What does it all mean?
If you look at Audi's past history – they do everything with a totally methodical plan in mind. I do not think this was just a harebrained idea by some Audi dealership for some side bar promotional activity.
Watch what happens:
– Audi has nothing left to prove in Sports Car racing – nothing. In Europe, North America, the World. Nichts. Nada. Nothing.
– The ALMS has become politically tiresome for Audi and they will not race for "First-In-Class" while carrying Mother-In-Law sized weight penalties to allow lesser classes to take the overall wins. The ALMS has been warned by Audi several times. I don't think there are any warnings left.
– Sister company Porsche is itching to show some race performance again and a return to Sports Car racing in Le Mans and ALMS is just what the doctor ordered as a cure for that itch.
– Champ Car is offering a marketing venue ideal for Audi – their huge North American market, the China market, where Audi is the Number 1 selling foreign sports/luxury brand, and better yet – more and better European venues. Germany will probably not be far behind for a Champ Car event.
– I am sure that Audi does not want to do a Toyota or Honda and go to F1 and putz around the back of the field for 5 to 10 years in vain dreams of victory. Besides Mercedes and BMW already have firm stakes in that game.
– Why not become the sole engine supplier in an extremely competitive international series where you can really max out exposure? If any car company has ever been really, really good at promotion, advertising and trumpeting race wins into car sales, it has to be the Porsche/Audi/Volkswagen brotherhood. Just what the Doctor ordered for Champ Car, wouldn't you say? Werner Fritz, Trevor, WI