Grand season finale, great names: the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup Legends classification fully reflects the character of the best motorsport series at the annual finale at the Hockenheim ring (21/22 October).
Four-time World Champion Juha Kankkunen represents the rally scene and two-time Grand Prix winner Patrick Tambay Formula 1. Double Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk makes a guest appearance in the Bio Natural Gas Scirocco as oval track specialist and Mathias Lauda made a name for himself in the DTM. The Formula 3 Euro Series also stages its last race on the Grand Prix circuit.
Facts and figures about the race around the Motodrom
With four driver titles to his name Juha Kankkunen numbers among the most successful drivers in World Rally Championship history. Only the seven-time Champion Sébastien Loeb has won more World Championships than the Finn. For Kankkunen, who contested the legendary Dakar Rally through Africa with Volkswagen in January 2005, it is the second outing in the Scirocco R-Cup. The 52-year-old competed in the world's most environmentally friendly one-make cup season finale at Hockenheim in 2010
The weekend at Hockenheim is something very special for former Formula 1 star Patrick Tambay. Tambay, who took fourth place in the 1983 World Championship, won the German Grand Prix here in 1982. Throughout his Formula 1 career Tambay contested 114 races, of which he won two, took five pole positions and scored a total of 103 World Championship points. He now makes his competition debut in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup at the venue where he celebrated one of his two Formula 1 victories
With Arie Luyendyk another motorsport legend competes in the Scirocco R-Cup. The Dutchman is regarded as one of the fastest drivers in the history of the legendary 500 mile race at Indianapolis. The 58-year-old won the most important car race in the USA twice – in 1990 and 1997. He still holds two records today: in 1990 he won the Indy 500 at an average speed of 299.307 km/h – a record that still stands today. Furthermore, with an average of 381.392 km/h he still holds the record for the fastest qualifying laps at the Indy 500
Also on the Legend Cup grid is Mathias Lauda. The son of three-time Formula 1 World Champion Niki Lauda was a regular DTM driver from 2006 to 2009. He more recently represented the Austrian colours in the Grand Prix for Nations the so-called A1GP series. The 30-year-old races in the Porsche Supercup this season
While Mateusz Lisowski was crowned Scirocco R-Cup Champion 2011 at the race weekend at Oschersleben in mid September, four other drivers still have a chance of taking second place overall at the Hockenheim finale. Current second placed man and two time race winner this season Ola Nilsson travels to Baden with 315 points. With 60 points still to be awarded in the final race the Swede has a 21 point advantage over Munich based racer Stefano Proetto who is closely followed in the overall standings by Briton Daniel Lloyd (291 points) and Aditya Patel (289) from India. Proetto, Lloyd and Patel have all won a Scirocco R-Cup race in 2011
The final weekend is second appearance at the Hockenheimring this year for the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup. The powerful 275-hp Cup Sciroccos staged their season opener around the 4.574 kilometre track at the end of April. At that time Lisowski won from pole sitter Lloyd and Patel
A multitude of celebrity guests have announced they will visit Hockenheim. These include: TV presenter and folk music star Florian Silbereisen, actresses Jenny Elvers-Elbertzhagen, Yvonne De Bark and Anna-Katharina Samsel and actor Ben Ruediger
A celebrity even joins the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup grid as guest starter. After participating twice in the world's most environmentally friendly one make cup at the Nürburgring comedian Axel Stein now competes at Hockenheim
As main prize for winning the Volkswagen Motorsport Kart Challenge presented by Dunlop at the track in Kerpen on 24 August Christoph Kragenings (Bonn) can race in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup at Hockenheim. The 25-year-old made his first impression of the Cup-Scirocco during a test at Oschersleben
Every Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup 2011 race can also be viewed via live stream in the iPhone App or in the Internet with either English or German commentary. The race action is broadcast at www.volkswagen-motorsport.com/livestream
For the race at Hockenheim use of the push-to-pass system, which makes the racing more exciting, was defined as 15 applications of ten seconds each. A ten second lock is active between two applications
Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup – comments about the race at Hockenheim
Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen: "We can look forward to high-caliber season finale at Hockenheim with celebrity drivers from international motorsport.
Formula 1, Indy 500, DTM or WRC – whoever competed at this level has made it in motorsport. However, it's not only our legends Patrick Tambay, Arie Luyendyk, Mathias Lauda and Juha Kankkunen who will provide the fans with great entertainment, the regular drivers will also be giving their all and aim to end the year with a good result. The close battle for second overall in particular, in which four drivers are involved, will be very exciting.”
Arie Luyendyk, double Indy 500 winner: "I drove frequently at Hockenheim in the early days of my motorsport career, especially in Formula Super V. Quite a lot has of course changed since then, but the character of the circuit with the Motodrom remains unique. I have a long-standing association with Volkswagen thanks to my victories in Formula VW and Formula Super V and I'm delighted that yet another chapter will be added through my participation in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup. Racing a front-wheel drive car is new for me and also handling the push-to-pass system, but I'm sure that I'll learn it quickly. I particularly like the Volkswagen Scirocco's design. Many people in the USA regret that the car is unavailable there, and I can understand very well why. Now I'm intrigued to see just how the race version of the car handles around the circuit.”
Ola Nilsson, Pro Cup driver: "Quite obviously my goal is to hold second place in the championship rankings. However, it won't be easy since my closest rivals are just a few points behind me. For this reason it'll be important at Hockenheim to score the nest possible result. I like the track. It's a lot of fun to drive around and I have always done well here.”
Aditya Patel, Pro Cup driver: "Hockenheim is the big season finale for the Scirocco R-Cup. Everybody wants to celebrate a top result here to end the year on a high note. After taking my first victory this season at Oschersleben I'd like to take the momentum with me and endeavour to win again. Just as long as I have a mathematical chance of being runner-up I will fight to the finish line."
Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup – data
Timetable, round 10, Hockenheim
Friday, 21 October 2011
15:35–16:05 Scirocco R-Cup free practice (30 min)
Saturday, 22 October 2011
08:40–09:10 Scirocco R-Cup qualifying (30 min)
16:50–17:20 Scirocco R-Cup race (11 laps = 50.314 km)
Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup – data
TV schedule
Saturday, 22 October 2011
10:45–11:15 Sport1 RACEit
17:30–18:15 Sport1 Scirocco R-Cup, Re-live
Sunday, 23 October 2011
21:00–22:00 Sport1 "DTM – Das Rennen” with Scirocco R-Cup
Monday, 24 October 2011
10:00 n-tv Sport News
12:00 n-tv Sport News
Tuesday 25 October 2011
00:40–01:20 n-tv "PS – Motorsport pur”
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
17:30–18:00 Sport1 "News – Motorsport Spezial”
Saturday, 29 October 2011
10:45–11:15 Sport1 "DTM-Magazin” with Scirocco R-Cup
Sunday, 30 October 2011
09:05–09:30 n-tv "PS – Motorsport pur” (repeat)
Formula 3 Euro Series 2011, races 25–27, Hockenheim (D)
Facts and figures about the ninth race weekend
Marco Wittmann travels to the season finale at Hockenheim as most successful Volkswagen driver in this year's Formula 3 Euro Series. The 21-year-old German has won five of the races to date and has taken another eight podium finishes. With just three races remaining he is currently tied in second place overall with Spaniard Daniel Juncadella behind newly crowned champion Roberto Merhi (Spain)
It is also the second appearance this season at Hockenheim for the Formula 3 Euro Series. The hard fought ‘star of tomorrow' series staged its fourth, fifth and sixth races here at the beginning of May. Best driver "powered by Volkswagen” was Marco Wittmann who was second twice and third once. His Signature team mates Carlos Muñoz, who scored his best result of the season to date here, was second and Laurens Vanthoor who was took a third place finish
The second German in the Volkswagen squad is Daniel Abt. The Bavarian aims to conclude his first Formula 3 Euro Series season with a podium finish at Hockenheim. The circuit in Baden suits the 18-year-old: in 2009 he won a race here with Volkswagen Power in his championship winning ADAC Formula Masters season, last year at Hockenheim he claimed a podium position in the Formula 3 Cup
Two Volkswagen drivers make their Formula 3 debuts this weekend. Carlos Sainz Jr competes for the first time for the Signature team. The 17-year-old son of two-time rally World Champion and "Dakar” winner with Volkswagen, Carlos Sainz, won the Northern European Formula Renault Championship this season. His outing at Hockenheim acts as preparation for the Formula 3 Grand Prix in Macau at the end of November. The Russian Artem Markelov, who replaces the Pole Kuba Giermaziak in the Motopark team, is also new to the Euro Series
A total of nine drivers "powered by Volkswagen” compete in rounds 25 to 27 of the Formula 3 Euro Series. In addition to Marco Wittmann and his Signature team mates Laurens Vanthoor, Carlos Muñoz, Daniel Abt and Carlos Sainz Jr they are Motopark drivers Jimmy Eriksson, Kimiya Sato and Artem Markelov as well as Alon Day from Israel who competes for HS Engineering
Although the Hockenheim weekend represents the Euro Series finale it does not mark the end of the Formula 3 season: the Volkswagen teams Signature and Motopark from the Euro Series, Carlin and Hitech from the British Championship and also Van Amersfoort Racing from the German Cup compete between 17 and 20 November in the famous Formula 3 Grand Prix in Chinese Macau. As a result, the cars and equipment must be prepared and made ready for transport immediately after the Hockenheim race weekend in order to be dispatched by air cargo on 7 November from Liege to the former Portuguese colony
Formula 3 Euro Series
Timetable, races 25–27, Hockenheim
Friday, 21 October 2011
09:50–11:55 Formula 3 Euro Series test (120 min, 5 min break)
16:20–16:50 Formula 3 Euro Series qualifying (30 min)
Saturday, 22 October 2011
11:15–11:55 Formula 3 Euro Series race 1 (25 laps = 114.350 km)
13:00 Formula 3 Euro Series autograph session on Kumho truck
16:10–16:30 Formula 3 Euro Series race 2 (13 laps = 59.462 km)
Sunday, 23 October 2011
11:15–11:55 Formula 3 Euro Series race 3 (25 laps = 114.350 km)
Formula 3 Euro Series
TV schedule
Saturday, 22 October 2011
10:45–11:15 Sport1 RACEit
11:10–12:00 n-tv "PS – Formel 3 live”
Sunday, 23 October 2011
11:05–12:00 n-tv "PS – Formel 3 live”
Tuesday 25 October 2011
00:40–01:20 n-tv "PS – Motorsport pur”
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
17:30–18:00 Sport1 "News – Motorsport Spezial”
Saturday, 29 October 2011
10:45–11:15 Sport1 "DTM-Magazin” with F3ES
Sunday, 30 October 2011
09:05–09:30 n-tv "PS – Motorsport pur” (repeat)