PoloDriver

In a final push in its Polo R WRC development programme, Volkswagen Motorsport has been authorised to run a ‘proper’, full-fat version of its 2013 World Rally Championship (WRC) challenger in the penultimate round of the 2011 championship, the Rally d’Italia, which takes place in Sardinia on 18-21 October. While its stage times won’t be recorded, the Polo R WRC’s run will be a full-scale test, a dress rehearsal for 2013, when it will take on challengers Citroën and Ford. In a twist of coincidence, Sardinia was the location chosen for the Polo R WRC’s unveiling in May 2011. Autosport reports that the Sardinia car will be driven by the Volkswagen Motorsport number one pairing of Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia, but as the car has yet to be homologated, it will not be a ‘zero’ car, and its running position is yet to be decided.

Meanwhile, the next round of the 2012 WRC championship will see Ogier compete in Finland on 2-5 August. In related Polo R WRC news, Volkswagen Motorsport is rumoured to be fielding up to three cars next year. Ogier will pilot the lead car, while Jari-Matti Latvala from Finland (and current Ford driver) is in the frame to be his number two. More videos of the Polo R WRC testing in both Alicante and Finland have also surfaced online. Sounding even more like an angry swarm of bees than before, the Polo R WRC already looks fairly well developed to us. We need to see it competing – the 2013 WRC championship can’t come soon enough.