Qatar Volkswagen WRC project postponed to 2018

Hi, Steemers!

Leading Qatar driver Nasser Al-Attiyah retired from Dakar rally driving for Toyota South Africa team (prepared by Overdrive team from Belgium run by ex Duval's co-driver Jean Marc Fortin) few days ago. Al-Attiyah won Dakar twice and nobody expected his retirement from event in the first week of it. 

What now?! He will probably concentrate on his rallyraid program (he probably has contract with Toyota in rallyraid for the whole season). 

In WRC he can choose what brand he want to drive. His WRC program is not known at the moment. There was a lot of speculations about private VW 2017 team but that felt in the water when Ogier put his sign on the contract with M-Sport (running Ford Fiesta WRC). 

             Nasser also drove Ford Fiesta in past

It was also known that VW wanted around 15 millions € for a two car team in WRC for 2017. Red Bull was in shape for a leading sponsor (with Qatar of course) but only if Ogier would drive for them. Nothing happened from the whole story and now when Al-Attiyah is retired from Dakar, speculations started again. He says he is trying to make the VW project work for 2018. 

Volkswagen put a lots of money into development of 2017 WRC car but they had to withdrew because of law problems in USA having to pay globe in billions of US$. And that meant less money for motorsport programs. Al-Attiyah says also that they'll work on this project in early 2017 in order to make it a reality for 2018. Nobody can say if VW will continue their development of 2017 car through the season for 2018. The best development is on rallies and they won't contest them.

Show must go on!

Cheers!