A great experience 

The ADAC Rallye Deutschland was a great debut of Germany in the World Rally Championship calendar. The sheer number of 225,000 spectators speaks volumes - just compare it to the figures of a Formula 1 weekend. The debut has shown that there definitely is a lot  of enthusiasm amongst spectators for rallying in Germany.

For me, there were also some debuts - quite a few ones actually: For the first time, I started in the Volkswagen team. It was also my first start in the environment of the World Rally Championship. My co-driver Fabrizia Pons also has never navigated for me before. Additionally, it was my first outing in a front-wheel driven race car apart from previous test sessions. 

The biggest change were certainly the pace notes. In cross country rallying, the co-driver is a true navigator. In rallying, however, detailed characteristics of each corner and of the track are required. Fabrizia was therefore a big help. You only need to look at the reconaissance: from the first to the last day, our notes changed and improved considerably. Instead of a system based on numbers, we opted for the so-called  "english system" that separates between hairpins, sharp corners, average corners, fast corners plus full-throttle bends.

Especially on tarmac, a surface I am not used to either, the notes are crucial. Particularly the Baumholder stages were very hard to judge as the rain meant a very slippery surface covered the road.

Fabrizia played a fantastic role. I couldn't have wished for a better and more experienced co-driver. As she used to be a driver in the seventies, she knows what it means to sit behind the steering wheel. So she always thinks about everything I do, reading the notes very accurately. This was very helpful for my concentration.

The ADAC Rallye Deutschland was a perfect exercise for me. But to really contest rallies, two or three further outings in a course car would be useful. But as you know: I am a cross country driver, not a rally driver, so it's not on the agenda.

Summing the weekend up, the team has really done a tremendous job, particularly as it was their first event. The guys came from three different departments but their co-operation was excellent. They were all very motivated, thus contributing to four beautiful days. I want to thank the whole team. 

If you are looking for further information about the Polo Super 1600, there is a special Volkswagen website dedicated to this car.