Privateer team plans LMS with Audi R10 TDI

[Wouter Melissen]

Audi R10s will be present the Le Mans Series and possibly at Le Mans as well this year:

The successful Audi R10 TDI is likely to appear again on European race tracks in 2009. While Audi will contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans as part of its factory commitment with the new R15 TDI in 2009, Dr Colin Kolles is planning to buy two Audi R10 TDI cars for his racing team. The privately fielded prototypes are planned to return to the venues of their greatest exploits in 2009: to the European-based Le Mans Series and to the 24-hour race at Le Mans, in which the Audi R10 TDI has not been beaten so far.

Since the 2006 season Audi has been cooperating with Dr Colin Kolles, who has entered two Audi A4 DTM cars in the DTM since that time. Now, the team owner based in Greding near Ingolstadt wants to extend his motorsport involvement to the sportscar area on his own initiative. The team plans to contest the 24-hour race at Le Mans on 13 and 14 June 2009 as well as the five rounds of the European-based Le Mans Series.

Audi Sport will sell two R10 TDI vehicles to Dr Kolles for this purpose and complement the agreement by a service package encompassing support for the private racing commitments by members of Audi Sport’s technical staff.

"We welcome the fact that Dr Kolles decided to take on this commitment and wants to purchase two Audi R10 TDI cars," said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. "While on the factory side of the house we are concentrating on the development and fielding of the new R15 TDI sportscar as well as on the DTM, we are pleased to see that the R10 TDI will be privately entered in future and that racing vehicles of the Audi brand will continue to be represented in the Le Mans Series. That is why we agreed to the sale of the cars. However, our involvement will be strictly limited to providing support under the terms of the service agreement."

In the 2006, 2007 and 2008 racing years, the Audi R10 TDI clinched as many as 22 overall victories in 38 worldwide entries. At the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as in the final LM P1 classification of the American Le Mans Series during that time frame, the Audi R10 TDI remained unbeaten and last year won the LM P1 class of the European-based Le Mans Series as well.

[teatako]

When you´re a privateer racing last year´s factory car, do you get to make improvements to the car? do you race in the same class as this year´s factory car? Or do you just race to make your sponsors´investors go "Oooh" and "Aaah" from seeing their logos in a formerly very successful race car?

[henk4]

When you´re a privateer racing last year´s factory car, do you get to make improvements to the car? do you race in the same class as this year´s factory car? Or do you just race to make your sponsors´investors go "Oooh" and "Aaah" from seeing their logos in a formerly very successful race car?

This car will no longer be factory improved, because Audi will only run the R15 in a very limited number of races and no LMS like planned for the private R10s. It needs to be adapted to the new regs though, so some testing has to be done.

[Turbo.Jenkens]

This is very good news. I wish Champion Racing would do the same in the ALMS.

[Zytek_Fan]

This is very good news. I wish Champion Racing would do the same in the ALMS.

Champion Racing probably could, but they lack the financing.
Unless they can come up with some enormous sponsorship deal, they're gone.

You have to remember that Champion is an auto dealer, and the business has kind of slowed down, cutting their income.

[Chernaudi]

The press release says that there will be some factory support for the team, just like with Champion in the R8 days. Kinda makes one think that either Champion got shafted, or Audi is still a little PO'd at IMSA for competion adjustments and performance ballancing.

[Zytek_Fan]

The press release says that there will be some factory support for the team, just like with Champion in the R8 days. Kinda makes one think that either Champion got shafted, or Audi is still a little PO'd at IMSA for competion adjustments and performance ballancing.

Did you read my above post?
Champion HAD to bow out because they lacked the financing. Audi cannot foot the entire bill for a season of racing, and Champion is a business afterall.