Madrid enthusiastically greets “Dakar” winner Sainz

Wolfsburg (22 January 2010). An emotional and triumphant homecoming: His native city, Madrid, received Carlos Sainz with rounds of cheers after his “Dakar” victory. Together with his Spanish compatriot Lucas Cruz the 47-year-old had been leading a Volkswagen trio to a one-two-three win from 2 to 16 January at the toughest test in worldwide motorsport. Read more

Carlos Sainz: “You need goals which are worth living for”

Wolfsburg (18 January 2010). The fulfilment of a long harboured dream: Volkswagen factory driver Carlos Sainz won the 2010 Dakar held in Argentina and Chile. In this toughest test in motorsport worldwide the charismatic Spaniard celebrated, together with his fellow countryman Lucas Cruz, his very first “Dakar” victory in the automobile category for his country. An interview with “El Matador” about a great sporting victory, the future and a new Sainz generation. Read more

Sainz and Cruz: a strong unit in the Volkswagen cockpit

Wolfsburg (17 January 2010). Two “Dakar” winners like chalk and cheese: The Volkswagen factory duo of Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz complement one another inside and outside the cockpit to form a strong, heterogeneous unit. The two Spaniards – the driver emotional and spirited, the co-driver calm and meticulous – took the trophy to their homeland for the first time in Dakar Rally history. Together with their team mates Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford they secured a one-two-three for Volkswagen in the greatest challenge worldwide in rallying. In Argentina and Chile the Wolfsburg based brand therefore successfully defended its title after the Race Touareg became the first diesel powered automobile to win the desert classic in 2009. Read more

Two-areg: Volkswagen defends “Dakar” title with one-two-three

Volkswagen drivers´ duel keeps “Dakar” result open to the finish

Wolfsburg (15 January 2010). Two Volkswagen Race Touareg fighting for victory are keeping the 2010 Dakar Rally exciting and the result open up until the last minute: On the desert classic’s thirteenth and penultimate stage Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) took 2 minutes 32 seconds from their team mates Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E). The Spanish duo’s lead over their team mates in the overall standings shrunk as a result to only 2 minutes 48 seconds. Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) completes the Volkswagen trio at the head of the leader board.
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Two times three: Volkswagen trio leads stage and overall standings

Wolfsburg (14 January 2009). Exciting team internal duel for overall lead: Volkswagen provided an impressive example of the power and performance of its TDI technology on the twelfth and longest Dakar Rally stage: Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) as well as Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) dominated the two-part twelfth stage, with a total of 476 kilometres run against the clock, from their team mates Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA). All three Race Touareg were more than ten minutes faster than their closest rivals in the process and continue to hold a commanding lead in the overall standings. Read more

Volkswagen still lead – Al-Attiyah reduces deficit to Sainz

Wolfsburg (13 January 2010). Volkswagen defended its lead on the eleventh of the 14 stages in the Dakar Rally: The three Volkswagen Race Touareg cars continue to lead the overall standings after the second Andes crossing from Chile to Argentina. The name of the potential winner still remains wide open: The leaders Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) lost 5 minutes 38 seconds of their lead to Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) and Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA). The closest rivals – Stéphane Peterhansel/Jean-Paul Cottret (F/F) in an X-raid BMW – are already 2 hours 9 minutes behind the leader in fourth place. Read more

Volkswagen celebrates fifth stage win – three Race Touareg lead

Wolfsburg (12 January 2010). The Spaniards Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) increased their lead over their two team mates in the overall standings following the duo’s first stage victory and Volkswagen’s fifth so far this year in the 2010 Dakar Rally. Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) are now second 10 minutes 6 seconds behind the leaders, Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) in the third Race Touareg trail the leaders by a margin of 28 minutes 19 seconds.

The three leaders in the overall standings were incredibly evenly matched after more than three hours of driving through the tenth “Dakar” stage: Sainz, Al-Attiyah and Miller reached the finish in team formation covered by a mere 1 minute 40 seconds. Read more

One-two-three for Volkswagen – third stage win for Al-Attiyah

Wolfsburg (11 January 2010). Volkswagen claim first three positions on stage, three “Blues” head overall standings: The TDI diesel powered Race Touareg continued to set the benchmark on the ninth of the 14-day long 2010 Dakar Rally. Nasser Al-Attiyah and Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) claimed the day’s victory on the route between Copiapó and La Serena in Chile ahead of their team mates Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) and Giniel de Villiers/Dirk von Zitzewitz (ZA/D). Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA) recorded the fifth fastest time in another Race Touareg behind the French X-raid driver Guerlain Chicherit in a BMW. Carlos Sainz continues to lead the overall standings from Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mark Miller. Al-Attiyah reduced his deficit to the leader by six minutes to only 8 minutes 36 seconds. Read more

Volkswagen leads Dakar Rally with three cars at mid-point

Wolfsburg (08 January 2010). After seven of the 14 legs of the 2010 Dakar Rally Volkswagen maintains a commanding advantage: Three Race Touareg cars with TDI power are running in front in the overall standings before the rest day. Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (E/E) are leading the world’s toughest rally with 11m 03s ahead of their team-mates Nasser Al-Attiyah/Timo Gottschalk (Q/D) and 22m 06s in front of Mark Miller/Ralph Pitchford (USA/ZA). Read more

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