WRC: successful debut for Volkswagen
Volkswagen celebrated its WRC premiere on the Rally Monte Carlo. During the rally, which was held in tricky conditions of a mix of ice, snow, sunshine and wet tarmac, Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia clinched two fastest stages on the way to finishing second. Their team mates Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila were running in fifth place before retiring on the final day after sliding off the track.
Volkswagen relies on ZF high-performance technology in the Polo R WRC. In the rally car’s drivetrain a twin plate clutch transmits the torque of up to 425 Newton metres. The Racing Clutch Systems (RCS) module is equipped with a sinter-steel friction pack, was calculated using Finite Element Method (FEM) and is therefore robust and very easy to modulate. Four ZF dampers are used in the Polo WRC suspension. They enable up to 300 millimetres of spring travel and provide a wide adjustment range in bump and rebound for different spring velocities. Their hydraulic compression stops are adjustable independently of the damping forces. As a result, innumerable set-up possibilities for all road surfaces open up for the Volkswagen Motorsport team.
Result Rally Monte Carlo (MC), round 1, FIA World Rally Championship WRC, 15.01-20.01.2013:
1. Sébastien Loeb/Daniel Elena, Citroën, 5h 18m 57.2s
2. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia, Volkswagen, + 1m 39.9s, ZF
3. Dani Sordo/Carlos del Barrio, Citroën, + 3m 49.0s
4. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen, Citroën, + 5m 26.3s
5. Bryan Bouffier/Xavier Panseri, Citroën, + 8m 13.1s
6. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson, Ford, + 12m 03.7s
7. Martin Prokop/Michał Ernst, Ford, + 23m 27.3s
8. Sepp Wiegand/Frank Christian, Skoda, + 29m 34.5s
9. Olivier Burri/Benjamin Veillas, Citroën, + 35m 38.2s
10. Michał Kosciuszko/Maciej Szczepaniak, Mini, + 36m 28.0s
Drivers’ World Championship standings:
1. S. Loeb, 25 points; 2. S. Ogier, 18; 3. D. Sordo, 15; 4. M. Hirvonen, 12; 5. B. Bouffier, 10; 6. M. Østberg, 8; 7. M. Prokop, 6; 8. S. Wiegand, 4; 9. O. Burri, 2; 10. M. Kosciuszko, 1.
Manufacturers’ World Championship standings:
1. Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT, 37 points; 2. Volkswagen Motorsport, 18; 3. Abu Dhabi Citroën Total WRT, 15; 4. Qatar M-Sport WRT, 10; 5. Lotus WRC Team, 8.