Volkswagen Racing Cup in Switch to Slicks

12 January 2006

Volkswagen Racing Cup competitors will this season get a long-awaited chance to use slick racing tyres, it is announced today (Thursday).

The move away from using treaded rubber comes with the championship's signing of a new contract with global giant Hankook to provide tyres for the grid of the UK's best-supported manufacturer backed saloon series.

'We are constantly striving to build on the impressive foundations of the Volkswagen Racing Cup and by working with companies such as Hankook we can ensure that the series remains at the pinnacle of motorsport in the UK,' said Volkswagen Racing UK director Sam Roach.

'Competitors have been asking us for several seasons to make a step forward in performance terms by adopting slick tyres, and we are delighted that our new association with Hankook allows us to do just that.'

To celebrate the deal, a new Hankook-liveried Golf GTI appears on the Hankook stand at Autosport International, which opens today at the Birmingham NEC.

The 2006 Volkswagen Racing Cup will feature 12 rounds at six British F3 and British GT Championship-supporting events, at Oulton Park, Donington Park, Snetterton, Brands Hatch, Croft and Thruxton. Last year the Volkswagen Racing Cup enjoyed an average grid size of 29 cars - making it the most popular manufacturer-backed saloon series in Britain. Similar grids are expected in 2006.

The Volkswagen Racing Cup enjoys the support of Augustus Martin, Castrol, ECM Vehicle Delivery, Europcar, Experian, Hankook, Inchcape Automotive, ISG Occupancy, Milltek Sport, Mondial Assistance, Proximity London, KW Automotive, Superchips, TNT Logistics, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen Financial Services UK.

See 2006 series calendar for VW Racing Cup

Related Story 12.01.2006 - Two New GTIs to Join VW Cup Grid