Audi Reconsiders Pulling Out Of ALMS Racing

Audi has reversed it’s decision of earlier this year and will participate in two more U.S. races for the 2009 American LeMans Series. 

Originally, Audi had planned to race their radical new R15 LMP1 prototypes at the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring on March 21 and the 24 Hours of LeMans.  As it turns out, Audi's appearance in the Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring on March 21 will not be the only time the German manufacturer races on American soil this year, as originally expected.

According to the Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG, Rupert Stadler, the two new R15s will crank up their turbo-diesel engines in the ALMS Petit Le Mans event at Road Atlanta on Sept. 26, and the 2009 season finale at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Oct. 10.

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IamEvilHomer - 3/6/2009 9:33:06 PM

+2 Boost

is this amazingidiot with a diffrent screenname?

AlexTx - 3/6/2009 1:38:46 PM

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Idiot..

caixa2 - 3/6/2009 3:24:01 PM

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It would be more logical for Lexus to join the ALMS or even the 24 hrs of Le Mans instead, since those have more exposure.

jeffy210 - 3/6/2009 2:18:42 PM

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I almost lean towards "Go for it". They pretty much have shown they've conquered ALMS, and now they're just getting nothing but restriction after restriction put on them "to keep things fair". It is good to put your engineering talent to work coming up with new things, but not when it's just to have to cope with arbitrary rules to put you down.

chewy - 3/6/2009 7:27:37 PM

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Petit and Laguna just became interesting again, making a good ending for ALMS season. Sebring is a great way to start the season, the middle portion will not be as good though.

ThierryHenry14 - 3/6/2009 8:52:37 PM

+2 Boost

I thought that the R15 was originally scheduled for the 12h Sebring, 24h Le Mans, AND the Petit Le Mans. But I know that they had no plans to race anywhere else. So that would only make it one new additional race for the R15 (at Laguna Seca).

chewy - 3/7/2009 8:29:08 AM

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No, Sebring was the only ALMS race the R15 was scheduled to run, until this news came out.

ThierryHenry14 - 3/7/2009 9:55:02 AM

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Ok. Its my mistake then... Thanks

AlexTx - 3/9/2009 11:13:35 AM

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Le Mans will be incredible this year!
55 cars in the line up and there has not been so many LMP1s and such a long time!!