The 2017 Volkswagen Polo R will not be approved

After the sudden departure of Volkswagen Motorsport from WRC At the end of 2016, the possibility of seeing the 2017 version Polo R racing this season had emerged on behalf of private teams. A waiver was therefore requested from the FIA ​​to complete the homologation of the car developed throughout the 2016 season.

In the margins of Rally In Monte Carlo, a meeting took place with the manufacturers involved to discuss this point, but the balance did not seem to tip in favor of Volkswagen's competition division.

This Tuesday, Sven Smeets, boss of VW Motorsport, has finally confirmed that the homologation of the car will not take place. “Following customer inquiries, Volkswagen Motorsport has requested a waiver from the FIA ​​for the homologation of the 2017 Volkswagen Polo R, with the aim of leasing it to private drivers and teams, specifies Sven Smeets.

It now turns out that this is not possible under the current WRC regulations. We fully accept the outcome, but at the same time regret it for the sake of our clients. We would like to thank the FIA ​​for the very constructive discussions. »

Volkswagen emphasizes, however, that the possibility of seeing the 2016 Polo R evolve with customer teams is not affected by this decision.