The latest Polo rally car has officially broken cover, and has undergone its first testing session in France. The 2018 Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 was driven by Volkswagen Motorsport test driver Dieter Depping and Swedish World Rally Champion pilot Pontus Tidemand around a 3.85km asphalt route in Fontjoncouse.
Based on the new sixth-generation Polo, the Polo GTI R5’s brakes, cooling system, engine and tyres were all tested for durability on the dry asphalt surface. Testing then moved to gravel tracks to further push the chassis and suspension. The testing location was familiar to rally Polos, as the venue was where the first Polo R WRC tests took place in 2011. The recipe was honed from then on: Volkswagen Motorsport’s all-conquering car went on to win four consecutive World Rally Championship titles from 2013 to 2016.
‘A special feeling’
Depping was the test driver of that original Polo R WRC, too: ‘It is a special feeling to be back here, where the Polo embarked on its first rally adventure roughly six years ago,’ he said. ‘It is now about achieving the best possible set-up for the new Polo GTI R5. This first test was primarily about getting a lot of kilometres under our belt, in order to give the engineers as much data as possible. I can tell you one thing now: The R5 Polo is also very good, very quick and precise. I immediately felt right at home!” he added.
‘A successful first test is a good sign and great motivation,’ commented a pleased Sven Smeets, Volkswagen Motorsport Director. ‘After the many hours and weeks spent working on our latest customer racing project on the computer, in both the design process and the workshop, the Polo GTI R5 can now finally show what it is capable of, and we can gain valuable data for the further development of the car.’
Three-day test
The three-day testing programme marked the start of the punishing development regime for the latest 270bhp four-wheel-drive rally Polo, which will be sold to professional customer teams and drivers to compete in national, global and the WRC2 class of the FIA World Rally Championship from the second half of 2018.
Teased at the time of the demise of the multi-title-winning Volkswagen Polo R WRC last December, Volkswagen has today announced the first details of its ‘customer’-specification replacement, the Polo GTI R5.
The new 270bhp rally machine will take to the stages in the second half of 2018, and will be available to professional teams as well as ‘aspiring drivers’, and will be eligible for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in which its full works factory-backed car won four driver and manufacturer championships.
Based on sixth-generation Polo
The new tarmac and gravel car is based on the sixth-generation Polo (so we suspect it will share the road car’s five-door silhouette) and has been developed by Volkswagen Motorsport in Hannover, who also built the 318bhp Polo R WRC. Volkswagen Motorsport Technical Director – and ‘father’ of the Polo R WRC – François-Xavier ‘FX’ Demaison is responsible for leading the development of the Polo GTI R5.
Dutchman and former race engineer for Sébastien Ogier, Gerard-Jan de Jongh is the Polo GTI R5 senior project engineer and also brings his expertise from the Polo R WRC programme: the Frenchman won the World Rally Championship drivers’ title with Volkswagen four times in a row. Initial test drives of the Polo GTI R5 will place later this year.
‘First-class racing machine’
‘Before the first race outing next year, we will subject the Polo GTI R5 to rigorous testing to make sure it is prepared for the extremely varied track conditions around the world, commented Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets. ‘With the Polo GTI R5 we are hoping to transfer our expertise from four WRC titles to customer racing successfully, and offer a first-class racing machine for countless rally championships from national series to the WRC,’ he continued.
One interesting correlation is the naming of the new car ‘GTI R5’. Already forging a link to the road-going Polo with the 2017 World Rallycross championship Polo GTI RXs run by PSRX and Volkswagen Sweden, the new car will also bear the legendary Volkswagen three letters to draw links to, and promote, the new 197bhp Polo GTI which will be launched at the end of this year.
Turbocharged, four-wheel drive
Like the new hot-shot Polo, the GTI R5 has a direct-injected and turbocharged four-cylinder engine. There is also four-wheel drive – surely now that’s reason enough for a 300bhp Polo R, Volkswagen? – as well as a five-speed sequential racing transmission. A comprehensive safety package features, too.
The R5 category was introduced by the FIA in 2012 and enables importers, privateers, and teams the opportunity to compete in regional as well as international rally championships. The Polo GTI R5 will form an important second pillar for Volkswagen Motorsport’s new and realigned customer-focused portfolio: the Golf GTI TCR touring car has been winning circuit events and titles since its introduction in 2016.
A third Volkswagen Polo GTI Supercar will be making an appearance at round eleven of the 2017 FIA World Rallycross Championship, the World RX of Germany, with VW test driver Dieter Depping sitting behind the wheel. The three-time German rally champion will make his world rallycross debut in the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden-run car at the Estering circuit on 30 September to 1 October.
The 51 year-old will contest the Buxtehude races alongside PSRX team owner and ex-WRC champion Petter Solberg and current World Rallycross Championship leading driver Johan Kristoffersson. The first time former Dakar driver Depping has driven in competition since the 2010 Nürburgring 24-hour race. ‘I’m really looking forward to it, but also have a huge amount of respect for the races,’ the experienced circuit driver said.
‘When Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets asked me if I could envisage starting at my home race in Buxtehude, I didn’t need to think about it for long,’ explained Depping, beaming. ‘I will prepare for the races and am already looking forward to the great setting at the Estering. My thanks also go to Petter Solberg’s team, who are taking me and my Polo under their wing for this competition,’ he continued.
‘Dieter Depping has done a valuable job for Volkswagen as a test driver and racing driver for many years. He was part of the Dakar team, was involved in the development of countless racing cars and played a major role in Volkswagen bringing home a total of twelve world championship titles with the Polo R WRC,’ said Smeets. ‘The start in Buxtehude is a way of thanking Dieter Depping for his fantastic work, but we are also delighted to have a local hero lining up at the rallycross highlight in Lower Saxony.’
PROFILE: DIETER DEPPING
Dieter Depping was born on 7 August 1966 in Hannover, Germany. He first watched motorsport as a rally spectator when he was 18 years old. In 1990 he contested his rookie season in the German rally trophy in a Volkswagen Golf he built himself, winning the competition. Between 1992 and 1994 he won three titles in the German rally championship, three victories at ADAC Rally Germany (1994, 1996, 1997), and finished runner-up twice in the European championship in 1994 and 1995.
He then took a break from professional racing and devoted himself to the family business. He joined Volkswagen Motorsport as a test driver and works driver in 2001. He made his debut in a Volkswagen Tarek at the 2003 Dakar Rally, as the team-mate of Jutta Kleinschmidt. In 2009, he made his second appearance, in a Race Touareg.
Depping has also contested circuit races for Volkswagen, including the Nürburgring 24-hour race. As a test driver, Depping made a crucial contribution to the development of the hugely successful Polo R WRC the end of 2011. That four-time championship-winning machine also formed the basis for the current World Rallycross Championship Polo GTI Supercar.
Following his stellar performance at the World RX of Great Britain, PSRX Volkswagen Sweden driver Johan Kristoffersson swept all before him and took his 570bhp Polo GTI Supercar to victory at the 2017 World RX of Norway on 10-11 June, the sixth round of the 2017 FIA World Rallycross Championship.
The win at the 1.019km-long mixed surface circuit in Hell saw the young Swede extend his lead in the 2017 drivers’ points table, and, with 151 points, Kristoffersson is now ahead of current world champion Mattias Ekström by eight points who sits in second with 143.
Fastest driver
Setting the pace in free practice where he was the fastest driver, Kristoffersson never let up. The Swedish driver’s second victory of the year was even more impressive as he was driving in pain, with a badly injured right foot, sustained when it got caught under Sebastien Loeb’s car at a ‘pre-grid’ gathering earlier in the weekend.
A visibly pained Kristoffersson explained: ‘The car needed to be reversed to get my foot back out which was really painful but nobody’s fault. It was really painful between the semi-final and final races, but painkillers helped and I will go to the hospital to get it properly looked at.’
Even a puncture in the fourth qualifying heat couldn’t stop his pace-setting progress, and the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden young gun was also the fastest in the third qualifying heat where he passed Team Peugeot Hansen’s Loeb with a round the outside overtake in the joker on lap one of race four.
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Norway: Kristoffersson
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Norway: Kristoffersson
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Norway: Kristoffersson
2017 PS2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Norway: KristofferssonRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Norway: Solberg and Kristoffersson
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Norway: Kristoffersson and Holberg
‘Really fantastic’
A jubilant Kristoffersson was elated at his victory: ‘It is fantastic. I cannot say it often enough, but our team is rather special. The way we work and achieve these results together is really fantastic. That was a tough weekend. The wet conditions were not easy yesterday. However, my Polo GTI was just superb.’
Speaking ahead of the event, the 28 year-old said: ‘It’s great to lead the World Championship. I was equal with Petter after the first round a couple of years ago but now finally I’m leading on my own. It’s started to sink in a bit more and it’s a very, very good feeling.’ Kristoffersson had never made the final race in Norway until this year.
Team boss and PSRX Volkswagen Sweden driver Petter Solberg enjoyed limited success at his home event. The Norwegian failed to qualify for the final race for the first time this season and finished in seventh place overall. However, a consistent performance helped the ex-world rally star keep his third place in the Drivers’ Championship behind Ekström.
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Norway: Solberg
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Norway: Solberg
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Norway: Solberg and Kristoffersson
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Norway: Solberg and Kristoffersson
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Norway: Solberg and Kristoffersson
‘So disappointed’
The ex-World Rally and World Rallycross Champion was frustrated at being knocked out in the semi-final: ‘Obviously it’s disappointing that we can’t keep this incredible run going for getting two cars to the final. I have to say I am so, so disappointed with what happened in the semi-final; this is the second time I have been pushed out by this guy in my home race. I don’t know what else to say. It’s not right.
‘It’s been a tough weekend, but still we made some good results. The win in Q4 was really good for me and I was positive coming to the semi and then this happens. But we have to look on the positive. Johan won and I’m so proud for him and for the whole team. We extend the lead in the championships and that’s what we take away. Norway and Hell bite me again, but I’ll be back next season,’ the 43 year-old continued.
Elsewhere in Hell, 2017 European Rallycross Championship leader Anton Marklund finished second in his Marklund Motorsport-prepared Polo RX. Kristoffersson’s Norwegian victory meanwhile was a sensational second win from three rounds, the third in a hat-trick which boosted the Volkswagen Motorsport-supported Torsby squad.
With 285 points, PSRX Volkswagen Sweden is now a massive 81 points clear of its Team Peugeot Hansen rival as the World RX circus rolls onto Sweden for round seven of the 2017 series at Höljes Motorstadion. There’s no doubt Kristoffersson will be keen to make it two consecutive wins as he entertains his home crowd. See what happens on 1-2 July.
2017 FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP, DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1 Johan Kristoffersson, Volkswagen Polo GTI: 151
2 Mattias Ekström, Audi S1: 143
3 Petter Solberg, Volkswagen Polo GTI: 134
4 Timmy Hansen, Peugeot 208: 102
5 Sebastian Loeb, Peugeot 208: 102
2017 FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP, TEAMS’ CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden: 285
2 Team Peugeot-Hansen: 204
3 EKS: 198
4 Hoonigan Racing Division: 166
5 MJP Racing Team Austria: 115
Following their dominance at the 2017 World RX of Belgium two weeks ago, Petter Solberg and Johan Kristoffersson were once again the World Rallycross Championship drivers to beat at the World RX of Great Britain over the Bank Holiday weekend of 27-28 May.
The fifth round of the 2017 series saw the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden take their Polo GTI Supercars to first and second spots on the podium, with Solberg rewarded for a third consecutive best qualifying time performance at Lydden Hill. Kristoffersson’s runner-up place moved him to the top of the drivers’ standings: the young Swede is now 4 points clear of EKS’ and current world champion Mattias Ekström.
A perfect performance
The last-ever World RX of Great Britain at Lydden Hill – the British round moves to Silverstone from 2018 – got off to a good start for Solberg. The Norwegian blew apart last year’s lap record in the free practice session, and from there on in, the double World Rallycross Champion didn’t put a wheel wrong. In fact, Solberg and his 570bhp Polo put in a perfect performance: the 42 year-old even delivered a lights-to-flag lead in the final!
Unsurprisingly, it was an emotional couple of days for Solberg: ‘You know I’m quite an emotional guy, but this is really something special. To see all of these people here at this fantastic track is so amazing and then for the team to go so well in front of them is unbelievable. We started this adventure in January and look where we are. I think this one really is unbelievable,’ he enthused.
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Great Britain: Solberg
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Great Britain: Solberg
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Great Britain: Solberg
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Great Britain: Solberg
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Great Britain: Solberg
‘I talk a lot about the team and the team performance, but that’s absolutely the way we work at PSRX Volkswagen Sweden. Every single person in the team – and I mean everybody – puts 100 per cent into what we do. But recently, we’ve been putting 110 per cent in and we’ve been getting the results. 2017 is the 50th anniversary of rallycross. And we have won this anniversary race: how incredible is that. That’s a really, really nice feeling,’ Solberg continued.
‘An incredible feeling’
‘And, with the move to Silverstone next year, this will be the last time the World Rallycross Championship will be here at Lydden for a while, so to win this race is fantastic for me. It’s been a while since I was on the top step of the podium, so to be back here is such an incredible feeling. To have Johan right there with me makes it perfect. Everything went the way we wanted it to – and when we got out of the car the sun was shining. It’s a beautiful day,’ he added.
Kristoffersson’s move to the leading points-scoring driver in the championship was also cause for celebration. ‘This result really is for the team,’ said the superstar Swede. ‘I still can’t believe what we have achieved in just a matter of a few months – and still the car is getting better and quicker.
‘This team just never stops working and Petter and I are the ones who get the chance to show off what the team can do. That’s a real honour and a real privilege. But today, like the last round in Belgium, we were able to give something back to everybody in the team,’ he reported.
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Great Britain: Kristoffersson
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Great Britain: Kristoffersson
2017 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo GTI Supercar, World RX of Great Britain: Kristoffersson
‘Quite an emotional win’
‘This one-two is the perfect way to say “thank you” to everybody in PSRX Volkswagen Sweden for all the hard work. It’s also quite an emotional win for the team. Rallycross is a very, very big part of my life and to score such a result on a weekend when we celebrate 50 years of this incredible sport is something which makes me and the whole team very proud,’ Kristoffersson said elatedly.
In addition to Kristoffersson’s catapult to championship leader, the Torsby squad’s first one-two of the season opens PSRX Volkswagen Sweden’s lead to 69 points in the teams’ championship – and also follows hot on the heels of a double podium last time out in Belgium. The next round, the World RX of Norway takes places in Hell on 10-11 June, and you can bet the Polo GTI Supercars of PSRX Volkswagen Sweden will certainly be raising all sorts of… hell!
2017 FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP, DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1 Johan Kristoffersson, Volkswagen Polo GTI: 124
2 Mattias Ekström, Audi S1: 120
3 Petter Solberg, Volkswagen Polo GTI: 117
4 Timmy Hansen, Peugeot 208: 91
5 Sebastian Loeb, Peugeot 208: 81
2017 FIA WORLD RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP, TEAMS’ CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden: 241
2 Team Peugeot-Hansen: 172
3 EKS: 166
4 Hoonigan Racing Division: 125
5 MJP Racing Team Austria: 103
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