We will contest the Dakar Rally

So now it's official: we will contest the 2003 Dakar Rally with Volkswagen. From January 1 - 19, I will tackle the desert event together with my co-driver Fabrizia Pons in a buggy next year. Perhaps you are a little bit surprised by the news that we will field a buggy. Already at the beginning of the cross country project, however, it has been announced that only in 2004, we will contest the Dakar Rally with a competition vehicle derived from the Touareg.

So the buggy is an interim solution. It will be prepared according to the T2 rules as a prototype, it will be powered by a 1.9 litre Volkswagen TDI diesel engine, it will be entered in the class beyond 1160 kilograms minimum weight and it features rear-wheel drive. My co-driver for the Dakar Rally will be Fabrizia Pons with whom I have already contested the ADAC Rallye Deutschland in a course-opening car.

Additionally, Volkswagen has contracted former professional rally driver and experienced team manager Erwin Weber as team manager of the Cross Country project. Not only did he win the German  Rally Championship twice plus the European Championship once, he has also contested the Dakar Rally several times already, finishing runner-up in 1992.

My new team mate will be Stéphane Henrard. Many of you might still know the Belgian from his previous outings in the Dakar Rally. In 2001, for instance, he finished seventh in the best diesel-powered car. This year, he has been part of the team of Jean-Louis Schlesser.

The decision to contract these new team members means that at a very early stage, we succeeded in extending the project into the desired direction in strategically important areas.

To prepare the team in technical and geographical terms for their future tasks, an event like the Dakar Rally is an ideal test. At the same time, we can compete against our opponents for the first time.

As you can see, both the team and the project are growing step by step. I am not allowed to disclose further details yet, but be prepared for a surprise as for the shape of the buggy.