Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup
Rounds 10
Hockenheim, Germany
Maiken Rasmussen, the young Dane selected by Volkswagen Motorsport and the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission to contest the 2011 Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup, concluded her debut season in the series today, finishing 17th around the Hockenheim circuit and ninth overall in the Junior R-Cup classification.
From a field of 27 cars - including former Formula One star Patrick Tambay, two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 Arie Luyendyk, and Juha Kankkunen, one of the most successful drivers in the FIA World Rally Championship – Maiken qualified 11th, just 4/100th of a second adrift of seventh position. During the race, the young Dane was able to match the pace of the front-runners, but after taking evasive action to avoid an accident between two other cars, she ended up 17th.
“Two cars in front of me hit each other; I was on the outside of the hairpin and had nowhere to go,” said Maiken. “I got back on the track a long way behind everyone else and fought my way back to 17th position. The speed was there with the lap times, and it has been a good but hard season for me.”
Michèle Mouton, President of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, added: “Volkswagen has given a lot of support to Maiken. The first season in a new category is always going to be tough, but I really hope this experience has given her an insight in to what it takes to compete at the top level. We really have to thank Volkswagen – a very strong and important manufacturer – for its commitment to this programme and its help in enabling us to promote women in motor sport.”
The Scirocco R-Cup is one of the world’s most eco-conscious one-make series thanks to the car’s bio natural gas powered engine.