The second round of the 2012 World Rally Championship (WRC) in Sweden will once again see Volkswagen Motorsport run a team of two Škoda Fabia S2000s in the SWRC class. The Rally Sweden which runs from today until 12 February will hold a new challenge for the factory VW team, as it gets to grip (quite literally) with the snow-covered woods of the Scandinavian country. Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia will be joined by Škoda driver and 2011 Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion Andreas Mikkelsen, who with co-driver Ola Fløene will be running the junior car. Volkswagen Motorsport’s WRC commitments serve as preparation for the 2013 season in which Volkswagen will compete with the Polo R WRC.

‘Sweden is a special rally. It’s the only WRC event on ice and snow and provides the best opportunity to gather valuable experiences in crisp cold. It’s an important run for us in preparation for our WRC entry with the Polo R WRC,’ said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. The drivers will battle it out in 24 special stages over 349 kilometres, using studded tyres. ‘I really like the Rally Sweden. Because of its unique character, it’s important to finish in order to give the team the opportunity to thoroughly get to know this rally,’ commented Ogier. In 2011, the pairing of Ogier and Ingrassia finished the Rally Sweden in fourth place.

It was a mixed start to the 2012 WRC season for the Volkswagen Motorsport team at the 2012 Rallye Monte Carlo from 18-22 January. After a storming start, new factory drivers Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassa suffered a spectacular accident on the 10th special stage, the biggest of Ogier’s career. The pairing’s Škoda S2000 left the rally course at 160kph, and miraculously neither were badly injured. Luckier with the younger team of driver Kevin Abbring and Lara Vanneste, Volkswagen Motorsport claimed a 12th place finish overall and top-of the-S2000 class title. Abbring isn’t registered in the Super 2000 World Rally Championship, though, so the points went to Irishman Craig Breen. The full Volkswagen Motorsport press release follows.

Ogier impresses the fans despite accident on the ‘Monte’
Wolfsburg, 22 January 2012

Sébastien Ogier (28) and co-driver Julien Ingrassia (32) made a storming start to their first rally event for Volkswagen, the 80th Rally Monte Carlo, before they retired on the tenth special stage following a spectacular accident. After a precautionary check at the ‘Centre Hospitalier de Valence’ the two were able to leave the hospital on Thursday evening. After the final stage on Friday afternoon the rally armada will move from Valence to Monaco where it will be stationed up to the finish on Sunday.

The Škoda S2000 left the track at a speed of 160kph on the 21.66 kilometre special stage from Lamastre via Gilhoc to Alboussière. For Ogier and Ingrassia the accident rather unluckily meant an early end to the legendary rally classic. Beforehand the two had put in an impressive display in their less powerful S2000 Škoda against the WRC cars. Together with his co-driver the new Volkswagen factory driver even held fourth position on occasion in the overall standings.

‘That was the biggest accident of my career. We were lucky that it wasn’t worse,’ explained Ogier after the accident. ‘I really felt at home in the car. Our speed was very good. The difficult conditions were perfect for us, as we could almost keep pace with the WRC category.’ Co-driver Ingrassia added: ‘We tried to cut the corner slightly at the point, the car was launched upwards as a result and at such a high speed we had no chance of keeping the car under control. I bruised my arm slightly on the impact, but luckily nothing appears to be broken.’

‘To begin with, we are extremely happy that Sébastien and Julien are in good health,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. ‘Obviously it’s a great shame that the two will be unable to celebrate reaching the finish in Monaco, especially as Sébastien had driven incredibly well up to that point. His speed was amazing on the opening stages. This proves that we have signed in Ogier a driver with great potential. We look forward to the other rallies with these two.’

2012 Rallye Monte Carlo: Ogier/Ingrassia

2012 Rallye Monte Carlo: Ogier/Ingrassia

2012 Rallye Monte Carlo: Ogier/ingrassia

2012 Rallye Monte Carlo: Sébastien Ogier

2012 Rallye Monte Carlo: Abbring/Vanneste

2012 Rallye Monte Carlo: Kevin Abbring

Volkswagen celebrates class victory in the Rally Monte Carlo
Wolfsburg, 22 January 2012

Volkswagen Junior Kevin Abbring (23) and his co-driver Lara Vanneste (21) produced a fantastic performance on their way to taking victory in the S2000 class for Volkswagen in the 80th Rally Monte Carlo. The rally classic in the principality on the Cote d’Azur is part of the FIA World Championship for the first time since 2008.

Kevin Abbring and Lara Vanneste were awarded the winner’s trophy in the square overshadowed by the Royal Palace in Monaco after a total of 1772 kilometres and 18 demanding special stages, which included the infamous run to Col de Turini. For the young Dutchman and his Belgian co-driver it is the second S2000 class victory after taking the spoils at the Rally Great Britain in November 2011.

At the same time, Abbring, who celebrated his 23rd birthday in the cockpit on Friday, gave himself his favourite present. ‘I’m delighted. To win the “Monte” is simply an indescribable feeling. Lara and I are very proud,’ beamed Abbring during the victory ceremony at the Royal Palace. ‘We improved from stage to stage and implemented the team’s instructions. My heartfelt thanks to the entire Volkswagen team for the support, we worked perfectly together.’

‘A big complement to our driver teams and the entire team because in rallying a win is always a win for the complete team,’ emphasised a satisfied Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen (51). ‘Kevin put in a fantastic performance, we are proud of him and his co-driver Lara. He impressively demonstrated what a huge talent he is and why we support him as Volkswagen Junior.’

New Volkswagen factory driver Sébastien Ogier (28) and co-driver Julien Ingrassia (32) had already attracted a great deal of attention beforehand. The two Frenchmen held fourth place overall on occasion in the less powerful S2000 car – before an accident meant an early end for the two. Nissen: ‘Sébastiens Speed was incredible on the opening stages. This proves that we have signed a driver with great potential. I’m convinced that he’ll be good for one or the other big surprise during the World Championship rallies this year.’

The Frenchman also looks forward optimistically to his next outing during the Rally Sweden (9 to 12 February). ‘I feel very comfortable on the car and team. We were extremely competitive before the accident,’ said Ogier, who was third in the WRC in 2011. ‘The difficult conditions at the start of the rally were an advantage for us because the difference in power between the Fabia S2000 and the WRC class didn’t have such a big effect. We aim to maintain our pace in Sweden and I’m confident that we will also be fast there.’

In 2012 Volkswagen contests rounds of the World Rally Championship with two Fabia S2000 cars from the group brand Škoda. The rallies act as preparation for the 2013 season in which Volkswagen will compete with the Polo R WRC in rallying’s top-flight.

Volkswagen Motorsport is to contest the 2012 World Rally Championship with a pair of two Škoda Fabia S2000s, running in the SWRC class. The first outing will be the Rallye Monte Carlo on 18-22 January, which will also be Sébastien Ogier’s championship debut for the Volkswagen team, alongside co-driver Julien Ingrassia. Also competing at Monte Carlo are Dutchman Kevin Abbring with his co-driver Lara Vanneste. Sharing the second car will be Škoda UK racer and 2011 Andreas Mikkelsen IRC (Intercontinental Rally Challenge) champion as part of the Volkswagen Junior Programme. The 2012 World Rally Championship runs serve as preparation for the 2013 season, in which Volkswagen will compete in the top class of rally racing with the 300bhp, four-wheel drive Polo R WRC.

Premiere for Ogier as Volkswagen factory driver at ‘Monte’
Wolfsburg (12 January 2012)

The starting signal will be given at the iconic event: Sébastien Ogier (28) and co-driver Julien Ingrassia (32) are contesting their first rally run for Volkswagen from 18–22 January – and right at the legendary Rallye Monte Carlo. The rally that has been held since 1911 is part of the FIA WRC calendar for the first time in three years, marking the opening event for this year’s season consisting of a total of 13 rounds. Alongside the Frenchman Ogier, the Volkswagen factory team is competing with the Dutch junior driver Kevin Abbring (22) and his co-driver Lara Vanneste (21). In 2012 Volkswagen is contesting the entire WRC in the smaller SWRC class with two Fabia S2000 cars of the Group’s Škoda brand. The runs serve as preparation for the 2013 season in which Volkswagen will compete in the top class of rally racing with the Polo R WRC.

‘After Sébastien’s impressive victory in December as a Volkswagen factory driver at the Race Of Champions we are very much looking forward to finally contesting our first joint rally,’ says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. ‘The “Monte” is the mother of all rallies in general, which makes it a great place for this premiere. With its changeable conditions of asphalt, ice and snow, it’s one of the most challenging events on the calendar. And even though we’re not competing for championship points this season we’ll naturally be giving our best at each run.’

Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia

2012 Škoda Fabia S2000

Volkswagen Polo R WRC

Kevin Abbring

Alongside Ogier the Volkswagen factory team will compete at Monte with Kevin Abbring. Together with his Belgian co-driver, Lara Vanneste, the Dutchman already contested the Rally of Great Britain in 2011, securing victory in the SWRC class. Abbring is looking forward to working with Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen’s new rally factory driver: ‘Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia are fantastic driver colleagues. Sébastien is currently one of the world’s best three rally racers. It’s a great honour for me to be in the same team with him and to compete in the same car.’

For the Rally of Sweden (09–12 February) the second racer alongside regular driver Ogier has been confirmed, too: the Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen (22), who already showed his skills for Volkswagen at the Finland Rally last year, will be competing in Scandinavia together with co-driver Ola Floene (42). Last year’s IRC (Intercontinental Rally Challenge) champion and Škoda UK racer Mikkelsen will be sharing the second rally car with Abbring this season as part of the Volkswagen Junior Programme.

[Source: Volkswagen Motorsport]

We like this. It would appear that Volkswagen Motorsport’s Polo R WRC isn’t the only rally-prepared monster Polo. Surfacing on the internet earlier today, Paul Dytko’s 400bhp/298kW (that’s 100bhp more than VW’s factory effort, remember) four-wheel drive Polo 6R has been built to contest the 2012 FIA European Hillclimb Championship, which has rounds in both mainland Europe and Paul’s home country of Poland. Capable of 0-62mph in 4.0 seconds, the Dytko Sport car appears to be clothed in similar clothes to Volkswagen’s official Polo R WRC, its cut-back extended wheel arches signalling its storming intent. Paul is looking for sponsorship for further development of the car, and has plans for a full lightweight tube-frame structure. Once we find out more, we’ll bring you more details of this exciting project.

[Source: German Car Scene]

Fresh from their end-of-season championship battle, 11 Volkswagen Polo R Cup India racing cars will be taking part in a night race in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 17 December. Supporting the debut of the Colombo Night Races, seven of the Polo R Cup India drivers will be piloting their 129bhp TDI racing cars. Four guest Sri Lankan drivers will make up the rest of the grid. The Colombo Night Race marks the Polo R Cup India’s international debut; the race will be run on a 2km street circuit in the heart of Colombo.

Prithviraj Siddappa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India, said: ‘We are thrilled to have this opportunity to race on the streets of Colombo in our first ever night race. This will be very encouraging and a learning experience for our young drivers as this is not a conventional race circuit. They will have to adapt quickly and tweak their racing styles. This exhibition race also means a lot for Volkswagen Motorsport as this proves the popularity of Polo R Cup in India and beyond. Races like these will definitely help us attract more young talent for participation in the upcoming 2012 season of the Polo R Cup.’

Vishnu Prasad is the 2011 champion of the Volkswagen Polo R Cup India. Thanks to clinching fourth place at the final race at the Irungattukottai Race Track in Chennai, Prasad secured the title in front of his fiercest rival, Oshan Kothadiya, who finished fifth. In adverse weather conditions, the spectators witnessed an entertaining race at which the Danish guest entrant, Maiken Rasmussen, caused a surprise. The female racer from the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup stormed up the grid to second place, behind race winner Sunny Sidhu, after having started from position 18 on the grid. Mihir Dharkar completed the podium. The series is run by Volkswagen India Motorsport in conjunction with JK Tyres. The field of 20 young racers drive identical and centrally-prepared 129bhp TDI Polo R Cup cars.

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1 Vishnu Prasad: 388 points
2 Oshan Kothadiya: 376 points
3 Avdumber Hede: 359 points

The season finale of the 2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup saw plenty of action at the South African Zwartkops circuit on 26-27 November, with Devin Robertson claiming the driver’s championship crown. Kosie Weyers took second place in the overall points table, while Kelvin van der Linde clinched third. Robertson has been a strong contender for season honours all year, and actually claimed the title two rounds ago. Even though his car lost fourth gear in race one, he managed to limp home and after running repairs were carried out to the Volkswagen Polo Vivo race car, Roberston made a strong comeback, taking third place in race two.

The 2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup series is similar to the other racing VW Polo Cup single-series championships run in both Europe and India. Just as in those series, the South African one-make format highlights new young driving talent. In the Engen championship, as many as thirty drivers regularly take to the track in technically-identical, 2.0-litre, 234bhp 2011 Volkswagen Polo Vivo racing cars. The Volkswagen Racing press release follows.

Season finale sees plenty of action in Engen Volkswagen Cup series
26 November 2011

A tough season of 2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup racing finished at Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday with the final points decided for the 2011 season. At the head of the field for the year was Devin Robertson (2 – Sparco) who claimed the title two rounds ago. In second place for the season is Kosie Weyers (3 – Engen Xtreme) with Kelvin van der Linde (31 – Ferodo Racing) taking third overall for the season. The toughest race day experience was saved, not for one of the championship contenders, but rather for a guest driver instead.

Lindsay Vine (M0 – Volkswagen Racing) of television motoring programme Ignition took to the track at the final round as an invited competitor – and she found out first-hand just how much of a handful these Volkswagen Polo Vivo race cars are. After two hard races Vine placed 24th in race one and 25th in the second race, achieving what many other guest drivers in this series have failed to do – finish.

‘My day was amazing, I loved it and it was completely different to what I expected,’ said Vine. ‘Historics is a hobby class and my car is slow so I’ve had to change tyres once in three years, not like Engen Volkswagen Cup where the tyre wear is a big factor in the racing. It was great working with a team that is responsible for preparing the car (which was done by Graham Nathan and the Indy Oil team on race weekend), they just do everything.

‘I could tell them what’s wrong and they fixed it,’ said Vine. ‘The next time I went out the problem was fixed and it felt great. When we came out for first practise on Wednesday I did quite well – better than expected. Even at the slower speed, you don’t realise how much racing teaches you instinctively. I’ve been racing for three years in historics and it’s fairly slow but the overall racing instincts remain the same.

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup, Zwartkops: Kosie Weyers

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup, Zwartkops: Devin Robertson

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup, Zwartkops: Lee Thompson

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup, Zwartkops: Kyle Barnes

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup, Zwartkops: Lindsay Vine

Race one saw the champion battling to post a result better than 12th. With fourth gear simply not co-operating Robertson had to concentrate on nursing the car home and, after running repairs were effected he made a strong comeback to claim third in race two. Masters category leader, Lee Thompson (M30 – Ferodo Racing) made no mistakes, claiming both victories with Kosie Weyers (3 – Engen Xtreme) in second and Graham Donker (M2 – Mini / Maxi Panelbeaters) claiming third in race one and Robertson finishing third in the second race.

For Robertson the championship title was the culmination of a strong year behind the wheel and Weyers – with his dash to the line for second place – must also be happy with his performance. It is, however, the third place driver in the championship who has the most reason to celebrate. Fifteen year-old Kelvin van der Linde (31 – Ferodo Racing) finished third overall in his first season in the Volkswagen series.

‘We had a good debut race at Kyalami and this helped to feel out the series and see what it is all about,’ exclaimed Van der Linde. ‘I was confident for the rest of the season, that top three finish the first time out played a huge role in me being able to do it for the rest of the season. I made a few rookie mistakes here and there,’ continued Van der Linde. ‘It has been a good learning season and near the end it has obviously paid off. This has been a fantastic end to the season, I couldn’t ask for better. We are still waiting for our first race win, but we’ll leave that to next season and see what happens.’

RACE RESULTS
Race 1
1 Kosie Weyers: 3 Engen Xtreme
2 Kyle Barnes: 5 Gold Liberations
3 Jeffrey Kruger: 24 Steamsure Combustion

Race 2
1 Kosie Weyer: 3 Engen Xtreme
2 Devin Robertson: 2 Sparco
3 Kyle Barnes: 5 Gold Liberations

Championship overall
1 Kosie Weyers: 3 Engen Xtreme
2 Kyle Barnes: 5 Gold Liberations
3 Bryan Morgan: 4 Greatsoft

Masters championship overall
1 Lee Thompson: M30 Ferodo Racing
2 Miguel Pasqualli: M1 Engen Xtreme
3 Graham Donker: M2 Mini / Maxi Panelbeaters

[Source: Volkswagen Racing]

Will the 41-second film clip above prove to be a bit of history in the making? The development of the Polo R WRC continues at as blistering a pace as the car (the amount of stories we’re filing about Volkswagen’s new World Rally Champsionship – WRC – contender is proof of that), and just as we’d posted yesterday’s story about new VW factory driver Sébastien Ogier’s Race of Champions 2011 victory did this video appear. Showing Ogier and co-driver and fellow Frenchman Julien Ingrassia tackling the gravel in their Polo R WRC. Raised up much higher than the factory-produced CrossPolo production model, and with a proper four-wheel drive system, Ogier and Volkswagen Motorsport have the 2013 WRC title on their sights. This video could be the first step in realising that ambition.

New Volkswagen World Rally Championship (WRC) signing Sébastien Ogier was victorious at the annual motorsport event, the Race of Champions. Staged in the ESPRIT Arena in Düsseldorf on 3-4 December, the 27 year-old Frenchman beat eight-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen who had beaten Michael Schumacher in the semi-final. Ogier signed for Volkswagen Motorsport on 23 November, also demonstrated his driving skills in the Polo R WRC, his first public outing with the 300bhp four-wheel drive rally car.

Ogier was fastest overall in a field which included Formula 1 World Champions Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button, as well as DTM Champions Martin Tomczyk, Timo Scheider and Mattias Ekström. Among the Volkswagen Group race cars used for the Race of Champions were the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, Audi R8 LMS and the Škoda Fabia S2000. An Up VIP race was even staged to support the main event, and highlighted Volkswagen’s new compact car.

Commenting on his Race of Champions victory, Ogier said: ‘My first outing in Volkswagen overalls, this in Germany and victory in the Race of Champions – I’m absolutely delighted. They were exciting races against fantastic opponents. It’s not easy for a newcomer to master the different cars and track, but I had a good feeling from the word go. It was a great honour for me to be invited for the first time to participate in the Race of Champions. My thanks also go to the fans that made the atmosphere electric.’

Even Kristensen admitted afterwards: ‘Sébastien really impressed me and he certainly has a big future ahead of him in rallying with Volkswagen.’ Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen said: ‘The entire Volkswagen Motorsport team is proud of our new Champion and is delighted with Sébastien for this magnificent win. It’s obviously fantastic that he has won the first prestigious title for Volkswagen only two weeks after his signing, and against a line-up of such high quality.’

Race of Champions 2011: Volkswagen Polo R WRC

Race of Champions 2011: Volkswagen Polo R WRC

Race of Champions 2011: Volkswagen Polo R WRC

Race of Champions 2011: Volkswagen Polo R WRC

Race of Champions 2011: Volkswagen Polo R WRC

Race of Champions 2011: Volkswagen Up VIP Race

Volkswagen Polo R WRC: gravel specification (image: Auto Bild)

Volkswagen Polo R WRC: gravel specification (image: Auto Bild)

[Images: Volkswagen Motorsport / Auto Bild]

‘Volkswagen is the number one in Europe and will soon be number one in the world,’ said an exuberant Sébastien Ogier on his arrival in Hanover. ‘I’m sure that they’re going to compete with the goal of clinching the WRC title, and I’m happy to be part of this from the outset.’ And co-driver Julien Ingrassia stresses with self-confidence: ‘We’re looking forward to a team with a fighting spirit and the determination to win. Anything’s possible!’

‘I am very happy about Sébastian Ogier and Julien Ingrassia joining us,’ says Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management for the Development Division. ‘Both of them are important pieces of the puzzle on our way towards building a successful team in the World Rally Championship. It is also a mark of confidence for our team if such a strong pairing opts for a new team in the WRC that is still in the process of being developed.’ Motorsport Director Kris Nissen adds: ‘We are proud that such a successful and quick duo as Sébastian Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia have decided to join Volkswagen. The aim of putting a competitive Polo R WRC on the road for them as quickly as possible will additionally drive our team. We look forward to working with them and are hoping for many victories and titles in the future.’

Also involved in the contractual negotiations was rally legend Carlos Sainz, who is instrumental in the successful implementation of the WRC 2013 project as an expert adviser to the Volkswagen team. ‘For me, Sébastien is one of the world’s three best drivers,’ praises the two-time World Rally Champion (1990, 1992) and 2010 Dakar winner. The Frenchman, who was Junior WRC Champion in 2008 and third in the 2011 WRC, is considered one of the world’s best drivers. Many experts view the rally racer, who is also a licenced ski instructor, as the upcoming World Champion. In the past season, he won five rallies, thus winning the same number of events as the subsequent world champion Sébastien Loeb. In 2010, in Portugal, he mounted the top of the podium for the first time and has been successful at seven WRC rounds so far.

Ogier will perform his first run as a Volkswagen factory driver at the Race Of Champions at the ESPRIT arena in Düsseldorf on 3 and 4 December, being pitted against the other ‘Super Seb’ – Sebastian Vettel from Formula One.

Profile: Sébastien Ogier
Date and place of birth: 17 December 1983, Gap, Hautes Alpes (France)
Height: 1.81m
Weight: 75kg
Profession: Ski Instructor
Successes: 2008 Junior World Rally Champion; 2010 First victory at the Portugal Rally;
45 rallies, 7 victories, 14 podium places.

Profile: Julien Ingrassia
Date and place of birth: 26 November 1979, Aix-en-Provence (France)
Height: 1.83m
Weight: 72kg
Profession: Businessman
Successes: 2008 Junior World Rally Champion; 2010 First victory at the Portugal Rally;
45 rallies, 7 victories, 14 podium places.

[Source: Volkswagen Motorsport]

In true racing Polo style, the latest round of the 2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup at the Zwartkops circuit in Pretoria saw lots of wheel-to-wheel action. The weekend of 5-6 November saw eager drivers piling altogether into the narrow circuit’s corners, sometimes trading paint, sometimes swapping more. Despite not starting on pole position for either race Kosie Weyers was one of the first drivers into the scrum in both races, and went for every gap to emerge victorious on race day, taking the chequered flag in both runnings, with Kelvin van der Linde crossing the line in second place twice.

Lee Thompson in one of the Ferodo Racing Polo Vivos filled the last place on the podium in race one, while Devin Robertson in the Sparco car was third-placed in the second. Robertson now leads the 2011 championship, followed by Graham Donker in second place, and Miguel Pasqualli in third. The final round of the championship is on 26-27 November, once again at Zwartkops. The 2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup series is similar to the other racing VW Polo Cup single-series championships run in both Europe and India. Just as in those series, the one-make format highlights a wealth of new young driving talent. In the Engen championship, as many as thirty drivers regularly take to the track in technically-identical, 2.0-litre, 234bhp 2011 Volkswagen Polo Vivo racing cars.

Engen Volkswagen Cup racers crowd the Zwartkops race circuit
06 November 2011

Engen Volkswagen Cup competitors took a leaf from the Gauteng drivers and created a traffic jam at Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday. The single-make series fielded a grid of 25 cars at this narrow circuit. There were 18 championship entries and seven Masters racers on the grid at the start of each race. The result of such a large grid was that, especially at the opening stages of each race, competitors were charging into the corners three and four abreast – with disaster waiting just a heartbeat away.

In true Engen Volkswagen Cup style, the racers managed the impossible getting the field through corner after corner unscathed – well mostly anyway. In a series where door mirrors and bumpers are considered consumable items, a bit of knocking on one another’s doors through the corners is not just another day at the office for these drivers – it is the racing norm.

Kosie Weyers (3 – Engen Xtreme) was determined to show his form at this event. Weyers was not shy about diving into any gap he could find – or make – in order to get in front. When the dust settled, he had won both races on the day – despite not once starting from pole position. While Weyers was fighting to gain – and keep – the lead, there were fights going on throughout the field as drivers jostled for position. For Jeffrey Kruger (24 – Steamsure Combustion) the race day saw him right up amongst the frontrunners after a very good qualifying session.

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup, Zwartkops: Kelvin van der Linde

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup, Zwartkops: Kosie Weyers

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup, Zwartkops: Devin Robertson

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup, Zwartkops: Lee Thompson

In the first race it was Van der Linde who crossed the line to claim second behind Weyers with Barnes in third place. The second race saw Van der Linde again claim second spot, this time with Robertson – the new 2011 champion – in third spot. There is just one more point-scoring opportunity for competitors in the Engen Volkswagen Cup series this year. Robertson has already ensured that he will stick the coveted number one on his race car next year, now it is up to the other drivers to sort out the rest of the 2012 pecking order.

RACE RESULTS
Race 1
1 Kosie Weyers: 3 Engen Xtreme
2 Kelvin van der Linde: 31 Ferodo Racing
3 Lee Thompson: M30 Ferodo Racing

Race 2
1 Kosie Weyers: 3 Engen Xtreme
2 Kelvin van der Linde: 31 Ferodo Racing
3 Devin Robertson: 2 Sparco

Championship Overall
1 Kosie Weyers: 3 Engen Xtreme
2 Kelvin van der Linde: 31 Ferodo Racing
3 Kyle Barnes: 5 Gold Liberations

Masters Championship Overall
1 Lee Thompson: M30 Ferodo Racing
2 Graham Donker: M2 Mini / Maxi Panelbeaters
3 Miguel Pasqualli: M1 Engen Xtreme

[Source: Volkswagen Racing]

Although not officially points scoring, one of the Volkswagen Motorsport-prepared Škoda Fabias emerged victorious in the S2000 class on the Rally GB on 11-13 November, also netting a twelfth place overall. Dutchman Kevin Abbring and co-driver Lara Vanneste’s result was the season’s best for the Volkswagen Motorsport team, while German driver Sepp Wiegand faced retirement on round 13, when along with co-driver Timo Gottschalk, he had been running in third place in the S2000 class.

With 354km of special stages, Rally GB was Volkswagen Motorsport’s fourth running of the Škoda Fabia S2000 pairing, to primarily gain test data for the company’s Polo R WRC car which will take to the forests, ice tracks and tarmac in 2013. Also evaluating young driving talents, Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen was pleased with the latest stage of the programme: ‘Rally GB represents one of the biggest challenges in the WRC. Kevin Abbring and Lara Vanneste showed a very strong driving performance.’

The next competitive run planned by the Volkswagen factory team will be the legendary Monte Carlo Rally which will run from 18-22 January 2012. Two officially-prepared 270bhp four-wheel drive Škoda Fabia S2000s will take part in the season opener, which returns to the WRC calendar for the first time since 2009. The official Volkswagen Motorsport press release and image gallery follows.

Volkswagen talent Kevin Abbring clinches class victory in Wales
Wolfsburg (13 November 2011)

At Rally GB, Dutchman Kevin Abbring with co-driver Lara Vanneste impressed as the winners of the S2000 classification, and in twelfth place overall clinched a season’s best result for the Volkswagen team. German junior driver Sepp Wiegand, with Dakar winner Timo Gottschalk as co-driver, was forced to retire at the 13th round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) having been running in a solid third place in class for much of the event.

At the fourth test run across a total distance of 354 kilometres of special stages, the Volkswagen factory team had again sent two Fabia S2000 cars from the Group’s Škoda brand across the starting ramp in order to evaluate young talents. ‘With fast gravel stretches and unpredictable weather, Rally GB represents one of the biggest challenges in the WRC. Kevin Abbring showed a very strong driving performance and did a good job of presenting himself together with his co-driver Lara Vanneste,’ said an obviously pleased Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. ‘But Sepp Wiegand convinced us as well. He continually improved throughout the weekend and proved his talent. We’ll continue to observe both drivers.’

Kevin Abbring (22) together with his Belgian co-driver Lara Vanneste (21) piloted the four-wheel drive 270bhp Fabia S2000 to first place in the S2000 classification. Overall, the pairing finished in an impressive twelfth place, and only lost the class lead briefly after the eleventh leg in heavy fog. ‘I’m very happy. The car was running superbly and had very good balance, which was important on the slippery ground. I felt that the team trust me and hope that I haven’t disappointed them. It’s a great opportunity to be driving in such a professional squad as the Volkswagen factory team,’ the young Dutchman explained.

2011 Rally GB: Abbring/Vanneste

2011 Rally GB: Abbring/Vanneste

2011 Rally GB: Abbring/Vanneste

2011 Rally GB: Abbring/Vanneste

2011 Rally GB: Wiegand/Gottschalk

2011 Rally GB: Wiegand/Gottschalk

2011 Rally GB: Wiegand/Gottschalk

2011 Rally GB: Wiegand/Gottschalk

Praise was also expressed by Dakar winner and co-driver Gottschalk: ‘Naturally, Sepp has still got to learn a lot, but he’s a very quick learner. In the end we weren’t very far from the top drivers in class. He certainly has a lot of talent, particularly considering that he’s only been driving rallies for a year. It’s just a shame that we didn’t reach the finish.’

From 2013, Volkswagen will compete in the top category of rally sport with the Polo R WRC that is currently being developed. Commenting on the team’s progress throughout this year, Nissen explained: ‘The first rally runs in Finland, Germany, Spain and Great Britain have given us important findings for our WRC entry in 2013 with respect to fielding the vehicles, the organisation of the team and the related logistics.’

The next competitive run planned by the Volkswagen factory team will see two Škoda Fabia S2000s take part in the legendary Monte Carlo Rally from 18-22 January 2012, which returns to the full WRC calendar for the first time since 2009.

[Source: Volkswagen Motorsport]

Once again the Irungattukottai Race Track, Chennai hosted the last round of the Volkswagen Polo R Cup India 2011, as the drivers fought for honours over the weekend of 15-16 October. Round 5 saw 21 year-old Rahil Noorani from Mumbai finish first in race one, with Oshan Kothadiya coming in behind just 2.375 seconds after Noorani’s time of 20.46 minutes. Avdumber Hede rounded out the podium 2.477 seconds after Kothadiya. Gaurav Dalal took the chequered flag in the second race in 20.43 minutes, with Vishnu Prasad following 4.907 seconds later. Mihir Dharkar finished third. Vishnu Prasad leads the championship overall, as the series moves to its final round in Noida on 25-27 November, 5 points ahead of Noorani. The series is run by Volkswagen India Motorsport in conjunction with JK Tyres. The field of 20 young racers drive identical and centrally-prepared 129bhp TDI Polo R Cup cars.

It’s all about rallying Polos this week. Last night, after Volkswagen Motorsport officially released details of the first Polo R WRC test in Veldenz, near Trier, Germany, Rallye-Mad.com posted another video of the premiere run, this time from day two. Another two-minute film, the rally Polo gets really angry, slipping, sliding and handbrake-turning into all sorts of leaf-covered, tree-lined hairpin corners. Once again, 1980s rally legend Carlos Sainz and Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management for the Development Division are the drivers. Sounding as sensationally pent-up as it did yesterday, click here for yesterday’s official preliminary testing details and atmospheric film from Volkswagen Motorsport, and here for the first Rallye-Mad.com video.

[Source: Rallye-Mad.com]

It wouldn’t have been long before Volkswagen officially released some details about the first test of the Polo R WRC in Germany, and here they are. Complete with a set of pictures and an official beautifully-shot video, rally legend and Dakar winner Carlos Sainz completed the first test in the vineyards of Veldenz, near to the location of the ADAC Rallye Deutschland stages with co-driver Timo Gottschalk alongside. ‘Next year we’ll be running an extensive testing programme on tarmac, gravel, mud and snow in order to prepare ourselves for the 2013 season as best we can,’ explained Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. The full Volkswagen Motorsport press released and images follow.

First outing: Volkswagen starts testing programme with Polo R WRC
Wolfsburg (03 November 2011)
Well-done trial run: Volkswagen has successfully started the tests with the new Polo R WRC

Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Volkswagen Board of Management for Technology, and the two-time World Rally Champion and ‘Dakar’ winner Carlos Sainz (Spain) completed the first test kilometres in the vineyards of Veldenz near Trier, the location that normally plays host to the ADAC Rallye Deutschland, without any problems today. Prior to competing in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) from 2013 onward, Volkswagen will intensively test and continue to develop the four-wheel drive vehicle that delivers an output of about 300bhp.

‘The first test with the new Polo R WRC is a special moment and marks an important milestone in the preparations for our entry in the WRC,’ comments Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management for the Development Division. ‘We’re well on schedule and are now able to start testing our concepts and developments in reality. The WRC is the top category in rally sport and a great challenge for the team, the drivers and the technology. We’re taking on this challenge and will be making efficient use of the time before we start into our first competition.’

‘The first Polo represents a preliminary stage of the subsequent rally car and during the upcoming months will serve as a test vehicle for various components such as engines, gearboxes or suspension parts. The findings obtained in these tests will be directly fed into the first thorough-bred Polo R WRC,’ explains Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. ‘Next year we’ll be running an extensive testing programme on tarmac, gravel, mud and snow in order to prepare ourselves for the 2013 season as best we can.’

2011 Volkswagen Polo R WRC first test

2011 Volkswagen Polo R WRC first test

2011 Volkswagen Polo R WRC first test

2011 Volkswagen Polo R WRC first test

2011 Volkswagen Polo R WRC first test

2011 Volkswagen Polo R WRC first test

2011 Volkswagen Polo R WRC first test

2011 Volkswagen Polo R WRC first test

In parallel to the tests with the Polo R WRC Volkswagen is continuing its trial runs in the World Rally Championship. Next week the German Sepp Wiegand with Dakar winner Timo Gottschalk as co-driver and the Dutchman Kevin Abbring with co-driver Lara Vanneste will be competing in the Great Britain Rally in Wales (10–13 November). At the fourth WRC test run this year the Volkswagen factory team is again fielding two Fabia cars of the Group’s Škoda brand in order to evaluate talents and gather valuable experiences with the team at this famous gravel rally.

[Source: Volkswagen Motorsport]

We’d heard rumblings (and we bet folk in the vicinity of this forest did, too) that the Polo R WRC had turned a wheel in anger recently, and here’s the proof. Breaking last night and causing a flurry of WRC love on the internet last night, this two-minute video shows Volkswagen’s near-300bhp WRC weapon undergoing its first shakedown test through the German countryside in Veldenz. Tearing through the forest at full chat, the four-wheel drive Polo R WRC sounds sensational, and somehow better than we’d hoped. After what seems like an eternity – but in reality has only been six months – after its reveal at Rally d’Italia Sardegna, the wait has been worthwhile. Roll on 2013!

[Source: Rallye-Mad.com]

After an unfortunate season, the BP Volkswagen Polo Vivo S2000 South African rally team clinched a podium spot on the last event of the season, the MTN Polokwane Rally (21-23 October). Hergen Fekken and Pierre Arries took third place at the event, after two days of tough competition. Reigning champions Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson recorded a third place finish overall for the year, meaning their Polo rally car will wear the number three in 2012. ‘We’ve reached a successful end to a very difficult year,’ said Mike Rowe, head of Volkswagen Racing South Africa. ‘We’ve had to stretch the performance of our cars against the newest technology available from Europe, but the team rose to the challenge.’

‘The Junior and Privateer Volkswagen competitors did us proud this season, with Christoff and Celeste Snyders winning the Junior Championship, the Two-Wheel Drive Championship and the S1600 Championship (finishing in 13th place on the Polokwane stages), while Megan Verlaque and Hilton Auffray won the S1400 championship,’ says Rowe. ‘We’re looking forward to a very exciting season in 2012 with a new car in the mix.’ Verlaque and Auffray also took the S1400 class on the Polokwane event. Other Polo finishers included Nicholas Ryan and Armand du Toit in seventh.

The Polos of Giniel de Villiers and Ralph Pitchford, Jan Habig and Robert Paisley, Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson, and Gugu Zulu and Carl Peskin did not finish. Overall victors of the Limpopo event were Leeroy Pouter and Elvene Coetzee in their Castrol and Innovation Group-backed Toyota Auris S2000. Finishing second, Team Sasol’s Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton won the 2011 South African Driver’s and Co-Driver’s Rally Championships in their Ford Fiesta S2000 – the first privateers in 45 years to do so. Volkswagen Racing South Africa are thought to be preparing a Polo 6R-based machine for the 2012 championship.

MTN Polokwane Rally: Kuun/Hodgson

MTN Polokwane Rally: Fekken/Arries

MTN Polokwane Rally: de Villiers/Pitchford

MTN Polokwane Rally: Zulu/Peskin

MTN Polokwane Rally: Verlaque/Auffray

MTN Polokwane Rally: Snyders/Snyders

MTN Polokwane Rally: Ryan/du Toit

Volkswagen Motorsport’s Polo R WRC campaign became a little more prepped at the weekend, as a successful Rally de Espagna test was enjoyed by the factory team who plan to run Polo R WRCs in 2013. Once again, Škoda Fabia S2000s were used to gain experience in top flight rallying. Two teams took part – Germans Christian Riedemann and Michael Wenzel and Spaniards Yeray Lemes and Rogelio Peñate. Lemes and Peñate claimed fourth place in class and 14th overall, while Riedemann and Wenzel crossed the finish ramp in Salou eighth in class and 20th in the overall rankings. Volkswagen will continue its WRC preparations at the Wales Rally GB from 10-13 November. German Sepp Wiegand will drive with Dakar Rally-winning co-driver Timo Gottschalk while the Dutchman Kevin Abbring will line-up with co-driver Lara Vanneste. The full Volkswagen Motorsport press release follows.

Volkswagen successfully completes test rally in Spain
Wolfsburg, 23 October 2011

Volkswagen Motorsport has continued with preparations ahead of the Polo R WRC making its debut in 2013, completing a successful test at this weekend’s Rally de Espana. The factory team again fielded two Fabia S2000 cars of the Group’s Škoda brand in order to gather valuable experience in the top category of rally racing.

With German duo Christian Riedemann and Michael Wenzel, and Spaniards Yeray Lemes and co-driver Rogelio Peñate in the cockpits, two young driver pairings again had the chance to prove their skills in a professional environment on an international stage. And they successfully did so, with Lemes and Peñate claiming fourth place in class and 14th overall, while Riedemann and Wenzel crossed the finish ramp in Salou eighth in class and in 20th position overall.

‘We’ve got more than twelve months to go before our entry into the World Rally Championship. We’re using this time efficiently by participating in WRC rounds with vehicles of the Volkswagen Group’s Škoda brand and familiarising ourselves with the WRC in competitive conditions in parallel to the development of the Polo R WRC,’ says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. ‘Every rally has its own character. The special aspect of the Spanish rally is that the vehicles first run on gravel and then on tarmac, plus it has incredibly enthusiastic fans.’

Nissen continued: ‘Our two young pairings did well in the competition. Yeray Lemes in particular showed that he can keep the pace of the quickest cars in different terrain whereas Christian Riedemann was running well, especially on tarmac. For the whole Volkswagen Motorsport team the participation in the Rally de Espagna has been a very valuable experience and now we’re preparing for our next WRC run in Wales.’

The 47th Rally de Espana featured a varied profile over a 406.52-kilometre distance of special stages. On Friday the gravel sections were on the agenda, which culminated in a spectacular night stage. On Saturday and Sunday the terrain changed to quick, winding tarmac roads. Here, Yeray Lemes and his co-driver Rogelio Peñate marked three fastest stage times at their home round, but lost the chances of clinching an even better result due to a puncture.

‘We’re more than pleased. We quickly got used to the car on gravel and were able to seriously attack on tarmac. The result makes us very happy, particularly in front of so many fans from my home region, the Canary Islands. I want to thank Volkswagen, we’d like to repeat this at another venue,’ said 24-year-old Lemes.

After competing in the ADAC Rallye Deutschland, this was Riedemann and Wenzel’s second run for Volkswagen. ‘In the beginning we didn’t do the best job of handling the gravel, but we learned from this. On tarmac we clearly managed to improve and were even able to keep the pace of the more experienced drivers some of the time,’ explained Riedemann as he summed up event.

Volkswagen will continue its WRC preparations at Wales Rally GB from 10-13 November. German Sepp Wiegand will drive with Dakar Rally winning co-driver Timo Gottschalk while the Dutchman Kevin Abbring will line-up at the start with co-driver Lara Vanneste.

[Source: Volkswagen Motorsport]

South African Engen Volkswagen Cup drivers Kosie Weyers and Devin Robertson were victorious at the latest rounds of the series at the fast Killarney circuit in Cape Town on 1 October. Weyers won ahead of both Lee Thompson and Robertson in the first race, while in the second, championship leader Robertson was the front runner. Weyers had to settle for the second spot on the podium ahead of Kyle Barnes.

The 2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup series is similar to the other racing VW Polo Cup single-series championships run in both Europe and India. Just as in those series, the one-make format particularly highlights a wealth of new young driving talent. In the Engen championship, as many as thirty drivers regularly take to the track in technically-identical, 2.0-litre, 234bhp Volkswagen Polo Vivo racing cars. The next two rounds of the 2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup are scheduled for 5 November at the Zwartkops circuit, Pretoria.

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup: Lee Thompson and Kosie Weyers, Killarney

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup: Lee Thompson, Killarney

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup: Devin Robertson and Kosie Weyers, Killarney

2011 Engen Volkswagen Cup: Robin Kruger, Killarney

The Polo R WRC is being shown at the Johannesburg International Motor Show – which runs from 6-16 October – by Volkswagen South Africa, which is celebrating its 60th birthday in 2011. The 2013 rally challenger being displayed at the Johannesburg Expo Centre event is the styling mock-up, unveiled by Volkswagen Motorsport on the eve of the Rally d’Italia Sardegna back in May. And, excitingly, it has been revealed that the new Polo S2000 rally car will debut in 2012, and will share most of its visual cues with the Polo R WRC. From 2013, Volkswagen will contest the World Rally Championship with the Polo R WRC.

‘The new technical regulations of the World Rally Championship (WRC) perfectly suits Volkswagen’s philosophy with respect to the development of production vehicles,’ said Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Management Board of the Volkswagen Brand, Development Division. The new set of rules determines 1.6-litre turbo engines with direct injection. This is in line with Volkswagen’s strategy of downsizing engines – a philosophy that has been pioneered with small-volume, turbocharged but highly efficient powertrains. ‘The timing of the WRC debut is ideal for Volkswagen. The task of engineering a vehicle that is competitive and capable of winning at a large number of challenges holds great appeal,’ Dr Hackenberg continued.

The centrepiece of the Volkswagen Polo R WRC will be a 1.6-litre TSI engine with direct injection and turbo-charging that will achieve a power output of 220kW (295bhp) with a maximum torque of 350Nm (258lb ft). In accordance with the regulations, the four-cylinder powerplant will have its air intake reduced by a 33-millimetre air restrictor. To transmit the engine’s power to the wheels a sequential gearbox is planned, but substantial driving assistance systems are prohibited by WRC rules. The aim is to reasonably cap development costs.

The Polo R WRC will be fitted with a safety cage, four-wheel drive and an aerodynamically-optimised exterior. According to the regulations the minimum dry weight will be 1200kg. In the World Rally Championship the technical concept of a world rally car has to be based on the body shell of a production vehicle. At Volkswagen, ‘R’ is associated with models with superior dynamics, compelling performance data and sportiness. The entire ‘R’ model package is offered at outstanding value for money. Other new VWs being displayed in Johannesburg include the eco BlueMotion range, which has a Polo-based variant.

2011 Johannesburg International Motor Show: Polo R WRC

2011 Johannesburg International Motor Show: Polo R WRC

2011 Johannesburg International Motor Show: Polo R WRC

2011 Johannesburg International Motor Show: Polo R WRC