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  1. #111
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    Quote Originally Posted by mknight View Post
    They announced that Audi will run on next Dakar with electric car just yesterday. Su dunno what this actually means.
    Dr. Frank Welsch, a member of the Volkswagen Board of Directors, announced the closure of the brand's racing department and the consequent transfer of 169 employees to the manufacturer's facilities in Wolfsburg to dedicate themselves to the development area. He pointed out that the Volkswagen brand as such is heading to become a reference in regards to the electricity market and hence they made the decision to dispense with their sports activities since there are no strengths that adapt to the new business vision.

    This move within the Volkswagen Group means the end of the ID.R project, the electric prototype conceived for the 2018 Pikes Peak. Presumably all the technology involved in the car will be transferred to the brand's commercial cars. In the statement it can be read that the supply of spare parts for the Polo GTI R5 and the Golf GTI TCR will be assured in the long term, although the production of the Polo GTI R5 customer sports for rally will end this year. This announcement from Volkswagen was to be expected after the statement issued by Audi Sport yesterday regarding competing in the Dakar and facing the World Endurance Championship with an LMDh.

    Last year, Volkswagen Group indicated that its sports division would focus on electric propulsion and months later they confirm that it will disappear, which suggests that the competition area will be defended by Audi, while the position regarding Porsche is awaited. With the closure of Volkswagen Motorsport a vacuum is created in terms of factory support in the categories of rally, rallycross and touring cars, in these cases we would also have to wait for the reactions of those involved in the programs.

    In the words of Dr. Frank Welsch:

    We have decided to discontinue our own motorsport activities. The deep technical expertise of the employees as well as the knowledge gained from the ID.R project will remain with the company and help us develop more efficient models. My sincere thanks to all employees for the many victories, titles and records around the world and their personal commitment.

    https://www.diariomotor.com/competic...e-operaciones/

  2. #112
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    Quote Originally Posted by mknight View Post
    They announced that Audi will run on next Dakar with electric car just yesterday. Su dunno what this actually means.
    That Audi is not fully electric, it has TFSI petrol engine also.
    "quattro best 4wd rallycar ever"

  3. Likes: Mirek (1st December 2020),the sniper (1st December 2020)
  4. #113
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    So they worked hard to build a competitive car, found many buyers, many who wanted to buy one and after two years will finish the project and all the developments probably also? This car will soon fall behind.

  5. #114
    Senior Member Eli's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tarmop View Post
    So they worked hard to build a competitive car, found many buyers, many who wanted to buy one and after two years will finish the project and all the developments probably also? This car will soon fall behind.
    Well...what would you say about it when they closed down their WRC operation after spending probably a large sum of development for a WRC car that never saw the light of day....
    Only you know your true potential.
    This year we rally #ForCraig

  6. Likes: AnttiL (1st December 2020),pantealex (2nd December 2020)
  7. #115
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    VW officially to fully become the soulless white goods division of VW Group. Thanks for the memories of glory days VW, have fun playing the Tesla game...

  8. Likes: Rally Power (1st December 2020)
  9. #116
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eli View Post
    Well...what would you say about it when they closed down their WRC operation after spending probably a large sum of development for a WRC car that never saw the light of day....
    If i remember correctly, techincal solutions someway did, in VW WRX outfit.
    Anyway, that is their minus, they opted for customer racing and those customers now have still quite new cars, chassis no. 1 being the oldest, dating back to 10.2018... not to be developed any further, opposition on the otherhand...
    Last edited by Tarmop; 1st December 2020 at 19:59.

  10. #117
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    Quote Originally Posted by dimviii View Post
    Volkswagen Motorsport
    @volkswagenms
    Pooling strengths for the electric offensive: The Volkswagen Motorsport GmbH workforce will be integrated in Volkswagen AG.

    https://twitter.com/volkswagenms/sta...01822448873472
    Funny that almost on the same day, Audi announces they are leaving FE and commit to two race series, using combustion engines ( WEC and Dakar).

  11. Likes: pantealex (2nd December 2020)
  12. #118
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    Why Adamo gave Huttunen a second Hyundai chance

    Hyundai Motorsport team principal details Jari Huttunen's current arrangement with the manufacturer

    https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/why-a...yundai-chance/

  13. #119
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    Quote Originally Posted by dimviii View Post
    Why Adamo gave Huttunen a second Hyundai chance

    Hyundai Motorsport team principal details Jari Huttunen's current arrangement with the manufacturer

    https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/why-a...yundai-chance/
    "Second" chance? More like first. In 2017 he won the challenge and as a "reward" he got to drive the ( at that time) slowest and least reliable R5 ( on gravel at least, not counting DS3)

    After struggling for a year they demoted him to testing and finally started developing it, but he only got to drive very few rallies.

    It really seemed that when Adamo came his first actions were to get rid of all drivers signed by Nandan one way or another. (Paddon out and not even asked about Finland, Huttunen out of competition and to testing, Mikkelsen immediately reduced starts).

    Following that start it later looked like he changed his mind a bit and started focusing on car changes and development, rather than kicking drivers. Good for Huttunen that he now get his first real chance.

    Note that now for new R5, the first tests are by Tanak and Huttunen, rather than Neuville, who developed the WRC so that 3 drivers with 83 WRC wins among them all struggled with it.

  14. #120
    Senior Member er88's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mknight View Post
    Note that now for new R5, the first tests are by Tanak and Huttunen, rather than Neuville, who developed the WRC so that 3 drivers with 83 WRC wins among them all struggled with it.
    Do you not like Neuville or something? A bit of a skewed way to describe it, when one of those drivers won 79 of those events and is past his best/ retired.

    Tanak, Neuville, Sordo and Breen will all take it in turns to test the new R5, as has been reported.

    The first tests in 2016 of the 17 spec wrc car, were done by Kevin Abbring. Then Sordo and Paddon started testing it (without Thierry). Neuville was the last Hyundai driver to test that car, as he was out of contract and didn't sign a new deal until later in 2016 (there was talk he was going to Citroen or wanted to leave). Hyundai only let him drive the car after he agreed a new contract for the following two years.

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