Wallpapers Of Audi le Mans 2013 New Best Sports Car

The 90th anniversary edition of the endurance classic had been plagued by on-and-off rain in the days before Saturday's afternoon start and began under damp, greasy conditions. An immediate and thrilling battle between the Audis and Toyotas, who were showing much better pace than they had in qualifying, ensued but was curtailed under a yellow flag when Simonsen hit the barriers at Tetre Rouge. He was later pronounced dead at the circuit's medical facility.

The tragic accident dampened enthusiasm among the 245,000 fans attending but the race continued, as did Aston Martin with their remaining four cars at the Simonsen family's request.

On a drying surface Audi, running three of their 2013 iterations of the R18 e-tron quattro, had a distinct raw speed advantage over the two TS030s of Toyota and began stretching their legs on the grippier tarmac, with the No1 car of last year's winners – Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer – showing particular pace early on as McNish, who had started from pole, noted.

"The conditions in my opening stint at the start were the worst I'd ever experienced at Le Mans," he said. "The rain level was not consistent around the track so it was extremely difficult knowing how late to brake – it was a lottery.