Volkswagen newsletter 2008-05-11

ATS Formula 3 Cup

Belgian Laurens Vanthoor gives Volkswagen its first podium place

Laurens Vanthoor, aged merely 17, clinched the first podium position for Volkswagen at rounds three and four of the ATS Formula 3 Cup at Oschersleben by finishing Saturday's race as the runner-up. The second race on Sunday was less fortunate for the Belgian. After taking the lead at the start, he was entangled in a collision on lap two, which caused him to lose several places. In the end, with an eighth-place finish, he still managed scoring a championship point. Van Ammersfoort team-mate Rahel Frey (CH) came sixth on Saturday to claim her first points result. On Sunday, she retired on lap two.

ADAC Formula Masters powered by Volkswagen

Two victories by Willi Steindl at inaugural round of new rookie class

The inaugural round of the ADAC Formula Masters at Oschersleben ended in two victories claimed by 15-year-old Willi Steindl. At the season opener of Germany's new rookie series featuring identical racing cars with production-based 145-hp 1.6-litre naturally aspirated Volkswagen engines, the Austrian didn't give his opponents the slightest chance and took a commanding overall lead in the process. His closest rivals in the championship are the Austrian Klaus Bachler, who took places four and two in both races, as well as the German Markus Pommer, who was pleased to claim two third places. After position six on Saturday, the 18-year-old Finn Emma Kimilainen, the only female in the field, came fourth on Sunday, thus barely missing a podium position.

24-Hour Race at the Nurburgring

Preparation on the Nordschleife: Carlos Sainz's longest special stage

"That was arguably my longest special stage," commented the two-time World Rally Champion and Volkswagen factory driver Carlos Sainz after completing his first race laps on the Nurburgring's legendary Nordschleife. "And it was really good fun, too," affirmed the Spaniard with a happy smile on his face. With a Golf GTI, Carlos Sainz and his cross-country rally team-mate Giniel de Villiers (RSA) as well as Hans-Joachim Stuck (A), the Volkswagen Group's Motorsport Representative since the beginning of this year, prepared for the 24-Hour race at the Nurburgring (24/25 May) in a four-hour race, which they finished fourth in class. At the endurance classic in the "Green Hell" Volkswagen will be fielding three racing versions of the new Scirocco that will only be launched on the market in August. Last Monday the Race Scirocco, which is powered by a 325-hp two-litre TFSI turbo engine, had completed its first laps on the Nordschleife, which puts exacting demands on both man and material. "The test was absolutely satisfactory," Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen summed up the result.

Coming up next...

14 May
Press conference for the 24-Hour Race at the Nurburgring with Kris Nissen and Hans-Joachim Stuck in Cologne (D)

16 -18 May
4th and 5th round of the ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup at the EuroSpeedway (D)

16 -18 May
1st round of the Czech Endurance Series at Most (CZ)

17 -18 May
2nd round of the Jetta TDI Cup USA at Mosport (USA)

-credit: volkswagen-motorsport.com