Porsche Pays Tribute as Audi Exits World Endurance Racing
Porsche has released a farewell video honouring Audi’s departure from the FIA World Endurance Championship, marking the end of a long-running rivalry between the two Volkswagen Group brands.
Audi’s decision to withdraw from the FIA World Endurance Championship after the 2016 season has prompted a public gesture from Porsche, its long-time motorsport rival and Volkswagen Group stablemate. Porsche has released a video tribute, referencing both brands’ shared history and the friendly rivalry that defined the LMP1 era.
The video, published by Porsche, mirrors an earlier Audi campaign from 2014, when Audi welcomed Porsche back to top-level endurance racing. In that original film, an Audi R18 drove to Porsche’s Stuttgart headquarters, leaving a message of camaraderie on the tarmac. Porsche’s new video picks up the story, this time from the perspective of a Porsche tractor driver who hears news of Audi’s exit on the radio. He responds with a message of his own, highlighting the mutual respect between the two teams.
Audi’s withdrawal comes in the wake of the Volkswagen Group’s emissions crisis, which forced a strategic review of motorsport spending. The brand had been a dominant force at Le Mans and in the WEC, securing 13 Le Mans victories between 2000 and 2014. Porsche, meanwhile, had returned to the LMP1 class in 2014 and quickly re-established itself, ending Audi’s run at Le Mans in 2015. For more on that period, seeHulkenberg Claims Le Mans Victory on Debut as Porsche Ends Audi Streak.
Audi’s future in motorsport
Although Audi has left the WEC, it has not abandoned racing altogether. The company remains involved in the DTM and has shifted resources to Formula E, supporting the Abt Schaeffler team. This move aligns with the Volkswagen Group’s broader push towards electrification and alternative powertrains across its brands.
The Porsche video closes a chapter in one of endurance racing’s most competitive periods, while also underlining the camaraderie that can exist between rivals under the same corporate roof. Both brands have left a mark on the WEC, and their rivalry shaped a generation of sports car racing.
