The World Endurance Championship begins next weekend with the 6 Hours of Silverstone, and AudiAudiGermany, 1909 > present83 models
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is anxious to defend its 2012 title. Its major competition will be from Toyota that only raced in six of eight races last season, but it won three of those.

Audi calls the 2013 R18 e-tron QuattroAudi R18 e-tron quattroGermany, 2012 > present8 photos
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an “evolution of a revolution.” It took the car to the 12 Hours of Sebring in March to fine tune it ahead of the start of the WEC season and won by five laps. The car driven by Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer and Benoît Tréluyer took the victory, and the car driven by Loïc Duval, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish was second.

“After our victory in the Sebring 12 Hours in March, we’re now excited about our first duel this year with our competitor Toyota,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich.

Audi says that the 2013 car has improved aerodynamics, optimized hybrid system and two cameras on the roof to improve visibility. To balance performance the FIA gave the 2013 R18 a more narrow air restrictor that reduces the diesel V6s power by about 20hp. 

Qualifying for this season has been changed to better evaluate the teams’ pace. For each car, two drivers must each complete two laps. The average of the fast laps determine the starting order.

Also, the championship standings will no longer be based on teams’ seven best results. Now, all eight races will count, which should put a higher priority on reliability.

“From now on, every single point will count. The World Championship will be even more challenging this year as we’re expecting to meet with a tough opponent right from the beginning. We’re looking forward to this competition,” said Audi Technical Director Ralf Jüttner.

The biggest question facing Audi this season is Toyota. The TS030 came out last year as a major shock. It missed its first scheduled race at Spa, but led the 24 Hours of Le Mans briefly before one car crashed and the other broke down. Then, the team found its speed and won in Brazil, Fuji and Shanghai.

Toyota’s already shown the revised 2013 TS030, but other than minor aerodynamic revisions, it has not revealed what has been changed for the new car. The Six Hours of Silverstone will be the 2013 model’s racing debut.

The other big question facing Audi will be the weather at Silverstone. The teams are already expecting that the track will be cold and possibly wet. If it rains, it may give their Quattro system a slight edge over the Toyota.

The six-hour race at Silverstone begins at 12:00pm GMT on April 14.