Audi withdraws from British Touring Car Championship

[Eaton Dave <dave.eaton@minedu.govt.nz>]

confirming the rumours and predictions.  any bets on the gtcc?

roll on le-mans....

dave
'95 rs2
'90 ur-q

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                In a move which has been widely expected, Audi have
                confirmed that this was their last season in the British
Touring
                Car Championship. The team won the championship in its first
                year, with Frank Biela at the wheel, and came second last
                season, handicapped by hefty weight penalties because of
                their four-wheel-drive. 

                This season results have been hard to come by, in the face
of
                four-wheel-drive being outlawed. The A4 is generally
regarded
                as not being well-suited to the front-drive formula, with
its
                in-line engine layout being difficult to reposition for
optimum
                weight distribution 

                "Audi continued to highlight quattro technology this year,
                despite not being allowed to use it on the track," explained
                David Ingram, Product Marketing Manager. "I do not believe
                this is an option for 1999. Audi UK would like to thank its
                drivers Frank Biela, John Bintcliffe and Yvan Muller, and
the
                entire staff of Audi Sport UK." 

                The announcement comes in the wake of Peugeot deciding to
                withdraw from the series. Series boss Alan Gow, head of
                organisers TOCA, had earlier refuted suggestions that the
                BTCC was in decline. "We still have more manufacturers than
                Formula One and I don't hear that being written off. It's a
lot
                easier for six to all get value from their involvement than
eight
                or ten, though of course we would welcome more." 

                12th October 1998