Global RallycrossVolkswagen wins Manufacturers’ title with the Beetle
Perfect weekend for Volkswagen: Tanner Foust’s victory and fourth place for his team-mate Scott Speed (both USA) ensured that Volkswagen was crowned Manufacturers’ champion in Seattle, with races still to come. Foust won round eleven of the Global Rallycross Championship (GRC), coming home ahead of Sebastian Eriksson (S, Honda) and Joni Wiman (FIN, Honda) to regain the championship lead from Speed. As such, the two Andretti team-mates travel to California with excellent chances of winning the title. The champion will be decided on 8 and 9 October when Los Angeles (USA) hosts the closing double-header – two full-points races on one weekend. This is Volkswagen’s first Manufacturers’ title in the America Rallycross championship, after Scott Speed won the Drivers’ Championship for the first time last year with the powerful Beetle GRC.
FIA World Rallycross ChampionshipBarcelona: Kristoffersson misses out on the podium
Johan Kristoffersson’s (S) successful run has come to an end. The Driver from Volkswagen Team RX Sweden missed out on a spot on the podium at round nine of the FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX). The Swede may have finished third in the final at the 1.13-kilometre track in Barcelona (E), but he was subsequently given a penalty after touching a competitor and was disqualified from the race. Kristoffersson remains third in the Drivers’ Championship, and still has a chance of winning the title with three events remaining. Team-mate Anton Marklund missed out on the final and eventually finished 14th.
TCR International SeriesVictory in Singapore: Vernay triumphs, ahead of Comini
Jean-Karl Vernay (F) claimed victory with the Golf GTI TCR at the ninth race weekend of the TCR International Series in Singapore. The driver from Volkswagen customer team Leopard Racing came home ahead of team-mate Stefano Comini (CH) and Pepe Oriola (E, SEAT) on Saturday. Comini and Vernay finished fourth and sixth in race two on Sunday. Several safety car phases prevented the duo achieving better results. Victory went to Mikhail Grachev (RUS) in the Honda Civic TCR. Davit Kajaia (GE) of Volkswagen customer team Engstler was eighth. The Drivers’ Championship could hardly be more exciting: with two race weekends remaining, Comini is now just two points behind the leader, James Nash (GB). Vernay is fourth, 28 points off the lead.
Next up:
24/09–25/09/2016TCR Benelux, Colmar-Berg (L)
24/09/2016GTI Challenge, Killarney (ZA)
24/09/2016Engen Volkswagen Cup South Africa, Killarney (ZA)
24/09/2016Global Touring Cars, Cape Town (ZA)
24/09–25/09/2016Japanese Formula 3 Championship, Sugo (J)
24/09/2016Volkswagen Fun Cup UK, Anglesey (GB)
24/09–25/09/2016Volkswagen Fun Cup Belgium
