VW Motorsport



HOCKENHEIM


Preview, facts and figures on the start of the 2013 season

The waiting is finally over: the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup enters its fourth season at the Hockenheimring on 03 May. 19 young racing drivers from ten countries will be joined on the starting grid by four motorsport legends at the wheel of the 285-hp Scirocco. Lining up in Hockenheim are former DTM champions Nicola Larini (I) and Eric van de Poele (B), as well as ex Formula One drivers Jan Lammers (NL) and Martin Donnelly (GB).
A brief rundown of everything you need to know about the season-opener at the Hockenheimring

+++ The Legend Cup has a new format: Rather than competing ‘just for fun’, as they had done previously, the legends will go head to head in a team duel in the future: “DTM Legends” v “Motorsport Allstars”. This way, each weekend will feature a “two-against-two” duel. Points will be awarded in the same format as in the DTM (25-18-15-12) and the scores of each two team members added together. Come the end of the season, fans will be able to see who have their noses in front: the DTM legends or the “Allstars” from a variety of different racing series. +++

+++ Italian Nicola Larini (49) won the 1993 DTM title in his rookie year with Alfa Romeo. With 18 race wins to his name, he is fifth in the list of all-time winners. Larini was also active in Formula One between 1987 and 1997, contesting 49 races and stepping onto the podium at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix after finishing runner-up to Michael Schumacher. The Italian also has fond memories of the Scirocco R-Cup: Larini won the Legend competition at the season-opener in Hockenheim in 2011. +++

+++ Eric van de Poele (51) is also a former DTM champion. The Belgian won the Drivers’ Championship in 1987 – in doing so, he remarkably claimed the title without winning a single race in his BMW M3. He also spent two years in Formula One, in 1991 and 1992. However, inferior cars meant he only qualified for five races through the preliminary qualifying. Van de Poele went on to enjoy great success in touring and sports cars, winning the 12 Hours of Sebring twice and lining up at the Le Mans 24 Hours. +++

+++ Jan Lammers (56) can also point to a career in Formula One. The Dutchman started 23 Grands Prix between 1979 and 1992. However, his greatest success came in endurance racing: in 1988 he won the Le Mans 24 Hours in a Jaguar. Two years later he triumphed at the 24 Hours of Daytona, also for Jaguar. +++

+++ Martin Donnelly (49) completes the quartet of legends in Hockenheim. The Northern Irishman’s international breakthrough came in 1987 when he won the Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix. However, a promising Formula One career came to an abrupt end after just 13 Grands Prix, when he was involved in a serious crash in Jerez. Donnelly lined up alongside Formula One world champion Damon Hill and other British racing drivers in the Scirocco R-Cup at Brands Hatch in 2012. +++

+++ GAZPROM is the exclusive fuel supplier to the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup for the first time this year. The world’s largest producer of natural gas will supply the natural gas for the sports coupé’s environmentally-sound engine. The CO2 emissions are consequently about 25 per cent lower than conventional petrol or diesel engines. +++

+++ Nine of the 19 starters in the Pro Cup and Junior Cup also lined up in last year’s Scirocco R-Cup. American Dennis Trebing and Kasper H. Jensen from Denmark finished second and third overall, behind champion Ola Nilsson (S). They start this season as the hot favourites to win the title. +++

+++ In total, five drivers are registered for the Pro Cup and 14 for the Junior Cup. The young drivers aged between 17 and 24 go head to head in their own competition to determine the rookie champion. Two non-European drivers also line up in the series, in the form of Jordan Lee Pepper (ZA) and Ambalavanar Sandeep Kumar (IND). One of this year’s favourites is Lukas Schreier (D), who finished 14th overall last year. +++

+++ The young Scot, Ross Wylie, has a prominent advocate in his corner: his compatriot and former DTM driver Susie Wolffrecommended he sign up for the selection procedure for the Scirocco R-Cup. +++

+++ The 2013 field includes two female drivers. Michelle Gatting (DK) caught the eye with her eleventh place last year and lines up in the Pro-Cup. In the Junior-Cup, Sweden’sMikaela Åhlin-Kottulinsky will be looking to improve on the 18th place she achieved in 2012. Her grandfather, Freddy Kottulinsky (S), claimed Volkswagen’s first victory at the Rally Dakar in a Volkswagen Iltis in 1980. +++

+++ In the Pro Cup and Junior Cup, the points are awarded according to the following format: 60-48-40-34-32-30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2. However, only half points are awarded at the first two races of the season. This is in order to reduce the advantage of the more experienced drivers over the newcomers. +++

+++ Just as they did last year, the drivers will once again be able to use the Push-to-pass system, which briefly increases the Scirocco’s performance by 50 hp from 173 kW (235 hp) to 210 kW (285 hp). New: unlike in 2012, Push-to-pass must not be used in qualifying. In the race, the use of Push-to-pass is restricted: the drivers starting from the front three rows of the grid may push the ‘extra power’ button 15 times. Those on rows four to six can use the system 16 times, while the following three rows have an extra attempt. This guarantees even more exciting races. +++

+++ From apprenticeship to the racetrack – a dream came true for two budding automotive mechatronic engineers at Volkswagen: Tobias Reck (20, Volkswagen, Emden) and Markus Schmidt (21, Porsche, Stuttgart) are working on the service team for the Scirocco R-Cup in 2013. They qualified as winners of the “ProMechaniker” competition run by the Volkswagen Group Academy and Volkswagen Motorsport in Oschersleben. The competition, which is in its fourth year in 2013, is aimed at trainees in their final year of training. What do they need to succeed? To perform very well in their job, commitment and obviously an interest in motor racing. +++


Quotes ahead of season-opener in Hockenheim

Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director: “The Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup has established itself as the most environmentally sound one-make cup in the world. Evidence of this is our new partnership with the largest producer of natural gas in the world, GAZPROM. The strong field and our high-quality starters in the legends class guarantee exciting races. I am delighted that we will have four former Formula One drivers on show for the fans at the season-opener in Hockenheim.”

Nicola Larini, 1993 DTM winner: “Like Monza in my native Italy, Hockenheim is one of the truly iconic racetracks. As such, it is always a special feeling to be driving here, and not only because of my DTM memories. Two years ago, at the opening race of the Scirocco R-Cup in Hockenheim, I won the legends class and finished third overall. I am looking to follow on from that success this time around. Even back then I was impressed with the natural gas principle. It is a great concept, which will hopefully catch on. I also liked the Push-to-pass button. That should definitely be introduced to other racing series.”

Jan Lammers, winner of the 1988 Le Mans 24 Hours:“Coming to Germany is always very special for me. This is where I had my best results in Formula One, and with the German ATS team too. It is obviously nice to compete with my colleagues from back then out on the track. Once a racing driver, always a racing driver – the competitive spirit is still there. The Scirocco R-Cup, with the Push-to-pass button, as an excellent concept. Seldom have I seen as many overtaking manoeuvres in a one-make cup.”

Michele Di Martino, Scirocco R-Cup driver: “I can hardly wait to make my debut in the Scirocco R-Cup. The Scirocco gives the drivers an excellent ride, which obviously suites me as a rookie. Even at my first test in Oschersleben, I immediately felt comfortable in the cockpit and could focus solely on the driving. I am delighted to be able to take my first tentative steps in touring car racing this season. My goal is to learn as much as possible for my future career in touring cars or GT racing.”

Dennis Trebing, Scirocco R-Cup driver: “I cannot wait to get the season started, after I finished second in 2012. This season I want to win it all. The Hockenheimring is one of my favourite racetracks which I am always looking forward to. The Cup Scirocco already felt very good during the test drives in Oschersleben. Now, bring on the first race.”



Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup
Schedule, Race 01, Hockenheim
Friday, 03 May 2013
16:45–17:30 hFree practice (45 minutes)
Saturday, 04 May 2013
12:00–12:30Qualifying (30 minutes)
16:25–16:55Race (11 laps = 50.314 km)

Live Stream
Fans can also follow the races via live stream on www.volkswagen-motorsport.com; commentary is available in English and German



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