VW Motorsport

Volkswagen Motorsport Newsletter 05/2013

ATS Formula 3 Cup

Kirchhöfer makes it win number four for the season

Leipzig’s Marvin Kirchhöfer has extended his overall lead in the ATS Formula 3 Cup. One day after finishing runner-up in race one, the talented youngster produced an accomplished performance to win ahead of Russia’s Artem Markelov at the legendary Nürburgring. This was Kirchhöfer’s fourth victory in eight races so far this season. Third place in the competition for young racing drivers, in which standard Volkswagen engines are used, went to pole sitter Emil Bernstorff. The Brit had earlier claimed his second win of the season on Saturday evening. The first race in the Formula 3 series at the Nürburgring was originally scheduled for Saturday morning. However, fog forced Friday’s qualifying to be suspended, with the session being repeated early on Saturday. As such, only two races took place at the Nürburgring, rather than the scheduled three. 

FIA Formula 3 European Championship

Tinknell claims podium for Volkswagen at Brands Hatch

Harry Tincknell presented Volkswagen with the desired podium at the end of the fourth race weekend of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship at Brands Hatch. Race winner Raffaele Marciello (Italy) was disqualified retrospectively, meaning the Brit from Team Carlin moved up into second place, having originally crossed the finish line third in the third race of the weekend. Tincknell, who finished fifth and seventh in races one and two, is now fifth overall with 107 points. After a trio of drivers powered by the 210-hp Volkswagen Formula 3 engine had made it into the top ten in the two previous races, a quartet finished in the points in the final race. German Sven Müller of the ma-con team finished fourth on two occasions at Brands hatch, while team-mate Andre Rudersdorf claimed his first European Championship point, courtesy of his tenth place.

X Games in Barcelona

Sainz appearance cancelled due to rain

The much anticipated outing by rally legend Carlo Sainz in the 600-hp Volkswagen Polo R at the X Games has had to be cancelled. After heavy rainfall over the last few days, the specially erected circuit in Barcelona’s Olympic stadium was so damp that, having been postponed on Sunday evening, the organisers had no choice but to cancel the rallycross race. Local favourite Sainz tried to console the fans who had flocked to the arena with a tweet on Twitter: “I am sorry for everyone. Thank you for coming.” The 51-year-old had prepared for his planned rallycross debut with test drives in a Volkswagen Polo. “El Matador” won the 2010 Rally Dakar for Volkswagen and is a national hero in Spain, due to his two World Rally Championship titles.

 

Volkswagen Castrol Cup Poland

Kupcikas and Korzeniowski win in Brno

Robertas Kupcikas from Lithuania and Poland’s Krystian Korzeniowski were the winners on the third race weekend of the Volkswagen Castrol Cup Poland. With the series making taking a trip abroad to Brno in the Czech Republic, Kupcikas won the opening race of the weekend to claim the first victory by a non-Polish driver this year. Foreign guests impressed again in race two: Korzeniowski was joined on the podium by Sweden’s Rasmus Marthen and Marcus Fluch. Pole Jan Kisiel finished third and fifth to defend his overall lead after three of seven race weekends. Probably the most remarkable performance of the weekend was that of Poland’s Mateusz Lisowski, who won the 2011 Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup: he fought back from 23rd on the grid to finish the race in sixth place.

Next up:

25.05.–26.05.2013    British Formula 3 Championship, Silverstone (GB)

25.05.–26.05.2013    Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup China, Shanghai (CN)

26.05.–26.05.2013    Volkswagen Racing Cup, Silverstone (GB)