Audi to leave sportscar racing?

[Pilgrim]

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motorsport/audi-set-lmp1-and-le-mans-withdrawal-updated

Looks like the mighty four rings might not be at La Sarthe much longer.

[Lorry]

Interesting.  I was wondering how long it would be after "Dieselgate" that Volkswagen's €400 million budget would be slashed in half.  It seems they want to concentrate of the development of electric cars 

[Pilgrim]

Interesting.  I was wondering how long it would be after "Dieselgate" that Volkswagen's €400 million budget would be slashed in half.  It seems they want to concentrate of the development of electric cars 

And, as Audi have done pretty much everything there is to do in today's sportscar scene, perhaps the big cheeses in the VW group have decided it's Porsche's turn to add to their legacy.

[Landy_Jon]

Interesting.  I was wondering how long it would be after "Dieselgate" that Volkswagen's €400 million budget would be slashed in half.  It seems they want to concentrate of the development of electric cars 

Yep - I'll second that.

There is always toyota...

[Pilgrim]

There is always toyota...

Until the start of the final lap, anyway.

[Landy_Jon]

 

[Lorry]

  Ullrich says the decision hasn't been made, and they're designing a 2018 car already.

Its seems that small diesels will never pass the 2020 emissions limits, so I wonder if the 2018 car is petrol 

Perhaps the confusion has arisen as the diesel car will end next year    I live in hope

[mgmark]

I think there's a number of factors at play. Dieselgate, the cost of running 2 teams and only one can win, so one or the other is always losing. No prizes for second place etc.

Another angle is that Audi has been putting a lot of work into developing synthetic fuels over the last few years.

Maybe that is where they're headed next, as it has grown from an idea to a proven concept.  Garage 55 entry perhaps, as in 2003 & 2004 with Team Nasamax running a pure bio-ethanol fuel, but this time with pure synthetic fuel?

MG Mark

[jimclark]

Interesting thought....

[mgmark]

Interesting thought....

Indeed, whether they will keep using motorsport to develop/display the tech will be interesting to see - the timing of the announcement would allow a final diesel hurrah next year, while something new is developed to roll out before the advent of the somewhat draconian emissions targets that manufacturers are chasing for 2020 - currently through EVs/hybrids. From what I'm reading, Audis e-fuels are basically carbon (and natural resource) neutral - combining that with e-tron drive could be pretty impressive.

MG Mark

[Pilgrim]

Confirmed today:

https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/press-releases/audi-with-new-motorsport-strategy-formula-e-instead-of-wec-6980

[Werner]

So that will leave us with 2 Porsches, 2 or 3 Toyotas and 1 ByKolles in the top-category 

[Kristof]

http://clubarnage.blogspot.be/2016/10/audi-cancels-lmp1-programme-by-end-of.html

[landman]

It's going to be a very different experience next year with not only no R18's competing but think of all the Audi branding and corporate facilities will disappear.

I bet the ACO are deeply worried about attendance figures given that all the Audi fan boi's will potentially stay away.

Interesting times...

[Lorry]

This announcement/confirmation seems to coincide with VW's US compensation claims being fixed at $15billion.  Presumably about half of that is Audi, as I think they were pushing diesel more than VW.  Then there's the rest of the world (that prefer diesel), so that's a hell of a big bill.  It even makes Audi's racing budget look like small change.