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Volkswagen’s Polo GTi R5 World Rally Championship WRC2 car has been seen testing in public for the first time, with the German machine running in Wales through this week.
The world’s latest R5 car, launched in Spain on Monday, was given a shakedown test in Fontjoncouse in France at the end of last month before a four-day test in mid-Wales from Thursday until Sunday.
WRC2 champion Pontus Tidemand drove the car in France and Wales, but he was forced to leave early to join the FIA prize giving in Paris.
Volkswagen’s favoured privateer, Austrian Raimund Baumschlager – the first privateer to compete in a Volkswagen Polo R WRC earlier this year – took over driving duties on Friday.
The car ran without fault through the opening day of testing.
Predictably, coming from the same stable, the Polo shares similarities with Skoda’s Fabia WRC2-winning R5.
Volkswagen technical director Francois-Xavier Demaison said: “The Polo GTI R5 came through the initial tests without any problems.
“The feedback from the test drivers was very positive.
“It is obviously beneficial to be able to call upon an experienced team of engineers and mechanics, who helped to develop the Polo that won the world championship.
“And it goes without saying that, as we have in the past, we are also taking advantage of the close and excellent cooperation with the colleagues in the technical development department in Wolfsburg, as well as our Skoda colleagues, who have been offering their customers an R5 car since 2015.”
The 2018 World Rally Championship will be launched at Autosport International, held on January 11-14. For ticket information, click here.