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The Volkswagen Racing Cup in association with Hankook, which is additionally supported by Augustus Martin, Castrol, ECM Vehicle Delivery, Milltek Sport, Mondial Assistance, KW Automotive, Superchips, TNT Logistics, Turbo Dynamics, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Volkswagen Financial Services UK, takes in 14 rounds at seven British F3/GT-supporting meetings, the first of which is at Easter (22-24 March) at Oulton Park.

4WD DIESEL GOLF IS ANOTHER RACING CUP FIRST

The Volkswagen Racing Cup's class for turbodiesels looks set to be the most keenly fought in several seasons, five TDI runners - including one with a four-wheel-drive Golf - having declared with just under a month to go before the opening rounds.

It's an affirmation that 'alternative' fuels are no longer seen as experimental, says Melissa Wright of Volkswagen Racing UK: 'Diesels have won races against their petrol-powered rivals in the Volkswagen Racing Cup in previous seasons and many competitors are now looking to them to gain a competitive edge. It's going to be an exciting battle this season.'

The Hankook-backed championship - which pioneered turbodiesel racers as long ago as 2002, years before they became fashionable at Le Mans - will claim another world first at Oulton Park next month with the track debuts of a TDI Golf 4Motion and a TDI Beetle.

The four-wheel-drive Golf will be in the hands of Essex racer Chris Adams, who's spent a year building it himself. 'It's exciting to be doing something like this for the first time,' said 34-year-old Chris, a London cabbie by day, 'and I'm hoping that it's going to be a very competitive car not only in wet conditions. My aim is to qualify well, use the four-wheel drive to make a good race start and then try to keep it near the front.' Adams is returning to the championship after five seasons away.

Andrew Smith, meanwhile, is forsaking the VR6-powered Golf which he has raced for two years in favour of a Beetle with 2-litre TDI power. The car is currently in build in the Smith family workshops in Cheshire and is a competitive prospect, says team manager Pete Smith: 'Everyone else with a Beetle has gone the 3.2-litre V6 route; we thought we would be different. It should give us 270 PS and a bucket load of torque.'

The other diesel class competitors lining up for battle are SEAT Director Peter Wyhinny and his exciting TDI Caddy; Giles Lock in the Caddy Classic; and 21-year-old James Walker, son of former truck racing champion and Volkswagen Racing Cup event winner Richard Walker, who will pilot a Mk V Golf TDI.

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