Pune : Volkswagen Polo R Cup 2012Pro Category winner and India’s entry for the 2013 season of Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, Sandeep Kumar, is getting all geared up for his debut in international racing. The Chennai lad has already undergone a five-day physical fitness training at Oberjoch in Bavaria, Germany and faced the competition at pre-season testing held at Oschersleben.There are 19 young and talented drivers, including Sandeep, from eleven different nations.

Sandeep will be rubbing shoulders with experienced motor sport legends and celebrity guest racers through the season. Scirocco R-Cup cars run on environmentally friendly technology and is part of the DTM racing weekend. Like Polo R Cup, Scirocco R-Cup is a one-make series. Besides being more powerful and fast, Scirocco R-Cup cars have a unique feature – Push to Pass. The innovative push-to-pass system makes things even more exciting. When engaged, it increases the charging pressure of the turbocharged Scirocco engine and raise the output by 50 hp. This system offers the drivers numerous tactical options – and the onlookers spectacular motor sport action with thrilling manoeuvres.

Fitness Camp

Sandeep Kumar kicked off his preparations for the upcoming season of Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup by participating in the fitness camp conducted by Volkswagen Motorsport at Oberjoch, Bavaria, Germanyin March 2013. Along with 17 other racing drivers from the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, Sandeep Kumar trained through a rigorous set of programs scheduled over five days. These fitness programs included cross-country skiing (for endurance and strength), Pilates and spinning (for flexibility and agility) and snow hikes (for teamwork). The highlight of this demanding fitness camp saw Sandeep along with all the drivers in action on the Biathlon World Cup route in Oberstdorf. Along with the fitness coaching, Sandeep also got basic information on nutrition and a wide range of training sessions dealing with mental fitness.

Pre-Season Testing

Sandeep attended the official pre-season testing of Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup 2013 in mid-April2013 at the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben, Germany. During the two-day testing, he got approximately 220 minutes of driving time in the Scirocco R-Cup racecar. The young Indian driver also got briefing on various topics such as telemetry, technical, data analysis,media interaction and an overview of the season ahead. With a promising 8th fastest time during the two-day program, Sandeep has clearly shown his speed and competitiveness amongst the international participants.

The Season Ahead

The first round of Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup 2013 will be held at Hockenheimon on 4th and 5th May 2013, where Sandeep will make his debut on the international racing scenario. With a total of nine races at five challenging circuits in Germany and Austria, the 2013 season is going to be an exciting one for the Chennai-based racing driver.

An excited Sandeep Kumar said, “The preparations have gone very well. The fitness camp was totally different than what we have in India with a lot of outdoor exercises, especially in the snow. The pre-season testing was a good opportunity to learn anew track and get a feel of the Scirocco R-Cup racecar. I hope to carry my pre-season testing performance into the first race at Hockenheim and improve the pace there onwards.”

 

Race Calendar – Scirocco R-Cup 2013
Race No.	Race Circuit	Dates (2013)
1	Hockenheim (Germany)	04-05 May
2	Spielberg (Austria)	01-02 June
3	Spielberg (Austria)	01-02 June
4	Norisring (Germany)	13 July
5	Nürburgring (Germany)	17-18 August
6	Nürburgring (Germany)	17-18 August
7	Oschersleben (Germany)	14-15 September
8	Oschersleben (Germany)	14-15 September
9	Hockenheim (Germany)	19October