SCIROCCO R-CUP: GIRL POWER AT GUEST RACE ON THE RED BULL RING IN AUSTRIA

July 30, 2014 by Volkswagen

Beautiful home race: Playmate Dominique Regatschnig to make guest start

◾Norisring winner Ahlin-Kottulinsky wants to continue her catch-up

◾Environmentally friendly one-make cup moves into the second half of the season

In the footsteps of world champion Sebastian Vettel: With even more girl power, the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup gets the second half of the season off to a brilliant start on the Formula 1 track in Spielberg, Austria. It will be exciting to see whether Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky (S) will be able to assert herself against the male competition on the Red Bull Ring after her historic first female victory in the Scirocco R-Cup. She will have female support at the guest race abroad on 01 to 03 August in the form of the two guest starters Dominique Regatschnig (A) and Volkswagen Castrol Cup driver Gosia Rdest (PL). This sees the number of female drivers in the field increase to a record number of six: Lucile Cypriano (F), Jasmin Preisig (CH) and Doreen Seidel (D) will also compete. Two races are scheduled for the fourth of six race weekends in the environmentally friendly one-make cup.

Everything you need to know about the fourth race weekend in Spielberg at a glance

+++ Playmate Dominique Regatschnig (23) and Gosia Rdest (21) are the third and fourth guest starters in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup this year, along with the royal Pierre Casiraghi (30) and ski jump Olympic winner Sven Hannawald (39). Blonde Regatschnig was voted 'most beautiful Austro playmate ever' in 2012. In motorsport, the Austrian was most recently the co-driver for Hermann Neubauer (A) in the rally world. +++

+++ The starting field for this race is made up of 25 drivers and includes four Austrians. As well as Dominique Regatschnig, Marc Coleselli (20), Marcel Müller (19) and Lukas Jager (17) are flying the flag for the host nation. Müller was a guest starter in Spielberg last year. His role model is Sebastian Vettel. +++

+++ Racing talent Gosia Rdest (PL) has already gained a lot of experience of circuit racing. Since last year the former Polish karting champion has been racing in the Volkswagen Castrol Cup Poland. After six races Rdest is in a strong ninth place in the cup. Her sporting role models are Formula 1 stars Robert Kubica (PL) and Ayrton Senna (BR). +++

 

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+++ Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky (21) made history in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup on the third race weekend at the Norisring. In the 43rd race of the race series since 2010, she became the first woman to secure a victory. She is also in with a good chance at the Red Bull Ring due to her wealth of experience. The blonde Swede has already finished in the points four times in the Scirocco R-Cup here. The only other current driver with as much experience of the roller coaster track in Styria is Germany's Manuel Fahnauer (19). +++

+++ Leader of the standings Jordan Lee Pepper (18) has successfully made it onto the podium in each of the first five races of the season. After a hat-trick of victories in the three opening races, he came second in race two in Oschersleben and finished in third place at the Norisring. Mateusz Lisowski (2011), Ola Nilsson (2012) and Kelvin van der Linde (2013) each went on to win the title after such great starts. Pepper leads the overall standings with 155 points, ahead of Germany's Jason Kremer (127) and Victor Bouveng from Sweden (125). +++

+++ Jordan Lee Pepper has another reason to celebrate in Spielberg. On 31 July, the day before free practice on the Red Bull Ring, the South African will celebrate his 18th birthday. This will make the racing star old enough to drive a car on public roads. Pepper started his racing career at the tender age of four, in a baby kart. +++

+++ Ola Nilsson (26) and Kelvin van der Linde (18), with two successes each, are the 'record winners' in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup at the Red Bull Ring. Nilsson won both races in Austria in 2012, van der Linde followed suit a year later. Two of the current drivers have already been on the podium in Spielberg. Jordan Lee Pepper finished third last year, Kasper H. Jensen (23) was third in 2012 and 2013. +++

+++ The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg is 4326 kilometres in total. Between 1963 and 2003, Formula 1 races were held at the former airfield in Zeltweg, later known as Österreichring and A1 Ring. In 2005 the buildings on the track were demolished, in 2010 Red Bull bought the track and then reopened it as the Red Bull Ring in 2011. In June, Formula 1 celebrated its return to the Red Bull Ring in front of more than 200,000 fans – with Nico Rosberg's (Germany) victory.+++

+++ The Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup makes its fourth guest appearance in Styria this year. The track is surrounded by a picturesque alpine backdrop. Cows graze in the surrounding meadows. Not your typical motorsport setting. +++

+++ Just like at the Norisring at the last race weekend, Volkswagen Motorsport will have divided interests in Spielberg: The eighth race of the World Rally Championship will take place at the same time as the circuit race in Austria. At the Rally Finland, reigning champion and leader of the standings Sébastien Ogier (30) and his Volkswagen team-mates have the opportunity to make it a dozen successive victories for the brand from Wolfsburg. In between the special stages, the team in the land of 1000 lakes will keep an eye on the live stream broadcast of the Scirocco R-Cup to see what's going on in Austria. +++

+++ 19 men and four women from a total of eight nations are regular starters in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup this year. A total of five drivers from last year's top ten are fighting for the title: alongside last year's overall third-placed Pepper these are the Dane currently leading the junior standings, Nicolaj Møller Madsen (21), Germany's hope Manuel Fahnauer, as well as Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky and Victor Bouveng (18) from Sweden. In addition to the many young talented drivers, an old hand is also competing this season: Michael Müller is 52 years old and the owner of a number of Volkswagen car dealerships. +++

+++ Just like last season, the drivers can choose to make use of the push-to-pass system, which briefly increases the performance of the Scirocco by 50 hp to 210 kW (285 hp) In free practice they can use push-to-pass a maximum of six times. Push-to-pass cannot be used in qualifying. The following rule applies for the race: starting rows 1–3: 15 push-to-pass uses; starting rows 4–6: 15 + 1 push-to-pass uses; starting rows 7–9: 15 + 2 push-to-pass uses; starting rows 10–12: 15 + 3 push-to-pass uses; starting rows 13–16: 15 + 4 push-to-pass uses; starting rows 17–19: 15 + 5 push-to-pass uses. +++

Quotes in the run-up to the fourth race weekend in Spielberg

Jost Capito, Volkswagen Motorsport Director: 'Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky made history when she became the first woman to win in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup. I'm excited to see whether she can repeat her success in Spielberg, or whether the competition fights back. Mikaela has proved that women are gaining ground in motorsport, and rightly so – that's why I'm delighted that six female drivers will be taking part in our guest race in Austria this time around.'

Dominique Regatschnig, guest starter Scirocco R-Cup: 'It will be my first start in the Scirocco R-Cup and also my race track debut. A great opportunity that Volkswagen is giving me – I'm really looking forward to the weekend. I've already gained some experience as a rally co-driver. But my goal here is to return the car in the same state that I pick it up in on Friday – without any damage. And depending on how the race weekend goes, it might not be the last time that I'll be sitting on the driver's side of a cockpit.'

Mikaela Ahlin-Kottulinsky, starter Scirocco R-Cup: 'My victory at the Norisring was a special moment. When I arrived at the hospitality area they gave me a standing ovation: It was an incredible feeling. The success was very important for my self confidence as a female driver. It's definitely my biggest victory – to date. Of course I would love to win in Spielberg again, but as well as putting in a good performance, I will need a bit of luck. Which is why my goal is to finish in the top five. I think it's great that six women will compete in the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup in Spielberg and that more and more women are getting involved in motorsport. But when they're sat in the car, their gender is irrelevant. You have to beat everyone to win.'

Marcel Müller, starter Scirocco R-Cup: 'I live just 20 minutes away from the race track, this really is my home track. My family and friends will definitely be there, which will be an additional incentive. I want to make it into the top ten in the overall standings and into the top five in the junior standings. The track suits me, I've driven on the Red Bull Ring in so many different race cars already. In the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup I was here as a guest starter for the first time last year and had an accident. But that's history, I'll do better this year.'

Lukas Jager, starter Scirocco R-Cup: 'There's something special about racing in your home country, there is definitely a great deal of motivation. Austrian legends have won here in the past and all eyes will be on the Austrians in the field. I drove on the Red Bull Ring two years ago. It's a great track with a few really fast bends. I love that. If I finished in the top ten in both races I would be happy.'