Learning at racing speed: The ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup makes it easier for young drivers to ­enter professional racing and offers a unique talent promo­tion system as well as a grand stage on which to demonstrate their skills. In 2009, 25 youngsters set out to use this unrivalled opportunity of making a showing at the popular DTM weekends. Former "alumni” of the so-called touring car school have ascended to the DTM, the FIA World Touring Car Championship or sportscar series after starting their careers in the Polo Cup.

The young talents contesting the popular Volkswagen one-make cup are perfectly prepared for moving up into higher motorsport categories. The Polo Cup car is a 150-hp racing version of the Volkswagen Polo. To ensure maximum equality of opportun­ity, the cars are centrally prepared for all drivers by partner Abt Sportsline. Thanks to professional data logging and analysis the talented youngsters have the chance to check their own performances, compare them with those of other drivers, and to efficiently improve. In addition to technical training courses, the coaching programme, which includes an introduction into data analysis, classes on tyres focused on the universal Dunlop tyres used in the cup as well as setup work, encompasses media training, a fitness camp and a pre-season basic training course at which the young racers work on fine-tuning their skills for the new season.

26 talents from six different countries
 
In 2009 more than two dozen talents from six different nations start from the grid – an attractive mix of drivers with previous Polo Cup experience and rookies. In view of the extremely com­petitive field, it is difficult to predict who will have the best chances of winning the title in the touring car school. The seasoned Polo Cup drivers will be meeting with strong rookies in 2009. Numerous new­comers with a year of touring car experience in other racing series under their belts will compete as well as total rookies experiencing their very first season in automobile racing. A total of seven ­drivers fall into this category.
 
Showing skills in a professional environment
 
All of them want to use this first-class stage which the ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup as a DTM partner series offers them. In addition to high spectator and media interest, the touring car "students” can be sure to attract close attention by sponsors and promoters and have the chance to recommend themselves for an ascent to higher classes or for one of the limited slots in the "student exchange” programme.