Audi's final GT3 automobile supply marks the tip of an period, however will F1 push be value it?

As Audi seems forward to its bold System 1 mission in 2026 with Sauber, it’s concurrently forsaking its historical past in different disciplines of motorsport. The German producer has pulled the plug on each single considered one of its racing programmes with the intention to redirect its concentrate on F1, despite the fact that its swathe of followers don’t affiliate the model with single-seater or components racing.

An image exhibiting Audi’s buyer racing boss Chris Reinke handing over the supply of the last-ever R8 LMS GT3 to Austrian businessman and newbie driver Michael Doppelmayr completely encapsulates Audi’s pedigree in motor racing. Whereas the naked carbon fibre R8 LMS is proudly positioned within the centre, the {photograph} additionally reveals numerous Audi’s Le Mans Prototypes and Group B rally vehicles at Audi Custom, the corporate’s cell museum.

One must look very exhausting to identify a Silver Arrow with which the model then often known as Auto Union competed in grand prix racing within the Nineteen Thirties. If there’s any picture that reveals what Audi Sport stands for, it’s this one.

It’s why the choice to regularly curtail the GT3 programme is especially unhappy for each Audi and the broader motorsport world. The R8 is among the most well-known vehicles within the GT3 enviornment and simply one of the vital profitable, with victories in all main endurance occasions together with Bathurst 12 Hour, Nurburgring 24 Hours and Spa 24 Hours. In all, Audi produced 310 examples of the automobile throughout a number of generations, successful 125 drivers’ titles and 197 different championships since 2009.

Audi has promised to offer technical assist and spare elements for the R8 LMS GT3 till 2032, but it surely’s unlikely the automobile can be seen in motion in the beginning of subsequent decade. Audi now not supplies manufacturing unit backing to its buyer assist groups, whereas its pool of manufacturing unit drivers was additionally disbanded on the finish of 2023. The 4 drivers that remained on its roster in 2024 are additionally set to go away as their contracts expire this yr, which means any workforce with an R8 must supply drivers on their very own and pay their salaries.

Then there’s the small matter of the automobile changing into outdated within the face of newer fashions and Evo variations launched by rivals. Slowly all current outfits can be left with no possibility however to maneuver to newer vehicles from different producers. Even Abt Sportsline, a workforce whose relationship with Audi stretches again 25 years, has been compelled to name it quits and swap to Lamborghini for its two-car DTM assault in 2025. The times of the R8 LMS GT3 on the monitor are numbered, at the least in skilled motorsport.

Audi took its seventh win within the Nurburgring 24 Hours this yr, however extra success is tougher to foresee

Photograph by: Gruppe C GmbH

“It’s the finish of an period, but it surely was a private privilege for me to have the ability to play a really distinguished position on this for Audi,” Audi’s Reinke instructed Donaukurier. “I had this privilege as soon as earlier than as general mission supervisor within the LMP mission, and when that ended, you additionally had a sense of vacancy since you had recognized very strongly with it.”

It’s reported {that a} complete of 101 individuals work at Audi’s buyer racing division. It’s unclear what is going to occur to them now that Audi has ceased manufacturing of the R8 LMS GT3, however Reinke hopes they’ll be capable to proceed engaged on motorsport-related tasks away from competitors.

It’s simple to see why Audi was lured by the pull of F1, which is now in a greater form than ever earlier than. Nevertheless it’s the excessive alternative value that makes individuals query whether or not it’s definitely worth the gamble.

Audi’s determination to place all its eggs in a single basket would nonetheless have been comprehensible if its F1 mission was operating easily. But when the final six months are something to go by, issues have been something however

Within the final 5 years, Audi exited Class One-based DTM, pulled out of System E, put an finish to a stillborn LMDh mission, killed off a Dakar Rally workforce after simply three years and ceased the manufacturing of its long-running GT3 automobile. In fact, a few of these choices have been introduced lengthy earlier than it laid out its ambition of coming into F1, but it surely has nonetheless left far too many championships in such a span of time.

Buyer racing – which additionally contains GT4 and TCR racing – was one space the place Audi may have continued with restricted funding, given the income it generates straight by promoting vehicles and spare elements to unbiased groups. In fact, sooner or later Audi would have needed to introduce a successor to the R8 LMS – and discover a base mannequin in its street automobile vary for a similar – but it surely’s a hurdle it may have overcome with comparatively restricted funding. In any case, it didn’t must essentially construct its subsequent GT3 automobile round a thoroughbred racer just like the R8 and will have opted for a sedan as a base mannequin, just like rival producer BMW’s M4 GT3.

Audi’s determination to place all its eggs in a single basket would nonetheless have been comprehensible if its F1 mission was operating on monitor. Nevertheless, if the final six months are something to go by, issues have been something however clean.

Audi went from desirous to personal not more than 75% of Sauber to taking on the complete possession of the corporate, solely to then promote a ‘important minority’ stake to Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund. One ought to laud Audi for turning up the wick, after realising that progress on the chassis aspect of the operation was slower than it had anticipated. Nevertheless it’s equally a worrying signal that it wanted to lift recent funding from an exterior supply with simply over a yr left earlier than its new automobile/engine hits the monitor for the primary time.

Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has bought into the F1 team amid financial worries at Audi parent brand VW

Qatar Funding Authority (QIA) has purchased into the F1 workforce amid monetary worries at Audi father or mother model VW

Photograph by: Audi

Maybe of extra concern is the administration upheaval at Audi. Andreas Seidl and Oliver Hoffmann have been axed in the summertime in favour of former Ferrari F1 workforce principal Mattia Binotto and present Pink Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley. The 2 have a giant job of their palms to regular the ship and ensure Audi is in the very best form for 2026.

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Nevertheless it definitely received’t be a straightforward activity and the workforce’s incapability to draw a star driver – with Carlos Sainz selecting Williams over partnering Nico Hulkenberg – reveals the grid doesn’t consider will probably be capable of hit the bottom operating when the brand new laws kick in in a bit over 12 months.

Audi may most likely take encouragement from the way in which it rotated its Dakar programme to win the celebrated rally raid on its third try in 2024. The Ingolstadt-based marque made a decent debut in 2022 with the RS Q e-tron however went backwards in its second yr of service, as reliability niggles left it with out a shot in opposition to the mighty Toyota Hiliux. That prompted its rally arm to return to the drafting board and repair the automobile’s inherent weaknesses, these efforts permitting it to lastly win the massive prize in January this yr with Carlos Sainz Sr.

Nevertheless, whereas Audi’s hybrid Dakar challenger was nothing wanting a technological marvel, its powertrain was derived from the two.0-litre turbocharged engine it pioneered within the DTM and paired with the electrical motor it developed in System E. Whereas the information it gained within the DTM, System E and Dakar can be immensely beneficial, it has to construct an F1 energy unit from a clear sheet of paper, which might be the most important problem in its sporting historical past. Even the diesel-powered R18 wouldn’t match the complexity of the hybrid engine that may energy its first-ever F1 automobile.

Till a month in the past, Audi was set to be the one new producer workforce to enter F1 in 2026, and therefore was set to be a focus. However with Cadillac’s entry now being accepted, it means the eyeballs can be break up between the 2 giants of the automotive world, slashing its return on funding.

One can hope that Audi, with all its may, would ultimately be capable to develop into a confirmed pressure in F1. Nevertheless, it could be silly to imagine that it could hit the bottom operating immediately. Even when Binotto and Wheatley are given the liberty to run Audi’s grand prix operation as a modern F1 workforce, with out extreme management from the board, it could take a number of years earlier than will probably be capable of repeatedly problem for victories and championships.

Having an current racing programme, like in GT3s, would have helped Audi shift the main target away whereas it minimize its tooth in F1. Sadly, having determined to scrap its involvement elsewhere, Audi would have nowhere to cover when it steps as much as the massive sport in 2026.

Success for Audi in customer racing would be a handy distraction if its F1 programme falls flat, but that luxury won't be available in 2026