Volkswagen partners Marklund Motorsport in World Rallycross

Volkswagen has become the latest name to sign up for the FIA World Rallycross Championship for 2014. The German manufacturer has signed a three-year deal with Swedish team Marklund Marklund Motorsport.

“Rallycross is attracting ever-increasing levels of attention in Europe and overseas and is one of the fastest growing motorsport disciplines out there,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director, Jost Capito. 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 Rallycross World Championship.”

The deal marks Marklund Motorsport as the third team to announce official support from a manufacturer, following the deals between OlsbergsMSE/Ford and Hansen Motorsport/Peugeot.

Volkswagen won both the driver and manufacturer titles in the FIA World Rally Championships at their first attempt in 2013, and believe they can bring that experience into rallycross, and Marklund Motorsport. “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.”

Martin Anayi, Managing Director of the FIA World Rallycross Championship has backed the introduction of Volkswagen to the series. “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,” said Anayi. “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.”

Still relatively inexperienced compared to their rivals, Marklund Motorsport scored impressive results in 2013 as they developed the Polo, their first season in the Supercar category. Anton Marklund drove a full RallycrossRX season in 2013 while DTM-star Mattias Ekstrom scored a second place finish for the team at Holjes in Sweden. The young Swede will continue to drive one of the teams brand new Polo’s, this year and will be joined by GRC champion Toomas ‘Topi’ Heikkinen.

“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,” said Marklund Motorsport team principle Jan Marklund. “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. With the support of Volkswagen we are very much looking forward to delivering results from the first race of the new season.”

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