Series boss understands Audi decision

Audi announced today that its new R15 TDi would only race at the Sebring 12 Hours and Le Mans 24 Hours next year, meaning the team will withdraw from the ALMS as well as the Le Mans Series. The German manufacturer blamed the need to reduce costs in the current economic climate for its decision.

"I cannot say enough about how great a partner, competitor and participant Audi has been since it first competed in the series in 1999," said Atherton.

"Audi, along with Dave Maraj and his Champion Racing organisation (Audi's works team in America), have established the benchmark for how a motorsports organisation should be run. They raised the game for all our competitors with their innovation, work ethic, professionalism and accomplishments, which are major reasons why the American Le Mans Series enjoyed its most successful season ever this year."

Atherton hopes that Audi will return to the ALMS once the global economy recovers.

"We understand that the economic climate is forcing many companies to make very difficult decisions," he said.

"We will welcome Audi back to the American Le Mans Series stage at the appropriate time to compete against our world-class group of race teams and manufacturers."

Audi have won every ALMS LMP1 title since 2000, taking 68 race wins along the way, with Joest and Champion representing the marque on an independent basis in the years between the works R8 and R10 programmes.

The 2008 ALMS season saw extremely competitive racing between Audi, Porsche and Acura at the front of the field, but only the latter company is set to contest next year's championship.

Penske have announced that they will run a factory Porsche programme in Grand-Am, while fellow Porsche team Dyson Racing will switch to a different car for 2009.

However, Acura have already committed to two-car entries in both the LMP1 and LMP2 classes.