It’s the end of an era in motorsports as the Volkswagen Group withdraws two of its powerhouse brands from two major racing disciplines. But not before they go out with a bang.
Both VW and Audi won the final rounds of the FIA World Rally and Endurance Championships, respectively, ending their participation on a high note with dominant 1-2 finishes.
Volkswagen‘s came in the 25th Rally Australia – the final round of the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship – where Andreas Mikkelsen (with co-pilot Anders Jaeger) took the win in his Polo R WRC. They were followed closely behind by Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia in another Polo, ending VW’s rally program in the most victorious way possible.
Sister company Audi finished things off in no less spectacular form. The 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship wrapped up this weekend with the 6 Hours of Bahrain, where the Audi team also scored a 1-2 finish with the R18 hybrid LMP1.
Unfortunately for Audi, while the Wolfsburg squad went out as the reigning champions, the team from Ingolstadt did not. As a group, though, VW still had plenty to celebrate, as both the drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles in the FIA WEC (as well as the Le Mans win) went to Porsche for the second year running.
Add to that VW’s third consecutive WRC title and it’s clear that the Germans are ending on a high note if there ever was one. They’ll be missed, though, as Porsche and Toyota will be left to duke it out for in endurance racing without Audi next year, while Citroën, Hyundai, Toyota, and Ford/M-Sport battle to take VW’s place at the pinnacle of rallying.
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