TYLER ROBINSON SET FOR 12 RACE GERMAN POLO CUP SEASON
The 2026 season marks a defining new chapter for Tyler Robinson, as the South African ace takes on her first full international campaign in the German Polo Cup. As one of the headline competitors in the inaugural season of the championship, Tyler will not only be racing for results but also help shape the identity of a brand-new European one-make series built around parity, driver development, and sustainable motorsport.
A key advantage heading into the season is familiarity. Tyler will be competing in a VW Polo GTI built to near-identical technical specifications to the car raced in South Africa under the South African Touring Cars banner, known locally as SupaCup. Both platforms prioritise mechanical grip, driver input, and race craft over electronic aids, ensuring continuity in driving style and race approach. The primary operational difference is configuration: the South African SupaCup car is right-hand drive, while the German Polo Cup car is left-hand drive, requiring adaptations to cockpit ergonomics, braking references, and spatial awareness rather than a fundamental change in technique.
This continuity directly aligns with Tyler’s strengths. After progressing from elite-level karting, including selection for the FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars programme and international competition, she transitioned into circuit racing with immediate impact. Multiple INEX Legends championship titles were followed by highly competitive seasons in the Astron Energy Polo Cup, where she became only the second, and youngest, female driver to win a Polo Cup race. In 2026, Tyler also debuts in the local SupaCup category, where she hopes to consistently demonstrate front-running qualifying speed, race-winning potential, and maturity in race management against seasoned opposition as she did in the Polo Cup.
The German Polo Cup itself is engineered as a pure driver’s championship. Identical VW Polo GTI race cars producing 300 horsepower, combined with the absence of ABS, traction control, or stability systems, place the emphasis squarely on braking precision, car control, and tyre management. Strict tyre allocations and controlled costs reinforce a level playing field where adaptability and consistency are decisive.
In 2026, the championship will be contested over five rounds, comprising twelve races, delivering a compact yet intense European campaign. The calendar features visits to Oschersleben for the opening round, the Nürburgring, Circuit Zolder, the Lausitzring, and, concluding the season, the Hockenheimring. Each event includes multiple qualifying sessions and races, ensuring substantial competitive mileage and sustained pressure across the season.
Beyond the on-track challenge, the series offers a structured professional development environment. Driver coaching delivered by Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa, comprehensive data analysis support, mental performance training, and formal media coaching elevate the championship beyond a conventional one-make series. This framework aligns closely with the demands of higher-tier international racing and represents a critical developmental step for Tyler.
Coupled with strong international exposure through the DMV Goodyear Racing Days platform, the 2026 German Polo Cup season positions Tyler not just as a competitor but as a driver building a long-term international career. With proven experience in the closely contested Polo Cup and only the left-hand-drive adaptation to master, Tyler enters this European chapter exceptionally well prepared for the challenge ahead.
Published by: Raymond Cornwell
Picture Caption: Tyler Robinson
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