Audi to pull out of ALMS?

Marketing ?? Why the hell do you think Audi has been racing in ALMS and LeMans for the past seven years. If marketing didn't exist, not to mention lack of any factory competition, why the hell would Audi race ???

They sure as hell didn't race in the 90's when Mercedes, Jaguar, Porsche, Nissan, Toyoto, Mazda, Peugot, BMW, and other factory teams acutally showed and spent money to race.

They can still milk this cow a few more years before Porsche comes back to LMP1 with a full factory effort.

Maybe we'll see the R10 re-badged as a VW or Seat (ala Bentley Speed 8).

Heck, how bout a new Q7 SUV with the R10's diesel engine. Now that would really be putting it over the competition ........ eh......ups.....I forgot they have no competition now that Pescarollo is in bankruptcy.

Audi crying about weight adjustment is a joke !

 

Pescarolo is building his new prototype. Someone (or something, ACO, maybe?) baled him out...

 

I think Audi belongs to Sportscar racing, either ALMS or touring with their RS4s. If they are pulling out of ALMS, I will like to see them enter F1 using the Lamborghini mark.

 

They will see the ALMS decision to favour their competitors like a slap in the face. For several years AUDI has been supporting the series with works or private entries. The R10 is quite important to them in ALMS, since they want to promote diesel car sales in US - not very popular, I am told.
They are not interested in winning, they want to DOMINATE.
As part of their marketing drive, it was a long term strategy for AUDI to win the ALMS and Le Mans, and be the FIRST to do it with a diesel engine.
They have benefited from special favours from the ACO ( and the ALMS, which I understand copies their rules), but now the rug is pulled from under their feet and they don't like it.

 

Where did you get that info?

 

A very interesting point when I was talking with my mechanic (a former race mechanic). Apparently Audi is famous for messing with their fuel composition. Regular race fuel is tightly regulated, diesel apparently is not. A potential reason for diesel use not just about promoting diesel sales?

That being said, I'm a big Audi fan and would hate to see them go.

 

I just looked and I can't find it, but it was in an article published in the last week or two.

After reading on July 20th in Autosport.com that he didn't sell one of his chassis at auction and therefore was not sure he could continue, I was surprised to read just a couple days ago a quote attributed to him stating that he had secured backing and would have the new chassis done in November and testing before the end of the year...

I'll keep looking.

 

that would be awesome!

 

Here's the blurb about Henri:


New Pescarolo to run by Christmas

Pescarolo Sport aims to have their new prototype race car up and running before Christmas, as reported in this week's Autosport.

The Le Mans-based squad has given the green light on plans to produce the first true Pescarolo chassis, despite a shortfall in finance.

A new monocoque is being designed by Henri Pescarolo's team, around which the bodywork and mechanicals of their existing Courage-based car will be built up.

"I'm taking a big risk starting the new car, but I have no choice if I want to be ready for next year," said Pescarolo.

"If everything goes according to plan, the first monocoque will be ready at the end of November and we could run before Christmas."

* * * *
Carol


YES the R10 does have glowing brake rotors in the dark! and NO they are not dull sounding - you can tell them in the night without having to see them.

Like diesels or not - the R10 wasn't the first to race at LeMans and it wasn't the first major diesel enduro victory either. BMW's win at the Nurburgring 24 Hours with it's 320d was eight years ago. LeMans '07 -> Puegeot diesel. Bio-fuels being considered for F1 and WRC; being used in BTCC in a Vauxhall Astra. Great article on green cars in Autosport - (can't quite come to grips to receive Autosport and F1 first class, so I'm usually 1-2 weeks behind on the printed version.)

 

I guess it was Autosport... Thanks, Carol.

 

You're welcome - I remember reading it that morning when I checked the website.

Audi isn't alone with restrictions - the C6's and Aston's have had their's too. (wonder who's next ? ? Ferrari, Porsche?)

I was commenting to John after watching NHRA Saturday, the IRL and Champ Car races on side-by-side tv's (1 more tv in line and we could have finished watching Nascar at Watkins Glen), Star Mazada (Matt Varsha won that one) - how all these series seem to parallel each other. Very close championships, car limitations/restrictions, tire problems and more. Weird.

Carol

Wonder who Pacific11 is? no info on profile and apparently is on the ALMS forum too. ? ?

 

LoL you're god***n right it's a marketing move! That's the whole point of racing, "Win on Sunday, sell on Monday". Seriously, what other reason is there for proving the worthiness of diesel? It's long overdue for Audi to start importing diesels here. If I could get an A8 with 35+ mpg and at least a smidgen of the R10s performance, I'd never again consider buying any other car for daily duties.

 

I believe that the Saleen is heavily restricted too. On paper, that car should go faster than Ferrari 575, Aston Martin DB9 or even Corvette C5. I think that the only car that could match it would be the Maserati in GT1.

Last year at Le Mans, if I remember right, the 2 Saleen entries from a British team were withdrawn when the team realised during practice that the car was highly unstable at speed with the restricted rear wing imposed.
The ACEMO entry at LM06 didn't figure very well, running with reduced rear wing too. The drivers said on French radio that they had to adopt a slow pace, for safety.

In the FIA GT championship, a Saleen won the first race this year; soon after the FIA reduced the size of the wing again. Private team can't argue with the rule makers like factory teams.

 

William - I would venture to guess that there's not just an over abundance of folks in the US that know of Henri. I totally agree with you comment about being the utter cool guy! He's got the lead in LMS right now - are you going to Donnington in two weeks time? You know what would be the ideal? Autosport hasn't announced their historical display yet - this year was 100 years of GP racing - 2007 marks the 75th running of LeMans - wouldn't it be simply wonderful if they capitalized on LeMans?? I sent them an email after we got home from the show in January suggesting just that - guess we'll know in due time. Are you going in January?

Carol

 

And also consider the fact that the quick-change rear end has just been banned. Obviously Audi isn't happy about that.

 

Every time a team abides by the rules, yet becomes dominant, the rules are changed. Nothing new here!

 

Please don't say that.

 

Why not? Audi-owned Lambo would fare far better than Chrysler-owned Lambo ever did.

 

Audi will always be welcomed back by the WRC. They should have stayed there in first place instead of roundy-round road racing.

The new Q7 TV ad features old GrB rallycars, not any ALMS video.

 

I noticed that to. I would definitly like to see Audi back into rallying.

 

AUDI was dominant in rallying at one time when the FIA relaxed the regulations and allowed 4WD cars.
AUDI introduced the Quatro which benefited from a huge advantage.
When the other car manufacturers caught up and adopted 4WD too, AUDI withdrew.