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Volkswagen Motorsport International Newsletter

With Volkswagen participating in so many forms of Motorsport around the world, it’s often difficult to keep track of their performance. Luckily for us, Volkswagen Motorsport goes through the trouble of rounding up all of the key information from their various race series, and puts it all in one press release. Let’s get started.

Global Rallycross
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Two wins for the Volkswagen Beetle in Los Angeles

Double success at the double-header – Scott Speed (USA) won both Global Rallycross events in Los Angeles (USA) with the Volkswagen Beetle GRC. Speed’s team-mate at Andretti Motorsport – Tanner Foust (USA) – finished second and third to round off a successful weekend for the team. “It has been a fantastic weekend,” said Speed. “Obviously at the beginning of the season we struggled a bit, but with a new program like this you’re bound to have problems and we have had them. I think our Beetle are dialed in, they are fast and durable, so I see us as a major threat for the championship.” The brace of wins allowed Speed to climb two positions into second place in the Drivers’ Championship. These were the ex-Formula One driver’s first two victories with the Volkswagen Beetle GRC. Four-times X Games gold medallist Foust had previously claimed the maiden win with the 560-hp four-wheel drive powerhouse back in mid-June. The next round will take place in Barbados on 3 October.

FIA World Rally Championship
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One-two Down Under: Ogier, Ingrassia and Volkswagen crowned world rally champions* for third time

Volkswagen celebrated a triumphant success in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) won the Rally Australia to secure the title in the Drivers’ and Co-Drivers’ World Championships for the third time in a row. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) finished runner-up Down Under, with Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene (N/N) a fine fourth. The latest success also means that Volkswagen has wrapped up the Manufacturers’ Championship with the Polo R WRC with races still to come – also for the third time in a row. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia went into the final 68.76 kilometres of the Rally Australia just two car lengths ahead of Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (GB/IRL, Citroën), who were second overnight. Over the course of the final day’s five special stages, they extended this lead to 32.6 seconds. Their Volkswagen team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila started Sunday 2.6 seconds off the lead, and eventually came home 12.3 seconds behind Ogier/Ingrassia. Mikkelsen/Fløene ultimately went unrewarded for their impressive fightback. They did enough out on the road to force Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle out of the final podium position, but a ten-second penalty for arriving late at a time check meant the two Norwegians had to settle for fourth place.

FIA World Rally Championship
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Volkswagen Polo R WRC the most successful model in WRC history

31 wins from 36 rallies – with a win rate of 86 per cent, the Volkswagen Polo is by far the most successful model of car in the history of the World Rally Championship, ranking ahead of such legendary cars as the Lancia Stratos and Delta, Audi quattro, Ford Focus, Peugeot 206 and the Subaru Impreza. Volkswagen also reached more milestones with the Polo R WRC: since January 2013, 467 of a possible 668 stage wins have gone to the 318-hp four-wheel drive powerhouse. In 2013 and 2014, the Polo won twelve rallies in a row across the two seasons to set a WRC record for the longest winning run in the history of the series. The twelve victories in 2014 also saw Volkswagen set the benchmark for the number of race wins in one season – a record that only Volkswagen itself can equal in 2015.

Volkswagen Racing Cup UK
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Mason champion, Epps bags brace at Donington Park

Eighth place in race two proved sufficient to secure the title – Aaron Mason (GB) wrapped up the championship in the Volkswagen Racing Cup UK at Donington Park (GB). The final two races of the season were both won by Michael Epps (GB). The Brit came home third in race one, but subsequently benefitted from penalties awarded to his two rivals who finished ahead of him: winner Bobby Thompson (GB) was involved in a crash on lap one and was disqualified after the race. Runner-up Howard Fuller (GB) was handed a five-second penalty for ignoring the track limits. He was eventually given third place in the final classification. Phil House (GB) was promoted to second place. Race two lasted 40 minutes, making it the longest in the history of the Volkswagen Racing Cup UK. Epps was victorious, crossing the finish line ahead of team-mates Simon Rudd (GB) and Robert Barrable (GB). David Sutton, who had led the championship all year, endured a wretched weekend: the Brit failed to finish race one and could do no better than twelfth in race two. He eventually had to settle for third place in the championship. Lucas Orrock (GB) in second place missed out on the title by just four points. This was Mason’s second championship win in the Volkswagen Racing Cup UK.

Volkswagen Fun Cup France
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Team Allure wins eight-hour race in Le Castellet

Team Allure was successful at the sixth race weekend of the Volkswagen Fun Cup France. Fred Caprasse/Cedric Bollen/Gilles Debrus (F/F/F) won the eight-hour race in Le Castellet (F), which was held at the Circuit Paul Ricard. Second place wen to the Defi Performance team with Pascal Amant/Julien Menart/Julien Suzanna (F/F/F). The FC 275 Zosh team and its drivers Didier Robin/Arnold Robin/Jean René Defournoux (F/F/F) came home third at the end of the eight hours. After heavy rain during the night, the race was started behind the safety car due to the wet track. Around midday, the 5.842-kilometre circuit started to dry out. The Fun Cup is back in action on 3 and 4 October, when the Circuit de Lédenon (F) will host two races, each lasting three and a half hours.

* Subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA.

Next up:

18/09–20/09/2015
FIA World Rallycross Championship, Barcelona (E)

18/09–20/09/2015
Touringcar Racer International Series, Marina Bay Street Circuit (SGP)

18/09–20/09/2015
Volkswagen Golf Cup Poland, Brno (CZ)

18/09–19/09/2015
Volkswagen Polo Cup Russia, Rally Pskov (RUS)

18/09–19/09/2015
South African Rally Championship, Cape Town (ZA)

The post Volkswagen Motorsport International Newsletter appeared first on VWVortex.



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