Head of Audi Sport Wolfgang Ullrich has opened the door to his brand racing prototypes in North America beyond the merger between ALMS and Grand-Am.
Audi, for now, is racing prototypes in the US. However, after the 61st running of the 12 Hours of Sebring, this March, Audi won't have anywhere to race its LMP1 R18 e-tron cars.
In 2014, the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), which hosts the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Grand-Am, are merging, meaning the extinction of the P1 class. The top class of the new series will only include current Daytona Prototypes from Grand-Am, LMP2 machines from ALMS, as well as DeltaWing cars.
Therefore, the only car Audi will still be allowed to race in two years, in North America, will be its R8 Grand-Am.
The very same car that won the GT class of the 2013 24 Hours of Daytona.
"I do not think that racing for class victories should be our ultimate target," Ullrich pointed out however, on Autosport.com.
"We have to race in the top class."
That would mean putting together a new prototype eligible in ALMS/Grand-Am beyond 2013, like Chevrolet did with the Corvette DP.
Only, the jump to the "top class" of endurance racing in the States is not yet on Audi's list of priorities: "We are not ready to jump into anything new tomorrow," Ullrich explained.
"We are quite happy with the programmes we have at the moment."
Audi, for now, is racing prototypes in the US. However, after the 61st running of the 12 Hours of Sebring, this March, Audi won't have anywhere to race its LMP1 R18 e-tron cars.
In 2014, the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), which hosts the 12 Hours of Sebring, and Grand-Am, are merging, meaning the extinction of the P1 class. The top class of the new series will only include current Daytona Prototypes from Grand-Am, LMP2 machines from ALMS, as well as DeltaWing cars.
 |
| An LMP2 car (Photo: ALMS.com) |
Therefore, the only car Audi will still be allowed to race in two years, in North America, will be its R8 Grand-Am.
The very same car that won the GT class of the 2013 24 Hours of Daytona.
"I do not think that racing for class victories should be our ultimate target," Ullrich pointed out however, on Autosport.com.
"We have to race in the top class."
That would mean putting together a new prototype eligible in ALMS/Grand-Am beyond 2013, like Chevrolet did with the Corvette DP.
 |
| A Corvette DP (Photo: Grand-Am.com) |
Only, the jump to the "top class" of endurance racing in the States is not yet on Audi's list of priorities: "We are not ready to jump into anything new tomorrow," Ullrich explained.
"We are quite happy with the programmes we have at the moment."