VOLKSWAGEN ALIGNE CINQ TOUAREGS AU DAKAR 2010

En plus de l'équipage vainqueur du Dakar 2009, Giniel de Villiers et Dirk von Zitzewitz, le team Volkswagen, pour cette nouvelle aventure sud-américaine 2010, sera complétée de Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E), Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) et Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D).

Après un essai lors du Rally des Sertoes, les Brésiliens Maurício Neves et Clécio Maestrelli ont également confirmé leur participation au Dakar 2010 au sein du Team Volkswagen.

Wolfsburg (06 November 2009). It is truly a five-star line-up: Volkswagen will field five Race Touareg vehicles at the 2010 Dakar Rally in Argentina and Chile. The Wolfsburg-based automobile manufacturer has signed the Brazilians Maurício Neves and Clécio Maestrelli as another driver/co-driver team alongside the previously confirmed pairings Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E), Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D), Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) as well as Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D). The “factory” duos unanimously pursue one goal: to repeat the victory achieved in the 2009 Dakar Rally by the first diesel-powered automobile in the history of the tradition-steeped desert rally at the same venue. In January 2009 de Villiers/von Zitzewitz triumphed ahead of their team-mates Miller/Pitchford and thus made history: Volkswagen won the first “Dakar” held on South American soil with the 280-hp cross-country rally prototype. "At the 2009 Dakar Rally we showed that the Race Touareg is not only the most reliable but also the fastest cross-country rally vehicle in the world and that the Volkswagen Group´s TDI technology is superior to other diesel power concepts,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "We want to successfully defend our title at the upcoming ‘Dakar´. We have put together a powerful drivers´ squad. I´m happy that by signing Maurício Neves and Clécio Maestrelli we´ve been able to contract two local heroes from the South American continent.” Maurício Neves: debut with the Race Touareg in Brazil Maurício Neves is already intimately familiar with the Volkswagen Race Touareg. The Brazilian driver made his competition debut in the "Dakar” prototype from Wolfsburg at the Rally dos Sertões at the end of June 2009. At the "little Dakar” in Brazil, which covered a distance of 4,500 kilometres, the 40-year-old Neves finished third in class behind the commanding one-two winners Sainz/Cruz and Al-Attiyah/Gottschalk and sixth overall. Clécio Maestrelli was signed as Neves´ co-driver for the upcoming "Dakar”. "For Clécio and me, it is a great honour being able to contest the Dakar Rally with such a perfectly organized and professional team,” says Maurício Neves. "This makes a years-long dream come true. At the ‘Sertões´ I was able to experience the team´s working style and the perfect handling of the Race Touareg, now I want to prove at the ‘Dakar´ that Volkswagen´s trust in me is justified.” Maurício Neves is the most successful driver in Brazilian cross-country rally racing: In his native Brazil he has clinched several drivers´ titles. Clécio Maestrelli navigated Neves as his co-driver in most of these exploits.

VOLSKWAGEN ALIGNE QUATRE TOUAREGS AU DAKAR 2010

Les bruits de bivouac en parlaient depuis longtemps mais aujourd'hui, c'est officiel : NASSER AL-ATTIYAH sera bien le quatrième élément de l'équipe Volkswagen pour le Dakar 2010.
Les trois autres pilotes sont : Giniel de Villiers, Mark Miller et Carlos Sainz... Les copilotes qui ont signés se nomment : Dirk von Zitzewitz, Ralph Pitchford, Timo Gottschalk... et l'Espagnol, Lucas Cruz Senra... exit donc Michel Perrin !

On ne change pas une équipe gagnante: Giniel de Villiers retrouvera bien évidemment Dirk von Zitzewitz tandis que Mark Miller pilotera avec Ralf Pitchford à ses côtés.
Tandis que pour les nouveaux : Timo Gottschalk sera le coéquipier de Nasser Al-Attiyah et Lucas Cruz Senra, celui de Carlos Sainz !

Pour ceux qui lisent l'anglais : voici le communiqué de presse officiel Volkswagen.

Wolfsburg (07 May 2009). The Volkswagen line-up for the 2010 Dakar Rally is complete: Nasser Al-Attiyah from Qatar complements the Volkswagen squad as a team-mate of “Dakar” winner Giniel de Villiers (ZA), runner-up Mark Miller (USA) and Carlos Sainz (E). Alongside the proven co-drivers Timo Gottschalk (D), Dirk von Zitzewitz (D) and Ralph Pitchford (ZA) the Spaniard Lucas Cruz Senra will join the team as a new member. By clinching a one-two victory in January at the “Dakar” premiere in Argentina and Chile Volkswagen made motorsport history: As the first automobile manufacturer in the 30-year history of the legendary desert rally, the brand won with a diesel-powered vehicle.

"Volkswagen will contest the Dakar Rally in 2010 with a clear aim: We want to repeat our triumph,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "One thing is clear already: The route is likely to be even tougher and the challenge even greater. We´re perfectly set for this task: With his Cross-Country World Cup title and stage wins at the ‘Dakar´ Nasser Al-Attiyah proved that he ranks among the best drivers in this sport. The part of the co-drivers is a crucial factor at the ‘Dakar´ as well. The signing of Lucas Cruz Senra marks the return of an experienced navigator to our team.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah and Timo Gottschalk form new duo

With the German Timo Gottschalk, 38-year-old Nasser Al-Attiyah will have a co-driver who is intimately familiar with the Volkswagen family. The 34-year-old from Berlin achieved sixth place at the past Dakar Rally with Dieter Depping (D). Like his new co-driver, Nasser Al-Attiyah can draw on experience in sprint and cross-country rallies. In addition to his runs in the FIA Rally World Cup and the FIA World Cup for Baja rallies that were crowned by drivers titles in 2008, the Olympic Games participant, who represents his native Quatar in clay pigeon shooting as well, has a track record of victorious races in the Group N classification and the FIA World Rally Championship. At the 2009 Dakar Rally he clinched two stage victories and had the overall lead some of the time.

"My heart beats for rally racing and I´m delighted to be able to contest the ‘Dakar´ 2010 with such a professional team as Volkswagen,” says Nasser Al-Attiyah. "With its one-two win the squad proved that it´s the team to be beaten. At Volkswagen, I now have the chance myself to show that I can win the ‘Dakar´. I´ll give everything to achieve this goal.” Timo Gottschalk adds: "The first thing we´ve got to do is grow together as a team quickly during tests and preparation rallies. His driving skills and my knowledge as a navigator can create a striking combination.”

Spanish spoken: the duo Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz Senra

Carlos Sainz will tackle the 2010 Dakar Rally with a new co-driver as well. With Lucas Cruz Senra joining the team, the Spaniard, who had been leading the rally for eight days in January 2009 and decided six out of 13 possible stages in his favour, will share the cockpit with a compatriot who has experience in cross-country rally racing under his belt. For Cruz, the signing as a co-driver in the Race Touareg marks a return: As early as in 2006, Cruz, who is now 34 years of age, was part of the "Dakar” squad as co-driver in the Race-Truck. "Of course, I´m delighted to return to the Volkswagen team. Having Carlos Sainz as one of the strongest and most famous drivers at my side gives me additional motivation,” says Lucas Cruz Senra. "Being able to speak Spanish in the cockpit may prove to be an advantage - because in extreme situations precise instructions are absolutely crucial.”

Never change a winning team: "Dakar” one-two winners in the same pairings

There will be no changes made to the "Dakar” one-two winning duos in the Volkswagen team: The South African Giniel de Villiers, who was the first driver from his continent to decide the toughest motorsport test of all in his favour in January 2009, will again contest the event with his German co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz. "Giniel and I are very much looking forward to tackling the ‘Dakar´ title defence with the Race Touareg. The rally itself of course is the most brutal opponent and one should never underestimate the other teams either - but considering this strong driver line-up it´s likely that our toughest rivals will be within the team.” At the past ‘Dakar´, the duo de Villiers/von Zitzewitz had taken the lead three days before the end and not relinquished it again. Their team-mates Mark Miller (USA) and his co-driver Ralph Pitchford (ZA), who complemented the one-two victory for Volkswagen, were just narrowly defeated and will again compete in this proven combination in
2010 again.

Dieter Depping will remain a firm element in Volkswagen Motorsport as well: The sixth-placed "Dakar” finisher is involved in the Dakar Rally programme as a development and spare driver.

VOLKSWAGEN CONFIRME SA PARTICIPATION AU DAKAR 2010

“Il n'y a aucun doute que le Dakar 2009 a contribué au fait que la marque Volkswagen brille désormais encore plus fort dans le monde entier, commente Prof Dr Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Volkswagen Group. Il est donc évident que notre participation à cet évènement est un bon investissement pour le futur de notre société et c'est pour cela que nous avons décidé de participer à nouveau au Dakar 2010."

Wolfsburg (07 March 2009). Volkswagen will again participate in the legendary Dakar Rally in 2010. After the one-two victory and the historic first “Dakar” triumph of a diesel-powered car this year, the automobile manufacturer from Wolfsburg will yet again take on one of the major challenges of international motorsport. “No doubt, the 2009 Dakar Rally contributed to the fact that the Volkswagen brand is now shining even brighter around the world,” said Prof Dr Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Volkswagen Group, on the occasion of the “Dakar” victory celebration at the Wolfsburg “Autostadt”. “Therefore, our participation in this event is a good investment in the future of our company and that’s why we decided to again compete in the Dakar Rally in 2010.”

In the Race Touareg powered by a 280-hp TDI diesel engine Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (RSA/D) had won the "Dakar” that was staged for the first time in South America; as the runners-up, Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/RSA) gave Volkswagen a one-two victory. In 2010, the Dakar Rally will be held in Argentina and Chile again, from 02 to 17 January.”

"Besides our joy about this sporting exploit, the positive response by media around the world convinced us,” said Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Executive Board of the Volkswagen Brand with responsibility for Technical Development including the manufacturer´s motorsport commitment. "Our ‘Dakar´ win stands for enormous reliability and innovative technology - and these are values which substantially stand for all Volkswagen vehicles. Particularly in TDI technology, the development activities for motorsport result in valuable synergies benefiting our production vehicles as well,” commented Dr Ulrich Hackenberg.

Preparations for the two-week cross-country rally covering 9,500 kilometres across the desert and the pampas have already started. "We´ve got quick drivers, a reliable car and an experienced team - in other words, everything we need to again contest the ‘Dakar´ and to fight for victory,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. That is why in 2010 the victorious Race Touareg 2 will compete in the event yet again.