It's 'truly something special' racing against childhood heroes - O'Donovan

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool

Rising star Patrick O'Donovan has many reasons to smile after securing a podium on his debut in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. 

O'Donovan's rallycross career began in 2018, and in only his second second in the Motorsport UK Junior Rallycross championship, he went on to finish runner-up in the standings. Moving over to the RX150 Rallycross Championship for buggies in 2020, he clinched the title a year later and was recognized as the 2021 Motorsport UK’s Young Driver of the Year. That same year, he competed in the FIA RX2e championship, finishing fourth overall and reaching the podium in Höljes [Sweden]. 

Having established himself, as one to watch, the Brit lifted the British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy Championship on debut, and a year later successfully defended his crown, whilst simultaneously competing in the FIA European Rallycross Championship with the support of the Hansen's #YellowSquad junior development programme.

Hansen Motorsport along with the Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS announced that they'd field a third car in the series finale double-header in Hong Kong, and with his experience, talent, and involvement in the #YellowSquad, it was a no-brainer to put Patrick in the third Zeriod X1 machine. 

The Brit made his intentions known by qualifying third on the opening day in Hong Kong, whilst the two heats did not go according to plan, he sealed a place in the semi-finals and added experience to his belt. 

Returning just a day later, he was right up there again with a fourth-place finish in SuperPole, and a heat race win, picking up the pace to challenge the best of the best in the dual surface discipline, and even beating 2019 world champion and team-mate Timmy Hansen to the podium on his debut.

"I'm over the moon, it was a weekend full of highs and lows, but it was amazing to finish on the podium on my World RX debut, especially in Hong Kong," O'Donovan said. "I had better pace today [Sunday] than on Saturday – my race win in the Heats was one of my highlights, but to move up from the back of the grid in the final to go up the inside to P3 and hold on to the finish was just amazing. After the first corners, the suspension wasn’t in the best condition, and the handling wasn’t perfect, but I just pushed as hard as I could to keep a World Champion in Timmy behind me, to cross the finish line in third."

The 19-year-old Brit admits that racing against his childhood heroes is something truly special.

"To be up here with some of my childhood heroes is just amazing," he said. "I think I worked it out with Timmy [Hansen], and it's probably similar to Johan - that I've been watching them since I was seven or eight years old when they were either competing in World or European Rallycross. To be up here and to be racing against them is truly something special."

Having had his first taste of the World Championship, the highly-rated teenager, acknowledges that his outing in Hong Kong was the highlight of his career, despite competing in other national championships. 

"The European, French, and British Championships are amazing, but up in the World Championship, it's the best of the best. And, I am racing against some world champions - there were two world champions in that race [the final]. To come out and beat one of them, and be only a few seconds behind Johan [Kristoffersson] is amazing. This is definitely my career highlight." he said.

Would you like to see Patrick O'Donovan in a full-time FIA World Rallycross Championship seat in 2024? Have your say in the comment section below!