Following Honda’s announcement that it will be exiting the world of F1 motorsports, Audi has announced that it will be pulling out for the American Le Mans Series in 2009. Audi entered the ALMS in 2000 and has been a dominant figure in the series through its Audi Sport North America team ever since.
Audi says the decision to leave the ALMS is a direct result of the slumping global economy. Despite Audi’s absence from the ALMS in 2009, the German automaker will still fully participate in European events.
Since 2000, Audi has won the LMP1 title nine times – consecutively. Audi’s ALMS team also took the checkered flag home last season in seven out of eleven races.
However, Audi will not be completely off the 2009 U.S. schedule. Audi plans to run its all-new R15 TDI sports prototype at the 12-hour race at Sebring next March in preparation for the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans.
12/05, 12:17 PM
posted by:
Lariat Luxury Locomotive Liner No.3
Dammit, it’s becoming a pandemic racing withdrawal! Not good, not good at all, and for all.
12/05, 12:26 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
So… when is Chevy going to exit NASCAR? Watch carburated cars go in circles go in circles… that sport is such a waste. At least ALMS was good racing.
12/05, 12:33 PM
posted by:
Astonman12
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
12/05, 12:37 PM
posted by:
zeeck
well that sucks… at least they are continuing in europe…
NAASCAR does need to die though… such a disgrace to motorsport,
why did anybody think it was a good idea to get 50 cars on one track and go around in circles for hours?
and why does toyota have a “camry” in there? dumb…
12/05, 12:43 PM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
You know if it was not for AUDI racing in ALMS and kicking @$$, the sires will not have been as entertaining, not to say it was not good before, but they did steer-up thing that made every one els race harder also, I hope they do come back, the more the merrier…
12/05, 1:08 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
My wish is that Audi continues its exit strategy until it exits itself off this planet.
12/05, 1:32 PM
posted by:
Lawnchair88
The GT2 class competition will keep the sport afloat. But if companies start pulling out of GT2, then ALMS might be toast.
12/05, 1:43 PM
posted by:
DaSpyda
Maybe someone else will have a chance to win now…
12/05, 1:44 PM
posted by:
A4
honda was fine but this is awful
12/05, 3:31 PM
posted by:
Z06ified
I wonder if GM will kill the Corvette C6.R racing program. It’s been very successful, but it costs a lot of money, and it’s always hard to quantify how much racing helps sales.
12/05, 4:21 PM
posted by:
RotaxKart
I am going to miss watching the Audi’s at LBGP!!!!!! Damnit!
12/05, 4:50 PM
posted by:
F3INT))AP3X
I saw the R10’s race at Laguna and that is something I definitely will not forget; the 2 Audi drivers started in like 6 or 7th place from pole and proceeded to take 1st AND 2nd place by outcornering a total of 5 drivers on the inside of the first hairpin at the end of the home straight. Excitement like that is hard to find these days when money mostly dictates the winners (with the exception of Honda haha that really sucks).
12/05, 9:16 PM
posted by:
idrinorbarsaku
this sucks! they are my favorite! diesels for the win!!!!!!!
12/06, 12:06 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
NASCAR was cool. The operative word here- was. I finally took the plunge and signed up for digital TV this week. On channel 32415 they were replaying the first Brickyard 400, you know the one where Ernie Irvan blew a tire with like 3 or 4 laps to go and Jeff Gordon ended up winning just the second race in his career. After I finished crying again- I was a huge Ernie fan- I realized just how pure that race was compared to homogenized full frontal lobotomy NASCAR has become today. I still watch NASCAR but it’s background noise until the last 20 laps. Back then I used to pay attention for the whole race.
04/22, 10:21 PM
posted by:
manx
The opening 2009 ALMS season at Sebring (21 March 2009) brought some of the best racing we have seen for some time. If Audi chooses to withdraw we lose. What a shame. ALMS is so much more interesting than other, boring, hyper-commercialized, merry-go-round venues.
The Audi-Peugeot diesel rivalry injects superlative racing. Sebring was good road racing. The GT2 final lap between Ferrari and Porsche was excellent as well. I think all that will carry to Le Mans this year.
Hopefully ALMS continues.