Allan McNish targets a third Le Mans 24 Hour Race victory this weekend, insisting that last year’s horror crash at the circuit has not dampened his enthusiasm for the event.

The British driver, who partners Rinaldo Capello and Tom Kristen-sen in an Audi, won the race in 1998 and again in 2008 but was lucky to escape a massive accident in the first hour of the 2011 edition.

“The crash has no relevance to be honest, I’ve raced since then and I’ve won since then,” said the Scot.

“I definitely think that three (wins) is a better number than two.

“The pressure is always there. But I have won two more Le Mans than Mario Andretti as an example and Mario is an absolute legend in motorsport and won everything else but never won at Le Mans.”

Last year Audi won for a 10th time in 12 outings, although Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer and Marcel Fassler were not the men expected to be taking the chequered flag.

They thrived where the other two Audis failed – McNish had been followed out of the race by 2010 champion Mike Rockenfeller whose car speared into the barriers.

Lotterer, Treluyer and Fassler will start on pole position today.

Audi’s main competition in the 80th running of the endurance event will come from Toyota, the Japanese manufacturer returning to Le Mans after a 13-year absence.

They have four experienced drivers at their disposal – Nicolas Lapierre, Alexander Wurz, Anthony Davidson and Stephane Sarrazin.