The FIA World Rallycross championship goes electric.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross

The World Motorsport Council (WMSC) have today approved the transformation of the current FIA World Rallycross Championship into the FIA Electric World Rallycross Championship from 2020.

The sporting format of the events (12 to 14 per season) will remain identical to the current format (practice, four qualifying heats, two semi-finals and one final), with with both manufacturers and privateers eligible to take part. 

The WMSC outlined that privateers entrants may homologate their own cars, on the condition that they use the common battery and chassis, and design their bodywork from a generic car model required by the FIA.

Williams has been designated as the "Single Battery Supplier", while Oreca have will be the "Single Chassis Supplier" to the series. Both suppliers were awarded the contract from 2020 to 2023. 

The 2020 FIA World Rallycross cars will remain four-wheel drive ‘Silhouette-type’ cars, but will have the addition of two electric motors (one front and one rear), 500kW, a common battery and a common chassis. "The “powertrain” regulations are derived from those applicable for Formula E cars, with some restrictions aimed at controlling costs and development," says the FIA WMSC press release.

Only two-car teams are eligable to score points for the Drivers and Manufacturers Championships. "Four best results among cars from each Manufacturer per event to count towards the Manufacturers’ Championship classification."

The WMSC have also announced the creation of a Team Trophy, for privateer teams.

PREVIEW: Alex Wurz joins a 22-strong car entry to Hell.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross

PREVIEW BY: FIA World Rallycross Media

The FIA World Rallycross Championship ventures into the Nordic heartlands this weekend (9-10 June) with a visit to the famed Hell circuit for Team Verksted World RX of Norway, round five of the 2018 season.

PSRX Volkswagen Sweden’s Johan Kristoffersson leads the drivers’ standings after a third win from four events at World RX of Great Britain, extending his advantage to 14 points over Team Peugeot Total’s Sebastien Loeb. EKS Audi Sport’s Andreas Bakkerud makes it three manufacturers inside the top three overall, 22 points adrift of the top spot. 

Held at Lankebanen, World RX of Norway is a mainstay of the schedule as one of six events that have featured on the calendar every year since the inaugural World RX season in 2014. Among the faster tracks in the championship, Lankebanen’s undulating layout and sweeping curves are a firm favourite among drivers.

Kristoffersson goes to Hell seeking a repeat of his commanding win twelve months ago when the Swedish driver denied local favourite Bakkerud a popular win. 

Bakkerud enjoys a strong record on home soil having celebrated victory in 2016, scoring a remarkable 'clean sweep' of wins in all four qualifying races, his semi-final and the final. Moreover, he starts the Norwegian event on the back of a second-place finish at Silverstone, his best result since joining EKS Audi Sport.

By contrast, countryman Solberg is chasing a first podium in front of his adoring fans since 2014, as well as a timely strong result to haul himself back into contention following a semi-final exit at Silverstone. 

The only driver to stand on the podium at each round this season, Loeb scored a top three result in Hell last year but has his sights set firmly on victory this time around. Similarly, Team Peugeot Total team-mate Timmy Hansen will seek a return to winning ways after triumphing in Norway in 2015.

This year’s event will see 22 Supercar entries take to the starting grid, including four Norwegian drivers –  Solberg and Bakkerud, plus wild-card entries Tommy Rustad (HTB-Marklund Motorsport) and Kjetil Larsen, both driving Volkswagen Polos. 

Team Verksted World RX of Norway will also see the much-anticipated international rallycross debut of former F1 driver Alex Wurz, who will compete in the MJP Racing Team Austria Ford Fiesta. One of motorsport’s most versatile racers, the McLaren, Williams and Benetton driver started 69 grands prix and recorded three podiums in an F1 career spanning ten years. He is also a two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner. 

Wurz lines up alongside team owner Max Pucher, who makes his first World RX start since 2015 as part of an all-Austrian assault. 

Euro RX front runner Anton Marklund makes a second World RX appearance of the season in the Marklund Motorsport VW Polo, while Finnish racer Joni-Pekka Rajala takes on the second Team STARD Ford Fiesta alongside permanent entry Janis Baumanis.

Alex Wurz, MJP Racing Team Austria, said: “I grew up on rallycross tracks as my Dad is a three-time European champion and I’ve always loved the sport. I’m not one to shy away from a challenge, so I thought where better than Hell to throw myself into the deep end with the big World RX dogs. I’m so pleased Max Pucher has given me this opportunity to compete and I’m really proud to be part of MJP Racing Team Austria. I’m definitely managing my expectations but I will enjoy every minute.”

World RX Managing Director for IMG, Paul Bellamy commented: “We always look forward to returning to the Nordic regions and Hell. There is no doubt the always-vocal and passionate Norwegian fans will be out in force to support Petter Solberg and Andreas Bakkerud around a circuit that produces fantastic action year-after-year. Moreover, it is a pleasure to welcome former F1 driver and Le Mans 24 Hours race winner Alex Wurz to the starting grid in Norway. Based on the classic World RX racing we have already seen this season, it is certainly no coincidence drivers of Alex’s calibre want to join the rallycross ranks. With stars of rallying, touring cars and single-seaters already competing in World RX, it once again serves to demonstrates the immense appeal of World RX across motorsport.”

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

The FIA reveals a new ULTRA-PROTECTION helmet to be adopted in F1 for 2019.

New helmets will be mandatory for F1 from 2019
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA.com

FIA STORY & INFORMATION.

The FIA has released a new top-end helmet standard that will bring about increased protection for racing drivers in all major championships.

This follows over a decade of research to create the ultimate standard for helmet manufacturers to meet to further increase safety.

The latest standard, called FIA 8860-2018, outlines the design and performance requirements that the helmet manufacturers must achieve to provide equipment for the FIA’s top series. It will be mandatory for Formula One from 2019 and in other championships soon after.

These new helmets will offer a number of safety benefits, including advanced ballistic protection, increased energy absorption and an extended area of protection for drivers.

Laurent Mekies, FIA Safety Director, said: “The current top-end helmets are already the safest in the world but the new standard will take them to the next level. It is important for all of our safety research that we continually strive to improve and this is why we are requiring all manufacturers to meet this tougher standard for our championships.”

Throughout the research programme, FIA researchers worked closely with F1 helmet manufacturers such as Stilo, Bell Racing, Schuberth and Arai. It is now up to these manufacturers to deliver the production versions of the new helmets for the 2019 F1 season.

Stephane Cohen, Bell Racing Helmets Chairman, said: “The area of testing will be expanded compared to what we currently enjoy, which means that the overall protection of those helmets could be considered better and as usual the FIA will be at the forefront of helmet protection technology. This will be the most advanced standard in the world without any possible discussion.”

Changes based on the new standard include:

• Top of visor opening lowered by 10mm to incorporate advanced ballistic protection that achieves unprecedented levels of safety during impact from debris.
• Extended areas of protection on sides to offer compatibility with latest single-seater headrests and closed car seat-side head protection systems, ensuring energy management is exactly where headrests are positioned.
• Helmet shell construction using advanced composite materials to ensure it is not only tough but also resistant to crushing and penetration.
• Test methods include variable crash speeds to account for different accidents and a range of weights to account for different mass headforms.

Toughened Tests

Under the new FIA 8860-2018 standard all helmets must withstand the following tests:

1. Standard impact: Helmet impact at 9.5m/s. Peak deceleration on ‘driver’s head’ shall not exceed 275G.
2. Low velocity impact: Helmet impact at 6m/s. Peak deceleration shall not exceed 200G with a maximum average of 180g.
3. Low lateral impact: Helmet impact at 8.5m/s. Peak deceleration shall not exceed 275G.
4. Advanced Ballistic Protection: A 225g metal projectile fired at 250km/h. The peak deceleration shall not exceed 275G.
5. Crush: A 10kg weight falling 5.1 metres onto helmet. Lateral and longitudinal tests. The transmitted force should not exceed 10 kN.
6. Shell penetration: A 4kg impactor dropped onto helmet at 7.7 m/s.
7. Visor penetration: Air rifle fires 1.2g pellet at visor. Pellet must not penetrate the interior of the helmet.
8. Visor coating: Transmitter test to ensure colouration and vision is not significantly changed or distorted.
9. Retention system: Roll-off test and dynamic test to ensure strength of chin strap and its attachments.
10. Chin guard linear impact: Impact test with full headform at 5.5m/s. The peak deceleration shall not exceed 275G.
11. Chin guard crush: Hammer hits chin guard and measures ability to keep impact away from the head.
12. FHR mechanical strength: Test to ensure high strength of attachment points for Frontal Head Restraints.
13. Projection and surface friction: Test to ensure helmet surface uniformity and that friction is minimised. Shell surface also subjected to BARCOL hardness test for resistance to penetration.
14. Flammability: Helmet exposed to 790 C° flame; it must self-extinguish once flame is removed.

GRX Taneco heads full speed to Hell!

PHOTO CREDIT: GRX Taneco Team.

The GRX Taneco team have made a remarkable start to the season in their brand new Hyundai i20 Supercars. For the second time in four races, Niclas Grönholm made the final at Silverstone. Timur Timerzyanov has also regularly featured in the semi-finals. 

The i20 Supercar was developed around the infrastructure of Hyundai’s full factory i20 WRC machine, and has improved with each race and is now able to jockey for position with the best cars in the championship.

Niclas Grönholm and Timur Timerzyanov have been working closely with the technical crew to improve the i20 Supercar’s settings for every kind of terrain and a full range of conditions, keen to improve their position among the frontrunners. 

“I feel increasingly at ease with the i20 Supercar," said Grönholm. "We are making constant progress and I hope that we can nail down that certain something that will bring us closer to the leaders." 

Grönholm failed to make it into the top 12 at the 2017 World RX of Norway driving a Ford Fiesta RX Supercar, but hopes to improve this year.

"There are a few drops and climbs around the circuit. It’s great to drive on when you’ve found your pace," says Grönholm. "It’s not necessarily my favourite track but I think we can do great things there with the i20!”

The Hell rallycross circuit is located near Trondheim in central Norway. The track is 63% asphalt and 37% dirt and measures 1,019 metres long. The lap record is 38.246s set by Johan Kristoffersson in 2017. 

Timerzyanov has qualified for the final in Norway every time since the World Championship began in 2014 and has taken a podium spot there three times in the European series.

“I really like the circuit and I’ve always been fast in Norway," says Timerzyanov. "In 2016, I was on the verge of my first WRX victory when I got a puncture in the final." . 

"I feel confident in the car and I’m ready to do battle! The team has been working hard to improve the i20 Supercar," the Russian adds. "We’ll be going all out. I’m really optimistic and raring to go now.”

Hell provides Team Peugeot Total with a vital opportunity to make more progress.

PHOTO CREDIT: Peugeot Sport.

Scoring a podium at every event so far – including 1 win – Team Peugeot Total is currently 3rd in the provisional World RX Teams’ Championship, just 1 point behind 2nd, while Sébastien Loeb is chasing the leader in the provisional Drivers’ Standings. Timmy and Kevin Hansen drove their Peugeot 208 WRX to 6th and 8th overall provisional positions so far. With the championship rapidly approaching the halfway point, Norway provides a vital opportunity to make more progress.

The Hell track, cut dramatically into a hillside, is 1.019-kilometres long with 6 technical yet flowing corners. The lap is 63% asphalt and 37% gravel, with the joker lap located at the very 1st corner. The lap record currently stands at 38.246 seconds from last year. 

Team Peugeot Total's cars are the same specification as were seen in Silverstone, but the team have been doing some testing in France last week for the future, and more time in the 208 WRX for the drivers is a positive benefit. 

The Team Peugeot Total drivers talk #HellRX: 
                            
Sébastien Loeb
“There’s a really nice atmosphere in Norway and I’ve got very good memories; both from rallying and then in rallycross. We’ve had a really consistent start to the season, so we need to continue this way; the tactic is to try and win but not at any cost because you have to keep on scoring points, or you can ruin your chances. Since Silverstone it’s been a very busy time: we’ve been testing, and I also drove the mythic PEUGEOT 306 Maxi at the Rallye du Chablais in Switzerland. It’s no problem for me to jump from one car into the other because they are so different, but it’s always nice to jump into the rallycross car again when you have been away from it for a while; the power and speed is really impressive.”

Timmy Hansen
“I really enjoy Hell – I’ve won in the past – and I’ve always been quick there: I’m not quite sure why. It’s a challenging track in a beautiful location, and it’s very up and down. So grip levels are changing all the time, and the key to a good lap is to get proper traction out of all the corners. For that you need to get the set-up exactly right but that’s not easy: it’s definitely a circuit where you build up to speed and make small changes as you go along throughout the weekend, which help you to gain confidence and brake a little bit later every time. One interesting point is the joker lap on the first corner: it means that you need a firm plan at the beginning of the race, as there isn’t really time to react if you’re taking the joker straight away. It’s often quite a good idea to take the joker lap early there: you can make up a lot of time.”

Kevin Hansen
“This circuit is a lot of fun and I’m feeling confident. It’s a high-grip track with some long corners, so that should suit the characteristics of our car quite well. In the end though, a good car is a good car that works well everywhere, and I think that is what we have got this year. The main challenges in Norway are managing all the different elevation changes and keeping the rhythm. When you get it right, it’s really satisfying. We’re definitely on the right track, so my aim is to carry on like this now.”

Hell awaits Andreas Bakkerud and EKS Audi Sport.

PHOTO CREDIT: Audi Sport

EKS Audi Sport supported by Audi, Peugeot and Volkswagen after four rounds are within only 23 points of each other in the teams’ classification, the top five of the drivers’ world championship within only 25 points.

On home soil this weekend, Andreas Bakkerud has particularly enthusiastic fans that stand out in any paddock in their bright blue T-shirts [#BakkerudLife]. At their home venue they will turn out in particularly large numbers and frenetically cheer on their hero. '

“I’m tremendously excited about the event,” says Bakkerud who is planning various activities with his fans. “Hell is both my home round and one of my absolutely favorite tracks. Following my podium for EKS Audi Sport at Silverstone, I’m aiming for more – preferably a victory of course.”

In 2016, Bakkerud became the first driver in World RX history to achieve a perfect weekend of winning six races and scoring maximum points. Last year, he finished as runner-up.

Mattias Ekström took third place in 2016. “The track is simply fantastic,” says Ekström. 

“My favorite corner is Turn 2, a downhill left-hander. That’s where you feel like the car is getting an extra power boost. The entrance to the Joker Lap is one of the best. There I go into a really great drift at high speed," said Ekström. "The spectators have a full view of the track from practically all the seats. Plus, the race at Hell will always be a very special one for me because that’s where the EKS story began in 2014.”

Between the Silverstone and Hell, EKS Audi Sport tested dampers and practiced starts in Sweden. “We’re very strong this year,” says Mattias Ekström. “But we need to continue to improve in order to defeat the Peugeot and Volkswagen teams – and that’s our goal.”

MERCEDES FEATURE: Safety Cars & Virtual Safety Cars.

Safety Cars (SC) and Virtual Safety Cars (VSC) have played a crucial role in the outcome of half of the races so far this season. One of the most memorable races in recent years when it comes to Safety Cars was the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix. So we thought we'd delve deeper into the topic. 

What makes a Safety Car challenging for the team? 
The biggest challenge a Safety Car brings to the team is to make the right strategy choices. Under the SC the tyres will very quickly become cold. If they're new tyres, that's not much of a problem as they will be back in their operating window fairly quickly after the re-start, usually after two to three laps. Tyres that are in the middle or the end of their stint are much more difficult in that respect as they will re-start slower - or not at all. Without a Safety Car, at regular speeds and temperatures, those tyres would still generate good grip. However, once the energy is taken out, there is not enough rubber left on the tyre to re-start it. Newer tyres provide more grip because there's more rubber on the tyre and are thus able to generate more energy which will then heat up the tyre quicker. Anticipating how the tyres will behave after the end of the Safety Car is challenging as it is very tricky to simulate tyre wear and because it is difficult to know how much tyre wear there is live in the race. So the decision on whether or not the team thinks the tyre will re-start is based mostly on the strategic experience of the team in addition to information about the tyres from the drivers before the Safety Car. 

How does the team make sure it can react quickly to a Safety Car? 
The strategy group is in a continuous evaluation process, trying to anticipate what would happen if the Safety Car were to come out two, three or even five or more laps down the line, so that they can make the call on a pit stop as quickly as possible. If the team decides the situation in the race offers a good opportunity for a pit stop under a Safety Car, the driver is told "You're in your Safety Car window". That way the driver knows that he can come in without needing further confirmation from the team. The pit crew would already be waiting for him because they're on standby as soon as the Safety Car is deployed. 

What is the biggest challenge the Safety Car creates for the drivers? 
For the drivers, the re-start of the race is especially challenging. This moment is tricky because the tyres don't just lose temperature under the Safety Car, but also grip. F1 tyres generate the most grip in a specific temperature window that is usually well above 100 degrees Celsius. Outside of the temperature window, the grip levels drop quite considerably. In order to reach the maximum grip as fast as possible, the tyres are pre-heated to 110 degrees before they go on the car. Under a Safety Car, however, the tyre temperature can easily drop 40 degrees relative to peak, and thus lose a lot of its grip. So in terms of grip levels the first laps after a Safety Car are completely different to any other lap the drivers have done all weekend and it is very difficult to find the maximum level of grip. In Canada, this is particularly true for the big braking into Turn 1 and into the hairpin at Turn 10 as it is very easy to lock up the tyres. Especially braking into the chicane, it is very likely to see a change in position there as one driver will take more risks than the other. 

How long does it take for the tyres to heat up again? 
Depending on the layout of the track, it will typically take two to three laps to bring the tyres up to temperature again. But in the most extreme cases, it can take much longer than that. Baku, for example, is a track that makes it very difficult for the drivers to heat up their tyres as it features a very long straight where the tyres cool down and a lot of slow corners that don't generate a lot of energy into the tyres. 

Are there any other challenges for the drivers? 
Brakes can also create quite a challenge under a Safety Car. When the brakes are already hot, they're at risk of overheating as they require airflow for cooling. Due to the slower speeds under the Safety Car, the airflow and thus the cooling effect is limited, so the brakes can easily overheat. Cold brakes, on the other hand, aren't great either as the brakes work best when they're warm. So the drivers might try and generate temperature into the brakes using various driving techniques. This, however, is difficult to control as it is extremely easy to generate very hot brakes, due to no airflow coming in. 

Are there any benefits to a Safety Car? 
The Safety Car is deployed "whenever there is an immediate hazard but the conditions do not require the race to be interrupted". It ensures the safety of the marshals around the track and the extra safety is certainly the biggest benefit from deploying the Safety Car. However, there are some collateral benefits for the teams - for example, with fuel saving. A track like the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal is fuel limited, meaning that the drivers cannot go flat-out for all 70 laps of the Canadian Grand Prix and will have to do some form of fuel saving to make it to the end on the 105 kg fuel allowance. Under a Safety Car, the drivers can save fuel which they can then use for maximum performance later when the race gets going again. 

How much slower is the Safety Car? 
That depends on the track. Last year in Canada, the Safety Car came out at the very beginning of the race after a crash on the opening lap in Turn 3. Under the Safety Car, Lewis' did lap times of over 2 minutes (2:02.231 on lap 2). Even with relatively cold tyres in his first lap after the Safety Car he did a 1:18.135, compared to 1:16.296 with warmer tyres in lap 10. So the lap under the SC took roughly 60 percent longer. The speed differences between the Safety Car and a Formula One car depend on the area of the track. On a regular lap, an F1 car will take Turn 3 in Canada at roughly 125 kph; under the SC, however, they do only 45 kph. The difference in the hairpin (Turn 10) is roughly 15 kph (65kph vs 50kph under the SC). But it's not just the cornering speeds that are limited under the Safety Car, it's also acceleration and top speed. Last year, F1 cars took the speed trap before Turn 13 at over 300 kph, but clocked in "only" 230 kph under the Safety Car. Wide Open Throttle (WOT) time is also affected by the Safety Car - on a regular lap, WOT time around Montreal accounts for over 50 percent of the lap; under the Safety Car it's only about two percent. The slower laps under the SC are also reflected in the gear shifts. Drivers shift through the gears roughly 80 times on a regular lap in Canada, but only 50 times under the Safety Car. 

What are the main differences and similarities between a Safety Car and the Virtual Safety Car? 
In general, the VSC and the Safety Car are quite similar. Both will bring down the tyre temperatures, both will make the re-start tricky. However, the VSC is usually less challenging for the team because the cars travel faster and thus the drop in tyre temperature is not as steep as it is under the Safety Car. This effect is intensified by the fact that a regular Safety Car typically lasts about four laps, but a VSC only tends to last one to two. The VSC also doesn't bunch the field up, so on the re-start the next driver should be the same distance behind as before the VSC was deployed. 

FEATURE BY: Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport

PSRX Volkwagen Sweden hope to unlock more pace from the Polo R Supercar.

PHOTO CREDIT: PSRX Volkswagen Sweden

PSRX Volkswagen Sweden might lead the FIA World Rallycross teams' and drivers' standings, but they have had close battles with the likes of Peugeot Total and EKS Audi Sport. 

With testing being restricted this season, and with a break coming up between the World RX of Norway and the Swedish round, Johan Kristoffersson hopes that the team can find and unlock more pace in the PSRX Volkswagen Polo R Supercar.

"I think Petter and I are really keen to try to get some testing in with the car; we have a fantastic car in the Polo R Supercar – it’s such a great package," said Kristoffersson. "But I think we have more potential with this car."

Team Peugeot Total 208 RX Supercar appeared faster then PSRX Volkswagen Sweden, but track position provided vital. Petter Solberg has had incredible starts in his Polo R Supercar, but has not had the luck of late. 

Kristoffersson believes that there is more potential in the Polo R Supercar. 

“I think we’re still to find the sweet spot with this one – there’s more to come," Kristoffersson adds. "There are some ideas, some really small details with the car which I would love to test. Will they make the car quicker? I don’t know for sure, but to try them would give us some more ideas for making the car even more perfect!”

Kristoffersson heads to Hell with the aim of driving his own race.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media.

Swede Johan Kristoffersson extended his championship points lead by claiming victory at the World RX of Great Britain. PSRX Volkswagen Sweden and Johan heads to Hell in good shape, having won the World RX of Norway last year and three of the first four races of this season.

“I like this track. I won here last year and the Volkswagen Polo R Supercar was really fast there – I hope it’s going to be the same story this time," said Kristoffersson. "This is an original rallycross track, the way it flows is really nice. Great track."

The Swede set the fastest lap (38.246s) around the 1.019km Hell circuit last year. 

“What I also like a lot is that the [entry to the] joker lap is in the first corner, so this splits out the field a bit more straight away from the start," says Kristoffersson. "There should be less first-corner carnage than we have seen in some of the races more recently with the cars a bit more spread out."

The circuit contains a mixture of surfaces, 63% Asphalt and 37% Gravel. 

The Swede did not have the cleanest of weekends in UK, but he found more pace on Sunday and was quick enough to take pole position for the final.

"The last round at Silverstone was a tough track, it was just corner-corner-corner all the time, there was no real gravel there and nowhere to carry speed," he adds. "But what was good for me a few times was to get out at the front, get into some clear air, get clear of the pack and drive my race – I feel I didn’t do much of that this season and that’s what I want to do more of this weekend."

“You know the one thing that would be nice is some more consistent conditions. In the last few races we’ve had sun-rain-snow-sun-rain-sun… Just the sunshine would be good and hopefully that’s going to be coming now we’re a little bit more in the summer," Kristoffersson concludes.

Petter Solberg: "I need a result to turn things around a little bit."

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media.

After a tough round in Silverstone, Petter Solberg heads to his home round in search of more luck. The Norwegian failed to qualify for the final in UK after retiring with mechanical issues after Turn 1 drama involving himself and his teammate Johan Krisoffersson in the semi-final.

The Norwegian failed to qualify for the final at the World RX of Norway in 2017, but hope's his early season misfortune (in 2018) can be turned around this weekend. 

“This might be my home race, but it’s not one that has ever been kind to me though – I’ve had quite a lot of bad luck here and this week would be a really good time for that to change!," said Solberg. 

After failing to make it through to the final in UK, Petter lost vital championship points which saw him fall to fourth in the drivers' standings (25 points behind his teammate).

"Not making the final at the last round in Silverstone was so frustrating for me and, of course, I’m not happy with the place in the championship," says Solberg."I have to work on this in Norway, I need a result to turn things around a little bit."

“I have been at these times in motorsport before, you get one small thing that works for you and it’s like a trigger for everything else,'' he adds. 

"You know the team is doing a fantastic job; Volkswagen Motorsport and R is incredible what we have with the car and I feel like my driving is good – but I just need a break.”