Audi is realigning its motorsport strategy. The premium brand will terminate its FIA WEC commitment, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, at the end of the 2016 season. Instead Audi is taking up a factory-backed commitment in the all-electric Formula E racing series.
Chairman of the Board of Management Rupert Stadler put this strategic decision in the context of the current burdens on the brand. He pointed out that it was important to focus on the things that would keep Audi competitive in the years ahead. That is why the Board of Management had decided to terminate Audi’s commitment in endurance racing. Audi will be using the know-how and skills of the motorsport experts partially in motorsport and partially in production development.
The first all-electric racing series perfectly matches the strategy of offering fully battery-electric models starting in 2018. Audi currently is in the greatest transformation stage in the company’s history. The commitment in Formula E will commence in 2017. It is regarded as racing series with great potential for the future. That is why Audi has intensified the existing partnership with Team ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport in the current 2016/2017 season. The manufacturer is now actively joining the technical development.
The commitment in the DTM will remain untouched. In mid-October, the premium brand won the manufacturers’ and teams’ classifications.
Audi’s departure from WEC marks the end of a successful era
No final decision has yet been made concerning a future involvement in the FIA World Rallycross Championship (World RX). In the current season, Mattias Ekstrom in his Audi S1 EKS RX quattro clinched the World Championship title early. Up to now, Audi’s involvement has been limited to supporting the private EKS team. The brand is currently evaluating a possible extension of the commitment, the exciting topic of electrification being on the agenda in rallycross racing as well.
The departure from the WEC marks the end of a successful era. For 18 years the brand was active in Le Mans prototype racing. During this period, it scored 13 victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and set numerous technical milestones. At Le Mans, Audi clinched the first victory of a TFSI engine (2001), the first success of a race car with a TDI engine (2006), plus the first triumph of a sports car with a hybrid powertrain (2012). In the brand’s 185 races contested to date, Audi’s Le Mans prototypes have achieved 106 victories, 80 pole positions and 94 fastest race laps. On two occasions, Audi won the championship with the Audi R18 e-tron quattro race car.
“After 18 years in prototype racing that were exceptionally successful for Audi, it’s obviously extremely hard to leave,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “Audi Sport Team Joest shaped the WEC during this period like no other team. I would like to express my thanks to our squad, to Reinhold Joest and his team, to the drivers, partners and sponsors for this extremely successful cooperation. It’s been a great time!” Due to the LMP commitment, Audi has been demonstrating Vorsprung durch Technik and learning a lot for use in production.
