Formula Truck Brazil
15. December 2008Lately in the Brazilian Truck Racing Championship two European brands were predominant which officially are not even represented in the European truck racing – Mercedes Benz and Volkswagen. In the Brazilian final at the first December weekend the brand with the three-pointed star was not only the clear winner of the brand ranking ahead of Volkswagen and Scania, but also the champion, Wellington Cirino, as well as the runner-up, Geraldo Piquet, were Mercedes pilots. Last year’s winner, VW Constellation pilots Renato Martins and Felipe Giaffone, had to be content with place 7 and 4, respectively. Earlier this year these two VW pilots were also present during the Buggyra tests in Nogaro (see also our report “First Tests”, February 16, 2008).
Erwin Pape, Senior Vice President of Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge (commercial vehicles) for VW Trucks and Buses, a real truck racing fan with a soft spot for the Brazilian Formula Truck, and a friend of the late Aurélio Batista Félix – originator and organizer of this series – had set this in motion. Pape was also initiator of VW’s involvement in the FIA ETRC. Back then Markus Oestreich and Ralf Druckenmüller secured the last two titles in the SuperRaceTruck series.
Then, together with Aurélio, the former chairman of the VW development division planned to establish a closer link, a more intensive co-operation between the European and the Brazilian truck racing series. But these efforts were abruptly dampened – but not necessarily stopped – by the sudden death of the Brazilian (see also “Mourning for Aurélio”, March 6, 2008).
After all, there are several other European brands markedly present in the Formula Truck. Besides Mercedes Benz and Volkswagen with 6 trucks each, there are also 5 Volvos, 3 Scanias and 3 Ivecos among the total number of 26 trucks.
And also former European Champion Egon Allgäuer doesn’t hide the fact that, at the bottom of his heart, he is an ardent admirer of the Brazilian truck racing scene. And for the past season the Austrian had had in mind to take part in several races in Brazil, parallel to the FIA ETRC. There would have only been one event – the Zolder weekend – coinciding with the Brazilian race dates. At the beginning of the year they had already shipped a MAN RaceTruck, which complied with the Brazilian regulations, to South America. The complementary works were to be done overseas. But the passing away of Aurélio upset all these plans. The control over the MAN RaceTruck and the entire material seemed to rest solely with the organizer of the race series. By the time the authorities gave their okay, the season was almost over. And then Allgäuer’s guest appearance, planned for the final round, fell through due to a sudden failure of the engine.
Remarkable, though, is the fact that MAN – in European truck racing absolutely dominant and leading – is not present at all in Formula Truck. However, today it became known that the Munich manufacturer bought the Brazilian truck-making business of Volkswagen. The deal amounting to € 1.175 Billion should be pulled off by the end of this year. Possibly this alone is a reason that there will be entirely new constellations for the truck racing – on either side.
Photo: Volkswagen
