The new Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 has been successfully put through its paces in Sweden – by three world rally champions before its sold to private teams later this year. Petter Solberg (N), 2003 WRC champion, was joined at the wheel of the four-wheel drive rally car for customer sports by 2000 and 2002 world champion Marcus Grönholm (FIN), and Pontus … [Read more...]
Let battle commence …..
The 2018 FIA World Rally Championship hit top gear with a high-profile launch at the Autosport International show in Birmingham last week, writes Gary Jones. Manufacturer teams representing Citroën, Hyundai, M-Sport Ford and Toyota lined up side-by-side on the central stage for their public unveiling. All the big-name drivers, co-drivers and team … [Read more...]
New Polo GTI R5 AWD unveiled
The Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 will be on the WRC scene in 2019. Initial tests have gone very well and homologation is planned for summer next year, meaning it cannot do a full WRC campaign until the following year, but it may be seen on selected events next year as VW evaluate different events and publicity opportunities. The development of the new 4WD … [Read more...]
Evans secures 2018 M-Sport drive
Fresh from his history-making victory on last month’s Wales Rally GB, comes confirmation that Welsh rally star Elfyn Evans will be promoted within the title winning M-Sport team for the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship. Ending weeks of speculation, the Cumbrian-based outfit has announced that the 28-year-old from Dolgellau has been rewarded for an … [Read more...]
VW will return to WRC
Volkswagen will return to the WRC in 2019. A tantalizing sketch of the car it will be testing from the middle of next year was released this week. With the Polo GTI R5, Volkswagen returns to rallying under a new guise. In the second half of 2018, Volkswagen will make the 270 hp rally version of the Polo available to professional teams and aspiring … [Read more...]
Change to WRGB for 2018
WRC Promoter has announced the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship calendar. The 13-round calendar marks the return of Turkey after a seven-year absence. It replaces Poland in the fixture list, which was approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris. The championship begins with the traditional season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo in January and … [Read more...]
Hopes of WRC being decided in Wales
This year’s WRC title may be decided in Wales as fierce competition heads towards a climax. The 2017 FIA World Rally Championship is proving to be the most exciting in years and this autumn’s Wales Rally GB 26-29 October will now be pivotal. It could even be the title decider. With just three rounds remaining on the WRC calendar – Spain, GB … [Read more...]
Night stages return for Wales Rally GB
The route of Wales Rally GB has been published and tickets are now on sale for the spectator stages. Once again the UK round of the World Rally Championship, which has been hotly contested so far this year with four different winners over six rounds, will be held to co-incide with the autumn half-term 26-29 October and the organisers are giving … [Read more...]
Elfyn Evans gets M-Sport WRC drive in Monte
Welshman Elfyn Evans is back in top flight WRC series. He will return to M-Sport's main squad for Rally Monte Carlo starting two weeks today. Evans spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons with M-Sport, and stayed with the team last year as he stepped down to the WRC2 class. The Welshman will return to the main class for the first round of the 2017 season … [Read more...]
Ogier ‘chilled’ over WRC prospects
When Volkswagen Motorsport announced its decision to withdraw from the World Rally Championship in November, an understandable scramble began to sign up reigning king Seb Ogier. The Frenchman had dominated the championship winning 22 rallies out of 54 over the course of four years - a remarkable return of 40% of every event at which he … [Read more...]
