The 2013 Volkswagen Polo R Cup proceedings commenced with the Driver Selection round, conducted over two days and organised by Volkswagen Motorsport India.
Participants went through a variety of tests, after which 13 drivers were selected to join drivers from the previous season to participate in the 2013 season.
35 participants were shortlisted for the process, held at the Kari Motor Speedway, Coimbatore. Prior to the selection round, some applicants undertook a recommended training at Meco Motorsports, incorporating hands-on experience of circuit driving in a road-spec Volkswagen Polo car at their own cost.
On day one, the participants were given a brief introduction to the performance and safety modifications and the controls of the Polo R Cup TDI race cars. The participants then undertook braking and slalom exercises in the cars, where their basic control on the car and its responsiveness were judged. Then followed driving sessions around the full circuit under the guidance of Polo R Cup driver coach and multiple national karting champion, Rayomand Banajee and national racing champion, Arjun Balu. Once they received sufficient knowledge on different aspects of track driving including racing lines and braking markers, the participants were sent out for two timed sessions. 24 drivers were selected from the initial 35 at the end of the day, based on their outright lap times, racing lines, ability to tackle corners with technique, and driving smoothness.
On day two, the remaining 24 drivers went through four more driving sessions where they were judged on yet more aspects. Among the most important criteria for selecting the final 14 was the willingness and readiness of the drivers to grasp and implement what the coaches had been teaching along with their performance on the previous criteria. At the end of the day, all drivers were put through a fitness test that included muscle-strength exercises and running, which was also the final factor considered for selection.
Alexander Skibbe, Head of Communications, Volkswagen Group India, expressed his pleasure at witnessing the growing enthusiasm and interest of young talent towards Polo R Cup. He mentioned that fitness was a criteria of particular emphasis for the selection as well as higher levels of competition.
Prithviraj Siddappa, Head of Volkswagen Motorsports India, commented that the company was pleased with the overall improvement in the standard of racing in India and believed that the overall quality of drivers had improved and they were more consistent in doing fast laps now.
For further details, motorsports enthusiasts can visit www.polocup.in and can follow the Polo R Cup on Facebook at www.facebook.com/vwpolocup and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/vwmotorsportind.
