Don't for a minute think that car companies get into motorsports for the sake of R&D and improving their road cars. If they were, then it won't matter if the teams win or lose, at least that was how Lexus explained away it's only so-so outing at the nurburgring 24hrs with it's LF-A last year.

Anyway, about the slick machine that I'm currently in – it's the Le Mans weekend and firmly on top of things is Audi. The Volkswagen Group is conspicuously missing from Formula 1 but its brands are establishing themselves everywhere else. VW, for example, rules Dakar. Audi has its sights (and Euros) put into Le Mans.

The race is still ongoing at this very moment. Arch-rival and defending champ Citroen is down to one car against two Audi R15s. The race is anything but over.

As big outfits go, Audi has made everything perfect. Spectators see the Four Ribgs at every corner. The Safety Car, Pace Car and other support vehicles are Audis. if they could, the ambulances would be Q7s.

Audi even put its iconic race cars from the past on display. Through the night there were petrolheads eagerly taking photos of the motor heroes.



This being an old race track in France, general accommodation is rare. Most just camp out by their cars. Audi? It literally erected two hotels out of nowhere, complete with flushing toilets and hot showers.

As for hospitality during the waking hours, there are three buildings dedicated to it's guests, each of them furnished to the gills with a full bar, kitchen, designer coffee and as I type this on the supplied iPod touch (for guests to log into the Audi race channel and wireless web access), Jamie Callum is behind me performing on a lovely grand piano.



It'll be great if at the 24th hour that it'll be a TDI-powered Audi that takes the chequered flag, but as far as branding itself as a first-class car maker that's at the top of its chosen form of motor sports, it has aready won.

**Update: Since filing this blog, Peugeot's lead car retired due to engine troubles. Cest la vie!

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