# Audi Withdraws from 2009 American Le Mans Series: Sebring Only American Race Next Year



## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

Ingolstadt, December 5, 2008 – Audi announced it will concentrate its motorsports efforts for 2009 on the new R15 TDI sport prototype for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, the re-worked race touring car A4 for the DTM circuit and the newly developed R8 LMS for customer use in the GT3 class. Audi also said it will not be represented by its factory team, Audi Sport North America, in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in 2009.
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## chernaudi (Oct 6, 2006)

*Re: Audi Withdraws from 2009 American Le Mans Series: Sebring ... ([email protected])*

This can't be good for IMSA or the ACO, or even Acura, who seem to have developed their LMP1 car to challenge Audi in the ALMS and eventually Le Mans. And it also can't help the LMS-Peugeot has said that if Audi didn't run LMS in '09, they probably wouldn't be there, either. So expect a Sebring and Le Mans only program for Peugeot, aside from maybe running the 908HY in some LMS races.
But what will IMSA do-there were already rumors of the ALMS not adopting the ACO's wing demension rules(at least initally) for '09, but with no Audi to fight against Acura, what will happen-will IMSA again go against the "best wishes" of the ACO and make the LMP2 cars be able to compete for overall wins like in the last couple of years, or just let Acura bully everyone, if they decide to run full ALMS schedule. Maybe Acura will adopt the big races only schedule like Audi and likely Peugeot have. Honda's decision to opt out of F1 may help Acura, but how much?
But what really sucks is that Audi wasn't badly effected by the economy, suffering only -4 or 5% compared to last year(which was a record breaker for them for annual sales), while Acura, owned by Honda of America, has had sales increases, but HoA overall has hemmoraged 25% in sales! And Peugeot has had sales downturns that again were bigger than Audi/VAG's.
But I guess that the R8 GT3 killed the ALMS/LMS program-don't get me wrong, it's an excellent car, but Audi needs more of a North American presence, and it centered around their ALMS involvent for 10 years. So could we see more product placement and more agressive advertizing, at least other than in ALMS races? 
Other than Sebring and Le Mans, and possibly Petit Le Mans if it gets approved before September, Audi may have little to no other presence in the ALMS-even a Champion Racing customer program is unlikely, as the R10 takes a lot more people behind the scenes to run than the R8 ever did. And that complexity is why the R10 was never really offered to customer teams-which makes one believe that Peugeot's pledge to support customer teams with the 908 seem like blowing smoke and pure BS.
At least Audi not running a full ALMS schedule will give me more time to save up for Mid Ohio in '10, if Audi returns to the ALMS.


_Modified by chernaudi at 8:44 AM 12-5-2008_


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

*Re: Audi Withdraws from 2009 American Le Mans Series: Sebring ... (chernaudi)*

My read is that this is flexible companies prepping for a downturn. Motorsport will be effected on all levels. Honda also announced this morning that it's out of F1. This will not be the last we hear these announcements between now and the start of the racing season.
I do hope though that Stuttgart didn't push this for the wrong reasons.


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## 16v (Aug 4, 1999)

*FV-QR*

What what what?????? Jesus, I was on the road all day and come home to find this??


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## 2035cc16v (May 18, 2000)

*Re: FV-QR (16v)*


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## Ryan Sickles (Mar 10, 2005)

Here's to another reason why the 12 hours of Sebring will be a memorable race.


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## Sprockets (Feb 17, 1999)

*Re: Audi Withdraws from 2009 American Le Mans Series: Sebring ... ([email protected])*


_Quote, originally posted by *[email protected]* »_My read is that this is flexible companies prepping for a downturn. Motorsport will be effected on all levels. Honda also announced this morning that it's out of F1. This will not be the last we hear these announcements between now and the start of the racing season.
I do hope though that Stuttgart didn't push this for the wrong reasons.










Good thing VW will pick up Honda's slack!


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

*Re: Audi Withdraws from 2009 American Le Mans Series: Sebring ... (Sprockets)*

I haven't heard that one.


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