Just as Porsche signs a world-class driver, Mark Webber, for their 2014 Le Mans program, their main rival Audi loses one of their best. The Scottish racing driver, Allan McNish, announced his retirement from endurance racing, leaving the German team in pursuit of a calmer, less demanding career in motorsport.

McNish, 44, achieved more than one could wish for with Audi in Le Mans 24 Hours and various other endurance series. He’s been with the company since 2000, with the exception of 2001 to 2003, when he had a chance to compete in Formula One.

During his years with Audi, Allan McNish won American Le Mans Series three times in 200, 2006, and 2007. He also has four Sebring 12 Hours victories to his name, as well as three Le Mans 24 Hours, two of which he won in an Audi in 2008 and 2013. McNish has raced all Audi sports cars, from the Audi R8R to the R8, R10 TDI, R15 TDI, R18 TDI models and the R18 ultra through to the R18 e-tron Quattro. He has recorded 29 overall victories, 18 pole positions, 17 fastest race laps and four title wins in eleven years.

Allan’s last win for Audi was the early title win in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Shanghai (China) five weeks ago. So it is fair to say that the ‘Flying Scotsman’ is retiring at the pinnacle of his career, as befits a great sportsman.

“I found the ideal moment for myself to bring an end to my LMP sports-prototype racing with Audi,” says McNish. “Together with my team-mates Tom Kristensen and Loïc Duval I finished my most successful season in the sports car. Having also won the Le Mans 24 Hours, I can’t wish for more than what we’ve achieved this year. I can look back on a fantastic career that has left no aims unfinished and I’m looking forward to new challenges the future holds for me. Now I’ll have a lot more time for my family. But I’m going to continue to be part of motorsport in various roles, albeit no longer as an Audi race driver.”