Audi is quitting Le Mans to focus on Formula E

2016 Audi R18 diesel-electric hybrid racer for the World Endurance Championship
Credit: BlogQpot

Audi has won the Le Mans 24 Hours race 13 times in the past 18 years – including diesel-powered wins 2006-2011 & diesel-electric hybrids 2012-2014.

Almost as spectacularly, last year, an Audi broke the 44-year-old lap record at Le Mans.¹ How does a lap record stand for 44 years in motor racing? In this instance, because the track was lengthened, the number of corners more than doubled, & chicanes were added to the longest straight – where speeds had previously reached 405 kph (just over 250 mph).²

With all of those successes, Audi has nothing left to prove in that arena, & their involvement with the Le Mans 24 Hour race & the World Endurance Championship, of which it is a part, will end with the current season.

Audi has long been part of the ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport Formula E team. Their involvement will be expanded, ultimately leading to a full Audi factory Formula E team.


ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport team Formula E racer

Or, as Audi Chairman of the Board of Management Rupert Stadler put it, “We’re going to contest the race for the future on electric power.”

Formula E is a good fit with Audi’s plans to offer fully battery-electric road cars starting in 2018.

The Verge – “Audi just quit Le Mans to focus on Formula E”
http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/26/13416368/audi-quit-wec-le-mans-formula-e-dieselgate

Wheels: Audi ditches WEC for Formula E
https://www.wheelsmag.com.au/news/motorsport/1610/audi-ditches-wec-for-formula-e

Audi
https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/press-releases/audi-with-new-motorsport-strategy-formula-e-instead-of-wec-6980

FIA Formula E
http://www.fiaformulae.com/en/news/2016/october/audi-commits-to-works-formula-e-programme/
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¹ WTF1: “Audi Just Broke The 44 Year Old Le Mans Lap Record”,
http://wtf1.co.uk/audi-just-broke-the-44-year-old-le-mans-lap-record/

² Snap|Lap: “Top 5 fastest Le Mans cars”, http://www.snaplap.net/memories-top-5-fastest-le-mans-cars/ / Audi 18-year involvement 24 Hours of Le Mans withdrawing end of the current season World Endurance Championship WEC Le Mans Prototype LMP prototype endurance racing factory participation support motor sport Audi World Endurance Championship WEC race Le Mans enduro prototype LMP1 category Ingolstadt car maker wildly successful LMP1 programme 13 Le Mans victories WEC drivers manufacturers titles strategic realignment Audi's motor sporting focus VW Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal Audi all-electric Formula E Championship Abt-Schaeffler squad change of emphasis Audi chairman Rupert Stadler production cars electric motorsport cars Audi's technological spearhead contest the race for the future on electric power electric-power competition Audi sports car racing innovative technology WEC Le Mans Audi Formula E technology-driven series Jaguar Formula E promoting Audi's all-electric production vehicles leading premium car manufacturers Dr Stefan Knirsch board member technical development responsibilities motor sport electric vehicle EV Dr Knirsch latest developments Audi Formula One Audi prototype sports car racing reduce its motor sport budget Audi acknowledgement considerable financial impact last year's global dieselgate Audi Sport Audi Motor Sport post-dieselgate decline sales turbodiesels technology Audi WEC Audi Sport development of production vehicles Audi decision Volkswagen Group brand Porsche WEC LMP1 Audi Sport customer racing R8 LMS GT3 TT Cup successful, profitable business Audi Sport product RS 3 LMS touring car primary focus Formula E more technical resources budget Abt Schaeffer team's Formula E programme full-on factory attack boss Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich Audi hasmotor sport test and develop new technologies subsequent use in production Audi quattro drive revolutionise rallying set standards circuit racing Formula E control chassis battery pack manufacturers limited development 24 Hours of Le Mans Audi first manufacturer victories TFSI engine TDI hybrid race car fully electric racing LMP1 category WEC Porsche Toyota Porsche versus Toyota fight /