FEBRUARY 12, 2020
Sunday, February 9, 2020 at 12:39PM
Editor
(Volkswagen)
Volkswagen of America has announced a contest to design the competition livery for its Atlas Cross Sport R race car. Using downloadable assets, eligible participants will be able to submit original designs and artwork to a judging panel comprised of Volkswagen designers, drivers and executives. The winning submission will be adapted for the vehicle’s final race livery before it competes in an off-road race later this year. In addition to having their design become reality, the contest winner and a guest will be given the opportunity to attend a pre-race test experience with Volkswagen. Developed in conjunction with Tanner Foust and Baja race veteran Rhys Millen, the plan for the specially-modified Atlas Cross Sport R race car is for power to be distributed to the wheels from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, first developed by Volkswagen Motorsport for use in its WRC and Rallycross programs. Capable of running up to 600HP — or 300HP per liter — the engine can be detuned to roughly 480HP for an optimized balance of performance and reliability. Currently in concept form, the vehicle is being tested for further development. The winning design will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show this June. Official Rules and details for the contest can be found at vwdesigncontest.com.

(Sonoma Speed Festival/Volkswagen)
The Sonoma Speed Festival will host the all-electric Volkswagen ID.R on the 2.52-mile (4.06 km) 12-turn road course at Sonoma Raceway from May 28-31, 2020, in an attempt to set a new track record. The record lap time of 1:15.430 minutes was set by Esteban Gutierrez in the Mercedes-Benz F1 W07 Hybrid at the inaugural Sonoma Speed Festival in 2019. The Volkswagen team will perform daily runs in the ID.R with the goal of besting the Formula 1 car by the end of the weekend. The Volkswagen ID.R currently holds the overall record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb as well as the electric car record on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The ID.R produces 670 horsepower from its electric drivetrain and will be configured for optimal performance at Sonoma Raceway, including updated aerodynamics and battery load. The car joins over 220 vintage and modern race cars at Sonoma Speed Festival for the annual food, wine and motorsports event.
(Haas F1Team)
Haas F1 Team has unveiled the design and livery of its VF-20 challenger for the record-breaking 22-race 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship. The reveal across the teams social media channels showcased a variety of digital renderings of the VF-20, set to be driven by Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen, complete with its new livery – one that sees the American outfit return to its traditional base colors of gray, red and black in a contemporary restyling of a familiar theme. Haas Automation maintains its significant presence on the VF-20, the global CNC machine tool company founded by team owner Gene Haas prominent on the sidepods, engine cover, front wing endplates and rear wing – a continuous theme in the livery since the teams Formula One debut with the VF-16 in 2016. Team partners JACK & JONES, PEAK, BlueDEF, Richard Mille, Alpinestars, Windshear and Pirelli continue to enjoy on-car branding, while MindMaze and Nominet will feature on a variety of key team assets throughout trackside operations. The VF-20 will make its physical debut on Wednesday Feb. 19 – the opening day of pre-season testing at Spains Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Grosjean and Magnussen will unveil the car at 8 a.m. outside the Haas F1 Team garage. Magnussen will undertake steering duties that day with Grosjean driving on the Thursday – both drivers are then expected to split the third and final day of the first week of testing. Im pleased to see the car return to the more familiar Haas Automation colors, its certainly a livery that people identify with,” said Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation and chairman of Haas F1 Team. Frankly, Im hoping the VF-20 will return us to the kind of form we ran in 2018 when we finished fifth in the constructors’ championship. 2019 was a tough season to endure. We’ve been through a real education process, one that comes to all Formula One teams at some stage. Im trusting weve learned from those lessons and have applied that knowledge into making the VF-20 a more competitive entry. Its important to me that were back in the mix and consistently scoring points, we certainly have the capability and weve proved as an organization we can do it.” Pre-season testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya runs from Feb. 19-21 and again Feb. 26-28. The 2020 FIA Formula One World Championship launches with the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 15, in Melbourne.

 

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