Is Volkswagen's WRC program really 'kaputt'?

Everybody is talking about it, only Volkswagen bosses keep quiet – Volkswagen Motorsport is leaving World Rally Championship at the end of 2016 season. After four sets of championship titles (drivers’, codrivers’ and manufacturers’) in four seasons, 42 event wins and 622 stage wins, the board of managers, who have a meeting today, said ‘kaputt’ for VW’s WRC program. Allegedly… Many unofficial sources whispered to many leading media representatives that it’s true, but there is still no confirmation from Volkswagen.

The main reason for such a drastic decision is Volkswagen’s multi-billion loss after a Dieselgate, so managers don’t want to throw money on some motorsports activities while their main task is to restore all that money. No matter Sebastien Ogier and his companions made a 100% success by winning all championship titles in four seasons, no matter that new VW Polo WRC is almost ready to rumble…

Instead of five mean machines developed under the new rules for 2017, we would watch only four – Citroen C3 WRC, Hyundai i20 WRC, Ford Fiesta RS WRC and Toyota Yaris WRC. The 380-hp Polo WRC goes to scrapyard before it even started his life.