Volkswagen’s WRC bid is go!

Volkswagen Motorsport has launched its bid for FIA World Rally Championship glory in Monaco this afternoon.

At the principality’s Sporting Club close to the famous Casino Square, the German make formally unveiled its lead driver line-up of Jari-Matti Latvala and Sebastien Ogier while also confirming Andreas Mikkelsen in a third Polo R WRC from Vodafone Rally de Portugal in April onwards.

It was Latvala’s first public appearance as a Volkswagen driver following his departure from the now defunct factory Ford squad last month.

Jost Captio, the Volkswagen Motorsport boss, said: “Everybody in the team is extremely excited and now it really kicks off after two years of development. We now want to see where we stand compared to the others but the drivers’ can’t wait to get into the car at the first rally.”

Capito confirmed the final homologation of the Polo would be completed next week, one month ahead of the 2013 FIA World Rally Championship season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo on 15 January.

Volkswagen also used the launch to unveil a road-going version of the Polo R WRC. The actual rally car will be shown for the first time in public at 19:30hrs local time tonight.