Audi will return to Le Mans and to sports prototype racing with an electrified sports car in the 2023 season. The successor to the successful Audi R18 is already taking shape. The successor to the Audi R18 is being built in close cooperation with the brands's sister company Porsche. The sports prototype for the new LMDh category is currently being created at Audi Sport in parallel with the SUV for the Dakar Rally. In just under eight months, it will be the first time Audi will participate in the Dakar Rally in January 2022. The company had quit the Formula E scene to focus on the Dakar Rally and of course Le Mans.
In 2016, Audi left the Le Mans racing scene to focus on electric powertrains
All the basic concept decisions have been made in the meantime. Andreas Roos, who is responsible for all factory motorsport commitments at Audi Sport, said, "We have selected a chassis partner and decided on an engine concept. Together with our colleagues from Audi Design, we are currently defining the look which will excite our fans. Our goal is for the first prototype to be on its wheels early next year and to complete its roll-out in the first quarter."
Audi quit from the Formula E scene to focus on Dakar and Le Mans
An intensive test program will follow in 2022. The first race is planned for the Daytona 24 Hours (USA) in January 2023. The regulations, which are trimmed for maximum cost efficiency, also make Audi's new sports prototype interesting for customer teams.
Being able to fight for overall victories and championship titles with an Audi at the Le Mans 24 Hours, at the Daytona 24 Hours, in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and in the IMSA series is an attractive prospect for many teams. Audi holds the distance record at the Le Mans 24 Hours and has won the world's most important endurance race 13 times.
