mulsanne is long and even at this speed you can look around and see the scenery flashing past. The first chicane is marked by a few small dotted lines, which in real life are the markings for a T-junction. You stamp down on the brakes to carry around 70mph through - there's a lot of action here in a very short amount of time. The second chicane is horrible in the dark; there are no markings and you have to be spot-on going into it."
A lap of Le Mans with Allan McNish - Mulsanne to Indianapolis
"Then you reach Mulsanne Corner where you have to brake and turn right across tramlines dug into the roads by everyday traffic - lorries and the like - with the car bobbling all over. After that the road gets narrower as you head towards Indianapolis. This is one of the best places to see a racing car at 200mph but for the drivers it becomes tricky at dusk because the sun can blind. I hope the trees have grown this year to hide the sun!"
A lap of Le Mans with Allan McNish - Arnage to the finish
"Then we're at Arnage and driving at 55mph. This is horrible because your brain is still doing 200mph and suddenly you have to drive cleanly through the slowest corner of the circuit - it's like driving in a supermarket car park. The Porsche Curves have a very, very fast entry, the driving line is critical and there's even an adverse camber at the end to throw a little extra spice in - qualifying times have been won and lost here but basically if you've got big balls you'll make it. The final Ford chicane is not so bad but you've got to get it right to finish the lap as well as you started it."