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Audi could face 750,000 euro fine for exiting World Rally-Raid after Dakar
Audi has decided to end its rally-raid programme with the RS Q e-tron hybrid after just one season. This decision came shortly after their first victory in the Dakar marathon race in Saudi Arabia. As a result, Audi will not participate in the remaining events of the W2RC calendar, leading to financial consequences. Stewards at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge penalized Audi with a fine of 750,000 EUR for missing a round of the season. Audi has expressed that they do not plan on rejoining the championship later in the year and are appealing the fine. The main reason for ending the rally-raid programme prematurely was cited as a lack of spare parts and long lead times for production. Despite this setback, Audi plans to return to motorsport by joining Formula 1 in 2026 through its takeover of Sauber.
