zerinVR6
06-21-2005, 08:29 AM
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Cross Country Rallying
Wolfsburg, 21 June 2005 - The two-time Rally World Champion Carlos Sainz changes to Volkswagen. The 43-year old Spaniard will compete in Cross Country Rallying with the Volkswagen Race-Touareg and make his debut at the Dakar Rally in January 2006. The German Andreas Schulz, two-time ‘Dakar’ winner, will share the cockpit as co-driver with Carlos Sainz.
"Carlos Sainz is an absolute world class driver. We are delighted to have won the services of one of the most experienced and professional rally drivers for our team. He has proved over many years in the World Rally Championship that he can drive a team forwards. Such a top professional, who comes straight from a World Championship winning team in the World Rally Championship, can only endorse and improve our working procedures”, explains Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "Andy Schulz is also of great benefit for our team. He has 15 years of Cross Country Rallying experience and knows how top teams work. It wouldn't surprise me if he gives our excellent co-drivers fresh new inspiration.”
Fifth Race-Touareg for Gordon/von Zitzewitz in plan
The Spanish-German duo Carlos Sainz/Andy Schulz will strengthen the driver teams Jutta Kleinschmidt/Fabrizia Pons (D/I), Bruno Saby/Michel Périn (F/F) and Giniel de Villiers/Tina Thörner (SA/S) at Volkswagen. "As a result we already have four strong driver teams under contract for the forthcoming ‘Dakar'. In addition, we are currently planning the entry of a fifth team for Robby Gordon and Dirk von Zitzewitz”, says Kris Nissen.
Carlos Sainz: The most successful World Rally driver with two WRC titles and 26 wins
"To contest the Dakar Rally with Volkswagen is a new and exiting challenge for me”, explains Carlos Sainz. "Volkswagen is heavily involved in Cross Country Rallying, which is exactly what I was looking for. I'm looking forward to getting to know this sport and hope that my experience can bring the team forward.”
The 1990 and 1992 Rally World Champion heads the classic World Rally Championship ‘all-time-greats' list with 26 rally wins. During the 2004 season he helped his employee Citroën win the Manufacturers' World Championship and initially called time on his career at the year's end. "However, the Dakar Rally has always been a challenge for me. In this way I can keep in touch with Motorsport and will not have to travel as much during the year as I did during a complete World Rally Championship season, explains the 43-year old Spaniard. In June 2005 the rally professional, based in Madrid, returned to the Citroën works team, his old employee, for two championship events – and will compete, in addition to the Turkish Rally where he finished fourth after a six-month layoff, in the Acropolis Rally held this weekend (23 – 26 June).
Co-driver Andy Schulz has competed successful in Cross Country Rallying for 15 years. The German who lives in Dubai won the Dakar Rally twice: In 2001 he won in a Mitsubishi Pajero alongside current Volkswagen works driver Jutta Kleinschmidt. Two years later he repeated his ‘Dakar' victory with the Japanese driver Hiroshi Masuoka.
World premiere for Sainz/Schulz in Volkswagen Race-Touareg
Carlos Sainz got acquainted with the Volkswagen Race-Touareg in May, when he visited the Volkswagen works team at a test in Morocco. The new driver team of Carlos Sainz and Andy Schulz celebrated its world premiere in June when the two Volkswagen newcomers shared a cockpit for the first time when the vehicles of team mates Bruno Saby and Giniel de Villiers underwent a so-called ‘roll-out' for the Rally d'Orient in Turkey (26 June – 2 July). Co-driver Andy Schulz: "I've known Carlos Sainz since the 1980s when I worked as a mechanic for him in the Rally World Championship, and we have stayed in contact since then. However, this was the first time that we sat together in a rally car. I had a great feeling the moment the car pulled away, and now look forward even more to our first rally.”
First rally event for Sainz/Schulz at Pharaons Rally in September
Carlos Sainz and Andy Schulz will gather more experience with the Volkswagen already in July. "Both of them will drive at the Tunisian test”, explains Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "They should get acquainted with the Race-Touareg in the sand and off-road sections there.” The first competition planned for Carlos Sainz will be the Pharaons Rally, the fifth and penultimate FIA Cross County Rally World Cup round from 24th September to 2nd October. "We want to reach the finish and gather experience”, says Carlos Sainz realistically. "I think I'll get comfortable quickly with the Touareg on gravel roads. However, sand dunes and camel grass are completely new to me. I hope that Andy Schulz will be able to help me there with his valuable experience. Just as with the navigation – I'll be relying on my co-driver there too.” Sainz defines his goals for the 2006 Dakar Rally rather cautiously: "We want to reach the finish. To win the ‘Dakar' in the first year is a little unrealistic I think.”
Good results: Volkswagen works team have already celebrated two wins in 2005
The Volkswagen results are something to be proud off: Two overall victories, a total of eight podium finishes and 16 stage wins have been achieved in eight rallies since January 2004 and furthermore, Volkswagen has spent 16 days leading various rallies. During the 2005 season Jutta Kleinschmidt finished third at the Dakar Rally – the first ever podium finish for a diesel powered vehicle in the desert classic. At the Rally Por las Pampas, the World Cup opener at the beginning of March in South America, Bruno Saby scored the Race-Touareg prototype's first win. In Tunisia, a few weeks later, he scored yet another second place. More recently the Volkswagen works drivers Bruno Saby, Giniel de Villiers and Jutta Kleinschmidt recorded a historical one-two-three at the Moroccan Rally, and, as a result, Bruno Saby travels as FIA Cross Country World Cup championship leader with a 22 point lead to the fourth World Cup round, which will be held from 26th June to 2nd July in Turkey.
Cross Country Rallying
Wolfsburg, 21 June 2005 - The two-time Rally World Champion Carlos Sainz changes to Volkswagen. The 43-year old Spaniard will compete in Cross Country Rallying with the Volkswagen Race-Touareg and make his debut at the Dakar Rally in January 2006. The German Andreas Schulz, two-time ‘Dakar’ winner, will share the cockpit as co-driver with Carlos Sainz.
"Carlos Sainz is an absolute world class driver. We are delighted to have won the services of one of the most experienced and professional rally drivers for our team. He has proved over many years in the World Rally Championship that he can drive a team forwards. Such a top professional, who comes straight from a World Championship winning team in the World Rally Championship, can only endorse and improve our working procedures”, explains Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "Andy Schulz is also of great benefit for our team. He has 15 years of Cross Country Rallying experience and knows how top teams work. It wouldn't surprise me if he gives our excellent co-drivers fresh new inspiration.”
Fifth Race-Touareg for Gordon/von Zitzewitz in plan
The Spanish-German duo Carlos Sainz/Andy Schulz will strengthen the driver teams Jutta Kleinschmidt/Fabrizia Pons (D/I), Bruno Saby/Michel Périn (F/F) and Giniel de Villiers/Tina Thörner (SA/S) at Volkswagen. "As a result we already have four strong driver teams under contract for the forthcoming ‘Dakar'. In addition, we are currently planning the entry of a fifth team for Robby Gordon and Dirk von Zitzewitz”, says Kris Nissen.
Carlos Sainz: The most successful World Rally driver with two WRC titles and 26 wins
"To contest the Dakar Rally with Volkswagen is a new and exiting challenge for me”, explains Carlos Sainz. "Volkswagen is heavily involved in Cross Country Rallying, which is exactly what I was looking for. I'm looking forward to getting to know this sport and hope that my experience can bring the team forward.”
The 1990 and 1992 Rally World Champion heads the classic World Rally Championship ‘all-time-greats' list with 26 rally wins. During the 2004 season he helped his employee Citroën win the Manufacturers' World Championship and initially called time on his career at the year's end. "However, the Dakar Rally has always been a challenge for me. In this way I can keep in touch with Motorsport and will not have to travel as much during the year as I did during a complete World Rally Championship season, explains the 43-year old Spaniard. In June 2005 the rally professional, based in Madrid, returned to the Citroën works team, his old employee, for two championship events – and will compete, in addition to the Turkish Rally where he finished fourth after a six-month layoff, in the Acropolis Rally held this weekend (23 – 26 June).
Co-driver Andy Schulz has competed successful in Cross Country Rallying for 15 years. The German who lives in Dubai won the Dakar Rally twice: In 2001 he won in a Mitsubishi Pajero alongside current Volkswagen works driver Jutta Kleinschmidt. Two years later he repeated his ‘Dakar' victory with the Japanese driver Hiroshi Masuoka.
World premiere for Sainz/Schulz in Volkswagen Race-Touareg
Carlos Sainz got acquainted with the Volkswagen Race-Touareg in May, when he visited the Volkswagen works team at a test in Morocco. The new driver team of Carlos Sainz and Andy Schulz celebrated its world premiere in June when the two Volkswagen newcomers shared a cockpit for the first time when the vehicles of team mates Bruno Saby and Giniel de Villiers underwent a so-called ‘roll-out' for the Rally d'Orient in Turkey (26 June – 2 July). Co-driver Andy Schulz: "I've known Carlos Sainz since the 1980s when I worked as a mechanic for him in the Rally World Championship, and we have stayed in contact since then. However, this was the first time that we sat together in a rally car. I had a great feeling the moment the car pulled away, and now look forward even more to our first rally.”
First rally event for Sainz/Schulz at Pharaons Rally in September
Carlos Sainz and Andy Schulz will gather more experience with the Volkswagen already in July. "Both of them will drive at the Tunisian test”, explains Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "They should get acquainted with the Race-Touareg in the sand and off-road sections there.” The first competition planned for Carlos Sainz will be the Pharaons Rally, the fifth and penultimate FIA Cross County Rally World Cup round from 24th September to 2nd October. "We want to reach the finish and gather experience”, says Carlos Sainz realistically. "I think I'll get comfortable quickly with the Touareg on gravel roads. However, sand dunes and camel grass are completely new to me. I hope that Andy Schulz will be able to help me there with his valuable experience. Just as with the navigation – I'll be relying on my co-driver there too.” Sainz defines his goals for the 2006 Dakar Rally rather cautiously: "We want to reach the finish. To win the ‘Dakar' in the first year is a little unrealistic I think.”
Good results: Volkswagen works team have already celebrated two wins in 2005
The Volkswagen results are something to be proud off: Two overall victories, a total of eight podium finishes and 16 stage wins have been achieved in eight rallies since January 2004 and furthermore, Volkswagen has spent 16 days leading various rallies. During the 2005 season Jutta Kleinschmidt finished third at the Dakar Rally – the first ever podium finish for a diesel powered vehicle in the desert classic. At the Rally Por las Pampas, the World Cup opener at the beginning of March in South America, Bruno Saby scored the Race-Touareg prototype's first win. In Tunisia, a few weeks later, he scored yet another second place. More recently the Volkswagen works drivers Bruno Saby, Giniel de Villiers and Jutta Kleinschmidt recorded a historical one-two-three at the Moroccan Rally, and, as a result, Bruno Saby travels as FIA Cross Country World Cup championship leader with a 22 point lead to the fourth World Cup round, which will be held from 26th June to 2nd July in Turkey.