[audisport] UPDATED: Audi will drop Le Mans Program, Join F1

UPDATE:

Audi: Rumors of potential F1 entry just “pure speculation”

It’s the rumor that’s been around for years and simply will not die: Audi joining Formula One.

Said rumor has re-emerged yet again recently thanks to reports that talk of Audi dumping both its DTM program in touring cars and its monstrously successful World Endurance Championship/Le Mans program in sports cars (leaving such to Volkswagen Group sister Porsche) to join the Grand Prix circuit in 2016.

But the 4-Rings has moved quickly to squash such a theory. In a post today on its Audi Sport Facebook page, the manufacturer said its piece – in English and in German, naturally:

Audi also relayed the same message on its Audi Sport Twitter account as well.

Its factory team in sports cars has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans 13 times in the last 15 years and is seeking its third consecutive WEC manufacturers’ crown.




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"Yesterday, a most recent and detailed rumor published by AutoExpress of Audi Sport plans to enter F1 racing in 2016 arrival in F1 lit up the internet. As the story goes, Audi would leave WEC and DTM racing at the end of 2015, opening up budget for a run at F1. The idea, if true, would mean a gargantuan shakeup for Audi teams and Audi motorsport enthusiasts.

Could it be true? Audi Sport responded today via Facebook.

Post by Audi Sport.

When the AutoExpress story broke, we were struck by the level of detail provided. Also, the author of the story has proven a reliable source for far-looking information over the years, so we were justifiably concerned because this being more than just people unrelated to Audi B.S.-ing over coffee in some racing circuit’s press room.

So, how do we explain this? We’ve got two theories.

First, it may be an idea being floated by proponents within Audi or the Volkswagen Group. As with any organization, different groups have different ideas of where things should go. It is possible that there are those within the organization who want to see this happen. If that’s true, then floating it out to the press as rumor might be done in the hopes that positive public reaction will help sway a decision maker at the top. We’ve no doubt Dr. Ullrich would be against such a move, and maybe those who disagree with him are trying to gain support. This could be what happened here.

Second, it could be part of leverage. If Audi or the Volkswagen Group wanted to put pressure on a racing governing body like the DTM or like the FIA or ACO, this might be one way to do that. Audi’s departure from either the DTM or the WEC would be a blow.

Third, this could be far-reaching and entirely true. In other words, it is early stage planning subject to change and way out ahead of any intended timeframe of communication to the public or even acknowledgement to series or acquisition of an F1 team. In other words, just because the social media team at Audi Sport posted a response doesn’t necessarily mean this isn’t at least partly true.

Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich and Tom Kristensen
    

So what do we think?

First up, the retirements of key Audi Sport personalities like Dr. Ullrich and Tom Kristensen are things people like to theorize about. The two are highly interesting individuals and people like to talk. We’ll only believe retirements in the case of either when it’s been officially announced. Everyone retires eventually, but we’re hoping the legacy doesn’t end for a very long time. Audi Sport is a family and Dr. Ullrich has been the architect of that family, not to mention the architect of one seriously long record for motorsport domination.

That said, thoughts of action by executives at the highest level of the Volkswagen Group are not without precedent. Porsche was racing in Le Mans in the late 1990s when their run was abruptly ended. Team Joest, an invaluable partner with plenty of Le Mans experience, transferred to Audi. Then, when Bentley made a run at Le Mans, Audi’s British cousin operated with several key Audi drivers like Kristensen and a team fielded in Le Mans by Joest who operated temporarily in Bentley green racing suits.

Audi TT Cup



Next, we don’t think the Audi TT Cup is an indicator of direct participation in the DTM in our opinion. The TT Cup replaces the Scirocco R Cup and Volkswagen as a brand had no presence in the DTM series beyond that single make series. There is value to a brand having a presence on DTM weekends, particularly if they don’t have one on the track in the headlining race. In our opinion, this new series doesn’t confirm or deny anything beyond its own existence and racing support by Audi for the new TT model.

Last, it needs to be noted just how much of a commitment and incredible cost a competitive LMP1 effort really is. Peugeot, while impressively dominant, was unable to maintain the financial commitment it took to run three cars at Audi’s level at Le Mans. Toyota runs just two cars. That one company (the Volkswagen Group) can run a dominant three car effort (Audi Sport) and then develop a second ground-up effort that is also competitive (Porsche Motorsport) is not just incredibly expensive, it is unprecedented in the modern automotive era.

Home of quattro, Home is Where Your Heart Is

Porsche versus Audi is an interesting rivalry. Porsche marketing took great delight in elbowing Audi Sport with signage just across from the Audi Sport garage a full year ahead of Stuttgart’s arrival in LMP1 racing. That placement carried over again this year, while outwardly friendly back and forth ribbing continued… perhaps best exemplified in Dindo Capello’s CGI donuts in front of Porsche’s museum on YouTube.

Porsche has stated that they will fully redesign their LMP1 for next season. Like Audi in 1999, they’ve learned a lot in their first year and will improve upon it rather than going with the usual three-year cycle we typically see in LMP1 development. This too adds cost.

This all makes for a delicate situation. How much does the Volkswagen Group benefit from their investment in having two teams at Le Mans? How much does it benefit Audi to beat Porsche’s record of 16 wins at Le Mans? How much does this hurt Porsche? Does this matter to people like Ferdinand Piech, a man with a fascinating and complicated background when it comes to Porsche and Audi at Le Mans. Piech is a member of the Porsche family, the man behind projects like the Porsche 917 and the original Audi quattro program. He approved Audi’s move to Le Mans, and reigned while Volkswagen and Porsche managed an incredibly complicated mating dance. Likely a decision of this level will come down to how he feels on this subject, and that remains unclear even to those very high within the Volkswagen Group and likely the sources of these rumors.

Is it decided? We don’t think it is. This means Audi could stay at Le Mans and in the DTM. This also means Audi could go to F1. We’re not ruling anything out. Chronologically far reaching stories like this are interesting because they can tell you what plans are being considered or even in place… but, even in place, those plans are subject to change. Time will tell."
~Achorn

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Audi has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright 13 out of the last 15 times —a staggering accomplishment. As the Audi dynasty piled up wins, critics wondered when the company might rest on its laurels. According to Auto Express, that time may be upon is. Audi may abandon both LMP1 and DTM to take a stab at the highest form of motorsport: Formula 1.

The report says key Audi insiders revealed that the company is developing a 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 and eyes one of the Red Bull teams—Red Bull Racing or Scuderia Toro Rosso—as its toehold in the sport. Buying an established team makes sense, as that would provide invaluable institutional experience and ease the growing pains of a new squad in the process.

The report points out that the German automaker has strong ties to Dietrich Mateschitz, who owns Red Bull, and Volkswagen's ties with the energy drink company are real and substantial. Take WRC, where the two are joined at the hip in that series. A Volkswagen Group engine would be a more natural fit than the Red Bull RB10's current Renault powerplant.

READ MORE: Stefano Domenicali falls on sword for Ferrari F1

The strongest evidence, however, is Audi’s hiring of Stefano Domenicali, who stepped down as Ferrari's F1 director earlier this year. Why else recruit Domenicali—who has no experience relevant to any of Audi's other racing programs—except as a Formula 1 consultant or team manager?

As we reported in May, Porsche’s Wolfgang Hatz revealed that the company first plotted its return to top-level racing back in 2010. There was a discussion about Hatz’s squad joining F1, but Volkswagen execs instead opted to run both Audi and Porsche in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

About half a year later, the FIA released their engine regulations for the new V6 turbo cars. It’s entirely possible that Volkswagen was aware of the upcoming regulations, decided then that Audi would begin transitioning into F1, and thus allowed Porsche to begin an LMP1 project to take up the parent company’s mantle in WEC.

Here's something else to consider: it's possible that Audi has been building and testing a 1.6-liter F1 engine in R18 mules since 2010. Many still suspect that turbocharged LaFerrari was actually a testbed for Maranello’s F1 engine, skirting rules about testing restrictions. Imagine what a camouflaged Audi LMP1 prototype could hide right out in the open. Perhaps the engine for a secret Audi F1 car?"