Kristoffersson joins Huff and Bennani at SLR in 2019

Volkswagen is extending its partnership with the Sébastien Loeb Racing team into the 2019 WTCR. A new addition to the team is two-time rallycross world champion and 2018 TCR Scandinavia champion Johan Kristoffersson.
The SLR team will be competing in four Volkswagen works-supported cars next year, with Kristoffersson joining his new teammates Rob Huff, and Mehdi Bennani, both of whom have already been confirmed as being in the 2019 team. The name of the fourth driver will be made known at a later date.

“The WTCR is an excellent platform for the Golf GTI to show off its sporty performance to a global fan base,” emphasises Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets. “In addition, the competition is stiff, and this is reason enough for Volkswagen to up its involvement. I’m delighted that we will have Huff and Bennani on board once again. Together with our rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson, this makes for a very strong line-up of drivers for us in 2019.”

“I’m very much looking forward to the WTCR,” said Kristoffersson. “After four years of rallycross, 2019 will be my first full touring car season on the international stage since 2013. Most of the circuits are entirely new territory for me and therefore represent a huge challenge. I’m also looking forward to working with my new teammates. What’s more, Sébastien Loeb Racing is an experienced team and I’m delighted to be moving within the Volkswagen family.”

“I am delighted to be tackling the WTCR with Sébastien Loeb Racing once again in 2019 and I hope to be a contender for the championship title,” said Huff. “It’s great that Volkswagen has decided to up its involvement to four cars. One of my new teammates will be Kristoffersson, who has a more than impressive WRX season under his belt. And he is already familiar with the Golf GTI TCR. Working with him will no doubt be exciting.”

Bennani added: “I can look back on a good WTCR season with Sébastien Loeb Racing. The highlights were without a doubt my podium finish at home in Morocco and, of course, my win in Wuhan. It’s obviously fantastic for me to be competing with SLR yet again next year. I’m very much looking forward to it.