Friday | 13 May 2016

VW motivated by Portuguese record

Volkswagen Motorsport head to Vodafone Rally Portugal (19 - 22 May) with a tough act to follow - a record-breaking maximum score there last year of 122 championship points.

Jari-Matti Latvala, Sébastien Ogier and Andreas Mikkelsen filled the top three places at the end of the event (above), and bagged the three fastest times on the rally ending Power Stage.
 
This ensured Volkswagen became the first manufacturer in the WRC to take the maximum number of points available, and team boss Jost Capito believes it will give his squad extra confidence next week.
 
“A year ago, we enjoyed the most successful rally to date with the Polo R,” said Capito. “It is not every day you score maximum points in the World Rally Championship – and this season has already shown emphatically just how exciting the rallies are, most recently in Argentina.
 
"I am sure that Portugal will be another round of the WRC with all four manufacturers involved in exciting battles for position."
 
And there's no shortage of motivation among Volkswagen's driving trio. Mikkelsen has set himself the target of reclaiming second place in the drivers' standings while Latvala is out to prove his Portugal win in 2015 was no fluke.
 
For Ogier, it's a rally with extra significance. "The rally is a very special one for me. It was there that I claimed my first WRC victory – a milestone in my career," he explained.

"I have enjoyed more success there than at any other rally. If I win this year’s Rally Portugal, I can actually draw level with the great Markku Alén, who won this rally five times."

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