Volkswagen WRC team stands firm as drivers push over upgrades
Volkswagen team principal Jost Capito says he will not be pressured by his drivers into delivering upgrades to the Polo R WRC before they are ready

The Polo suffered further rear differential and handbrake issues on last week's Rally Argentina.
A revised specification of handbrake operation - hydraulic instead of pneumatic - was running on Andreas Mikkelsen's third car, but it will not be included on the points-scoring Polos until it is absolutely ready.
Sebastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala both suffered problems with the part and were vocal in their desire to see the upgrade out in time for the Acropolis Rally at the end of the month.
"I know that the team is working hard on it, but still there are a few problems on the new system we want to homologate," Ogier said.
"Normally we will have this for the next rally, but already I heard that for many months... It's a shame.
"When I need to use the handbrake in an emergency, it's not good not to have it working properly."
Capito stood firm on VW's timetable for the upgrades.
"We have a rigorous and disciplined evaluation process and we don't put any parts in the cars until they are 100 per cent proven - and this is not yet the case," he said.
"If we were to put the new system in before it was ready and it failed, that would be a much bigger disaster."
VW technical manager Francois-Xavier Demaison agreed drivers could not rush technical developments.
"We don't know yet when it will be completely signed off or when we will have it on the car - hopefully for the next round in Greece," he said.
"But it's not Seb Ogier or anybody else giving pressure who will decide that date. We have a validation process which we will stick to.
"Somebody has to take the decision and I took the decision not to have it [for Argentina]."
HANDBRAKE CHANGES A TOUGH CALL FOR VW
The new part will be the third evolution of handbrake for Volkswagen. The car started life with a mechanical system similar to the one used on the Ford Fiesta RS WRC.
Having come from Citroen's quicker hydraulic system, Ogier wanted improvements - hence the pneumatic system.
This failed in Portugal when the valve stuck open do to excess pressure (leaving Ogier's car briefly in front-wheel drive) and then it failed because of a lack of pressure - due to a split pipe - in Argentina.
Ogier slid off the road and out of the lead while experiencing this problem.
Demaison admitted he was reluctant to run the hydraulic system.
"It's heavier, it's more complicated and it takes power from the engine to run an electrical motor," he said.

World Rally Championship in radical powerstage decider proposal
Radical change is the WRC's only hope

Latest news
How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause
How Rovanpera overcame rallying royalty in Portugal to extend his WRC lead
Although the Rally Portugal entry list featured World Rally Championship royalty in Sebastiens Loeb and Ogier, victory was secured by rallying's rising star in Kalle Rovanpera. Here's the story of his 2022 hat-trick, as his key rivals faltered among the gravel and asphalt ahead of them
The former WRC star playing the unsung hero role for Rovanpera
Kalle Rovanpera’s 2022 World Rally Championship displays have been spectacular, with the Toyota driver benefitting from a secret weapon in his crew to win two of the opening three rallies. But while the former challenger to Sebastien Loeb won’t take credit for his fellow Finn's performances, a key bond has been formed which could prove key to Rovanpera’s title charge
How Rovanpera's Croatia turnaround sent a message to his WRC rivals
After a dominating Rally Croatia, a wrong tyre choice on the final day looked to have undone all Kalle Rovanpera's hard work and left him with a mountain to climb heading into the power stage. That he emerged the winner all the same has surely quelled any lingering doubts that the Finn is the man to beat in the 2022 WRC
How M-Sport's faith in Loubet led to a WRC reprieve after a dismal 2021
It's fair to say 2021 was a year to forget for Pierre-Louis Loubet. A maiden full World Rally Championship season offered hope but soon turned into a nightmare that ended in hospital, after being hit by a car in a road traffic accident. Now handed a lifeline by M-Sport, the Frenchman is desperate to rebuild his career
Why WRC mechanics deserve more respect
The drivers get the glare of attention, but it’s the mechanics who are key to the operation of any World Rally Championship car. Autosport donned a set of overalls and joined M-Sport on a Belgian national rally event to get an inside look into the trials and tribulations of a rally mechanic
The African McRae aiming to become a WRC pioneer
Taking his first step into the Junior World Rally Championship category, McRae Kimathi - named after 1995 world champion Colin - found himself in the unfamiliar climes of Sweden's snow and ice. Having impressed, Kimathi hopes to blaze a trail to the top level of WRC and help other African drivers to step onto the ladder
How Rovanpera grabbed the Rally Sweden spotlight after the Loeb vs Ogier show
After a blockbuster opening act to the new era of the World Rally Championship with the battle of the Sebastiens at Monte Carlo, Rally Sweden would be the first chance to assess the next superstar of rallying. While teething issues with the new hybrid power thwarted some of the cast, Kalle Rovanpera’s display gave him headline billing