IMSA GTD team Starworks Motorsport has withdrawn its Audi R8 LMS from this weekend’s WeatherTech race at CTMP and the upcoming round at Lime Rock Park.
Team owner Peter Baron says the team, which hasn’t managed a single podium finish thus far this season, has been unable to extract the speed necessary from its Audi to fight for podiums and wins in the BoP-governed class.
“It has been our goal all along to run the full season, but common sense tells us that we have an issue that is beyond our control here,” said Baron.
“Our sponsors expect us to deliver results. We need to be in the fight for the podium. We simply don’t have the speed in the car to do that at this point. Further, these events are back-to-back and are not key markets for our sponsors.”
The team cited the lack of the car’s top speed at Watkins Glen as an example of the challenges it faces.
“The top speed of the #8 Audi R8 LMS clocked in well below the competitive average of the field and distant from the GTD class leaders,” the team’s statement read. “By running an alternative field strategy, the #8 Audi R8 LMS was able to lead 30 minutes of the race but was quickly chased down by the eventual race winners.”
Baron says it will be hard to sit back and miss the two races ahead. The team looks to return to IMSA competition in August when the championship heads to Road America.
“It will be quite painful to miss these events. No racer wants to watch from the sidelines,” said Baron.
“But it simply doesn’t make sense for us to burn budget money racing when we are not competitive. Our sponsors are committed to winning and the package that we are showing up with cannot deliver that. We will sit the next two races out and work on things within our control to deliver the best possible package for the next event.
“We have work to do for the next few weeks. Our drivers are doing an amazing job. It’s the responsibility of the team and the manufacturer to provide them with a competitive car, so that will be our focus. Assuming we get this sorted, we will back in action at Road America. I never like these types of decisions.
“We just want to race and win. But 2020 is around the corner and we need to work hard now to ensure that we have the right package for the remainder of the year and into the 2020 season.”
By withdrawing from this weekend’s action, Starworks has become the second Audi customer team to withdraw from this weekend’s race at CTMP. Moorespeed is unable to make the trip after its crash and subsequent fire during practice at Watkins Glen.
The entry list for CTMP prior to this news featured 36 cars, 15 of them in GTD. You can see the provisional list HERE >>>
