Full throttle over one of the most famous jumps in rallying – a tasty appetiser ahead of the Rally Portugal. This year, Volkswagen Motorsport will take part in the “Fafe Rally Sprint” for the first time. More than 100,000 spectators are expected at the show event in northern Portugal on Saturday 6th April 2013. Lining up in Fafe: the winners of the rallies in Sweden and Mexico, Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia (F/F), and, for the first time in the Polo R WRC, Andreas Mikkelsen and Mikko Markkula (N/FIN). Beginning with the Rally Portugal, the Nordic duo will compete for Volkswagen Motorsport in the third Polo R WRC at all the remaining rounds of this season’s FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).

The 6.34-kilometre section of the iconic Lameirinha stage no longer officially forms part of the Rally Portugal. Just as it did last year, however, it will herald the start of the rally week. “We are really looking forward to lining up in Fafe for the first time,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. “Sébastien and Julien will be in close contact with thousands of Portuguese fans at the ‘Rally Sprint’, and will be out to put on a good show for them. The event also offers Andreas and Mikko the opportunity to test the Polo R WRC under competitive conditions for the first time, and to familiarise themselves with the atmosphere before they make their WRC debut in the Polo R WRC the following week.”

The crowds in Fafe are in for a spectacular show: the teams must battle their way through two qualifying rounds on the way to the final. The fastest time in the final wins the “Fafe Rally Sprint”. Another extremely popular feature with the fans is the competition to see who can remain airborne for the longest over one of the most challenging jumps in rallying. The record, which was set by Armin Schwarz in a Škoda Octavia WRC in 2000, currently stands at 73.5 metres.

As well as Volkswagen, a number of other WRC teams have also confirmed that they will be competing at the cult event. The Rally Portugal gets underway with qualifying on Thursday 11th April 2013 and ends with the podium ceremony at Algarve Stadium between the cities of Faro and Loulé.

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Mexico, 10 March 2013; 16 stage wins and a lead of three and a half minutes: Sébastien Ogier (F), at the wheel of the Volkswagen Polo R WRC, won the third round of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Altitude, heat, hundreds of thousands of fans – alongside co-driver Julien Ingrassia (F), Ogier dominated the Rally Mexico from start to finish to claim his second win of the season, following the duo’s success at the Rally Sweden. The Volkswagen pairing won all but seven of the 23 special stages and demonstrated remarkably consistent speed: thanks in no small part to the Ogier factor, the number 8 Polo R WRC was among the fastest four cars on every stage. The icing on the cake was Ogier’s victory on the Power Stage, which earned him a further three points towards the World Rally Championship according to a Volkswagen Press Release

Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) in the second Polo R WRC

also proved their undoubted driving prowess. After incredible misfortune forced the Finns to retire from day two’s action just metres into the first special stage of the day, they took advantage of the Rally 2 regulation to rejoin the rally with a bang on Saturday and Sunday. The duo finished in the top three on six of the ten special stages held on days three and four in their number 7 Polo R WRC. Latvala’s tour de force came on the Power Stage: despite having to clear the route for everyone else, as the first man out onto the dirty route, he still managed to clock the third-fastest time to earn himself a bonus point towards the World Rally Championship.

Challenge 1 – the heat: man and machine come out on top in Mexico

Temperatures reaching around 30 degrees Celsius mean that Mexico is not only one of the hottest rallies of the World Championship season when it comes to sporting action. The route profile, with long descents from high altitudes, and searing temperatures not only heat the brake fluid to boiling point, but also ask huge questions of the driver himself. In these difficult conditions, the Volkswagen Polo R WRC once again demonstrated its durability, while the Volkswagen drivers benefitted from their excellent fitness.

The route of the Rally Mexico took its competitors through central Mexico, around the cities of León, Guanajuato and Silao. The character of the stages was defined by fine gravel and dusty sections. The 23 stages took place at altitudes of between 2,671 and 1,795 metres and covered a total 394.88 kilometres against the clock.

Challenge 2 – the altitude: Polo R WRC powerful in the extreme conditions in Mexico

Special stages at almost 2,700 metres above sea level result in a loss of up to 30 per cent of an engine’s performance. The Volkswagen engineers prepared meticulously for this particular challenge, and modified the 315-hp engine in the Polo R WRC to cope with the altitudes it would face on the special stages. In doing so, the Motorsport department demonstrated the performance of Volkswagen engines at a special location. In January 2013, Volkswagen opened the group’s 100th plant in Silao, in close proximity to the special stages themselves. The plant produces engines – predominantly for the American market.

Challenge 3 – the service: perfect team performance

The victory at the Rally Mexico is one for the entire Volkswagen team. Engineers, mechanics, logistics – every cog fit perfectly into place within the Volkswagen outfit, as they took on the third rally of the season with the Polo R WRC. Each of the team’s eight services, which are temporally restricted by the regulations, ran like well-rehearsed choreography and provided Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala with perfect material throughout the rally.

The fourth round of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship will take place in Portugal from 11th to 14th April. Jari-Matti Latvala and Sébastien Ogier will be joined in the Volkswagen team by Andreas Mikkelsen, who will also drive a Polo R WRC.

Quotes, Day Four of the Rally Mexico

Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
“No sooner had the rally started than things took a turn for the worse for us. We had to give up after a matter of metres on Friday, due to suspension damage we received when we hit a stone. After that, we tried a few things with the car and I worked on my driving style. By the end of the rally, I felt more comfortable than ever in the Polo. I now have a better understanding of the handling characteristics. That gives me a lot of motivation ahead of Portugal. Winning a point on the Power Stage was obviously a nice way to finish.”

Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
“What a fantastic feeling. The Polo R WRC was perfect for every single minute of the Rally Mexico. I can only thank my team for that. This victory at our debut on gravel is very special and will always have a special place in my heart. We will definitely celebrate it in style tonight. We take every win as it comes. This morning I took an extremely cautious approach on the first special stage and steered around every stone. However, from midway through I put my foot down again. We obviously have a big lead now in the World Championship, but there are still another ten rallies to come.”

Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
“To be honest: never in our wildest dreams did we expect this kind of success at our very first gravel rally with the Polo R WRC. We prepared meticulously for the World Rally Championships, and left nothing to chance in the run up to the Rally Mexico. As such, the win in Mexico is a success for the entire team, which worked together perfectly this weekend. Not only on-site, but also at home in Hannover and Wolfsburg. It is impossible to overrate Sébastien Ogier’s performance: the Ogier factor was what made the difference here. It allowed us to challenge for the win right from the word go. Respect. Jari-Matti Latvala’s performance was no less impressive. He was really unlucky right at the start of the rally, but fought back magnificently and was rewarded for his efforts with the World Championship point he won on the Power Stage. Again, respect. The suspension damage he suffered has shown us that we can still improve with the Polo R WRC.”

Hogfors, 9 Feb 2013: A cool head in the heat of battle – Volkswagen has successfully defended its lead at the Rally Sweden. At the only round of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) held exclusively on ice and snow, Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia (F/F), at the wheel of the Polo R WRC, hold a 26.9-second lead over nine-time world champion Sébastien Loeb (Citroën) at the top of the overall standings. Their team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) follow in fourth place. The Volkswagen Polo R WRC came out on top in five of the eight special stages and finished in the top three on eight occasions on day two of the “Sweden”, according to a Volkswagen Press Release.

The second day of the Rally Sweden headed north-east of the Service Park in Hagfors through the forests of central Sweden. Conditions on the special stages “Sågen”, “Fredriksberg”, “Rämmen” and the “Hagfors Sprint” were similar to those faced on Friday: a solid layer of ice ensured that conditions were typically “Swedish”. Small milestones on the loop, which was negotiated twice, ensured that it was a surprisingly successful day for Volkswagen. Jari-Matti Latvala scored his first ever stage win with the Polo R WRC on the first run of “Fredriksberg”. Sébastien Ogier won the very same stage when they returned later in the day. The Frenchman also the fastest man through “Sågen” twice and “Rämmen” at the second attempt. Volkswagen now has a total nine stage wins and 18 top-three results to its name at the Rally Sweden.

Quotes, Day Two of the Rally Sweden

Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
“I am not entirely happy today. This is because I must work on my performance, rather than that of the Polo R WRC. The car’s performance is there, but knowing exactly where the limit is has not yet become second nature to me. Because our rival Mads Østberg was on such good form today, we lost third place to him. However, we have almost another 100 kilometres ahead of us tomorrow, and the gap is not that big. Let’s see what happens on Sunday.”

Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
“Up until now it has really been a perfect rally for us. The car is simply brilliant, which makes it a joy to drive quickly. There is no reason for me to go all out on the attack. Despite this, we are still putting our foot down, as the opposition is applying plenty of pressure. Sébastien Loeb, in particular, is one man you can never write off. If you take your foot off the gas, you risk losing your rhythm. We found good pace on today’s stages, particularly on the second run. That will be our task for tomorrow too – after all, we still have just short of 100 kilometres of special stage ahead of us.”

Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
“A big compliment goes to both drivers, who did another great job today. Fastest times on five of the eight stages shows that the Polo R WRC is working well in the special conditions you find at the Rally Sweden. You can see from the results that Sébastien Ogier feels at home in the car – and from the big grin on his face at the service. That gives the entire team additional motivation to give everything again on the final day of the rally tomorrow. I am also pleased for Jari-Matti Latvala, who won his first stage for us today. He has not driven many kilometres in the Polo R WRC yet. However, the stage win is a sign of what we can expect once he is used to the material.”

And then there was …
… snow instead of sand. Only one single component of the Polo R WRC has been transferred without any modification from the Dakar-winning Volkswagen Race Touareg 3. And that component will only see action at the Rally Sweden. The cars driven by Jari-Matti Latvala and Sébastien Ogier will both carry two shovels at the second round of the WRC season. The ultra-light spades have already helped Giniel de Villiers, Carlos Sainz and Nasser Al-Attiyah escape from some tricky situations in the desert, before going on to win the legendary Dakar Rally with Volkswagen. The tool is on board at the “Sweden” for a similar purpose. Should Latvala or Ogier get lodged in a snowdrift, they will reach for their trusty shovels.

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