Nine-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb will make a full-time return to the FIA World Rallycross Championship this year behind the wheel of a Lancia Delta Evo-e RX for Special ONE Racing.
PHOTO CREDIT: Special ONE Racing
Rallycross fans will fondly remember Loeb’s three seasons spent competing in World RX in a Peugeot 208 WRX from 2016 to 2018 – yielding two victories and 15 podium finishes from 36 outings.
Five years on from his rallycross departure, the Frenchman is back, and he will join forces with Special ONE founder Guerlain Chicherit. "I’m from a generation that was brought up seeing wins by Lancia Deltas in rallying, so naturally I have a weakness for this car," he said.
"But when Guerlain spoke to me the first time about tackling a rallycross season with it, I thought he was mad! Then I tried the car last December and was immediately won over by its dynamic qualities. I have great faith in this project and I can’t wait to champion it on tracks around the world."
"I’m very motivated for the challenge, and I think rallycross is the ideal discipline for electrification because we have a lot of power and the races are short. These cars are exciting to drive, and World RX is the perfect platform to promote their evolution. The show on-track is just amazing, with great fights and even more spectacular action than before, and now we have the opportunity to attract a whole new generation of fans."
As a new player in the mobility landscape, Special ONE’s aim is to manufacture and distribute exclusive, eco-friendly retrofits of classic sports vehicles, with the team’s brace of new-generation, 500kW (680bhp) electric rallycross beasts – designed and built by GCK Performance.
PHOTO CREDIT: Special ONE Racing
Special ONE Racing has committed to run its two Delta Evo-e RXs in World RX for at least three seasons.
The team founder, and four-time Free Skiing World Champion Guerlain Chicherit, gave the Lancia a promising debut at the 2022 World RX season finale at Germany’s Nürburgring, but this year, he aims to make history!
"It’s a dream of mine to be able to align two cars from my own brand with World RX, one of which is entrusted to a sporting legend," he said. "The scene is set to see Special ONE Racing become a top-notch team. From this season, we’ll have the opportunity to make history, becoming the first to have a retrofitted car win a World Championship event. Let’s get going!"
The first of nine rounds in the 2023 FIA World RX season is set to take place on 03 and 04 June in Montalegre, Portugal.
No comments:
Post a Comment