Volkswagen Motorsport, Marklund Motorsport and the FIA World Rallycross Championship

Swedish Rallycross team Marklund Motorsport have agreed an exclusive three-year partnership with Volkswagen Motorsport (current World Rally Championship champions) for the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Marklund Motorsport recently unveiled 2013 GRC Champion Toomas ‘Topi’ Heikkinen as their lead driver for next two seasons and Topi along with teammate Anton Marklund will line-up in their new Marklund Motorsport Volkswagen Polo RX Supercars at round one of the FIA World Rallycross in Montalegre, Portugal on May 3rd.

Jan Marklund, Marklund Motorsport team owner, believes Volkswagen's involvement gives the team the perfect platform to back-up its ambitions for title success. He said "Volkswagen’s pedigree in motorsport is there for everyone to see, there is no better manufacturer for us to be partnered with than the current WRC champions. Volkswagen is looking to make an immediate global impact in the world of Rallycross and I’m happy that Marklund Motorsport is their chosen partner for the FIA World Rallycross Championship."

The announcement comes just days after the officially supported Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team announced it was contesting the Global Rallycross Championship with a pair of Polos before switching to new GRC specific Beetles later in the season. With support from Volkswagen America the team will be pushing for the championship title with drivers Tanner Foust and Scott Speed.

Rally Sweden - Volkswagen 1, 2 & 6

Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila claimed victory on Rally Sweden today, having been in the top 4 from the start Latvala was able to master the ever changing conditions and was also able to fend off his teammates Andreas Mikkelsen / Mikko Markkula. Mikkelsen took second overall and his first ever WRC podium having challenge for outright victory throughout the whole event.

Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia recovered from the mistake of yesterday to take 6th overall, setting a string of fastest stage times along the way. Whilst Rally Sweden is disappointing for the French duo they have been able to keep their championship challenge on track.

Sweden marked Volkswagen Motorsport's the first victory of a dominant season last year, this year they looked even more impressive!

Day 3 Rally Sweden

At the end of the third days rallying in Sweden Volkswagen Motorsport drivers remain first and second overall, although during a dramatic day of rallying excitement and problems changed the look of the leaderboard dramatically.

Overnight leaders Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia plummeted down the leaderboard on the first stage of the day having spent over 4 minutes stuck in a snow bank. Ogier accepted full responsibility for the driver error blaming a lack of concentration. Having clipped a snow bank and got sucked into the duo then needed help to dig the car out before they could continue.

Andreas Mikkelsen / Mikko Markkula took the rally lead on the first stage and then became embroiled in a tight battle with teammates Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila for the top podium spot. Latvala really seemed to revel in the battle overtaking Mikkelsen and very gradually extending his slender lead.

With road conditions varying from snow and ice to gravel and standing water the drivers had to balance outright pace with tyre and car preservation. Despite this Ogier began a charge back up the leader board, finishing the day with 6 fastest stage times having recovered from 20th overall to 9th by the end of the final stage of day 3.

Day 4 sees the longest stages of the rally and there remains plenty of excitement left in the 2014 Rally Sweden.


Rally Sweden leader board after day 3

1.		J. Latvala
2.		A. Mikkelsen
3.		M. Østberg
4.		M. Hirvonen
5.		O. Tanak
6.		K. Meeke
7.		H. Solberg
8.		P. Tidemand
9.		S. Ogier
10.		E. Evans

Day 2 Rally Sweden

At the end of the second day of competition on the Rally Sweden Volkswagen Motorsport drivers hold the top three overall positions, capping a perfect day of rallying for the German team.

Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia finished day two and start day three in first overall, having snatched the lead back from Andreas Mikkelsen / Mikko Markkula on the final stage of the day. Ogeir and Mikkelsen had been locked in a battle for first throughout the day, with Ogier dropping behind the young Norwegian towards the end of the day before clawing back the lost time. Mikkelsen (one of the stars of the rally so far) opted to use worn tyres on the last stage and was prepared to sacrifice his outright pace in order to have a brand new set of tyres (and studs) for tomorrow's first stage.

Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila kept a watching brief in third overall for the whole day, trading seconds with Ogier and Mikkelsen and keeping in contention despite small gear selection concerns. The duo are expected to challenge both team mates on tomorrow's faster and more flowing stages.

Whilst the German team's drivers currently have the podium sewn up, Swedish stages are particularly unforgiving and there are a lot of stage miles to be covered before the event finishes.....

Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team

A tie up between Volkswagen of America and Andretti Sports Marketing has created tremendous interest in the 2014 Global Rallycross series. The new Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team will start the season in Volkswagen Polos (based on the all conquering VW Polo R WRC car) before switching to GRC specific Beetles later in the season. The Beetles should be ready for competition in time for the X Games in June, they will be 4 wheel drive with around 600BHP.

The Rockstar Energy Drink Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team entry will be driven by former GRC Champion, rally driver and Top Gear host Tanner Foust. Tanner has plenty of experience behind the wheel of rallycross cars, not only in the GRC but also in Europe as well - having proven to be a match for the finest in Europe every time he competed.

Scott Speed will drive the 7UP Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team car in the 2014 season. Speed was one of the most impressive drivers during the 2013 season, winning two races in and going on to finish a very impressive fifth overall. Scott Speed brings a huge amount of driving experience (and an amazing driving talent too) having competed in Formula 1 (in the Scuderia Toro Rosso team) as well as NASCAR too.

The Global Rallycross series starts in Barbados in May and concludes in Las Vegas on the 5th of November.

Day 1 Rally Sweden

Andreas Mikkelsen / Mikko Markkula lead the Swedish rally after the first day of rallying. The Volkswagen Motorsport pair lead teammates (and current world champions) Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia with the third Volkswagen Motorsport Polo R WRC of Jari-Matti Latvala / Miikka Anttila sitting in fourth overall after today's Super Special stage in Karstad.

Tomorrow sees the teams head off into the Swedish forests before a quick trip across the border into Norway for a set of four stages (2 stages run twice) before heading back into Sweden for the final stage of the day.

With temperatures expected to be hovering around freezing snow, ice, gravel, studs and the lack of all or any of these are expected to be the main talking points. Gravel in the stages and the resultant stud loss from the tyres is causing concern tonight for the drivers - the quickest driver may turn out to be the one who can nurse their tyres the best.


Rally Sweden leader board at the end of day 1:-

1.		A. Mikkelsen
2.		S. Ogier
3.		O. Tanak
4.		J-M. Latvala
5.		M. Hirvonen
6.		H. Solberg
7.		M. Østberg
8.		J. Hänninen
9.		T. Neuville
10.		K. Meeke

Rally Sweden

 

All three Volkswagen Motorsport drivers expressed concern at the changing levels of grip (and lack of snow) on the Official Rally Sweden - all of them voising worries about how they will be able to keep the studs in their winter tyres whilst driving competitively on the gravel strewn stages.

The drivers took differing approaches to the earlier shakedown stage with both Sebastien Ogier and Andreas Mikkelsen opting for a cautious approach (aiming to save their tyres/studs for the first stages of the rally later tonight) whilst Jari-Matti Latvala drove harder and set the second fastest time overall.