Volkswagen RX Sweden will expand to a three-car outfit for the penultimate round of the 2016 FIA World Rallycross Championship, the World RX of Germany, as Tanner Foust returns to the team for the second time this season.
The double Red Bull Global Rallycross champion has scaled down his appearances this year, having competed at the World RX of Great Britain in May, however this will be part of a hectic week for him as Foust took part in the Red Bull GRC finale in Los Angeles last weekend where he finished second in the Drivers Championship to team-mate Scott Speed in the VARX squad. For the German round of World RX, Foust will compete in a VW Polo Supercar.
Tanner Foust in the Volkswagen RX Sweden Polo Supercar. Credit: Volkswagen RX Sweden
The American driver is looking forward to his return to the series saying that “It has been an exciting season of racing for me and I’m looking forward to getting back in the driver’s seat of the Rockstar Energy Drink Volkswagen Polo in Europe,” said Foust.
“I got my start in rallycross in Europe and I feel very fortunate I have been able to return to the World RX series for a few rounds this season. It’s going to be great to catch up with friends and fans in Germany.”
Johan Kristoffersson is second in the World RX Drivers Championship, 27 points behind championship leader Mattias Ekstrom and has begun to gain the reputation of being the fastest driver in the second day of racing, however this has helped him to stay in touch with the leading duo of Ekstrom and Petter Solberg and the resurgence in form is a massive improvement from the mid-season.
Johan Kristoffersson in the Volkswagen RX Sweden Polo Supercar. Credit: Volkswagen RX Sweden
The Swedish driver explains that he is enjoying his racing in World RX, commenting that “I haven’t raced at this track so many times, but we did well last year and I’ve been testing there before as well. I feel confident and we will do everything to take the maximum points we can to try and catch up in the championship.
“A lot of stuff can happen in the first corner at this track, but we will hold the steering wheel straight and try to get the car to the finish in one piece. We had some headwind at the beginning of the year but now we have been catching up a lot in the points. That feels very good. This championship is very competitive, so you just have to enjoy the moment.”
Anton Marklund has suffered poor performances in recent World RX events and the young Swedish driver, who is back with the Volkswagen team for 2016 and enjoying his racing as well, is looking for an improvement in form that won him the FIA European Rallycross Touringcar Championship previously before moving up to the Supercar class in World RX.
Anton Marklund in the Volkswagen RX Sweden Polo Supercar. Credit: Volkswagen RX Sweden
The young Swedish driver is well aware of the dangers at the Estering circuit saying “My hopes for the weekend start with surviving the first corner in all four qualifying races and then push as hard as I can. I like the track and I have had good results there in the past, so I’m going there with good confidence and I really look forward to putting on a good show for the German crowd.
“This is a track where it’s quite easy to get the flow. I think we will be quick immediately from free practice. Our Volkswagen Polo RX is really quick, Johan has shown that in recent events and I can’t wait to get started.”
