Even before a track in India gets integrated into the Formula One racing circuit, motorsports in India could get a much needed leg-up from manufacturer-backed, single-make racing championships. The Volkswagen Polo cup is the first such backed by the German-brand and its first made in India hatch.
In 2010, the Polo cup, which is a championship popular in many countries worldwide, starts out on its 13th season. Volkswagen cup races have already been successfully introduced in China, South Africa and America. Other VW Motorsport activities include the Dakar Rally, the F3 Euro Series and the German F3 cup.
Racing series such as the Polo cup are restricted to young drivers, who compete in technically identical vehicles with the same performance data. This gives the upcoming racing drivers an opportunity to develop their skills and get to experience what it takes to make a career as a successful racing driver first hand. The Polo cup is widely considered the starting platform or training ground for future touring car champions.
Racing vehicles
The unique concept, the sound regulations, the meticulous Abt Sportsline racing team, the response by new, young drivers and the dynamic competition vehicles supplied by Volkswagen have been consistent elements of the cup throughout its history.
VW has chosen to go with the Polo TDI (diesel) for the cup. From the outside, the car looks identical to its street legal avatar and even features a retuned version of the 1.6-litre R4 common rail diesel engine that VW plans to introduce in the market later. In the race Polo the engine generates a peak power of 95 kW or 130 PS at 4,400 rpm and a peak torque of 250 Nm at 1,500 to 2,500 rpm. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. Top speed is rated at 180 km per hour.
For the safety of the driver, the Race Polo features a FIA approved roll cage, a fire extinguisher system with internal and external release, an electrical cut-off system and a race brake system with four piston fixed calliper. For braking, it is fitted with a ventilated 213mm disk at the front and a 232 disk brake at the rear.
To experience the Race Polo first-hand, we at Smartbuy travelled to the Kari Motor Speedway just outside the southern city of Coimbatore. The Race Polos that had been lined up for a bunch of us motoring journalists wore the same colours that the street Polo is offered with. Inside, the regular seats of the Polo had been pulled out and the carpeting and insulation stripped to reduce the weight of the car.
Instead, one race driver’s seat with integrated head protection, a 6-point seatbelt prepared for the HANS (head and neck support) system, a safety window net on the driver side and an additional display and data logger system with an on-board camera were the interior features in the Race Polo. The dashboard itself (except for the steering column mounted data logger) is identical to the street Polo.
On the 2.2-kilometre track at the Speedway, the Race Polo is quick off the start, the TDI engine spooling up and delivering peak torque immediately after the throttle is given a hard jab. The steering is precise and predictable giving us greater confidence to push it around the 14 turns and corners on the track. The Race Polo also comes with 17-inch alloys and 200/605 R17 tyres. For suspension, single adjustable dampers and struts developed by Sachs of Germany along with Eibach springs have been used. The bearings and hubs have been uprated for racing strength.
Selection process
VW received over 1,100 registrations from potential racers, of which 20 chosen drivers will get to rev their engines for this first single-make manufacturer-backed series in India. The selection process ran from the last week of March to mid of May. The aspiring racers were divided into two groups – first-timers and experienced racers, and were put through two rounds of selection. The young racers were narrowed down to 45 drivers through a go-kart selection process. The short listed drivers were then placed behind the wheel of the Race Polos for the second round of selections held in Coimbatore, to earn their place in the final 20 candidates for the races.
The first season of the Polo up in India will commence from May 30, 2010. There will be a total of six races, with the first being a street race in VW India’s home town – Pune, where the 20 short listed drivers will celebrate their world debut at the Polo Cup India 2010 as part of the JK Tyre-FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship 2010. They will compete in six races across the country, the first in Pune, followed by five races on the race courses in Coimbatore and Chennai.
S. Muralidhar in Business Line's SmartBuy
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