Report: Hackenberg, Hatz to Depart Amid VW Emissions Scandal

Photo: Porsche

Two high-level executives with close links to VW Group’s motorsports programs are set to resign on Friday, amid the company’s emissions scandal.

German newspaper Bild reports that Audi’s board member for technical development Ulrich Hackenberg and Porsche R&D board member Wolfgang Hatz (pictured above) will be dismissed during a meeting of the supervisory board tomorrow.

Hackenberg, who has been responsible for the technical development of all the VW Group’s brands, has been a major influence in Audi’s motorsport activities, while Hatz has been the highest-level executive associated with the Porsche LMP1 program, regularly attending FIA WEC races.

The shakeup comes in the wake of last week’s news that VW Group installed software on 11 million diesel-powered production cars to trick emissions testing.

VW Group CEO Martin Winterkorn announced his resignation on Wednesday, with Porsche CEO Matthias Müller tipped to replace Winterkorn as part of the company’s restructuring.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John