New Direction

Audi is about to throw its immense experience and technical know how into a new motorsport era with the announcement that the brand will back a fully factory-back commitment in the Formula E racing.

The move had been rumoured for some time, but Chairman of the Board of Management Rupert Stadler put it beyond any doubt when he made the official announcement to the employees of the motorsport department at Audi.

The move marks an exciting shift that makes sense on so many levels given Audi’s already leading role in electric mobility and the flow on effect to production vehicles from the brand’s involvement in motorsport. Nevertheless it is a bitter sweet decision as it means that Audi Sport will no longer contest the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) including the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans, which has been a tremendously successful area of motorsport for Audi for the past 18 years. 

“We’re going to contest the race for the future on electric power,” Mr Stadler has announced. “As our production cars are becoming increasingly electric, our motorsport cars, as Audi’s technological spearheads, have to even more so.” Audi already has a successful presence in the Formula E series, with numerous wins last season and currently supporting Team ABT Schaeffler in the 2016/17 season, but now that commitment will see the brand put its full factory support behind a Formula E team. The announcement means that Audi’s all-conquering time in WEC racing will come to an end at the conclusion of this season, winding up the most successful motorsport period in the company’s rich history.

In the past 18 years, Audi not only achieved 13 victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it literally changed the way people viewed motorsport with milestone after milestone. Audi was the first to win with a TFSI engine (2001), the first with a TDI engine (2006), and the first to win with a hybrid powertrain (2012). In 185 races contested to date, Audi’s Le Mans prototypes have achieved 106 victories, 80 pole positions and 94 fastest race laps. On two occasions, Audi won the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with the Audi R18 e-tron quattro race car. In addition, from 2000 to 2008, Audi, nine times in succession, secured the title in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).

Not only has Audi’s technical mastery been felt on the track but also in the company’s road vehicles which have benefited enormously from the racing development work.

“After 18 years in prototype racing that were exceptionally successful for Audi, it’s obviously extremely hard to leave,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “Audi Sport Team Joest shaped the WEC during this period like no other team. I would like to express my thanks to our squad, to Reinhold Joest and his team, to the drivers, partners and sponsors for this extremely successful cooperation. It’s been a great time!”

While the move will be a major change to many in Audi Sport, the brand’s commitment in DTM – where Audi is current Teams and Manufacturers Champion – will remain unchanged. There is also no decision as to what effect if any the move will make on Audi’s commitment to the FIA World Rallycross Championship (World RX), where again Audi is on top after Mattias Ekström in his Audi S1 EKS RX quattro clinched the World Championship title last week. Audi is looking at possibly extending its support of Mattias Ekström’s privateer team, and even if electrification might have a role in rallycross n the future.

As far as the move to Formal E is concerned, the news may be particularly good for Australian motorsport fans, with plans underway to bring a round of the series Down Under. Formula E boss Alejandro Agag is visiting Australia this month to look at the possible Australian round and look at proposals.

Agag has been quoted as saying that hosting a round of the ell electric series in Australia is a ‘big priority’ and there is no shortage of Australian cities looking to land the race if it comes to fruition. Sydney, Adelaide and the Gold Coast have all produced bids, but at time of writing no firm decision had been make. There is however a high likelihood that Australia will be included in the international series for the 2017/18 season.