Strong words? Oh yes, but honest and we respect that. The question is, does Mr. Ullrich have a point? Is Formula 1 pointless to road car development? BMW pulled out of it, but at the same time BMW purists have argued that the moment BMW pulled out is what signified the beginning of BMW cost cutting measures and the end of motors that mimicked high revving F1 powerplants. Porsche recently announced that the next generation 911 models will have KERS, a technology used in Formula 1, although Porsche has no F1 program.
Audi believes that Le Mans is tougher than F1 and more technology carries over. The Audi Motorsport boss states that the fuel economy requirements in a race like Le Mans, which is 24 hours long, carry over to production cars. Ullrich said the following, "'Our goal is track to road technology. The best proof of technology is success in motorsport. Lightweight construction, downsized engines and greater economy – they are as relevant for the road as they are for the track."
It is definitely true that Audi has focused more on lightweight material as of late. They have also improved in fuel economy and are bringing more powerful diesels to market seemingly with what they have learned by racing diesels at Le Mans. Ullrich closed with the following statement, "Let me show you how at Le Mans, one of our cars will cover 325 miles more than an F1 car will cover in an entire season, our average speed including pits stops will be 20mph higher than an F1 car and we will use 42% less fuel. You cannot argue with those figures."
You are right sir, we can not.
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