'Extremely disappointed' McNish passed fit.

Allan McNish missed out on winning his second Le Mans 24 Hours when the Scotsman endured a miserable weekend in this year's race.

McNish started the twice round-the-clock marathon from second place on the 48-car grid alongside the pole sitting "sister" Audi Sport UK Team Veloqx R8 of Jamie Davies, Johnny Herbert and Guy Smith, which ultimately finished the gruelling, annual race in second position.

The two Veloqx Audis dominated the opening stages but shortly before two hours, with Davies 25secs ahead, McNish skated off on oil at the high-speed Porsche Curves along with the closely following Audi of JJ Lehto.

Miraculously, the Scotsman was only dazed in the high-speed accident and somehow nursed his severely damaged Audi back to the pits before being taken to the circuit's Medical Centre for a precautionary check-up. He was passed fit but was advised not to take further part in the race unlike his Audi, which ultimately resumed in 46th position after two pit stops, accounting for 75mins.

Allan, who was competing at Le Mans for a fifth time having won the 1998 Le Mans event, commented: "I slid off on oil at the Porsche Curves at high speed resulting in big damage to the car. It was a heavy impact, which dazed me, and having returned to the pits, I was advised not to continue by medical staff. I'm extremely disappointed, my Audi was very competitive."

McNish shared his 200mph Audi with Frank Biela and Pierre Kaffer, the German duo soldiering on to finish fifth watched on the sidelines by McNish. Three months ago McNish won the Sebring 12 Hours and then finished second, with Kaffer, in the opening round of the Le Mans Endurance Series at Monza (Italy) last month, a four-race championship, which continues at the Nurburgring in Germany on the 3rd of July