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Audi wins 13th title at Le Mans

By WTOP Staff

LE MANS, France (AP) — Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer and Benoit Treluyer overcame turbocharger problems to drive Audi to its 13th title at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday.

It was the trio’s third victory in the world’s most famous endurance race. Their Audi No. 2 finished three laps ahead of Audi No. 1 driven by Lucas di Grassi, Marc Gene and defending champion Tom Kristensen.

Audi has now won 10 of the last 11 races at Le Mans, including the last five.

“We did like in 2011,” Treluyer told Eurosport. “We stayed calm and attacked when we needed to. Andre (Lotterer) really put the pressure on Porsche at the right time.”

Sebastien Buemi, Anthony Davidson and Nicolas Lapierre took third place at the wheel of Toyota No. 8, five laps off the pace. Pole-sitter Kazuki Nakajima’s Toyota No. 7 retired in the 15th hour while leading because of an electrical problem.

“It is heartbreaking,” Nakajima told the Toyota Racing website. “Somehow I thought maybe we could make it this time and then this happens. That’s Le Mans and that’s why we come here to take on the challenge. We will try again.”

In its return to Le Mans after a 16-year absence in the top category, Porsche fell out of contention in the 22nd hour.

Audi did not impress in qualifying with slower times than Toyota and Porsche, but it proved more reliable in a race defined by the teams’ ability to solve mechanical problems.

Lotterer’s Audi No. 2 took the lead in the 22nd hour when Timo Bernhard’s Porsche No. 20 got stuck in the pits until the end of the race because of a drivetrain problem.

“It’s very sad because we were fighting hard at the end, in fact, also for the victory,” Bernhard said. “For sure, it would have been a podium. It’s hard to take because the guys did a great job.”

In the penultimate hour, Neel Jani’s Porsche No. 14 went back to the garage while in fifth place to fix a gearbox issue. It managed to get back on the track in the final minutes, but the return proved meaningless as both Porsche No. 14 and No. 20 were not classified.

Despite its disappointing performance, Porsche still remains the most successful manufacturer at Le Mans with 16 titles.

Porsche and Audi swapped the lead in the second half of the race.

Treluyer’s Audi No. 2 took the lead from Nakajima in the 15th hour. Gene’s Audi No. 1 then hit the front in the 17th hour when the Audi No. 2 headed back to the garage to change a turbocharger.

“At one stage, we thought it was over,” Lotterer said.

Kristensen’s Audi No. 1 was also hit by a turbocharger problem in the 21st hour and surrendered the top spot to Bernhard’s Porsche No. 20 in the 21st hour.

Chasing its first win at Le Mans, Toyota was in contention in the first half of the race, swapping the lead with Porsche from the third to the fifth hour until an unscheduled pit stop by Brendon Hartley’s Porsche No. 20 allowed Stephane Sarrazin’s Toyota No. 7 to pull away.

In the second hour, a sudden downpour caused the crash of two contenders. Nicolas Lapierre’s Toyota No. 8 and Marco Bonanomi’s Audi No. 3 were fighting for third place when the Toyota lost traction on a slippery track and bounced off a barrier before clipping the Audi, which was also hit by Sam Bird’s Ferrari No. 81.

The accident brought the safety car out for about 40 minutes. Lapierre was able to drive his car back to the garage to have it repaired while Bonanomi was forced to retire. The Toyota No. 8 dealt with balance issues for the rest of the race.

On Sunday, Simon Dolan, Harry Tincknell and Oliver Turvey finished fifth overall in Zytek-Nissan No. 38 but topped the LMP2 class.

Gianmaria Bruni, Toni Vilander, Giancarlo Fisichella won the GTE Pro category in Ferrari No. 51, while Kristian Poulsen, David Heinemeier Hansson and Nicki Thiim finished first in the GTE Am class at the wheel of Aston Martin No. 95. American actor Patrick Dempsey’s Porsche No. 77 placed fifth in the GTE Am category.

A total of 54 cars started in the 82nd edition of Le Mans. Only 36 cars finished the race, while 15 retired and three were not classified.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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