Can Champion and Audi UK really be considered private entrants?

[H16]

To me, a private entrant is someone who is not associated with the firm other than buying and racing a car. A few decals, a handshake, thank you very much, thats it.

I hear about the "private entrants" such as Joest, Champion, and Audi UK, and I question their "privativity" if such a word exisits. Champion sell more Porsches than anyone else and a ton of Audis, and both they and Joest still get support from Audi North America. Audi UK ran the R8C in 1999 and the car still is silver (though with hints of BRG on the bottom). To me, this is Audi UK, not someone like Dyson or Intersport. Even Team Goh had "Audi Sport Japan" on their entry last year.

Can these cars really be considered private entries? Perhaps semi-factory is a better term. I think the only true private Audi that had sponsorship that didn't come from some chain in the Audi family might be the Gulf Audi that ran in the ALMS/ELMS and Le Mans in 2001.

[RacingManiac]

The Audi UK or Audi Japan thing is more of a "dealer network" based funding instead of a motorsports fund. Compare to the works car they don't get any development or technical feedback from the Audi Motorsports. Which more or less makes them a private entrant....

[H16]

Check out the new Joest livery, same as last year in the silver trim, though the yellow/black highlights are gone from the wing and rollhoop, while Cannon has, like the UK Audi, replaced the four rings in the rear wing sponsor. The Infineon/Cannon Team Joest R8?

[Mal]

The Joest run car has to be Bentley's strongest opposition. How much input did they have into the design and development on the R8 of the last four years - quite a bit I suspect - and therefore they are in prime position to carry that forward