As Audi looks ahead to its ambitious Formula 1 project in 2026 with Sauber, it is simultaneously leaving behind its history in other disciplines of motorsport. The German manufacturer has pulled the plug on every single one of its racing programmes in order to redirect its focus on F1, even though its swathe of fans don’t associate the brand with single-seater or formula racing.
A picture showing Audi’s customer racing boss Chris Reinke handing over the delivery of the last-ever R8 LMS GT3 to Austrian businessman and amateur driver Michael Doppelmayr perfectly encapsulates Audi’s pedigree in motor racing. While the bare carbon fibre R8 LMS is proudly positioned in the centre, the photograph also shows a large number of Audi’s Le Mans Prototypes and Group B rally cars at Audi Tradition, the company’s mobile museum.
