uugghhh...Not Again

[Nick Koske]

Well it seems Audi, once again, is playing their game.

ALMS - Participation uncertain for Audi?
Regulation unstable and "Half confirmation" of regulation by ACO dell'IMSA seem to have finally brought home the management of the four rings about to truncate (at least partially) program of races in USA.

For now the only certainty is therefore to see the boats engaged in Ingolstadt to 12h of Sebring while for the rest of the season seems nothing confirmed yet. It seems increasingly certain instead signed up for LMS with at least one vehicle for McNish-Capello.

Sport & GT | ALMS - Partecipazione incerta per Audi?

It get so old...yeah yeah...it's not fair they MIGHT be beaten by a LMP2....I get it.

While it will suck if Audi takes their toys and goes home....it's my opinion that Audi needs the ALMS more than the other way around. I think the racing will be good between the LMP2 cars and GT2 cars. It just plain doesn't make marketing sense to run Diesels in the LMS but not the ALMS. Assuming it costs a similar amount of money to run cars in the ALMS and LMS, then you take into account that the North American market buys more cars than the European market, and the major fact that Europeans don't need to be told that diesel technology is good...Tell me again why it makes more sense to run in the LMS and not the ALMS?? Oh wait that's right you MIGHT be beaten by a LMP2.

[Hallen]

Originally Posted by Nick Koske

Well it seems Audi, once again, is playing their game.


Sport & GT | ALMS - Partecipazione incerta per Audi?

It get so old...yeah yeah...it's not fair they MIGHT be beaten by a LMP2....I get it.

While it will suck if Audi takes their toys and goes home....it's my opinion that Audi needs the ALMS more than the other way around.

I don't think so. Marketing spending is always discretionary. If you feel your marketing budget would be better spent hyping your diesel technology in Newsweek or Time Magazine, or on the Cooking Channel, then that is what you do. I doubt it would be a major trauma to Audi to do so. Plus, think how much advertising the ALMS racing budget could buy.

The ALMS has to prove their value to the advertiser. The ALMS needs competitive and exciting racing to sell their product to us. They therefore need competitors. Audi's departure from ALMS would not be a death knell, but it certainly won't help. It will lower the prestige of the series to a degree. It will make it harder for ALMS to convince other big names to take the plunge in racing as a viable marketing strategy.

The other part of the equation is technical development. The things learned by racing are very valuable in development of technology. Audi could still learn by just racing in Europe. Or, if they decide to drop the racing program all together, then they will use that money in other R&D programs. It may not be as exciting, but you could get just as much out of it from a technical development standpoint.

The bottom line is that companies race because they want to race. They can justify it in a number of ways, but the end conclusion is that there is a passion for racing. That passion is not always shared with the board of directors though. If they can't be convinced there is a viable marketing value to racing, it will get canned.

I don't agree with Audi's theatrics, no matter who needs who more. It gets old. But, it is effective for them in getting them what they want. They will keep doing it. They have an investment in ALMS, they want it to succeed. But their greed for victory at any cost might just be their undoing.

[Nick Koske]

Originally Posted by Hallen

I don't agree with Audi's theatrics, no matter who needs who more. It gets old. But, it is effective for them in getting them what they want. They will keep doing it. They have an investment in ALMS, they want it to succeed. But their greed for victory at any cost might just be their undoing.

Agree...kind of like negotiating with terrorists.

[fanta]

I don't see a real need for Audi to race a full ALMS season. They have already proven the car works, even if hindered by quirky rules. I just wonder how effective their TDI Power ads were during their short run in the ALMS. I would guess not very.