Audi withdrawing from the WEC :(

[GaryHetherington]

Everything before had said maybe quitting at end of 2017 but this says end of 2016. Nooooooo!!!

Is this why the tickets were on sale quite a bit earlier than normal? To try to sell as many as possible before a load of people decide it's not worth going if Audi's not there?

[Leithen]

I hope Porsche and Toyota field three cars each for Le Mans next year.

[jonnyb]

bks!!!

[SimoN138]

Leithen said:

I hope Porsche and Toyota field three cars each for Le Mans next year.

i think that might be a tough sell in the VAG boardroom ... i'm guessing the chaps at the porker team HQ will be keeping their heads down!

LMP1 is going to be a bit of a shambles with only two factory teams ... maybe next year will by rebellion's best chance of a podium (overall win?) ... and maybe now the ACO will wake up and sort out the rules so privateer teams are attracted to P1

[greeny12]

SimoN138 said:

... maybe next year will by rebellion's best chance of a podium (overall win?) ...

Except Rebellion have already said they are switching to P2 in 2017. Mind you, this news might change their minds! More likely we'll see the "best of the rest" P2 car sneak on there, unless Porsche/Toyota go three cars.

I'm no Audi fan by a long way, but them quitting so suddenly leaves the field very unbalanced next year, as there's no time for another manufacturer to get a hybrid programme off the ground.

[lestiq]

sadface I was hoping it really was just a lot of posturing and they wouldn't actually do it. A massive loss for the sport. A massive gap has been left, hopefully another manufacturer will fill the void.

[lestiq]

24lemons said:

https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/press-releases...

Well it's official. bks is all I can say.

Do they not realise how face achingly ste formula e is?????

[FredericRobinson]

Can't say I agree that Le Mans will be a shambles with only 2 factory teams, there's been very few years in the last couple of decades when there's been more than 2, only 1 for a long time, it's a bad day for the sport but not the end of the world, Audi weren't competetive at Le Mans this year but it didn't do the race any harm.
It's a logical time for them to go, hopefully the 2018 regs can be written in a way that the costs aren't for new teams.

Edited by FredericRobinson on Wednesday 26th October 19:46

[williamp]

Well, they dont have anything left to prove. They are one of the most successful and dominant entrants, and helped turn the brand around to the most profitable of the VW group. They won in petrol diesel and re-won.

Next challenge pelase!

[gman2207]

The Flying Spur returns, or at least i've got heard reliable whisperings of a return, 2018 from what I hear.

[DS240]

This isn't great for Le mans or WEC, especially when it seems to be on a current high in terms of popularity.

New (competitive) teams or at least 3 cars from porsche and Toyota need to come in.

The 'Audi Era' will be a major chapter in Le mans history which I'm pleased I'll be able to say I was there for nearly all the years they were racing. Of course supported by good fights with Peugeot, Toyota and Porsche.

They were impressive how they went about their racing and deserved the success. It forced other challengers to get serious.

I think one more year would have been fair on the sport and the fans though.

[E36GUY]

DS240 said:

I think one more year would have been fair on the sport and the fans though.

It would have been nice. One last hurrah so to speak but Diesel is going to be finished as a fuel so kinda pointless to keep at it in a race car.

[webby23]

gman2207 said:

The Flying Spur returns, or at least i've got heard reliable whisperings of a return, 2018 from what I hear.

Need to listen a bit harder, Peugeot will return before Bentley do

[coogy]

BMW next, once the new rules are announced for 2018.

[gman2207]

webby23 said:

Need to listen a bit harder, Peugeot will return before Bentley do

Oh it couldn't have been any clearer believe me, straight from the horses mouth. We'll just have to sit and wait!

[DS240]

Not sure I remember any Audi adverts which link their achievements to Le Mans and their road cars (though may have forgotten)

They announce they are leaving and now there is an advert featuring the circuit.

How ironic!

[MikeyLCR]

DS240 said:

Not sure I remember any Audi adverts which link their achievements to Le Mans and their road cars (though may have forgotten)

They announce they are leaving and now there is an advert featuring the circuit.

How ironic!

I was just thinking the same, I thought they were taking the mick a bit, a line of Audis heading for the circuit just as they leave the sport! I'm going next year for the first time as it's been a bucket list thing for me, and I was hoping to see them. I'm sure we'll still have a blast though

[//j17]

MikeyLCR said:

I was just thinking the same, I thought they were taking the mick a bit, a line of Audis heading for the circuit just as they leave the sport! I'm going next year for the first time as it's been a bucket list thing for me, and I was hoping to see them. I'm sure we'll still have a blast though

I still think there's a good chance of seeing Audis racing at Le Mans next year - all be it privately entered by Team Joest. They have a lot of staff currently looking for something to do and Audi have some cars sat there that I'm sure they would love to see racing - provided they can still show a saving on the balance sheet.

[Some Gump]

DS240 said:

Not sure I remember any Audi adverts which link their achievements to Le Mans and their road cars (though may have forgotten)

They announce they are leaving and now there is an advert featuring the circuit.

How ironic!

There's been loads!
I remember one of the cool ones was with the launch of the Ultra brand for road cars. Showed the history of tfsi, Audi diesel, then ultra tech. Pretty sure the ad after than brought in etron as a thing for road cars as well.

[Great Dane]