Audi Sport prepared for its first rally in Morocco, where the rally will take place. The pilots and co-pilots of the team were extremely satisfied with the performance of the second evolution of the model in difficult conditions, in the tests carried out before the rally with the Audi RS Q e-tron E2, which the brand introduced recently.
The second evolution of the Audi RS Q e-tron, which is among the most important projects in Audi history, implemented with a series of developments; The RS Q e-tron E2 has completed its preparations for the October rally in Morocco.
Carrying out a nine-day test program, three days for each pilot and co-pilot match, in order to identify the improvements that may be required in the new model and familiarize the teams with the new developments before the Dakar Rally, Audi Sport also made observations on issues such as weight reduction and the installation of the suspension to be used. In the tests, it was seen that all the systems in the vehicle and the electric drive were working much more smoothly than the tests carried out a year ago.
As a result of the tests carried out on a test track, which put a great strain on the single technologies used, the temperature approaching 40 degrees that pushed the limits of the vehicle and the teams, only minor damages occurred on the vehicles that needed repair.
Audi Sport covered a total of 4.218 kilometers in the tests carried out in Morocco. With the previous tests in Europe, the Audi RS Q e-tron E2 has reached a total distance of 6.424 kilometers. The team will have its first serious test in less than two weeks; Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist, Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz will compete in the Rally Morocco, which will be held from 1 to 6 October in southwestern Morocco.
The teams witnessed that the vehicle became much lighter during the test and this was extremely positive. Saying that not only the weight but also the weight distribution is better now, Carlos Sainz said, "This has made the vehicle drift less. It feels more agile and much easier to control.” he informed. Stéphane Peterhansel said: “There is less centrifugal force on long and fast corners. That's why you need to stay in the corner. With the new tool, this is much easier. Likewise, our sitting position is better than before.” commented as. Another driver of the team, Mattias Ekström, who is new to off-road challenges after a successful career on track and rallycross, said that he benefited from the know-how of the two Dakar champions in the team. Ekström “The experience of Carlos' and Stéphane helps us a lot. The key to success here is not about lap times like on asphalt tracks, it's about having a predictable car. In addition to the lower weight, the improved aerodynamics are also immediately noticeable. It has a positive effect especially at high speeds.” said.
Audi Sport engineers did not only consider the conditions of the drivers during the development. They provided an optimized environment for all three co-pilots. Saying that they want to be able to use complex systems more easily, Emil Bergkvist said, “The new evolution meets this request in an ideal way. In some cases, systems now respond to alerts without the need for manual intervention.” said. Stating that the ergonomics in the cockpit is much better and the logical regrouping of the various controls is a remarkable improvement, Lucas Cruz said, “This has helped us tremendously. It allows us to concentrate better and gives us more time for our main task – navigation.” he said. Another aspect of the development is crucial for Edouard Boulanger, another co-driver of the team: “The car feels very different from before. The lower weight means we can move around a little more comfortably in terms of shock absorber installation.” said.
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