Joest considering IMSA LMP2 program

Joest Racing, the team behind Audi's all-conquering Le Mans program, is considering a switch to North America and IMSA's WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Prototype class after its German partners withdrew from the World Endurance Championship at the end of 2016.

"It's very interesting of course," Joest technical director Ralf Jüttner told DailySportsCar.com. "For almost 25 years, with only a short break in the middle, we have run prototype programs with close links to a factory, and that's where we would like to be moving forward.

"Certainly the current budgets for running LMP2s for customer drivers in the FIA WEC is not something we are interested in at the moment. The factories that are looking at prototype program are certainly looking here (in North America) and that's what we are targeting."

Recent speculation regarding Joest possibly campaigning Audi's LMP1 R18s in a privateer capacity have also been abandoned. It means the team will spend 2017 looking at its options with an eye towards greenlighting a 2018 P2-based IMSA effort.

"We are talking to a number of interested parties for a potential DPi program, but there is a long way to go just yet," Jüttner added.