Doctors give green light: Julien Ingrassia starts in Finland

Good news for the Volkswagen Motorsport team: Julien Ingrassia (F) has been given the all clear to start the Rally Finland (taking part from 01 to 03 August), the eighth race of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) season. World Championship leader Sébastien Ogier’s (F) co-driver had to have an operation on his shoulder at the end of July, after he injured his collar bone whilst riding a mountain bike at a training tour.

Ingrassia did not take part in the most recent test sessions in the Volkswagen Polo R WRC, so that he could make a full recovery as quickly as possible. After a thorough medical examination at the Bad Nauheim Sports Injury Clinic last week and a successful test drive on Saturday, the team of doctors headed by Dr Johannes Peil gave the Frenchman the all clear for the Rally Finland.

“The whole team is very happy that Julien is back to full health and can start racing again,” said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. “Our main priority is always the well-being of our drivers – we never want to take any risks. In the worst case scenario, it would have been better that Julien sits out one race than risk being out for a long time.

You can only start a World Championship rally if you are in good health. That’s why in Nicolas Klinger we would have had an excellent replacement. I would like to thank Nicolas for the great levels of commitment he demonstrated in the most recent test runs and for his willingness to step in for Julien in Finland if needed.”

“I am so relieved that I have managed to get back to full health in time for the Rally Finland. My thanks go out to the doctors for the great job they have done on me and the whole Volkswagen team, who have always supported me and sent me their best wishes. Now, I cannot wait to get back out on the road with Sébastien,” said the 33-year-old.

After seven of this season’s thirteen WRC races, Ogier and Ingrassia lead the Driver’s Championship on 154 points ahead of their Volkswagen team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Mikka Anttila (FIN/FIN), who have notched up 90 points.

Volkswagen Motorsport