Can New Subaru WRX STI GRC Cars Compete With VW and Ford?

Last year at MCAS Red Bull New River Global Rallycross, Lasek and Isachsen both made it to the Final. They couldn’t keep up with the faster cars of Ken Block Patrik Sandell and Nelson Piquet Jr. Subaru Motorsports has been upgrading the 2016 Subaru WRX STI GRC cars and they are ready for their first test. Can they compete with Volkswagen and Ford?

Subaru will compete with the top drivers

It’s coming up July 2-3 at Marine Corps Air Station New River in Jacksonville, NC. The temperatures will be hot and the GRC Supercar grid action will be even hotter. Lasek and Isachsen will compete with top drivers Tanner Foust, Steve Arpin and Scott Speed in the Volkswagen Beetles and Ford Fiesta ST.

Subaru Motorsports brings their freshly updated 2016 WRX STIs prepared by Subaru Rally Team USA technical partners Vermont SportsCar and Subaru Tecnica International (STI). The cars that will run next weekend are the forerunner of a 2017 STI. Subaru put this year on hold as they prepare a 2017 Subaru WRX STI Supercar that they hope will be able to compete with VW and Ford.

PAGE 2: Subaru will use New River Global Rallycross as a test

Lasek and Isachsen will be testing new equipment to see how the upgrades in handling and power are coming along. It’s about preparing the 2017 Subaru WRX STI Supercar that’s coming next year. Lance Smith, Vermont SportsCar Team Principal says, “Vermont SportsCar is working closely with STI in 2016 to take this program to the next level (in 2017) and I'm really looking forward to the future. We are taking some important steps this season to increase our technical and engineering efforts.”

Subaru is bringing two new 2016 WRX STI GRC cars to NC. Lasek and Isachsen will both race in the Red Bull GRC race on July 2-3 for rounds six and seven. Can Subaru’s newly-upgraded 2016 Subaru WRX STI GRC cars win? Stay tuned.

Source: Subaru Motorsports

Image source: Subaru