Volkswagen CEO Matthias Müller reaffirmed the company’s commitment to its numerous motorsport programs last weekend at the World Endurance Championship season finale, reports . Müller says the Volkswagen Group’s racing programs are simply too important to drop.

may have the company bracing for costly recalls and potentially billions in fines from regulatory agencies across the world, and motorsport is tremendously expensive, and something that many thought would be an obvious piece to abandon. However, the company believes motorsport is too vital to their brand to let go.

Müller told :

The motorsports programs are not in danger of being dropped or significantly reduced because motorsports is very important for the group and the brands.

Basically, we do not question our motorsport efforts.

I’m obviously coming from the perspective of a person who writes about motorsport for a living, but I think Müller’s on to something. Not only does motorsport give the company a rolling lab for new technology, but motorsport is the one area where the Volkswagen Group is getting any positive press.

Porsche just got took the driver’s and manufacturer’s titles in the (after having won the ) and debuted the new racer to the oohs, aahs, and please let me drive its of fans everywhere. Volkswagen dominated the and took the season titles. went to Audi R8 teams and drivers this year, and it’s become an extremely popular platform worldwide.

The Volkswagen Group is putting its money where its mouth is as well. Per , Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich was recently given a two-year contract extension after having led the Audi motorsport programs since 1993.

Furthermore, no changes are expected to happen to any of Volkswagen’s customer racing programs. They’re a hit—why axe something that works?

While the existing programs are safe, dieselgate did force the company not to expand into certain efforts. In addition to a Red Bull Formula One team buyout going “,” Road & Track reports that a Bentley IMSA P2-class prototype effort for 2017 and a Bentley one-make series were canned after the diesel trouble started.

The only existing program that may withdraw from competition is Porsche’s GTE-class WEC effort, Porsche Team Manthey—but not for the reasons you’d think. Autosport reports that the GTE squad will likely take a year off to focus on developing the facelifted 991 into a contender for 2017.

[H/T Bakkster]

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