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Tag: Volkswagen
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Packed, quality grids for second round at Coimbatore: MRF MMSC National Racing
An INDIAinF1 file photo of a MRF F1600 car in action. Coimbatore, 21 June 2018: Packed and quality grids will feature the second round of the MRF MMSC fmsci Indian National Racing Championship commencing at the Kari Motor Speedway here this weekend which will also witness the opening round of the Volkswagen Ameo Cup.
As in the previous seasons, the MRF F1600 winner at the end of the championship comprising 12 races over four rounds, will earn the right to participate in the Mazda Road To Indy shootout in the United States. The winner of the shootout will be eligible for a scholarship of USD 200,000.
The MRF Formula Ford 1600 will no doubt headline the programme. It boasts of a 14-strong line-up featuring established racers like Raghul Rangasamy, Kolkata’s Arya Singh, who last year won the Formula LGB 1300 championship, Karminder Singh, the 2017 VW Ameo Cup champion, Karting graduates Yash Aradhya and Nayan Chatterjee, besides Sandeep Kumar, the 2017 first runner-up.
Chairman of the MMSC championship Vicky Chandhok said: “At this juncture, we must appreciate and acknowledge MRF’s long and committed association with motorsport in India, be it rallying or racing or motocross. It is thanks to MRF that we are able to run the racing championships, both cars and bikes, as they supply top quality tyres for all participants. Participation in motorsport has also helped MRF to develop World-class tyres as could be gauged from their success in the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship and now the World Rally Championship. Also, as title sponsors, MRF Tyres have helped Indian motorsport to grow and thrive.”
The weekend card also includes the ever-popular saloon cars that will be competing in three categories – the premier Indian Touring Cars, the Indian Junior Touring Cars and the Super Stock besides the Esteem Cup – and the Formula LGB 1300 which, like MRF F1600, joins the National championship from this round.
The ITC grid has been considerably strengthened as two Coimbatore veterans 54-year old Narayanaswamy Leelakrishnan (ARKA Motor Sports) and Arjun Balu (Race Concepts), 43, both former champions, have thrown their hats in the ring. Leelakrishnan, who returned to racing after a gap of 17 years in 2011, sat out the 2017 season while Balu is staging a comeback after a lapse of five years.
In the first round in February this year, Bengaluru’s Ashish Ramaswamy (ARKA Motor Sports) won two of the three races to tally 50 points and will be looking to consolidate, though the competition will be far stiffer this time.
Volkswagen Motorsport India has finalised 19 new drivers who will take part in the 2018 Volkswagen Ameo Cup. All the VW Ameo cars will be fitted with MRF tyres. The list for the upcoming season includes two female drivers while Yash Ojha from Lucknow is the youngest on the grid at just 19 years. Like last year, there is one entry from Bangladesh who will lend the event an international flavour.
The Ameo Cup champion will be decided over 10 races during the season and there will be two categories, Pro and Junior. At the end of the season, the winner of the Ameo Cup Pro class will get a sponsored drive in a higher category of racing, while the winner of the Junior category will be offered a sponsored drive in the next season of the Ameo Cup.
As per the schedule, Friday has been set aside for practice sessions followed by qualifying and races the following two days.
About Madras Motor Sports Club
The Madras Motor Sports Club has been the pioneer in developing and promoting motorsport in India since 1953, and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is the club’s endeavor to provide more opportunities for competitors, and to this end, it has chalked out various progressive programmes. From the days of Sholavaram , MMSC built its own racetrack which was inaugurated in 1979 and secured its FIA Grade-2 international certification in 2014, making it the only club which owns such a facility that has been further upgraded with international-standard Paddock, complete with VIP hospitality suites, 20 spacious garages and a separate Paddock on the western side with its own circuit. The club has organised the Porsche Super Cup, Formula Campos, Formula Asia, Asian touring car championships, Formula 3, Tata Prima Truck racing championship, the FIM Asia Road Racing Championships (2-wheelers) besides a host of other motorsport events over the years. The club also has active participation for its events from vehicle manufacturers who also use the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) extensively for testing their products.
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Gaurav Gill, Musa Sherif clinch MRF South India crown for their 30th INRC title
Gaurav Gill and co-driver Musa Sherif en route to winning their 30th INRC title since 2007. Photos by Anand Philar Chennai, 29 April 2018: One of the most enduring combinations, Gaurav Gill and co-driver Musa Sherif picked up their 30th title in the Indian National Rally Championship since coming together in 2007 as the Mahindra Adventure pair won the MRF South India Rally, here on Sunday, sparing over two minutes to their team-mates Amittrajit Ghosh and Ashwin Naik.
It was an untroubled ride to victory for 36-year old three-time Asia Pacific Rally Championship winner Gill as he built on his overnight lead to emerge a worthy winner. “I didn’t really push today, but was still fast enough. I had no issues with my vehicle (XUV 500) today and of course, it is always a nice feeling when you win,” said Gill who now looks forward to doing a few rounds in the World Rally Championship-2 category later this year, backed by MRF Tyres.
With Gill enjoying a sizeable overnight lead, Sunday was more about others down the field jockeying for positions. Ghosh, also in a XUV 500, drove fast and clean to take second position in the Overall standings, ahead of Karna Kadur (co-driver Nikhil Pai) of ARKA Motorsports in the Volkswagen Polo.
Gill and Ghosh also topped the INRC-1 category while veteran Vicky Chandhok (co-driver Chandramouli), driving a factory-supported Volkswagen Polo R2, and returning to rallying after a gap of 18 years, completed the podium. Chandhok belied his 61 years by not only being competitive, but also withstanding the extreme heat and humidity that had competitors half his age gasping for breath.The INRC-2 category saw ARKA Motorsports completing a 1-2 finish with favourite Karna Kadur taking the top berth ahead of the veteran pair and of Rahul Kanthraj and Vivek Bhatt while Sumit Panjabi (Shahid Salman) in a Mitsubishi Cedia finished third.
A fierce battle raged for the INRC-3 category honours through the day. Overnight leader Dean Mascarenhas (Shruptha Padival) met with misfortune in the day’s last Stage as his VW Polo stalled no fewer than five times and he slipped to second behind Vikram Rao (Somayya AG). Young and rookie Fabid Ahmer (Fayaz Arakkal) from Kerala displayed impressive pace and car control to come in third in the category.
The top prize in the FMSCI 2-Wheel Drive Cup went to Adith KC (co-driver Suraj K).
Unaudited Provisional classification:
Overall: 1. Gaurav Gill / Musa Sherif (Mahindra Adventure, XUV 500) (1hr, 28mins, 43.1 secs); 2. Amittrajit Ghosh / Ashwin Naik (Mahindra Adventure, XUV 500) (01:30:39.6); 3. Karna Kadur / Nikhil Pai (ARKA Motorsports, VW Polo) (01:30:59.4).
INRC-1: 1. Gill / Sherif; 2. Ghosh / Naik; 3. Vicky Chandhok / Chandramouli (VW Motorsports, VW Polo R2) (01:34:21.7)
INRC-2: 1. Kadur / Pai; 2. Rahul Kanthraj / Vivek Bhatt (ARKA Motorsports, VW Polo) (01:32:45.6); 3. Sumit Punjabi / Shahid Salman (Pvt, Mitsubishi Cedia) (01:35:53.4).
INRC-3: 1. Aroor Vikram Rao / Somayya AG (Falkon Motorsports, VW Polo) (01:31:55.5); 2. Dean Mascarenhas / Shruptha Padival (Pvt, VW Polo) (01:32:37.3); 3. Fabid Ahmer / Fayaz Arakkal (Pvt, VW Polo) (01:33:00.5).
Support class: FMSCI 2WD Cup: 1. Adith KC / Suraj K (Pvt, Honda City V-tec) (01:33:28.7); 2. Suraj Thomas / Sob George (Pvt, Honda City V-tec) (01:36:29.5); 3. Ravi MS / Priyamvada Saradhi (Pvt, Maruti Baleno) (01:41.17.5).
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Volkswagen shortlists 15 drivers for Ameo Cup 2017
Pune, 27 Dec 2016: Volkswagen Motorsport India conducted the driver selection process for the Ameo Cup 2017 on Dec 17 and 18 at the Indi Karting here in Kharadi. Aspiring drivers were selected to participate in the one-make series of Volkswagen Ameo Cup 2017 which will be hosted as a part of the MMSC-FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship in Chennai.The selection process received an enormous response from the young racers from across the country with over 600 aspirants registering for the racing series. Rayomand Banajee, driver coach for Volkswagen Motorsport India and Sirish Vissa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport India were the judges. Overall driving skills that covered consistency in performance, understanding of racing lines, driving attitude, lap times and ability to learn were judged.
During the two days of comprehensive and rigorous selection process, participants were briefed about the techniques to hone their skills. The prospective racers were also put through a fitness session which tested their stamina and core physical strength. Additionally, they were also introduced to the importance of sponsorship in their career and how it plays a vital role especially in the field of racing.
Vissa said, “Volkswagen Motorsport India has been committed to nurturing budding racing talent and it is pleasing to see such enthusiasm among youngsters in the country. Promising racing talent has come forward this year and I hope they would put their learnings to practice in competition. With the introduction of Ameo Cup, we expect to see more action on the tracks.
Earlier in December, 15 drivers have been shortlisted for the 2017 season one make-series. The list of the final 20 drivers will be confirmed by end of January 2017.
About Volkswagen Motorsport India: Taking ahead 50 years of enriching global motorsport legacy of Volkswagen, Volkswagen Motorsport India commenced operations with the Polo Cup India in 2010. The series started off with a first- ever iconic race being held at Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex at Balewadi in Pune, the hometown of Volkswagen in India. The vast global expertise, coupled with rich dynamic history of the Group has enabled Volkswagen Motorsport India to progress swiftly and become the best one make series in a short span of time. The Volkswagen Polo R Cup enhanced awareness as well as underlined the technological advancement of Volkswagen in India. In 2015, Volkswagen Motorsport India shifted to Vento Cup and continued to provide a vital platform for the talented young racers to demonstrate their capabilities nationally and internationally by nurturing them. In the one-make series, all participating cars are technically identical with the same performance making it possible for only the most skilled drivers to leave an impact.
Successes in Indian Rallying: Under the Customer Sport Initiative, Volkswagen Motorsport India started providing teams and individuals running Volkswagen Polo rally cars in the Indian Rally Championship (IRC) with technical assistance and spares from 2013. The Volkswagen Polo won the 2013 and 2014 season in the 1600-cc class.
eom/Volkswagen Motorsport release
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Volkswagen one-two to end an era – Mikkelsen and Ogier make WRC history in Australia
- Volkswagen bids farewell to the World Rally Championship as champions with win number 43
- A force down under: Mikkelsen claims third WRC win after battle with Ogier
Wolfsburg, 20 Nov 2016: The story of Volkswagen in the WRC ended with an exclamation mark: Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N) gave the most successful car in the history of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) a worthy send-off with another win at the Rally Australia. Victory in the Polo R WRC’s 52nd rally was both spectacular and hard-fought – and featured a close battle with Volkswagen team-mates Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), who celebrated four titles in the Driver’s and Co-Drivers’ Championship with the world rally car from Wolfsburg. The French pair also won the Manufacturers’ Championship four times with fellow Volkswagen duo Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN). The final hurrah down under developed into a real thriller, in which Mikkelsen/Jæger held his nerve to come out on top thanks to a magnificent performance. After four years at the top of the pinnacle of rallying, Volkswagen bids farewell to the most prestigious automobile world championship outside Formula 1 with an impressive record.
The best rally car ever made – the Polo R WRC
958 special stages, 640 stage wins. 52 rallies, 87 podium finishes, including 43 victories. 51 Power Stages, bonus points on 92 occasions. As far as the success rate is concerned, the Volkswagen Polo R WRC is by far the most successful WRC car ever. Between the moment that Jari-Matti Latvala set off on the world rally car from Wolfsburg’s first special stage – at 09:07 on 16 January 2013 – and Andreas Mikkelsen crossing the finish line for the final time in the Polo R WRC at 13:47 and 51 seconds local time, the Volkswagen drivers have completed 48,723.52 kilometres of special stage. That is almost exactly three times the distance between Ikarusallee 7a in Hannover and the Volkswagen service area in Coffs Harbour. There is a strong team behind this success: as well as the team at the rallies and the 200 employees in Hannover, the technical development department in Wolfsburg and the partners of Volkswagen Motorsport have also contributed to the historic success.
Milestone, not melancholy: hard-earned victory for Mikkelsen after battle with Ogier
Extreme dust, the task of sweeping clear a thick layer of loose gravel, and the intelligent management of the race tyres – the crews at the 2016 Rally Australia faced a wide range of challenges. Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger led the field of world rally cars for 94.1 per cent of the 283.36 kilometres against the clock. Their duel with four-time world champions* Ogier/Ingrassia was one of the finest seen in rallying in recent years. What made it all the more remarkable was the fact that neither of the two Volkswagen duos had favourable starting positions.One goal achieved, one narrowly missed – Mikkelsen/Jæger finish third in the world championship
Victory in the final rally of the year saw Mikkelsen/Jæger do all they could to finish second in the World Rally Championship. However, their rivals for the runner-up spot, Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B, Hyundai), were in no mood to give up second place. The Belgians claimed the third spot on the podium behind Mikkelsen/Jæger and Ogier/Ingrassia. Mikkelsen/Jæger did finish third in the Manufacturers’ Championship – as the best one-car team in the World Rally Championship.Latvala/Anttila in the points at the final round of the season
Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) in the third Polo R WRC were denied a happy ending at the final rally of the year. They damaged their suspension when they brushed a barrier on a bridge at the very start of the rally. Despite losing over seven minutes, last year’s runners-up in the World Rally Championship fought their way back into the points and ended the Rally Australia in ninth place.Icing on the cake in a Volkswagen domain: Ogier wins the Power Stage
Volkswagen once again dominated the Power Stage, on which bonus points are awarded to the top three drivers and co-drivers. The stage win in Australia went to a Volkswagen duo – Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia – for the 39th time. In total, extra points have gone to Wolfsburg on 92 occasions. For Ogier/Ingrassia, this was the 33rd Power Stage win of their career.Quotes after day three of the Rally Australia
Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
“I was a bit wide exiting a left-hander at the end of the ‘Wedding Bells’ stage, and spun. In the huge dust cloud, it took me a few moments to work out where the road was. We lost almost 20 seconds as a result. However, I have no regrets. Julien and I were really going for it all weekend, and had had a great battle with Andreas up to that point. He deserved the win. The most important thing is that our fantastic team bids farewell to the World Rally Championship with a victory. This is a very emotional moment for me. I have so much to thank the team for. Volkswagen Motorsport has been like a family to Julien and me. I have made a lot of friends and will never forget the wonderful moments we have had together over the past few years. A fantastic journey is coming to an end, and I am proud to have been a part of it.”Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
“I enjoyed the final few kilometres in the Polo R WRC on today’s Power Stage. We had some good special stages today and yesterday, and made good progress through the field. We can be happy with our performance over the past few days. Unfortunately, we made light contact with a wall on a bridge on the opening stage, and destroyed the rear suspension in the process. We lost a lot of time as a result, and had no chance of challenging for either the podium or the win. I would have liked to have done that – primarily to give our team a fitting leaving present. Our team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen and Sébastien Ogier claimed a deserved one-two. Congratulations to them both. We will celebrate as a team again this evening, before our time together in the World Rally Championship comes to an end. It is sure to be very emotional.”Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“What a fantastic weekend, and what a wonderful result at the end of our season. Today has been a very special day, as it was our last appearance as a team. I was so desperate to win this rally for Volkswagen. It is fantastic to have achieved that. Volkswagen is the team that gave me the opportunity to step up into the top class of the WRC. They put a lot of faith in me and made so much possible for me. They will always have a special place in my heart. Everything came together at the final rally. Everything, absolutely everything, worked perfectly – it was simply the optimum of what we have achieved together in four years in the World Rally Championship. On the one hand, it is a bit of a shame that we just missed out on second place in the championship. On the other hand, that is not so important. If I had been given the choice of winning our final rally together or finishing runner-up in the world championship, I would always have chosen the win.”Sven Smeets, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
“Today is a very successful day for Volkswagen on the one hand, and an emotional goodbye to the world rally championship on the other. To bid farewell with a one-two is simply fantastic. Despite the difficult situation, the entire team gave their all and was thoroughly professional right down to the final metre. I am incredibly proud of our performance here at the Rally Australia – and over the past few years. I would like to thank everyone in Hannover, Wolfsburg and at the rallies, as well as our partners, who have all contributed to our success. We have achieved a lot and head into our future in motorsport full of confidence.”And then there was …
… Julien Ingrassia’s selfie marathon. As Volkswagen’s WRC programme drew to a close, the four-time world champion co-driver set about taking a selfie of himself and every single member of the team at the rally, as a lasting reminder of the four years together.And then there was also …
… one driver who had been a part of Volkswagen’s WRC project from the word go: Andreas Mikkelsen. His first start for the team came in Finland in 2011 when, as a young driver looking to stake his claim for a works seat, he took part in the first test for Volkswagen Motorsport in a car from group brand Škoda.
*subject to confirmation from the FIA.
FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Rally Australia – Final Results*
01. Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N), Volkswagen, 2h 46m 05.7s
02. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen, + 14.9s
03. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Hyundai, + 1m 12.6s
04. Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ), Hyundai, + 1m 26.7s
05. Dani Sordo/Marc Martí (E/E), Hyundai, + 1m 28.3s
06. Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene (N/N), Ford, + 1m 41.5s
07. Ott Tänak/Raigo Mõlder (EST/EST), Ford, + 3m 04.3s
08. Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (FIN/FIN), Škoda, + 7m 32.3s
09. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen, + 7m 56.9s
10. Lorenzo Bertelli/Simone Scattolin (I/I), Ford, + 8m 00.1sFIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Rally Australia – Power Stage Results
01. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen 3m 36.8s
02. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Hyundai + 1.2s
03. Dani Sordo/Marc Martí (E/E), Hyundai + 2.7sFIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Overall Standings*
Drivers’ Championship
1. Sébastien Ogier, 268 points; 2. Thierry Neuville, 160; 3. Andreas Mikkelsen, 154; 4. Hayden Paddon, 138; 5. Dani Sordo, 130; 6. Jari-Matti Latvala, 112; 7. Mads Østberg, 102; 8. Ott Tänak, 88; 9. Kris Meeke, 64; 10. Craig Breen, 36Co-drivers’ Championship
1. Julien Ingrassia, 268 points; 2. Nicolas Gilsoul, 160; 3. Anders Jæger, 154; 4. John Kennard, 138; 5. Marc Martí, 130; 6. Miikka Anttila, 112; 7. Ola Fløene, 102; 8. Raigo Mõlder, 88; 9. Paul Nagle, 64; 10. Scott Martin, 36Manufacturers’ Championship
1. Volkswagen Motorsport, 377 points; 2. Hyundai Motorsport, 312; 3. Volkswagen Motorsport II, 163; 4. M-Sport, 162; 5. Hyundai Motorsport N, 146; 6. DMACK, 98; 7. Jipocar Czech National Team, 18; 8. Yazeed Racing, 4* Provisional.
eom/Volkswagen Motorsports press release
Anders Jæger/Andreas Mikkelsen (N/N) | Photo: Welam -
Ogier keeps the control: WRC Wales Rally
Sébastien Ogier (F)
WRC Rally Great Britain 2016
Photo: Bodo KrälingWales, 29 Oct 2016: Reigning FIA World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier continues to head the Wales Rally GB leaderboard, the Frenchman losing only one second to second-placed Ott Tanak after Saturday’s first three stages. Thierry Neuville leads the challenge for Hyundai, the Belgian with one stage win this morning and now 42.1 seconds adrift of his Estonian rival.
Saturday’s leg is an unusual challenge for the crews in that there is 100 kilometres of competition, not only without a midday service but also a tyre fitting zone. So, when crews chose their tyres early this morning, they were committed to them for the duration of the day. Once again, drizzly rain and mist greeted them as they headed southwest of the rally base in Deeside for two loops of three stages, then with a single run through another two stages before returning to the main service late afternoon.
Ogier started the day with a 37.3 second lead over Tanak, who immediately set the pace in his DMACK-shod Fiesta RS WRC. Both have run without problems and while Tanak is happy with his pace, the Estonian admitted there is no way to catch Ogier on speed alone. Neuville won the third stage but lost time in the previous one when he hit a bank and thought he’d damaged the i20 WRC. He is third and ahead of team-mate Hayden Paddon who is once again struggling with set up and the road conditions not suiting his driving style. He is just 7.3 seconds behind and with more than 20 seconds in hand to Kris Meeke. The Northern Irish driver feels he cannot do more to challenge, his road position further down the field hampering his charge. Plus, he has had two slow punctures this morning and, with another five stages to run and no more spare tyres, Meeke will need to manage this situation carefully.
Dani Sordo, sixth at the mid-leg regroup in Corris, is not entirely comfortable with the set up and when he tried to push harder he went off the road in the second stage. A lack of confidence in the changeable conditions continues to unsettle the Spaniard. Mads Østberg is seventh, the Norwegian picking up a 10 second penalty at first service when the team had to make last minute repairs to the Fiesta before he headed out to the stages. Like Meeke, Jari-Matti Latvala is finding the road conditions difficult further down the field, this coupled with his own driving contributing to time loss. Stephane Lefebvre is ninth and Eric Camilli has moved into the top 10 this morning.
The FIA WRC 2 Championship continues to be led by Esapekka Lappi but he has lost time to a charging Teemu Suninen, both Finns on a mission for maximum points to keep their championship hopes alive. Suninen has won two of the three stages and is now 34.3 seconds adrift of Lappi. The FIA WRC 3 Championship continues to be led by Martin Koci, the Slovakian driver racking up a trio of stage wins to head Simone Tempestini by 46 seconds.
eom/FIA press release -
Ogier-Ingrassia claim fourth WRC title in a row with Volkswagen
- Crowned with a win: Ogier/Ingrassia wrap up world title after eleven rallies
- Title defence sees champions join Kankkunen and Mäkinen in exclusive club
- Match point number two for Volkswagen in the Manufacturers’ Championship
Wolfsburg, 16 October 2016: Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) were crowned World Rally Champions for the fourth time in a row after taking victory at the Rally Spain. They guided their Volkswagen Polo R WRC to a fifth win of the season in Catalonia, finishing ahead of Dani Sordo/Marc Martí (E/E, Hyundai) und Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B, Hyundai). Their ninth podium in eleven races triggered wild celebrations. The Frenchmen can no longer be caught at the top of the overall standings in the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N) went into the Rally Spain as their closest rivals in the title race, but the Norwegians’ hopes of winning the championship were dashed when they were forced to retire from the rally. Eighth place in the Manufacturers’ classifications for Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) means Volkswagen is well-placed to claim its fourth Manufacturers’ title in a row next time out at the Rally Great Britain.
Kankkunen, Mäkinen and Ogier – up there with the biggest names in rallying
952 days in a row at the top of the table: Sébastien Ogier is only the third World Rally Champion to be crowned champion four years in a row in the pinnacle of rallying, and the fourth four-time world champion in the history of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). He is now on a par with Juha Kankkunen (FIN) and Tommi Mäkinen (FIN). Only his compatriot, nine-time world champion Sébastien Loeb (F) has more titles to his name.
Four titles, each wrapped up with a win and races to spare – the Ogier/Ingrassia way
Eleven rallies, nine podium finishes, five of which were wins: victory number 37 of Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia’s careers, their 30th with Volkswagen, tasted particularly sweet. The four-time world champions remained true to form, securing the title with a win for the fourth time in a row. They previously wrapped up the 2013 title at the penultimate rally in France, before achieving the same feat in Spain in 2014. In 2015, they claimed an extremely hard-fought victory at the Rally Australia to win the title before the end of the season. Victory at the 2016 Rally Spain – the only rally on the WRC calendar to be held on both gravel and asphalt – was also contested passionately.
The masterstroke: irresistibly quick and considered at the Rally Spain
The Rally Spain in Catalonia developed into a thrilling battle for the lead between local heroes Dani Sordo/Marc Martí and eventual winners Ogier/Ingrassia. The weather added to the challenge on the opening day, which was held predominantly on gravel. Ogier/Ingrassia lost 17.0 seconds to Sordo/Martí on roads that were muddy in places and drying in others. However, they bounced back on Saturday, the first of two days on asphalt, to convert this deficit into a 5.8-second lead, with wins on five of the eight special stages. Ogier extended his lead on Sunday and ultimately finished 15.6 seconds clear of the rest of the field.
Setback for Mikkelsen, Latvala is back
In contrast, Mikkelsen/Jæger and Latvala/Anttila in the second and third Polo R WRCs suffered disappointments. Friday came to a premature end for Latvala/Anttila, who were running third in extremely wet and slippery conditions when they hit a barrier and were forced to retire. However, they returned under Rally 2 regulations on Saturday and Sunday to win five stages and score valuable points for Volkswagen in the race for the Manufacturers’ Championship courtesy of eighth place in the Manufacturers’ classification. Their Volkswagen team-mates Mikkelsen/Jæger were unable to return under Rally 2 regulations: the pair second in the world championship got out of shape in a fast right-hand corner on Saturday – also whilst running third – skidded into a barrier and rolled. The Polo R WRC could not be repaired with the materials on site.
Ogier/Ingrassia first, Mikkelsen/Jæger second, Latvala/Anttila sixth: the WRC standings
Mikkelsen/Jæger remain second in the overall standings behind their team-mates Ogier/Ingrassia. After the Rally Spain, the Norwegian Volkswagen duo is level on points with Neuville/Gilsoul. However, they keep their noses in front thanks to better individual results. Latvala/Anttila head to the final two rallies of the season in Great Britain and Australia sixth in the world championship. Volkswagen travels to Great Britain with a 62-point lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship. As such, the team has a great chance of winning the world championship title for the fourth time in a row, regardless of other results. To do so, Volkswagen must take a lead of 43 points into the Rally Australia.
The icing on the cake: Latvala ahead of Ogier on the Power Stage
Latvala/Anttila enjoyed a good end to the Rally Spain. They clocked the fastest time on the closing Power Stage and were rewarded with three bonus points. Ogier/Ingrassia finished second to complete the Volkswagen success in this discipline. Victory has now gone to the Wolfsburg-based manufacturer on 38 of the past 49 Power Stages.
Quotes after day three of the Rally Spain
Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
“I feel fantastic! The fourth world championship title for Julien and me, it is impossible to describe how this feels. It is an honour to be mentioned in the same breath as such big names as Kankkunen and Mäkinen. I would like to say a huge thank you to our team at Volkswagen. Without them, Julien and I would not be here today. They do a fantastic job all year and we have had a perfect car all season. I had great fun at the wheel of the Polo R WRC once again this weekend. The tension ahead of the closing Power Stage was obviously greater than usual, given the fact that we were within touching distance of the title, and bearing in mind the mistake we made last year. But we’ve done it. Despite the more difficult regulations, and despite the strong opposition. I am extremely proud of this title. It is now time to celebrate in style with a team and my wife – and when I get home I can show my young son Tim the trophy that daddy won. I dedicate this world championship title to him.”Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
“Congratulations to my team-mate Sébastien Ogier on his fourth Drivers’ title. That puts him in the same league as my Finnish compatriots Tommi Mäkinen and Juha Kankkunen. That is a fantastic effort, not only from him, but from the entire Volkswagen Motorsport team. For me, the Rally Spain, as has so often been the case this year, was over far too soon. After the suspension damage on Friday, we had no chance of getting ourselves back in contention. Despite this, we did manage to win some special stages and eventually managed to contribute four points towards the Manufacturers’ Championship. Perhaps we will be able to wrap up this title at the next rally in Great Britain. That will definitely be the goal.”Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“Congratulations on the title and respect for this victory to our team-mates Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia. Anders and I are pleased for them. They set the benchmark again in 2016. For us personally, the Rally Spain obviously did not end as we would have hoped. After victory last year, we wanted to do well again here and certainly to extend our lead over third place in the world championship. However, that was not to be. We came into a right-hander too quickly on Saturday, drifted wide, hit the barriers and rolled. That was 100 per cent my mistake. The battle for second place in the world championship is now wide open again, and we will have to be at our very best in the remaining rallies to achieve the goal we have been aiming for since the start of the season. We will work hard to make that possible.”Sven Smeets, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
“To be crowned world champions for the fourth time with a win – that is outstanding. Today is a great day for Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia and the whole Volkswagen team. They have been extremely consistent and impressive all season. Nine podium finishes, five of them wins, speak for themselves. So does the fact that they have now led the World Rally Championship but just short of 1,000 days in a row. We are very proud of the fastest Volkswagen drivers in the world. We will certainly celebrate in style today. Furthermore, the result here in Spain puts us in a good position in the battle for the Manufacturers’ title. We could now also win the title for the fourth year in a row in Wales in two weeks’ time, regardless of other results. That is obviously the goal.”And then there was …
… a first in the World Rally Championship. Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia are the first Driver/Co-Driver world champions in the history of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) to win the title without having won an all-gravel rally.
And then there was also …
… the “Breakfast of Champions”. Sébastien Ogier started his big day, on which he would be crowned World Rally Champion for the fourth time, by polishing off his usual omelette for breakfast. This was his 200th in total since he started driving the Polo R WRC for Volkswagen.
FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), all-time best list of multiple world champions
Sébastien Loeb, nine world titles (2004–2012)
Sébastien Ogier, four world titles (2013–2016)*
Juha Kankkunen, four world titles (1986, 1987, 1991, 1993)
Tommi Mäkinen, four world titles (1996–1999)
Massimo Biasion, two world titles (1988, 1989)
Marcus Grönholm, two world titles (2000, 2002)
Carlos Sainz, two world titles (1990, 1992)
Walter Röhrl, two world titles (1980, 1982)*Subject to the official publication of the results by the FIA.
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Ishaan bags Vento Cup 2016 title; Jeet clinches Jr Drivers’ Cup
Greater Noida, 2 Oct 2016: Volkswagen Motorsport India finishes yet another thrilling season of its premium one-make series with the last round of the MMSC Volkswagen Vento Cup 2016 today. Hosted at the Buddh International Circuit, the final race of the season started in reverse grid order and concluded on an interesting note with Karminder finishing first, Ishaan coming in a near second and guest racer Rishaad Mody finishing third. However, having won five races and securing seven podium finishes so far, Ishaan had built a strong 32-point lead over Karminder by the end of the season and bagged the MMSC Volkswagen Vento Cup 2016 title.
The final race of the season began with Niranjan Todkari starting on pole position alongside guest racer Affan Sadat from Bangladesh on the first row. However, both were unable to hold their position going into the second lap. Gowdham Murugan, who had started fourth on the grid, moved up positions and went on to lead followed by Karminder, guest racer Rishaad and title contender Ishaan in tow.
Lap 2 saw a three-way fight between Ishaan, Rishaad and Keith for the third position which finally broke at C4 of the third lap when Ishaan overtook Rishaad. Lap 4 of the race proved to be the most exciting as Gowdham, who had been leading from the front lost his advantage with a drive-through penalty for going beyond the track limit. At this stage, Karminder who had been trailing behind Gowdham went on to take the lead in the race. From then on, Karminder remained in control and stayed ahead.
In the fifth lap, Amit Mete lost control of his car and went on to hit the barricades forcing the Safety Car to come out. Amit emerged from the car unhurt but could not continue in the race due to the severity of damages to his car.
Going into lap 5, 6 and 7, Karminder followed by Ishaan, Rishaad and Keith stayed behind the Safety Car till it finally pulled in by the end of the penultimate lap. Once the cars were at race pace, Karminder and Ishaan were left to battle for the first position while Keith was putting pressure on Rishaad for the third spot. Although Ishaan attempted a move on Karminder at C4 of the last lap, he wasn’t successful in getting past. The positions remained the same as the drivers drove past the chequered flag with Karminder winning the race followed by Ishaan, and guest racer Rishaad in the third place.
Jeet Jhabak, the Junior Division driver showed a lot of promise through the season and has sealed the title as he successfully finished the final round.
Ecstatic over winning the title Ishaan Dodhiwala said, “This was a long and hard fought season but all the preparation helped. I was confident of doing well and it feels incredible now that I have won the cup.” Commenting on the Vento Cup 2016 series he added, “The Volkswagen team has been incredible and their efforts have been phenomenal though the season. They have been extremely supportive of the racers and have given us amazing machines to run with.”
Junior Cup winner Jeet Jhabak said, “This has been an incredible racing season for me as I was racing for the very first time. I have learnt a lot in this one-make series and having won the Junior Drivers’ Cup has given me the confidence of racing professionally in the coming years.”
To conclude the season and congratulate the winners of the 2016 season, Sirish Vissa said, “I am really proud of how the season has ended and how these young drivers have matured into professional racers. Going into this season with a new partnership we had to do a lot of testing to see how the cars behave and we are happy with their performance on all the circuits. We make it a point at Volkswagen Motorsport to constantly invite feedback from the drivers and engineers and the Vento Cup car is a fine example of an evolved race machine with top performance.”
Volkswagen Vento Cup 2016 – Round 4: Race 10
Vento Cup winner Ishaan Dodhiwala (left – front row) poses with VW Motorsport head Sirish Vissa (front row right) at BIC on Sunday. A VW Motorsport image Sr. No. Car Number Name Total Time 1 16 Karminder Singh 23:34.724 2 8 Ishaan Dodhiwala 23:34.994 3 21 Rishaad Mody 23:38.416 4 11 Keith Desouza 23:38.987 5 7 Aditya Pawar 23:39.551 6 20 Pradeep Rao 23:40.191 7 15 Affan Sadat Safwan Islam 23:41.475 8 10 Arfath Mohammad 23:42.274 9 6 Hatim Shabbir 23:48.205 10 22 Simran Rastogi 23:48.820 11 12 Gowdham Murugan 23:48.901 12 17 Arunshowry Vallabhaneni 23:49.988 13 5 Jeet Jhabakh 23:50.088 14 1 Rashad Khan 23:51.747 15 9 Sree Venkata Teja 23:52.543 16 18 Niranjan Todkari 26:55.429 17 19 Shreyas Venkatesh 4:05.723 18 3 Amit Mete DNF -
Classy Anthony West scores a double: ARRC at BIC
New Delhi, 2 October 2016: Two 35-year old veterans, Anthony Keith West (Australia) and Decha Kraisart (Thailand) lit up the Buddh International Circuit on Sunday with a memorable battle before the former took the honours for a double in the SuperSport 600cc class on the concluding day of the fifth round of the Asia Road Racing Championship organized by the Madras Motor Sports Club.
On the home front, Hari Krishnan Rajagopal and Mathana Kumar finished 11thand 15th in the Asia Dream Cup while the third entrant Rajiv Sethu crashed out in the very first lap.
West, in scoring only his second win of the season, exhibited great riding skills and also showcasing his experience of having ridden in various World Championships for 16 seasons, as he won a battle with Kraisart, the former two times champion who matched the Aussie before wilting away in the final stages of the 16-lap race.
Both West and Kraisart, who led briefly in the early stages before getting passed by the Aussie, were in a class of their own while Azlan Shah Kamaruza of Malaysia, who initially ran the front-runners close, came home in third, some six seconds adrift.
The Asia Dream Cup race witnessed a thrilling battle with a bunch of seven riders roaring through the last corner on the last lap before Australia’s Broc Pearson snatched a win.
Hari Krishnan, Sethu and Mathana Kumar, starting in the third and fourth rows, got entangled in the big midfield bunch and never quite broke free to challenge the front runners.
Sethu’s race ended when he lost the front of his bike going into the sweeping parabola and crashed, while Hari Krishnan and Mathana Kumar remained in 12th and 16th positions, but moved up a spot when championship leader Hiroki Nakamura, who was running fifth, crashed in the last lap.
Thailand’s Apiwat Wongthananon on a Yamaha yet again dominated the Asia Production 250cc class by notching his second consecutive win and eighth from 10 starts to seal the championship as he took his tally to 221 points to second-placed Takehiro Yamamoto of Japan who is on 151. With the sixth and last round to be run later this year and a maximum of 50 points at stake, Wongthananon enjoys an unassailable lead.
Ahmad Fazli Sham of Malaysia, astride a Yamaha, won a tight race to complete a double in the Underbone 130cc class to come within three points of championship leader Indonesian Wahyu Ali Trilaksana, also on a Yamaha, who finished a close second, ahead of Md Fairues (Indonesia, Kawasaki).
Trilaksana has 113 points to Sham’s 100 while Md Izzat Zaidi of Malaysia, having finished seventh on a Yamaha, is third on the leaderboard with 107 points, just one ahead of compatriot Md Amirul Arif Musa (Honda).
Ishaan Dodhiwala clinched the title in the Volkswagen Vento Cup despite finishing second behind Karminder Pal Singh in the concluding race of the series while Jeet Jhabak took the crown in the Junior Division.
The results (Provisional):
Asia Road Racing Championship – SuperSport 600cc (Race-2, 16 laps): 1. Anthony Keith West (Australia, Yamaha) (31:03.153); 2. Decha Kraisart (Thailand, Yamaha) (31:06.352); Azlan Shah Kamaruza (Malaysia, Kawasaki) (31:10.691).
Underbone 130cc (Race-2, 7 laps): 1. Ahmad Fazli Sham (Malaysia, Yamaha) (17:17.612); 2. Wahyu Aji Trilaksana (Indonesia, Yamaha) (17:17.733); 3. Md Haziq Md Fairues (Malaysia, Yamaha) (17:17.834).
Asia Production 250cc (Race-2, 9 laps): 1. Apiwat Wongthananon (Thailand, Yamaha) (20:37.809); 2. Sitthisak Onchawiang (Thailand, Honda) (20:38.285); 3. Galang Hendra Pratam (Indonesia, Yamaha) (20:38.364).
Asia Dream Cup (Race-2, 7 laps): Broc Pearson (Australia) (17:01.625); 2. Sittipon Srimoontree (Thailand) (17:02.138); 3. Hafiz Nor Azman (Malaysia) (17:02.540).
MMSC One Make Championship – Honda CBR 250 (Open, Race-2, 5 laps): 1. Abhishek Vasudev (12:52.326); 2. Anish D Shetty (12:52.386); 3. Mathana Kumar (12:52.517).
TVS Apache RTR 200 (Open, Race-2, 5 laps): 1. Shyam Shankar (13:57.809); 2. Prashanth Kumar (13:57.964); 3. Arun Muthukrishnan (13:58.001).
Suzuki Gixxer Cup (Open, Race-2, 5 laps): 1. Aaron Gunawardena (Sri Lanka) (14:07.947); 2. Meka Vidhuraj (14:08.472); 3. Vivian Gladwin (14:08.496).
Volkswagen Vento Cup (Race-2, 8 laps): 1. Karminder Pal Singh (23:34.724); 2. Ishaan Dodhiwala (23:34.994); 3. Rishaad Mody (23:38.416).
About Madras Motor Sports Club
The Madras Motor Sports Club has been the pioneer in developing and promoting motorsport in India since 1953, and we look to further improve in the years to come. It is the club’s endeavor to provide more opportunities for competitors and to this end, it has chalked out a progressive program for 2016. From the days of Sholavaram , MMSC built its own racetrack which was inaugurated in 1979 and secured its FIA Grade-2 international certification in 2015, making it the only club which owns such a facility. The club has organised the Porsche Super Cup, Formula Campos, Formula Asia, Asian touring car championships, Formula 3, Tata Prima Truck racing championship, the Asian 2-wheeler racing championships besides a host of other motorsport events over the years. The club also has active participation for its events from vehicle manufacturers who also use the Madras Motor Race Track (MMRT) extensively for testing their products.
eom/AP Media Communications press release
Anthony West (No.13) leads Decha Kraisart on way to winning the SuperSport 600cc race (Oct 02) on Sunday at BIC. An MMSC image -
Ogier, Ingrassia open commanding lead on home soil: Rally France
Wolfsburg, 30 Sept. 2016: It doesn’t get any better than this. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) made a perfect start to the Rally France on Corsica in their Polo R WRC. The three-time world champions, who could claim the title for the fourth time in a row with victory at their home race – provided other results go their way – won all four special stages on the opening day of round ten of this season’s FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Two of the duos out to prevent the Frenchmen from getting their hands on the title this weekend are their Volkswagen team-mates, who are also on course for success: Jari-Matti Latvala/Mikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) ended day one in third place, just ahead of Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N) in fourth. Second place after 157.68 of 390.92 kilometres against the clock is occupied by Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B, Hyundai). While Ogier/Ingrassia opened a commanding lead of 44 seconds, just 15 seconds separate the chasing pack of three in their battle for second and third.
The opening day featured some typical Corsican special stages: narrow, winding roads and long sections put driver, co-driver and car through their paces in gorgeous autumn weather.
Quotes after day one of the Rally France
Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #1
“An ideal opening day for Julien and me – beautiful stages, superb weather and a perfect car. The key to stage one was to find our rhythm. Looking at the lead we opened, we appear to have done just that. It was pretty hot in the cockpit in the afternoon, particularly on the long 50-kilometre stage. We have a similarly demanding day ahead of us tomorrow, particularly if the weather deteriorates. However, we obviously want to continue as we were today, to make sure we win in the end. That is definitely the goal at our home rally.”
Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #2
“We were a little too cautious at first, but gradually found our rhythm the further into the rally we got. We can make a few improvements here and there, for example when braking, but apart from that we are racing the right way for the Rally Corsica. That only makes the outstanding times set by our team-mate Sébastien Ogier all the more astonishing. Hats off to his performance. We will obviously try to stick with him tomorrow and on Sunday. If we can, we have a good chance of finishing on the podium.”Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“We are not so much focusing on winning the world championship, but more on securing second place. With that in mind, we are going nicely in fourth place. I struggled to know how hard to brake in the morning. Unfortunately, we lost a lot of time as a result. Apart from that, though, it was a good day for us, but we have two more challenging days ahead to come.”Sven Smeets, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
“We could hardly hope for a better start to the Rally France. Sébastien Ogier was clearly in a league of his own, while Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen are also well-placed. First, third and fourth is more than we had expected and hoped for. However, everyone in the team is well aware that we are only one third of the way into the rally and we still have a lot of work ahead of us. If we remain as focused as we have been so far, there is a good chance we will be rewarded with a strong result.”And then there was …
… a little milestone. Andreas Mikkelsen is contesting his 75th rally in the World Rally Championship at the Rally France – the 45th with Volkswagen and the tenth with his co-driver Anders Jæger. The Norwegian made his debut at the 2006 Rally Great Britain. Since then, he has finished on the podium on 18 occasions, including victories at the 2015 Rally Spain and the 2016 Rally Poland – all with the Polo R WRC.Standings after day two of the Rally France
01. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen, 1h 37m 52.8s
02. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul (B/B), Hyundai, + 44.0s
03. Jari-Matti Latala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), Volkswagen + 58.0s
04. Andreas Mikkelsen/Anders Jæger (N/N), Volkswagen, + 59.3s
05. Craig Breen/Scott Martin (GB/GB), Citroën, + 1m 18.7s
06. Hayden Paddon/John Kennard (NZ/NZ), Hyundai, + 1m 26.2s
07. Eric Camilli/Benjamin Veillas (F/F), Ford, + 2m 00.7s
08. Elfyn Evans/Craig Perry (GB/GB), Ford, + 2m 36.3s
09. Dani Sordo/Marc Martí (E/E), Hyundai, + 2m 39.1s
10. Mads Østberg/Ola Fløene (N/N), Ford, + 2m 41.9seom/VW Motorsport press release
Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen Polo R WRC | Photo: Roeseler
