After many decades of racing history Volkswagen is ending all motorsport operations and will put clear focus on electric mobility. This comes year after they end all factory support for motorsport programs using internal combustion engine.
Volkswagen motorsport department that started its operations back at 1960’s will come to an end, but all the employees will be integrated within Volkswagen AG Wolfsburg headquarters.
The most notable Volkswagen Motorsport stories include wins in Formula Veesports car , Formula 3, constructors WRC titles with Polo and Sebastien Ogier and three rally Dakar wins with Tuareg 2009-11. We must mention that Volkswagen latest prototype ID.R holds Goodwood and Pikes Peak hill climbs. Behind electric lap record for the famous Nurburgring Nordschleife is also the name of ID.R prototype.
This announcement also comes just days after Volkswagen Group subsidiary Audi decision that they will compete at the Dakar rally starting from 2022 and return to sportscars endurance racing. However Volkswagen clarifies that decision to put an end to all motorsport programs is not influenced from Audi’s motorsport plans.
Frank Welsch, chief development officer of the VW brand:
“The Volkswagen brand is on its way to becoming the leading supplier in sustainable electric mobility.
To this end, we are joining forces and have decided to discontinue our own motorsport activities for the Volkswagen brand. The motorsport workforce will subsequently be integrated into Volkswagen AG.
The deep technical expertise of the employees as well as the gained know-how from the ID.R [all-electric prototype] project will thus remain in the company and will help us to bring further efficient models of the ID family onto the road.”
