BREAKING: Audi withdraws from 2009 American Le Mans Series
by Sam Abuelsamid on Dec 5th 2008 at 6:00AM 
Click the R10 above for a high res gallery from the Detroit race
The self proclaimed leader in "green racing", the American Le Mans Series, will be losing one of its premier teams for 2009. After winning nine consecutive LMP1 championships with the R8 and then the R10 TDI, Audi will no longer have a works team in the ALMS in 2009. The only official Audi appearance in North America will be the debut run of the new R15 TDI at Sebring in March. After that, the R15 will go to Le Mans and Audi will be represented by the new A4 in DTM and the R8 LMS in GT3 racing.
Audi hasn't indicated whether it will make the R10s available to Champion Racing or any other team. Champion has been operating the Audi Sport North America program for several years. The current economic conditions have been cited by Audi racing boss Dr. Wolfgang Ulrich as part of the reason for withdrawing from ALMS and also the European Le Mans Series.
Gallery: Detroit Sports Car Challenge 08
Photos Copyright ©2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Audi]
PRESS RELEASE
Audi Adjusts U.S., European Motorsports Activities for 2009
- The focus will be Europe's DTM series, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and customer sport programs?
- No activities in the 2009 American Le Mans Series
Audi said it will not be represented by its factory team, Audi Sport North America, in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in 2009.
Audi entered the American Le Mans Series in the year 2000 and has been instrumental in building up this championship series ever since. The championship has become one of the most fascinating motorsport series with a growing fan base. The ALMS is recognized internationally and is regarded as the world's best sports car championship.?
"The decision to withdraw was a very difficult one for these reasons. Furthermore, with the Champion racing team we had a partner that operates at the highest level. The extraordinary dedication and precision of Team Champion was the key to Audi's victories over the last few years in America. " Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, the head of Audi Motorsport, in relating the difficult decision by Audi AG to call off ALMS participation next year. "We achieved an unprecedented winning series together. Since the 2000 season Audi has won the LMP1 title nine-times in succession in this high-caliber sports car championship. Our brand dominated the circuit last season by taking seven wins in eleven races."
Dr. Ullrich also noted how technology developed for Audi's racing efforts in ALMS and elsewhere is turning into benefits for U.S. consumers. "TDI Technology in racing supported the market launch of Audi TDI Technology in the U.S. perfectly"; he said.
While Audi AG plans to concentrate its factory involvement at European venues throughout the 2009 season in these economically tough times, American fans of Audi motorsports will be treated to a premiere: The all-new Audi R15 TDI sports prototype will make its debut March 21, 2009 during the 12-hour race at Sebring, Fla. This international racing classic, which will be contested by Audi Sport Team Joest, is traditionally regarded as excellent preparation and a final test-race for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France. At the same time, the race at Sebring with its special demands made of man and machine guarantees excellent motorsports competition.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ajmalzx 6:21AM (12/05/2008)
'Bout time... I'm getting bored watching audi winning everything.
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Craig 6:32AM (12/05/2008)
With GM going through the mess it is, you might not see a Corvette win either.
Noidor 9:27AM (12/05/2008)
And don't forget that Honda is exiting F1 effective immediately. Motorsport costs just got out of hand and car companies need all the liquidity they can get right now.
robotrock 9:26AM (12/05/2008)
The last race at Road Atlanta was anything but boring...Peugeot has really stepped up game and has been pushing Audi HARD.
Cypher09 11:31AM (12/05/2008)
The irony is that Audi has been crying for someone to race them in LMP1 for years, and now that Acura steps to the top class up they bow out. Brilliant.
AZZO45b 12:40PM (12/05/2008)
Audi is dropping ALMS & ELMS. They will still be @ LeMans 24 for Acura to challenge in P1.
They are also focusing on race series where they have more competition. The R8 GT3 & the DTM A4's will still have Audi's "factory" support ($$$ , drivers, & engineers)
Carguy 10:52AM (12/11/2008)
Economy my a__! Audi sees the hand writing on the wall with Acura coming into LMP1 next year and is running for the hills. It is pretty easy to win when you are the only game in town. Give Corvette credit for putting a GT2 program in place to go head to head with the Ferraris and Porsches. That are going after competition not running away.
2007RC46SP2 7:33AM (12/05/2008)
just think what's gonna happen to Nascar
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dukeisduke 9:54AM (12/05/2008)
Brian France is living in a dream world, but he's gonna get a slap upside the head from reality.
Mobius_1 11:23AM (12/05/2008)
Someone cares?
Kiiks 11:33AM (12/05/2008)
At this rate, it would just be a Toyota Tintop Tornado. I'm sure as hell not gonna have my damn taxes pay for the Detroit 3 to run their bars of soap in circles around the washbasin.
Hey, what if they cut oval races and we get to see practice and qualifying for ALMS races instead of the Truck Series? As my friend put it: "That would be the best Christmas present ever! NO MORE NASCAR!"
As long as I can still pay the power bill, I can still play GT5 Prologue. I guess that counts for something.
AZZO45b 12:46PM (12/05/2008)
It has already hit NASCAR as well. Latest news is that Petty Enterprises is DONE. The #43 is being sold to the former Evernham team (Ray left too).
Sad times. I'm a race fan... I watch it all. I'm old enough to have gone to race where Richard Petty WON! Watched him win his 7th Daytona 500 from an empty pit stall. Now his team seems gone... sad indeed!
:( :(
Randy 4:10AM (12/06/2008)
It will be Nocar
Isn't going to happen though... The sponsors keep it going, not the manufacturers (mostly)! And the manufacturers aren't going anywhere unless we have complete morons in our govern.... um oh wait, I retract... Lets hope the Big-O can fix this mess... I H-Ope ;)
Tad 7:35AM (12/05/2008)
@ Craig - I'd be extremely surprised to see Corvette Racing pull out of ALMS, especially will all the buzz surrounding GT2 right now.
With that said I'm still pretty upset to see Audi go. ALMS wont be the same without the whirrrrr sound of an R10 blowing by.
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JD 11:21AM (12/05/2008)
Yes, I'm gonna miss the R10. It was always very strange to see the R10, which, quite frankly, sounds like a quiet space ship, cruise right by the GT1 Corvettes, which are without a doubt the loudest cars on the track. I loved the contrast there.
I'm also sad that we won't get our Audi v. Acura clash, that was gonna be really fun. Now Acura will just Audi the LMP1 class for the next god-knows-how-long. Oh well, at least GT2 is gonna be awesome, right?
AZZO45b 12:54PM (12/05/2008)
Tad: A series & its competition "buzz" is great... but it doesn't pay the bills.
Flashback to the end of 2007. Dodge Motorsports had promised to assist a team entering GT2 with a Viper Competition Coupe. Cerberus-Chrysler had to back out... they could only afford NASCAR.
The team still ran that Viper... but NO SUPPORT came from Chrysler. There was just no way to justify it. Corvette will have to spend $$$. Ferrari, Porsche & even Panoz are a few seasons of development ahead on their GT2 entries.
noodlz 2:17PM (12/05/2008)
@JD: Correction, the loudest car on the track is most definitely the Panoz.
With that said, I'm devestated by the loss. I was really looking forward to seeing the R15 in person in Salt Lake City this year. Now it looks like I won't get the chance. It's been a sad day in motorsport, and I'm afraid we haven't seen the last of it.
Tad 3:40PM (12/05/2008)
JD & Noodlz - Decible wise the Ferraris are actually the loudest on the track. I know this because I have 2 good friends on the pit crew.
Azzo - Your right and your wrong. Dodge has not even come close to the sucess that the Corvettes have had in the ALMS, probably why Dodge decided it was not worth backing the team. Sucess brings in people (fans), people form publicity, publicty sells products...simple as that. It may not get GM out of debt but it is one of the few things they still have going for them. Yes Porshe a Ferrari do have a leg up, but the first season for a race car is always about testing and making things better. I think alot of the GT1 experience will carry over...not much has really changed on the corvette race cars for GT2 besides the motor, wing and some slight suspension tuning.
AZZO45b 4:15PM (12/05/2008)
Tad: GT1 Dodge Vipers smoked Corvettes for about two years before the development of the GTS-R dictated a new Viper & GM outspent Dodge.
My point was Chrysler was going to back that GT2 program in some fashion & backed out due to lack of finances. Chrysler had scaled back in SWC too. 2008 were lean times for teams running Vipers.
Motorsports is always the victim of hard times & belt tightening at auto companies...
Mike 7:56AM (12/05/2008)
Wow that saddens me. I had planned to attend the races at Lime Rock this summer since it's the closest venue to me to see the R10s. Hopefully I'll get to see the R15 next year.
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