Global RallycrossSecond place for Scott Speed and the Volkswagen Beetle in Florida
It’s been a successful start to the Global Rallycross season for Volkswagen and Andretti Motorsport in Fort Lauderdale (USA). The American Scott Speed came second in the Volkswagen Beetle GRC, while his teammate Tanner Foust (USA) finished in fifth place. After having difficulties on Saturday, the two-time Global Rallycross champion Foust started in last place, but clawed his way to the front and qualified for the final. Things went better for former Formula 1 driver Speed, who started in pole position in both heats and in third place in the final. “We’ve learned that winning a few races in the course of the year isn’t good enough – you also have to finish a lot of races cleanly. We have got off to a good start and now we have to try to move up a step or two on the podium,” said Scott Speed. The season opener in Fort Lauderdale, which is otherwise known as the ‘Venice of America’, was won by the American Ken Block (Ford). The next race will be held in Daytona (USA) on 20 June.
Kitzbühel Alps RallyOgier’s week: cruising through the Alps, Italian flair and a sprinter meeting
Does Sébastien Ogier have a new co-driver? No, the Frenchman merely participated in the Kitzbühel Alps Rally together with his wife Andrea Kaiser. The couple lined up in a 136 hp Salzburg Beetle on Friday to drive through the Alpine landscape in the glorious sunshine. In total, the 28th edition of the rally featured 188 historic cars from seven decades. The other entrants included Volkswagen representative Hans-Joachim ‘Strietzel’ Stuck, actor Max von Thun and Austrian singer Christina Stürmer. The next day, Ogier and his wife then moved on to another event – the couple watched the MotoGP race in Mugello up close from the Ducati box, cheering on the drivers Andrea Dovizioso (I) and Andrea Iannone (I). The current leader in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) has had an eventful few days: last week, he also met the world sprint record holder Usain Bolt and proudly posted a picture of the two of them on Facebook.
FIA Formula 3 European ChampionshipThird place for Leclerc, Giovinazzi maintains overall lead
Charles Leclerc of Monaco (Van Amersfoort Racing) proved to be the best Volkswagen driver in Monza, finishing third in the third race at Monza Park during the fourth weekend of racing in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. Races two and three were both interrupted by the organisers due to accidents, and only half the usual points were then awarded in the final race. The Italian Antonio Giovinazzi (Jagonya Ayam with Carlin), who had clinched podium positions in all nine races in the Formula 3 European Championship before the Monza weekend, finished in fourth place twice at his home event. Felix Rosenqvist (S, Dallara-Mercedes) won all three races in Italy. Giovinazzi maintains his overall lead on 182 points, ahead of Leclerc on 166.5. Leclerc’s spoils in Monza fell short of the Italian’s by a mere half a point. The next racing weekend is in Spa-Francorchamps (B) on 19 to 21 June.
Volkswagen Racing Cup UKVictory for Sutton and Fulbrook – House back on the podium after a two-year drought
The winners of the third weekend of racing in the Volkswagen Racing Cup UK in Silverstone were David Sutton (GB) and Joe Fulbrook (GB). Sutton won race number two on Sunday evening ahead of Jack Walker-Tully (GB) and Phil House (GB), thereby extending his overall lead. Last year’s champion Fulbrook had a spot of bad luck, only finishing in seventh place after colliding with Lucas Orrock (GB). Things then went better for him in the first race on Sunday morning when he clinched his first win of the new season. The conditions on the famous Grand Prix track in Silverstone were wet and difficult, but he managed to win with a lead of one second over Orrock, House and Sutton. Two-time champion House, who drives a Scirocco, made it onto the podium for the first time in almost two years. The next two races will be held in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium, from 10 to 11 July.
Volkswagen Fun Cup FranceDefi Performance team wins both races at Val de Vienne
The team Defi Performance won both races held on the Circuit du Val de Vienne (F) over the third weekend of racing in the Volkswagen Fun Cup France. Pascal Amant/Julien Suzanna/Julien Menart won Sunday morning’s three-hour race in constant heavy rain, ahead of the teams M3M-PVI with Bernard Dandrifosse/Amin Ben/Patrick Van Impe and Allure Team 1 comprising Raphael Deschamps/Pierre Durand Perdriel/Alexandre Renneteau. In comparison, it only rained for a quarter of an hour during the seven-hour race held in the afternoon. This time, Defi Performance pipped the team Spebi (Jean Pierre Ruffino/Vincent Roches/Pascal Roger) to the post. The Groupe Lemoine team comprising Benoît Dupassage and Pascal Renaudat came third. The next race – a twelve-hour event – will be held at Magny-Cours (F) on 20 June.
Next up:06/06–07/06/2015Volkswagen Fun Cup Belgium, Zandvoort (NL)
