Audi did the World Endurance Championship a disservice when it dropped its bombshell earlier this week. Not because a marque that has been the mainstay of the LMP1 scene for 18 years was withdrawing from the pinnacle of endurance racing, though that was blow to us all, but because of the wording in its official statement.
Maybe it was the translation from German to English, but the use of the word "instead" when talking about LMP1 and its Formula E entry was disingenuous. We all know that Audi announced it was ramping up its involvement in the Abt FE squad at the start of September.
More to the point, Audi Sport boss Wolfgang Ullrich pointed out shortly afterwards that the FE campaign was on an entirely different level - and by that he meant lower and, more pertinently, cheaper - and would have no bearing any decisions about the future of the LMP1 programme.