Volkswagen Motorsport today confirmed an exclusive three years partnership with Swedish World Rallycross Championship team Marklund Motorsport.
Swedish Rallycross team Marklund Motorsport has agreed an exclusive three years partnership with current World Rally Championship (WRC) champions Volkswagen Motorsport for the FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX) from 2014 on. VW is currently dominating WRC, winning both driver and manufacturer championships in 2013 and have already taken two victories from two events in 2014.
The announcement comes just weeks after Marklund Motorsport unveiled 2013 Global RallyCross Champion Toomas “Topi” Heikkinen as their lead driver for the next two seasons. Topi and teammate Anton Marklund will line-up in their new Marklund Motorsport Volkswagen Polo RX SuperCars at Round 1 of the FIA World Rallycross Championship at Montalegre in Portugal on May 3.
After securing the signature of Topi and the exclusive partnership with Volkswagen, Marklund Motorsport is now looking to secure a title sponsor for the team’s upcoming 2014 World Rallycross season. Jan Marklund, Marklund Motorsport team owner, believes Volkswagen’s involvement gives the team the perfect platform to back-up its ambitions for title success. He said: “Volkswagen’s pedigree in motorsport is there for everyone to see, there is no better manufacturer for us to be partnered with than the current WRC champions. Volkswagen is looking to make an immediate global impact in the world of Rallycross and I’m happy that Marklund Motorsport is their chosen partner for the FIA World Rallycross Championship. We will now continue the hard work we have put in so far this pre-season and with the support of VW we are very much looking forward to delivering results from the first race of the new season.”
Volkswagen Motorsport’s Director, Jost Capito, added: “Rallycross is attracting ever-increasing levels of attention in Europe and overseas and is one of the fastest growing motorsport disciplines out there. The races are short and sweet, the cars are spectacular and look almost like factory models. Marklund Motorsport ranks among the most ambitious independent teams and has single-handedly developed the Polo for the 2014 FIA World Rallycross Championship. Jan Marklund’s professional approach was our condition before embarking on this collaboration, in which Volkswagen Motorsport provides the team experience and expertise from Rally sport. In Toomas Heikkinen and Anton Marklund they have one of the strongest driver pairs in this championship and we are already excited about seeing them behind the wheel of the Polo RX SuperCar.”
FIA World Rallycross Managing Director, Martin Anayi, said: “It is a real testament to the huge strides Marklund Motorsport has made in the FIA World Rallycross Championship to attract a partner of the calibre of Volkswagen. A partnership with Marklund Motorsport shows that we have some very professional teams already participating in our championship and it is enormously encouraging to the championship’s rapidly growing reputation and credibility. I am sure that Volkswagen’s dedication and professionalism combined with Marklund’s Rallycross expertise, the team will be a serious contender this year. We look forward to an exciting season ahead.”
Top photo: Marklund Motorsport will have their VW Polo Mk5 SuperCars backed by Volkswagen Motorsport. © JKR/ERC24
Photo: Marklund Motorsport has several new SuperCars in the making, their 2013 Polos are for the US and GRC. © MM/ERC24