Brand crowns 25 years of motorsport success
Four victories in the DTM (German Touring Car Masters), a succession of triumphs in the American Le Mans Series, the Le Mans Series in Europe and the 24-hour Le Mans race - Audi won everything it set its sights on last year in what has been its most successful racing season.
Be it quattro drive, TFSI-engines or TDI Power, Audi has also repeatedly put its technical expertise in the form of innovations on the race track in the spotlight and demonstrated that motorsport is much more than a mere marketing instrument for Audi.
It crowns 25 years of motorsport success for the marque, with plaudits ranging from three wins for the Audi Quattro in the World Rally Championship back in 1981, the Manufacturers' World Rally Champion a year later, through to the Safari Rally in 1987 (Audi 200 Quattro), touring car championships across Europe and through to endurance races such as Sebring and Le Mans.
In the past season, the Audi A4 DTM and the Audi R10 TDI competed in 28 races as part of the factory involvement.
Timo Scheider, with Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline, celebrated the DTM title. Alexandre Pr?mat, Mike Rockenfeller and Audi Sport Team Joest won the Le Mans Series in Europe, and Lucas Luhr and Marco Werner won the American Le Mans Series. At the 24-hour Le Mans, Dindo Capello, Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Audi Sport Team Joest achieved the third consecutive victory of the Audi R10 TDI.
In the 2009 season Audi AG's motorsport commitment again encompasses three pillars: With the new R15 the brand with the four rings will return to the starting grid at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in the DTM with the A4 DTM. Audi - with the R8 LMS - for the first time offers a racing sportscar that has been specially developed for use in customer sport.
With 11 starts, 11 times in succession on the winner's podium, Audi continued its impressive podium results in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Following three consecutive victories, Audi Sport Team Joest had to settle for third position on this occasion in probably the world's toughest endurance race.
'If you win the 24 Hours of Le Mans five times in succession and eight times overall this doesn't happen by chance,' declared Rupert Stadler, chairman of the board of management of Audi AG. 'We know how difficult it is to win Le Mans. Also Peugeot, who we congratulate on this well-deserved victory, needed three attempts. I trust our technicians implicitly, and the entire team and I am convinced that we will strike back next year. Audi will leave no stone unturned in its quest to reclaim the winner's trophy in 2010.'
The brand received special recognition from the British-based Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) for its successes with the R10 TDI and the A4 DTM. Audi claimed the MIA Teamwork Award for the best team performance in motorsport at the third European Cleaner Racing Conference, held at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham.
Head of Audi Motorsport Wolfgang Ullrich said: 'It fills us with particular pride to have received this international recognition from such a prestigious association.
'On the circuits, as well as at the MIA awards presentation, we prevailed against the strongest of rivals. This is a special honour for all who have had a part in Audi's exploits.'
