Le Mans, France - Marc Gene will replace Loic Duval in the Audi No. 1 car at this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans after doctors ruled the defending champion should not compete following a spectacular crash during Wednesday's practice.
Duval's car was destroyed in the crash.
Audi Sport tweeted that the driver was “unhurt apart from two grazes to the skin,” but race organizers said later on Thursday that doctors “submitted a report to the marshals disallowing him from racing”.
Gene won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Peugeot in 2009. He will team up this year at Audi with Lucas di Grassi and Tom Kristensen, the most successful driver in the race's history with nine victories.
Sapa-AP