Volkswagen officially confirms exit from WRC

Volkswagen Motorsports has officially confirmed its decision to quit the World Rally Championship. We had earlier reported about the company's plans to take the said step after its board meeting. The German automaker has now officially announced that it will be leaving the WRC arena after the current season.

The decision to quit WRC is being attributed to the huge losses made by the Volkswagen Group in lieu of the infamous dieselgate emission scandal. In order to bear the fines and huge recalls, the automotive group has been on a cost-cutting spree across different verticals. Luxury carmaker Audi, which also falls under VAG, has also stepped out from the World Endurance Championship (WEC), including the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Reports also suggest that Volkswagen will be developing a new car based on the next-generation Polo which will be eligible for the WRC 2 category. This new car will be available for customers from 2018.

Volkswagen entered WRC as a manufacturer team in 2013. The company has won the drivers’ and manufacturers’ title in all four season since then.

The VW WRC team will be making its last appearance at the Kennards Hire Rally in Australia, which is the current season's last race.