Some interesting comments from Sam Tickel - "It has been the issue on ALMS's fans lips since the start of the year - when will we see Audi back? And it is an important issue too. If Acura are to remain motivated to stay in the Series and if the Series is to be anything other than a GT2 fest, the participation of Audi, or someone like Audi is necessary. There has been speculation of Porsche returning with a P1 car in 2010 and we all hope that happens. But Audi have this R15 sitting round. When will it return. 'Another Turn', as published on the ALMS website has rumoured that Audi will come back in 2010 - maybe earlier. This backs up statements from Autoweek that the German marque is looking to return. We also have the curious case of the Champion website being kept up to date and current merchandise ranges provide insight that the squad has not been closed down. Something that was originally speculated to occur when Audi ended their ALMS campaign. We also don't think that Audi's withdrawal from competition was due this Global Finiancil Crisis. Developing a car, a Superbowl ad, the Kolles squad in Europe and seemingly oodles of testing suggest that politics with Porsche was the reason for the pull out. One could now suggest that the lack of success in the Kolles effort, a need to advertise, a need for a return on investment for the R15 and perhaps some ALMS begging could be the reason why these 'Audi to return' rumours have cropped up again - before Le Mans. Some have Audi returning as soon as Mid Ohio - the start of the second half of the season. Others have it as a 2010 return plus Petit. It may be longer - it is unclear. But what is clear is that Audi need to honour their fans and honour the challenge they laid to Porsche and Acura - to come and race them in P1" http://feedmesportscars.com/node/5903
