Interview with Kris Nissen, Volkswagen Motorsport Director

Q. What are your thoughts on Season 5 of the VW-JK Tyre Polo Cup here in India?

A. I am very pleased to be here in Chennai, and I am very proud to see what Volkswagen has done down here. The Polo Cup in Chennai looks fantastic and the drivers are doing a fantastic job. I am very happy.

Q. Can you give us a brief comparison between the Polo Cup races that are held abroad and the ones that are being conducted here in India?

A. We have had the Polo Cup concept for more than 10 years now in Germany. We also have it in South Africa, the Jetta TDI-Cup in United States of America, Golf GTI Cup in Japan, Scirocco Cup in China, and now finally the first year of the Polo Cup here in India. It feels really good to have one big team and to have them all get a fair chance to compete against one another. I feel VW has really raised the level of motorsports here in India, and I am really happy to see that we are already No.1 in the Indian Motorsport arena. 

Q What are your thoughts on the drivers competing in the Polo Cup here in India? Do you see potential in the drivers here?

A. If I recollect the race held in Pune, I remember seeing the drivers struggling with the cars, but now I can see that they have adapted well to the cars with their practice sessions here in Chennai. After seeing the battle at the top of the order in the first race in Chennai, I am quite sure that the drivers are now more used to their cars, and the drivers competing in the top 5 have a good chance to manage in International Motorsports. But you also must understand that the cars here are not so good, and with only two race-tracks here in India they will have to compete overseas to get better. 

Q. Can you name two or three drivers from the Indian line-up that you would really like to see go ahead with Motorsports?

A. I really want to see who finally wins the championship, and then talk to the instructors and the organizers down here. Sometimes it isn’t the best driver, who actually ends up winning the championship. It also depends on a lot of other factors, so I think it is a little early to tell as of now. I think we will see many more wonderful drivers competing in this year’s championship.

Q. What do you think about the driving conditions here in India?

A. I think the tracks here in India are the real challenge, and if the drivers can manage to drive on the bumpy and narrow tracks here, they will be better trained to participate in the races taking place abroad. On the organizational front I think everything has been arranged and organized well. Although there was some amount of delay in the first race in Pune, the following rounds have been organized well. The drivers and the team press here are quite ready and have improved a lot. Looking back two years, I think that we have done a fantastic job, and I can safely say that Volkswagen too has done a fantastic job to promote motorsports here in India. 

Q  Looking ahead into the 2011 season, do you see new drivers coming in, or maybe the current lot getting better?

A. There will obviously be thousands of new drivers looking to make an entry into the next season, but we will retain the best drivers from the current season, while also keeping an eye out for new talent as and when we can spot it. 

Q. What are your expectations from the inaugural F1 in Delhi next year? Will you be attempting to host next year’s VW Polo Cup races there?

A. With only two tracks currently to race on here in India, it will be interesting to see how we can work together with the organizers to host the next season there.