Tag: WRC, Rally

2 June 2013:

Victory for the boys in blue: Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) won the Acropolis Rally in Greece in the Polo R WRC. Volkswagen’s fourth win this season in the sixth round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) marked the duo’s first triumph for Volkswagen. Two other points finishes gave the factory team from Wolfsburg further reason to celebrate: Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) claimed fourth place with an impressive final spurt – in just their third event as the crew of a Polo R WRC. Meanwhile, Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia defended their lead in the WRC Drivers’ and Co-Drivers’ Championship by coming from behind to snatch tenth place. On top of all that, Volkswagen is still leading in the Manufacturer’s Championship.

Everything falls into place – Jari-Matti Latvala’s firsts and successes
Jari-Matti Latvala first took on the “Acropolis” at the age of 18 and achieved his first win ten years later, claiming victory in one of the classic events of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) – the Rally Greece. And he stood at the top of the podium for the first time in Volkswagen’s racing colours. It was the 28-year-old’s eighth race win in the World Championship and his third podium finish, having claimed third place in Portugal and Argentina. Latvala won four of the 14 stages in Greece. So far, the Finn has achieved 276 SS best times. Latvala succeeded in adapting the Polo R WRC to his style of driving by changing the set-up of the differential at the Rally Argentina and making a number of minor adjustments in Greece. This paved the way for his success. Consistency, speed and perfectly calculated risk-taking enabled Latvala to bag his first win at the “Acropolis”. 

The ultimate acid test – clouds of dust and melon-sized rocks
The Rally Greece is considered the ultimate acid test in the World Rally Championship. Thick dust, soaring temperatures, no end of coarse gravel and melon-sized rocks all put the three Volkswagen Polo R WRCs and the Volkswagen crews to the test. Although this season’s Rally Greece was shorter than in previous years, it remained just as punishing from start to finish for the cars in 2013. Deep grooves in soft sand alternated with rougher sections. Given the difficult conditions, the drivers’ starting positions on the three days of rallying played a crucial role in determining their chances. 

A real fighter – Sébastien Ogier’s setback and fightback
It started out as a small problem but it had a big impact: on the very first day, fuel pressure issues cost Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia their chance of securing another top finish. A cable connection came loose, interrupting the supply of power to the fuel pump. The Volkswagen team replaced the wiring loom in the Polo R WRC #8 just to be on the safe side. Having achieved five podium finishes in the first five rallies – including three wins – this setback in the very first stage of the “Acropolis” earned the pairing a ten-minute time penalty. Sébastien Ogier restarted under the Rally 2 regulations and fought his way into tenth place in the Special Stages on Saturday and Sunday, thereby winning one point for the overall standings in the Drivers’ Championship. Ogier also managed to secure three points by achieving the best time in the so-called Power Stage – when additional points are awarded for first, second and third – despite being at a disadvantage because he had to open the route. With this performance, Ogier defended his lead in the WRC. Now, almost halfway through the season, he is 52 points ahead of his team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala, who edged up to second position by winning in Greece.

A steep learning curve – Andreas Mikkelsen develops positively and puts in a final spurt
Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) also contributed towards Volkswagen’s success at the Rally Greece. Fourth place overall is not just Mikkelsen’s biggest success in his career to date, it is also indicative of a new level of maturity. The “Acropolis” was only Mikkelsen’s third rally behind the wheel of the Polo R WRC. From tyre damage and brake problems to SS best times and playing catch-up – the Rally Greece proved a real emotional roller coaster for Andreas Mikkelsen and Mikko Markkula. The highlight came right at the end for the Norwegian/Finnish duo. After having to pay tribute to the toughness of the “Acropolis” on Saturday – an air hose came loose and punched through a brake pipe on the front right-hand side of the car, then a puncture cost them more valuable time – Volkswagen’s junior driver could do no wrong on Sunday. With three best times in the Special Stages – his first solo in the WRC – Mikkelsen fought his way from fifth place to fourth and bagged an extra point in the final Power Stage. Mikkelsen secured his place in the WRC record books at the Rally Germany back in 2008 at the same time as record-breaking World Champion Sébastien Loeb and Petter Solberg (SS 19, “Circus Maximus”) when he became the youngest driver ever to win a Special Stage.

Quotes following day three of the Rally Greece
Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
“I’m absolutely thrilled and I’d like to dedicate this win to the whole Volkswagen team. The new season got off to a very difficult start for me, but the team always believed in me and supported me really well. I’m delighted to see so many happy faces now. Winning the Rally Acropolis also means a lot to me because it’s extremely tough and it’s a real classic. Ever since I entered the event for the first time here at the age of 18, I’ve dreamed of winning it one day. The last stage felt like the longest and hardest for a some time – I felt every single stone and jolt in the car and couldn’t wait for the finishing line to come into sight. Today is a day for celebrating!”

Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
“Tenth place and points for coming first in the Power Stage – that was the best we could do this time. Of course it’s frustrating to feel that both you and the car have what it takes for a podium finish, but a minor technical glitch with the power supply to the fuel pump thwarted us in the very first Special Stage. From that point on, it was all about maintaining a high speed, making it across the finishing line every day and being in the right place when our rivals were struggling. We defended our lead in the overall competition – now we have to look ahead to the coming rallies when we want to be back at the front of the pack again.”

Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“What an incredible rally and what an incredible final day. Everything went in our favour today after yesterday’s difficulties. We got into a good rhythm and tried to put pressure on Nasser Al-Attiyah in fourth place. And it worked. I had caught up and even got just ahead of Nasser by the end of the first run through the stages this morning. The fact that we also scored no less than three best times in the Special Stages was the icing on the cake, of course. On balance, we’re satisfied with the outcome of the Rally Greece and our performance. It’s the best WRC result of my career, so I’m really pleased. And it’s thanks to my mechanics, who did outstanding work yesterday. All of that whets my appetite for more – I can’t wait for the next rally in Sardinia.”

Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
“Winning the Rally Greece is a success for the whole team. Jari-Matti Latvala put in an absolutely perfect performance and really earned this win with patience and calculated risk-taking at the right time. The fact that a puncture would have made the difference between a win and a medal-less fourth shows just how much credit is due for this performance. Three different manufacturers on the podium is evidence that the World Rally Championship is a very close-run thing. That’s why I’m proud of the whole team and absolutely delighted for Jari-Matti. I was also very impressed by Andreas Mikkelsen here in Greece – he overcame all the difficulties he faced and took fourth place at the end with an unstoppable final spurt. Sébastien Ogier also deserves a great deal of respect for his performance – despite technical difficulties on day one, he made the best of the situation and ultimately collected valuable points for both WRC championships. Following on from this great performance across the board, I’m already looking forward to the Rally Italy in Sardinia in three weeks’ time.”

And then there was …
… one Japanese fan’s tribute to “Mister Mysterios”. Inspired by Julien Ingrassia’s alter ego – the masked man “Mister Mysterio” who became a running gag with the help of a French journalist just over a year ago – Yukari Okamoto made a miniature model of the man in the wrestling mask and presented this “Mini Mysterio” to Sébastien Ogier’s co-driver. To see what the XXL and XXS versions look like together, go to www.facebook.com/elmistermysterio

Excellent starting position for Volkswagen at the Rally Greece: Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) set the fastest time in qualifying for the “Acropolis” to earn first choice of starting position. Their team-mates Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) and Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) were just behind in sixth and ninth in the remaining two Polo R WRCs. Sébastien Ogier opted to start the opening leg of the Rally Greece eleventh, making him the last of the drivers in the top WRC category. Jari-Matti Latvala will be the fourth man out onto the route, right behind Andreas Mikkelsen, who starts third.

Note to editors: the fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) starts with the opening two special stageson Friday evening. Volkswagen will provide further information and quotes from day one of the Rally Greece immediately after the “Kineta” night stage (start: 21:26 hrs local time).

Quotes after qualifying for the Rally Greece    
Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
“Ninth is obviously not the result we were after. Unfortunately this means we will have to start very near the front of the field this evening, and will basically be sweeping the route clean for the cars after us. The qualifying stage was very sandy and soft, and deep ruts formed. I had problems steering and sticking to the ideal racing line in these ruts. That was my first time in the Polo R WRC on such soft ground, and we will have to reconsider the set-up of my car before the start.”

Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
“A good qualifying for us. We saw during the Recce just how important qualifying could be this time over the course of the rally. There is a lot of loose gravel on the special stages. As such, it is enormously important to have a clean line, particularly as the field only includes eleven World Rally Cars this time. I took a few more risks than usual and gave everything to ensure I was able to select the final starting position, and it paid off.”

Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“Qualifying went well for us. A lot of dust found its way into the cockpit, which made it hard to see. At one point I veered off the line. Apart from that, it was a clean run. As such, sixth place is a good result for us. The Rally Greece is definitely the biggest challenge we will face this season. We are ready. I am particularly looking forward to this evening’s night stage, which is something very special. Over the course of the entire rally it will be important to find the fight balance between saving material and attacking. Our minimum goal is, obviously, to reach the finish here in Loutraki on Sunday.”

Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director
“We have made a successful start to the Rally Greece. Sébastien Ogier opened up with a perfect run and has chosen to start last. We face a big challenge for man and machine here at the ‘Acropolis Rally’. The starting order is extremely important. Compliments also to Andreas Mikkelsen, who is improving bit by bit. Sixth place is a fantastic result for him. With the team’s interests in mind and an eye on the Manufacturers’ Championship, he selected a poor start position in front of Jari-Matti Latvala, in order to allow his team-mate a better starting position. Jari-Matti Latvala was not particularly happy with the set-up today. Despite this, we are happy with the team result.”

And then there was …
… one section of the Rally Greece, which the competitors tackle four times on three different routes. On Friday, the World Rally Cars tackled the gravel route to the east of the rally base in Loutraki, between Platavos and Polita, as part of the first and the longest special stage of the “Acropolis”, the “Kineta-Pissia”. The evening’s shorter “Kineta” variant and Sunday’s “Loutraki”, which forms the twelfth and 14th stages, also take the drivers along the same stretch.

ends

Volkswagen has celebrated another successful weekend in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), extended its lead in the drivers’ and co-drivers’ championship, and retained its position as the number one manufacturer. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) took second place behind record-breaking world champion Sébastien Loeb (Citroën), claiming their fifth podium place in this season’s WRC after their fifth outing with the Polo R WRC. After starting the final day in Argentina in fourth position, Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) fought their way into third place and contributed towards the team’s success with their second podium finish of the season.

With their double victory in the final Power Stage, the two Volkswagen drivers also secured five extra points in the drivers’ competition. One third into the season, Ogier/Ingrassia are now 54 points clear at the top of the drivers’ and co-drivers’ leader board, while Volkswagen is 14 points ahead of Citroën in the manufacturers’ championship. Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) finished the Rally Argentina in eighth place under Rally 2 regulatiuons and achieved some impressive top times in their second event with the Polo R WRC.

Tiny errors make all the difference: Séb beats Séb – Loeb ahead of Ogier
The whole rally was a thrilling battle for first place starring Sébastien Ogier in the Polo R WRC and Sébastien Loeb (Citroën). Sébastien Ogier took the lead in the overall rankings early on with best times in five stages, but lost out following a mistake. In the seventh special stage, Ogier missed a braking point, skidded off the course and had to reverse. The error cost him 40 seconds and went some way towards deciding who would win the battle of “Séb vs. Séb”. 

Sébastien Ogier started the last day of the Rally Argentina with a change of tactics. Instead of attacking mercilessly, the WRC leader maintained his lead over third place until the so-called Power Stage, when the three best teams are awarded extra points. Then he used his choice of tyres – a soft Michelin compound – to seize second position behind his team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala.

Jari-Matti Latvala put in an untouchable final spurt on the last day of the Rally Argentina. All four stages on Saturday went to Latvala – including the Power Stage. Like his team-mate Ogier, Latvala secured five best times. With this performance, he managed to relegate Evgeny Novikov to fourth place during the 13th and penultimate special stage.

New challenges for the Polo R WRC – Argentina puts the cars to the test
Rough roads with violent jolts – the Rally Argentina made different demands of the World Rally Cars than the gravel rallies which preceded it in the 2013 season. Instead of constant vibrations like the ones they endured during the last event in Portugal, the chassis of the Polo R WRCs had to absorb substantial forces. However, the construction of the 315-horsepower four-wheel drives from Wolfsburg proved just as tough and fast in the unique conditions of the Rally Argentina: the Volkswagen team won ten of the 14 special stages and bagged eight additional top-three times.

Well-oiled wheels: outstanding teamwork secures podium finishes
The Volkswagen team functioned like well-oiled wheels throughout the Rally Argentina – from precise weather forecasts to the meticulous, reliable work of the mechanics during the eight services and the drivers’ and engineers’ choice of tyres. Right at the start of the rally, Volkswagen Motorsport’s weather team gave the drivers a small advantage: soft tyres were the right choice for Thursday’s rallying. The Volkswagen mechanics had their moment of glory on Friday, keeping the Polo R WRCs in tip-top condition with their perfectly organised service although a number of minor repairs were needed. Then on Saturday, the Volkswagen engineers helped the team to succeed on the final day with a brave but wise decision: once again, they were right to select soft tyres, and this move paved the way for Jari-Matti Latvala to secure a place on the podium and Sébastien Ogier to finish second.

Quotes following day four of the Rally Argentina
Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
“Today was the best day’s rallying since I joined Volkswagen. The team spirit, the car – everything reached a whole new level today, including the driver. I’m absolutely thrilled to be standing on the podium for the first time in Argentina. Things often haven’t gone that well here in the last few years, so I’m really pleased to have achieved my goal. The rally was very exciting and varied. Especially in the final phase, we gave our all to secure third place. All in all, finishing second and third is a great result for the whole team.”

Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
“Second place is a brilliant result in terms of the world championship and our success was down to the whole team. I need to say a special thank-you to my crew this time – they were a great support. It was an incredibly challenging and difficult rally and my own performance wasn’t entirely flawless. It’s a shame that I couldn’t keep fighting it out against Sébastien Loeb right to the end. I would like to congratulate him on winning. Now it’s time for me to look to the future. We’ve got a test to do before the next rally in Greece. We’ll make further improvements to the Polo R WRC then so that we can fight for first place again in four weeks’ time.”

Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“Today was quite a finale and we had several more thrilling duels. We really enjoyed the day and the whole rally. Everything is moving in the right direction – our new system for the pace notes, our changes to the set-up and the results of the special stages. We’re learning more with every metre we cover, and I feel really at home in the Polo R WRC. We’ve still got lots of ideas about what we can do in future rallies to improve further. On Friday afternoon, we deliberately set out to complete the special in a good time. We didn’t expect to record exactly the same time as my team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala though. Unfortunately, we asked too much of the car in the process. It is my job to combine speed with reliability in the coming rallies. I’m already looking forward to tackling that challenge.”

Jost Capito, Director of Volkswagen Motorsport
“The Rally Argentina showed that the factory teams are very well matched. Every victory is hard won. Our congratulations go to Sébastien Loeb, who made the fewest mistakes here in Argentina. But we can be very happy with our performance too. As a manufacturer, it feels almost like we’ve won already, having consolidated our lead over our biggest rivals in all of the championships. Every single member of the team made a contribution. I’m proud of everyone. The team has put in a breathtaking performance during the first third of the season. The Rally Argentina was a constant rollercoaster ride – pure adrenaline. There’s certainly no shame in ultimately losing against the nine-times world champion with a new team like ours.”

And then there was …
… Jost Capito’s first anniversary. Immediately after the Rally Argentina, he will have been Director of Volkswagen Motorsport for exactly one year. Time for the manager of the factory team from Wolfsburg to take stock: “It may not be the easiest job, but it’s certainly the most exciting one if you love cars and motorsport. We have achieved something exceptional in the past year.”

Limited-edition Polo R WRC road car now available
The Polo R WRC road car is almost as exclusive as the rally cars driven by Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen: just 2,500 of these high-performance Polos will be sold. The 2.0-litre TSI boasts 220 horsepower and 350 Nm torque, can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds and has a maximum speed of 243 km/h. Prices for the Polo R WRC start at €33,900 in Germany. Customers will take delivery of the cars this autumn.

ends

Volkswagen has taken the lead early on at Rally Argentina with a strong team performance. Once again, everything came together today (Thursday) – the technology and the team, the drivers and the co-drivers, the strategy and the tyre choice. With Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) leading the pack, Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) in fourth place and Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) currently ranking sixth, all three Volkswagen Polo R WRCs are among the frontrunners after the first 157.94 kilometres of the 407.64-kilometre rally. Day two of the fifth event in this season’s FIA World Rally Championship demanded everything of man and machine, with fog and light drizzle, rough gravel roads and the tricky question of which tyres to use all making for a thrilling day in Córdoba Province.

The teams had to tackle each of the two stages – “Santa Catalina/La Pampa” and “Asochinga/Agua de Oro” – twice. The Volkswagen drivers chose mainly soft Michelin tyres in the second of the two runs: a wise decision. Sébastien Ogier and his Polo R WRC have a 16.3-second lead over record-breaking world champion Sébastien Loeb (Citroën) ahead of the last two days of Rally Argentina. Ogier has secured four of a possible five best times.

Quotes following day two of the Rally Argentina

Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
“It was a day of highs and lows for us. In terms of speed, we were usually up there with the best today – like in the first and third stages. I was a bit too fast at one point in the second stage and hit a stone. I was lucky and was able to keep going, but my handbrake stopped working afterwards which is important because we use it to throw the car around hairpin bends. On top of that, the tyres were really starting to flag at the end of that stage. Once my crew had done a great job of servicing the car, everything went according to plan again, but the handbrake played up again in the fourth stage. I lost a bit of time on the hairpin bends. I could have made more of today, so I’m not 100% happy.”

Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
“We’re very pleased with the way the rally is going for us so far. Winning the first special stage right at the start of a day is a great feeling, of course. We were catching up Dani Sordo in the second stage, which cost us a bit of time, but that’s all part of rallying. In the afternoon, we chose four soft and two hard Michelin tyres, which was far from being the worst decision we could have made. Being in front after such a tough day is great – now we’re concentrating on the rest of the rally. After all, we’ve got several long and difficult stages ahead of us.”

Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“Hazy weather and fog in the morning twinned with four extremely long, physically challenging special stages – the Rally Argentina didn’t make things particularly easy for us today. High levels of humidity and soaring temperatures in the cockpit demanded absolute fitness. We worked on our communication today and tried out our new pace notes for the first time. Everything is moving in the right direction: our times are getting better and I feel more comfortable in the Polo R WRC with every metre. We’re delighted with our placing too – we’d love to keep it up over the next two days, of course.”

Jost Capito, Director of Volkswagen Motorsport
“Motorsport directors love days like today. Every member of the team helped to put us in the lead after some really difficult stages. A key part of that was translating the right weather information into the right choice of tyres this afternoon. The mechanics did a brilliant job during the lunchtime service too and sent all three Polo R WRCs back into the rally in tip-top condition. The drivers and co-drivers also put in a great performance today. In short: I’m proud of the lot of them.”

And then there was …
… the long trip for the recce cars. The Volkswagen Golf Rs which Jari-Matti Latvala, Sébastien Ogier and Andreas Mikkelsen use to inspect the special stages before the rallies will be overhauled in the course of the rally weekend and then shipped directly from Argentina to Australia. The Volkswagen team’s shipping containers packed with spare parts and equipment will also make their way straight to Australia. Rally Australia will take place from 12 to 15 September.

ends

Jari Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) finished qualifying for the Rally Argentina in first place in their Volkswagen Polo R WRC. The Finnish duo secured the best time by a whisker, coming in just three hundredths of a second faster than the record-breaking world champion Loeb and their team-mates Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F). Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN) completed the team’s strong performance at the start of the fifth event in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) by taking ninth place.

Jari-Matti Latvala chose to start Wednesday and Thursday’s special stages last, meaning that he will be twelfth to tackle the course. Sébastien Ogier – who won the rallies in Sweden, Mexico and Portugal in his Polo R WRC – will be tenth off the starting line. Andreas Mikkelsen will be the fifth driver to complete the first five special stages.

Quotes following qualifying for the Rally Argentina
Jari-Matti Latvala, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #7
“Of course I’m delighted to have recorded my first qualifying best time for Volkswagen, giving me first choice when it comes to starting positions. Generally speaking, there is an advantage in starting gravel stages as far as possible towards the back of the grid. It might be better to tackle the course first in heavy rain, but there’s not much chance of rain tomorrow, which is why we picked the last starting position. Inspecting the stages has shown that the roads are tougher than they have been in recent years and will demand a lot of our Polo R WRC. I’ve managed to keep up with the speed pretty well here in Argentina in the past but have never achieved a really good result, so I’ll be aiming for a place on the podium again.”

Sébastien Ogier, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #8
“Qualifying went well for us. Third place was good enough to be able to choose a good starting position for the first five special stages. Our goal is to get as much as possible out of Rally Argentina. The focus is on winning as many points as possible for the WRC, of course, but I’m a racer through and through so I always want to win too. At the very least, we want to achieve a place on the podium.”

Andreas Mikkelsen, Volkswagen Polo R WRC #9
“The second rally for Volkswagen is a bit more like business as usual for me. Argentina offers me another opportunity to improve bit by bit. In Portugal, I was about one second per kilometre slower than my colleagues, so my goal is to close the gap. With that in mind, I’ve already changed some aspects of the system I use for pace notes and it will be interesting for me to see what difference that makes. Qualifying was the first step. I’m satisfied with my time because I was a bit cautious in one or two places, especially on one of the jumps. I’m ready for the rally now.”

Jost Capito, Director of Volkswagen Motorsport
“This is a great team result. I’m particularly pleased that Jari-Matti Latvala was able to record the fastest time in spite of very stiff competition. And Sébastien Ogier put in a strong performance as usual to come in third. The first three are incredibly close, which emphasises how well matched the World Rally Championship teams are. One too many skids, and you’d finish qualifying two positions lower. I think we can expect the Rally Argentina to be an exciting event – the smallest things will make a big difference over the next three days. We are well prepared and think we have chosen the right starting positions in the light of the weather forecast.”

And then there was …
… the crucial difference. Volkswagen driver Jari-Matti Latvala completed the 4,590-metre qualifier 0.035 seconds faster than Sébastien Loeb in his Citroën – which is equivalent to a gap of just 106 centimetres. To put that in context, the Polo R WRC could comfortably fit this distance between its wheels with its track width of 1.61 metres. It is less than the height of the car, however, which stands 1,356 millimetres tall.

ends