WRC: ZF partner Volkswagen grabs Manufacturers’ World Championship* with one-two finish
A one-two finish for Volkswagen factory drivers Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala in the Rally of Spain presented Volkswagen with the Manufacturers’ Rally World Championship* at penultimate round of the season. The Polo R WRC in the World Rally Championship is equipped with both a twin-plate clutch and dampers from ZF Friedrichshafen AG. As a result, the long-standing, successful partnership between Volkswagen and ZF Friedrichshafen AG produced both World Championship titles in the debut year of the Polo R WRC, after Sébastien Ogier was crowned World Rally Champion at Rally of France. Volkswagen and ZF had previously cooperated with one another in cross country rallying and won the Dakar Rally three times. At the Rally of Spain, the Volkswagen factory drivers Sébastien Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen recorded no less than twelve of the 15 fastest stage times. Before the season finale in Great Britain, nine of the twelve rallies have gone to Volkswagen.
* Subject to official publication of the results by the FIA
Result Rally of Spain (E), round 12, World Rally Championship25.10–27.10.2013:
1. Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia, Volkswagen, 3h 33m 21.2s, ZF
2. Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila, Volkswagen, + 32.9s, ZF
3. Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen, Citroën, + 1m 13.7s
4. Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul, Ford, + 1m 33.9s
5. Evgeny Novikov/Ilka Minor, Ford, + 2m 01.0s
6. Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson, Ford, + 2m 26.0s
7. Martin Prokop/Michal Ernst, Ford, + 4m 55.8s
8. Hayden Paddon/John Kennard, Ford, + 6m 55.7s
9. Robert Kubica/Maciej Baran, Citroën, +11m 14.1s
10. Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari/Killian Duffy, Ford, +13m 26.8s.
Drivers’ World Championship standings:
1. S. Ogier, 265 points; 2. T. Neuville, 158, 3. J. Latvala, 144; 4. M. Hirvonen, 126; 5. Sordo, 117; 6. M. Østberg, 89; 7. S. Loeb, 68; 8. E. Novikov, 67; 9. M. Prokop, 55; 10. A. Mikkelsen, 40.
Manufacturers’ World Championship standings
1. Volkswagen Motorsport, 382 points; 2. Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT, 274; 3. Qatar WRT, 174; 4. Qatar M-Sport WRT, 169; 5. Abu Dhabi Citroën Total WRT, 63; 6. Jipocar Czech National Team, 57; 7. Volkswagen Motorsport 2, 40; 8. Lotos WRC, 20.
Formula 1: ZF partner team on the podium
Podium finish for Romain Grosjean in the Indian Grand Prix: the Lotus-Renault driver, who relies on ZF Friedrichshafen AG clutch in his car, stormed from 17th on the grid to take third place at the chequered flag. It is the third consecutive podium finish for Grosjean. His team mate Kimi Räikkönen also scored six important points after finishing seventh.
Fourth place in India went to Felipe Massa, in whose Ferrari high-tech dampers from ZF Friedrichshafen AG are fitted. Although Fernando Alonso scored no points for finishing in eleventh place in the sister car, he retained second place in the Formula 1 World Championship behind the newly crowned World Champion Sebastian Vettel. Daniel Ricciardo, whose STR-Ferrari is equipped with a ZF brand clutch, took the final World Championship point after finishing tenth.
Result GP India (IND), round 16, FIA Formula 1 World Championship, 25.10–27.10.2013:
1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull-Renault, 1h 31m 12.187s
2. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, + 29.823s
3. Romain Grosjean, Lotus-Renault, + 39.892s, ZF
4. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, + 41.692s, ZF
5. Sergio Pérez, McLaren-Mercedes, + 43.829s
6. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, + 52.475s
7. Kimi Räikkönen, Lotus-Renault, + 1m 07.988s, ZF
8. Paul Di Resta, Force India-Mercedes, + 1m 12.868s
9. Adrian Sutil, Force India-Mercedes, + 1m 14.734s
10. Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso-Ferrari, + 1m 16.237s, ZF
Drivers’ World Championship standings:
1. S. Vettel, 322 points; 2. F. Alonso, 207; 3. K. Räikkönen, 183; 4. L. Hamilton, 169; 5. M. Webber, 148; 6. N. Rosberg, 144; 7. F. Massa and R. Grosjean, 102; 9. J. Button, 60; 10. P. di Resta, 40.
Manufacturers’ World Championship standings:
1. Red Bull-Renault, 470 points; 2. Mercedes, 313; 3. Ferrari, 309; 4. Lotus-Renault, 285; 5. McLaren-Mercedes, 93; 6. Force India-Mercedes, 68; 7. Sauber-Ferrari, 45; 8. Toro Rosso-Ferrari, 32; 9. Williams-Renault, 1.