However, although the R8 made its debut at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2000, the car was returned to Europe by Audi to conduct more testing for that year's Le Mans. This left the older R8R to return to the American Le Mans Series to compete in the next two rounds of the season, the Grand Prix of Charlotte and Silverstone 500. At Charlotte, R8R managed to 6th place behind the duo of BMWs and the improved Panoz, although the second R8R suffered mechanical woes and finished well down the order. For Silverstone, the two R8Rs would perform better, again taking a podium finish. Beaten once again by BMW and Panoz, the R8Rs would take 3rd and 4th places. Following Silverstone, the R8Rs were retired permanently as the new R8s would race for the rest of the American Le Mans Series season.