2018 Canadian Grand Prix: FIA Drivers Press Conference TRANSCRIPT

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA 

DRIVERS – Valtteri BOTTAS (Mercedes), Lance STROLL (Williams), Stoffel VANDOORNE (McLaren), Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing)

PRESS CONFERENCE

Lance, it’s your home race and a very busy week for you, but you must be very excited to be back racing in Montreal? 

Lance STROLL: Absolutely. It’s great to be home. I really enjoyed my week, catching up with friends, family. It was a bit of a busy week, a lot going to, but great to be home and can’t wait to jump in the car tomorrow.

Obviously you had a bit of a tough time in the last race in Monaco. How does Williams go about bouncing back from that weekend, both here and moving forward this season? 

LS: It’s a very different kind of circuit here in Montreal. We learned from what wrong in Monaco and it’s a long year. Moving forward, we’ve analysed a lot of our weaknesses and we’re working on how to solve them.

Max, it was a tough Saturday for you in Monaco, but a better Sunday. So did you leave the last race with a few positives to take from the weekend? 

Max VERSTAPPEN: Yeah, I enjoyed the race. I had a good battle with Stoffel as well. He was not giving me a lot of room, which was good to see. Yeah, I got back into the points, you know, starting last, so I definitely enjoyed myself on Sunday. 

After the race on Sunday there were some comments from the team that maybe a change of approach might benefit you. What does that really mean and will we see a change of approach from you? 

MV: Well, you know, I get really tired of all the comments of me, that I should change my approach. I will never do that, because it’s brought me to where I am right now. After a race, it’s not the right time to talk. So everybody who has those comments, I don’t listen to it anyway. I just do my own thing. Of course, the beginning of the year so far it hasn’t been going so well, not in the way I liked it. A few mistakes, I think especially Monaco and China, but it doesn’t make sense to keep talking about it, because I get really tired of it. Yeah, it just feels like there are no better questions out there than to keep asking me about what happened in the previous weekend. So yeah, I’m just focusing on what’s ahead. I’m confident that I can turn things around. You know the speed is there. I’ve always been quick, every single weekend. It would be much of a problem if I was really slow, because that’s a critical problem. 

Thank you very much. Valtteri, Monaco was described as damage limitation for Mercedes by Toto Wolff, but it was probably slightly more competitive than maybe the team expected. Does that mean that maybe you’ve ironed out some of the weaknesses in the car? And you’ve traditionally been strong here, so do the strengths remain in place?

Valtteri BOTTAS: Definitely Monaco was tough. We always knew that it could be, and that it could be a really strong circuit for Red Bull and Ferrari. So yeah, I think it was damage limitation and we were more or less matching the performance we estimated, or even slightly below. It definitely highlights all the weaknesses we have in the car. The car is definitely not designed for Monaco. The car is designed for most of circuits to be quick, including this one. So at least last year, if the trend stays similar, that we were weak in Monaco and good here, I hope so, because it was a really good for us and hopefully we can have a good weekend here. 

Just on a personal note for you, if you had have won the race in Baku you would have been leading the Drivers’ Championship. Now, two races later, you’re 42 points off the championship lead. Do you feel you have had the returns you deserve this season so far? 

VB: Well, I don’t want to think about too far behind. Those are the points we have now and I need to deal with it, we need to deal with it, as a team. So, I’m also just really looking ahead. It’s still very early in the season, anything can happen, and I hope I have had my run of bad luck for the year and that things can turn around. There’s no point really in stressing about it. I just want to keep going. I want to win races and I’m sure it will come. 

Thank you. Stoffel, similar to Valtteri really. The statistics say that Fernando has got the better of you in qualifying and the races so far this year, but do you feel that tells the whole story of your performance?

Stoffel VANDOORNE: No, I don’t think it tells the whole story. Obviously, the statistics tell maybe that, but I think in reality we are very, very closely matched. In terms of where I was last year, I feel I’m in a much better position this year. I think things have not always gone my way. We lacked a little bit of luck on some occasions. And some occasions Fernando was just the quicker one as well, which is normal. I think we are going in the right direction. The team is moving forward. We’ve obviously had a tough start to the season. There were a lot of expectations on our team and we’ve not managed to perform as expected. So we keep improving race after race and hopefully this weekend we can show we made another step forward. 

The team was managing to pick up points with both cars at the start of the season, but the last couple of race that seems to have tailed off a bit. Can you tell us why that is? 

SV: Yeah, it’s been a little bit of a difficult period. I had a retirement in Spain and then Fernando had a retirement in Monaco. Obviously that was not ideal, but I think we are still very close in this midfield and one weekend we are a bit stronger than another one. The last couple of races have been difficult tracks for us as well in terms of overtaking. I think this weekend is a different story again. It’s a new weekend, this track is completely different to the other ones and hopefully should provide us some opportunities. 

QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR

Q: (Andrea Cremonesi - La Gazzetta dello Sport) Question for Bottas and one for Verstappen, about the engine. We know the Mercedes engine is not here, the update is not here, so I would like to know how do you feel, if you have a big handicap or not. And for Max, I think that you will use the new engine, I would like to know what you expect from the upgrade?

VB: We were initially expecting to bring the new power units to this race, which would have been a small gain compared to the old one. We found some issues so, just to be safe we need to make it perfect and hopefully run it in two weeks. For sure the new one would have been a little bit better – but it's not like our old engine, the phase one, is a bad engine. It’s a good one and it’s still healthy. It’s been reliable, so no concerns on that. We’re also planning to use it again later this year in Budapest – but now, instead of that, we’re going to use the new one in Budapest, so I think it’s going to be a small penalty. Obviously would have been nice but that’s how it is. 

Max?
MV: Yeah, I expect a little bit more horsepower – but yeah, we’ll see on track how it’s going to perform but, of course, it’s always good to get an update.

Q: (Heikki Kulta – Turun Sanomat) Valtteri, you have always liked Canada. How much more would you like it if you would be the third ever Finnish winner here?

VB: Yeah! Definitely always liked it here. I love the track; I love the place and I’ve normally had pretty decent races here so we want to do that again as a team and me personally. Of course, winning here would mean a lot – like winning every race for me. 

Q: (Jonathan McEvoy - Daily Mail) To Max, why have you had so many accidents?

MV: I don’t know. And, like I said in the beginning of this press conference, I get really tired of all the questions, so… yeah… I think if I get a few more I’ll head-butt someone.

Q: (François-David Rouleau – Le Journal de Montréal) You were talking about your car in Monaco, can you please elaborate what went wrong over there and how could you improve the car this week in Montreal?

LS: It was just a frustrating weekend start to end really. Never really… yeah… I wasn’t really able to dial in and I never felt like I had the car under me to be able to piece everything together. Sometimes those weekends happen. It’s a very unique track kind of track also. I think Monaco is a one-off event and it’s really important to really have the confidence to push the car and I never felt like I got to that point in Monaco – but it was one race. I felt much better in all the other races, so I’m turning the page here this weekend and looking forward to Montreal. 

Q: (Bill Beacon – Canadian Press) For Lance. There are reports you will be signing a new contract with Williams at some point soon. How do you feel your progress has been in your second year – and are you looking forward to getting a new deal with them?

LS: I’m not aware of the contract. To be honest, I’ve just been focussed on driving the car and getting the most out of myself every weekend. But yeah, it’s been a frustrating start for all of us. As a team, we’re not where we want to be – but in many ways it’s also been very positive in my view. Even though it might not show in terms of results, due to where our package is today but I feel like in many ways I’ve made a big step over the winter. Looking back at where I was last year. And, it’s a very long year. Formula One’s a marathon so I’m looking forward to the rest of the season. Hopefully we can turn things around and pick up some more points and go on to have a great rest of the season.

Q: (Dan Knutson – Auto Action and Speedsport) A contract question for you, Valtteri: how do you deal with this contract in limbo? Do you just ignore it and get on with the job or do you talk to people or what do you do? 

VB: Yes, during the race weekend especially, just ignore it, focus on the job, that’s always the best thing to do and when the time is right, then between the races ideally you start to speak with the team but the time is not quite yet but I have no worries or no pressure on that. I feel I’m in a good place and everything between me and the team has been very positive, we’re making good progress together all the time, so just need to continue and we will see a little bit later on. 

Q: (Maxime Sarrasin – 98.5FM) Lance, first of all: do you know, 40 years ago Gilles Villeneuve made history with his win around here in Montreal, so how do you see your race… all the festivities surrounding the anniversary of that win? 

LS: Yeah, I mean it’s a bit before my time but no, it’s great to be here in Montreal.  Reflecting on last year, I had a great race here, first points in Formula One and I’m looking forward to this year. The whole weekend last year was very emotional and I’m really just looking forward to this year and it’s always great to be home. It’s definitely the most special weekend of the year for me. 

Q: (Andrea Cremonesi – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Following the question for Max, do you think that with the upgrade, looking maybe at the simulation you have at Milton Keynes, it’s possible in the end to match Mercedes and Ferrari in Q3? 

MV: I don’t think so but we will be a little bit closer, hopefully. 

Q: (Arjan Schouten – Sportwereld) Max, you were talking a lot about only focusing on the next week, on the next race. How does that process work after Monaco? Is that only a case of clearing your head and looking forward or speaking a lot with people like your father and team principals?

MV: It’s not really a process. You’ve done that Grand Prix, yeah, you go back to the team, you analyse everything and you speak to family, friends, whatever but I know very well what can be done better and what was good and you try to put that in place for the next Grand Prix. 

Q: (Phil Duncan – Press Association) At the risk of being head-butted, Max, I was just wondering do you think you can explain why you have had more crashes this year? Because you’ve had more than you’ve ever had in your Formula One career so far. It seems a legitimate question to ask. 

MV: I don’t think so, just two which were my fault but I had, for example, three in one weekend in 2016 in Monaco. It’s not that dramatic as people say it is. Of course, I haven’t scored the points which I should have scored but that was not only my fault. Could have been better, but everybody makes it so dramatic. 

Q: (Francois-David Rouleau – Journal de Montreal) Lance, what’s your degree of confidence about your engine this weekend, because it’s a really rough track for the engine here in Montreal? 

LS: Yeah, every track has their challenges. Montreal has its challenges. Yeah, do everything we can to walk away with a good result. 

Q: Yeah Lance, Mercedes delaying the upgraded power unit affects Williams as well; could you just give us your reaction to that? 

LS: That’s the situation we’re in, all the Mercedes-powered teams are in the same boat. It’s not ideal but that’s the nature of the sport so we’ll do what we can with what we have but there’s still definitely a lot of opportunity and there’s no reason why we can’t do a good job here in Montreal. 

Q: (Jon McEvoy – Daily Mail) Max, how much would you like to win here, to draw a line under the ups and downs of the season? 

MV: I like to win every single Grand Prix. It’s not that before it was different, so I approach this as I always do.

The FIA World Rallycross championship goes electric.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross

The World Motorsport Council (WMSC) have today approved the transformation of the current FIA World Rallycross Championship into the FIA Electric World Rallycross Championship from 2020.

The sporting format of the events (12 to 14 per season) will remain identical to the current format (practice, four qualifying heats, two semi-finals and one final), with with both manufacturers and privateers eligible to take part. 

The WMSC outlined that privateers entrants may homologate their own cars, on the condition that they use the common battery and chassis, and design their bodywork from a generic car model required by the FIA.

Williams has been designated as the "Single Battery Supplier", while Oreca have will be the "Single Chassis Supplier" to the series. Both suppliers were awarded the contract from 2020 to 2023. 

The 2020 FIA World Rallycross cars will remain four-wheel drive ‘Silhouette-type’ cars, but will have the addition of two electric motors (one front and one rear), 500kW, a common battery and a common chassis. "The “powertrain” regulations are derived from those applicable for Formula E cars, with some restrictions aimed at controlling costs and development," says the FIA WMSC press release.

Only two-car teams are eligable to score points for the Drivers and Manufacturers Championships. "Four best results among cars from each Manufacturer per event to count towards the Manufacturers’ Championship classification."

The WMSC have also announced the creation of a Team Trophy, for privateer teams.

PREVIEW: Alex Wurz joins a 22-strong car entry to Hell.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross

PREVIEW BY: FIA World Rallycross Media

The FIA World Rallycross Championship ventures into the Nordic heartlands this weekend (9-10 June) with a visit to the famed Hell circuit for Team Verksted World RX of Norway, round five of the 2018 season.

PSRX Volkswagen Sweden’s Johan Kristoffersson leads the drivers’ standings after a third win from four events at World RX of Great Britain, extending his advantage to 14 points over Team Peugeot Total’s Sebastien Loeb. EKS Audi Sport’s Andreas Bakkerud makes it three manufacturers inside the top three overall, 22 points adrift of the top spot. 

Held at Lankebanen, World RX of Norway is a mainstay of the schedule as one of six events that have featured on the calendar every year since the inaugural World RX season in 2014. Among the faster tracks in the championship, Lankebanen’s undulating layout and sweeping curves are a firm favourite among drivers.

Kristoffersson goes to Hell seeking a repeat of his commanding win twelve months ago when the Swedish driver denied local favourite Bakkerud a popular win. 

Bakkerud enjoys a strong record on home soil having celebrated victory in 2016, scoring a remarkable 'clean sweep' of wins in all four qualifying races, his semi-final and the final. Moreover, he starts the Norwegian event on the back of a second-place finish at Silverstone, his best result since joining EKS Audi Sport.

By contrast, countryman Solberg is chasing a first podium in front of his adoring fans since 2014, as well as a timely strong result to haul himself back into contention following a semi-final exit at Silverstone. 

The only driver to stand on the podium at each round this season, Loeb scored a top three result in Hell last year but has his sights set firmly on victory this time around. Similarly, Team Peugeot Total team-mate Timmy Hansen will seek a return to winning ways after triumphing in Norway in 2015.

This year’s event will see 22 Supercar entries take to the starting grid, including four Norwegian drivers –  Solberg and Bakkerud, plus wild-card entries Tommy Rustad (HTB-Marklund Motorsport) and Kjetil Larsen, both driving Volkswagen Polos. 

Team Verksted World RX of Norway will also see the much-anticipated international rallycross debut of former F1 driver Alex Wurz, who will compete in the MJP Racing Team Austria Ford Fiesta. One of motorsport’s most versatile racers, the McLaren, Williams and Benetton driver started 69 grands prix and recorded three podiums in an F1 career spanning ten years. He is also a two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner. 

Wurz lines up alongside team owner Max Pucher, who makes his first World RX start since 2015 as part of an all-Austrian assault. 

Euro RX front runner Anton Marklund makes a second World RX appearance of the season in the Marklund Motorsport VW Polo, while Finnish racer Joni-Pekka Rajala takes on the second Team STARD Ford Fiesta alongside permanent entry Janis Baumanis.

Alex Wurz, MJP Racing Team Austria, said: “I grew up on rallycross tracks as my Dad is a three-time European champion and I’ve always loved the sport. I’m not one to shy away from a challenge, so I thought where better than Hell to throw myself into the deep end with the big World RX dogs. I’m so pleased Max Pucher has given me this opportunity to compete and I’m really proud to be part of MJP Racing Team Austria. I’m definitely managing my expectations but I will enjoy every minute.”

World RX Managing Director for IMG, Paul Bellamy commented: “We always look forward to returning to the Nordic regions and Hell. There is no doubt the always-vocal and passionate Norwegian fans will be out in force to support Petter Solberg and Andreas Bakkerud around a circuit that produces fantastic action year-after-year. Moreover, it is a pleasure to welcome former F1 driver and Le Mans 24 Hours race winner Alex Wurz to the starting grid in Norway. Based on the classic World RX racing we have already seen this season, it is certainly no coincidence drivers of Alex’s calibre want to join the rallycross ranks. With stars of rallying, touring cars and single-seaters already competing in World RX, it once again serves to demonstrates the immense appeal of World RX across motorsport.”

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

The FIA reveals a new ULTRA-PROTECTION helmet to be adopted in F1 for 2019.

New helmets will be mandatory for F1 from 2019
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA.com

FIA STORY & INFORMATION.

The FIA has released a new top-end helmet standard that will bring about increased protection for racing drivers in all major championships.

This follows over a decade of research to create the ultimate standard for helmet manufacturers to meet to further increase safety.

The latest standard, called FIA 8860-2018, outlines the design and performance requirements that the helmet manufacturers must achieve to provide equipment for the FIA’s top series. It will be mandatory for Formula One from 2019 and in other championships soon after.

These new helmets will offer a number of safety benefits, including advanced ballistic protection, increased energy absorption and an extended area of protection for drivers.

Laurent Mekies, FIA Safety Director, said: “The current top-end helmets are already the safest in the world but the new standard will take them to the next level. It is important for all of our safety research that we continually strive to improve and this is why we are requiring all manufacturers to meet this tougher standard for our championships.”

Throughout the research programme, FIA researchers worked closely with F1 helmet manufacturers such as Stilo, Bell Racing, Schuberth and Arai. It is now up to these manufacturers to deliver the production versions of the new helmets for the 2019 F1 season.

Stephane Cohen, Bell Racing Helmets Chairman, said: “The area of testing will be expanded compared to what we currently enjoy, which means that the overall protection of those helmets could be considered better and as usual the FIA will be at the forefront of helmet protection technology. This will be the most advanced standard in the world without any possible discussion.”

Changes based on the new standard include:

• Top of visor opening lowered by 10mm to incorporate advanced ballistic protection that achieves unprecedented levels of safety during impact from debris.
• Extended areas of protection on sides to offer compatibility with latest single-seater headrests and closed car seat-side head protection systems, ensuring energy management is exactly where headrests are positioned.
• Helmet shell construction using advanced composite materials to ensure it is not only tough but also resistant to crushing and penetration.
• Test methods include variable crash speeds to account for different accidents and a range of weights to account for different mass headforms.

Toughened Tests

Under the new FIA 8860-2018 standard all helmets must withstand the following tests:

1. Standard impact: Helmet impact at 9.5m/s. Peak deceleration on ‘driver’s head’ shall not exceed 275G.
2. Low velocity impact: Helmet impact at 6m/s. Peak deceleration shall not exceed 200G with a maximum average of 180g.
3. Low lateral impact: Helmet impact at 8.5m/s. Peak deceleration shall not exceed 275G.
4. Advanced Ballistic Protection: A 225g metal projectile fired at 250km/h. The peak deceleration shall not exceed 275G.
5. Crush: A 10kg weight falling 5.1 metres onto helmet. Lateral and longitudinal tests. The transmitted force should not exceed 10 kN.
6. Shell penetration: A 4kg impactor dropped onto helmet at 7.7 m/s.
7. Visor penetration: Air rifle fires 1.2g pellet at visor. Pellet must not penetrate the interior of the helmet.
8. Visor coating: Transmitter test to ensure colouration and vision is not significantly changed or distorted.
9. Retention system: Roll-off test and dynamic test to ensure strength of chin strap and its attachments.
10. Chin guard linear impact: Impact test with full headform at 5.5m/s. The peak deceleration shall not exceed 275G.
11. Chin guard crush: Hammer hits chin guard and measures ability to keep impact away from the head.
12. FHR mechanical strength: Test to ensure high strength of attachment points for Frontal Head Restraints.
13. Projection and surface friction: Test to ensure helmet surface uniformity and that friction is minimised. Shell surface also subjected to BARCOL hardness test for resistance to penetration.
14. Flammability: Helmet exposed to 790 C° flame; it must self-extinguish once flame is removed.

GRX Taneco heads full speed to Hell!

PHOTO CREDIT: GRX Taneco Team.

The GRX Taneco team have made a remarkable start to the season in their brand new Hyundai i20 Supercars. For the second time in four races, Niclas Grönholm made the final at Silverstone. Timur Timerzyanov has also regularly featured in the semi-finals. 

The i20 Supercar was developed around the infrastructure of Hyundai’s full factory i20 WRC machine, and has improved with each race and is now able to jockey for position with the best cars in the championship.

Niclas Grönholm and Timur Timerzyanov have been working closely with the technical crew to improve the i20 Supercar’s settings for every kind of terrain and a full range of conditions, keen to improve their position among the frontrunners. 

“I feel increasingly at ease with the i20 Supercar," said Grönholm. "We are making constant progress and I hope that we can nail down that certain something that will bring us closer to the leaders." 

Grönholm failed to make it into the top 12 at the 2017 World RX of Norway driving a Ford Fiesta RX Supercar, but hopes to improve this year.

"There are a few drops and climbs around the circuit. It’s great to drive on when you’ve found your pace," says Grönholm. "It’s not necessarily my favourite track but I think we can do great things there with the i20!”

The Hell rallycross circuit is located near Trondheim in central Norway. The track is 63% asphalt and 37% dirt and measures 1,019 metres long. The lap record is 38.246s set by Johan Kristoffersson in 2017. 

Timerzyanov has qualified for the final in Norway every time since the World Championship began in 2014 and has taken a podium spot there three times in the European series.

“I really like the circuit and I’ve always been fast in Norway," says Timerzyanov. "In 2016, I was on the verge of my first WRX victory when I got a puncture in the final." . 

"I feel confident in the car and I’m ready to do battle! The team has been working hard to improve the i20 Supercar," the Russian adds. "We’ll be going all out. I’m really optimistic and raring to go now.”

Hell provides Team Peugeot Total with a vital opportunity to make more progress.

PHOTO CREDIT: Peugeot Sport.

Scoring a podium at every event so far – including 1 win – Team Peugeot Total is currently 3rd in the provisional World RX Teams’ Championship, just 1 point behind 2nd, while Sébastien Loeb is chasing the leader in the provisional Drivers’ Standings. Timmy and Kevin Hansen drove their Peugeot 208 WRX to 6th and 8th overall provisional positions so far. With the championship rapidly approaching the halfway point, Norway provides a vital opportunity to make more progress.

The Hell track, cut dramatically into a hillside, is 1.019-kilometres long with 6 technical yet flowing corners. The lap is 63% asphalt and 37% gravel, with the joker lap located at the very 1st corner. The lap record currently stands at 38.246 seconds from last year. 

Team Peugeot Total's cars are the same specification as were seen in Silverstone, but the team have been doing some testing in France last week for the future, and more time in the 208 WRX for the drivers is a positive benefit. 

The Team Peugeot Total drivers talk #HellRX: 
                            
Sébastien Loeb
“There’s a really nice atmosphere in Norway and I’ve got very good memories; both from rallying and then in rallycross. We’ve had a really consistent start to the season, so we need to continue this way; the tactic is to try and win but not at any cost because you have to keep on scoring points, or you can ruin your chances. Since Silverstone it’s been a very busy time: we’ve been testing, and I also drove the mythic PEUGEOT 306 Maxi at the Rallye du Chablais in Switzerland. It’s no problem for me to jump from one car into the other because they are so different, but it’s always nice to jump into the rallycross car again when you have been away from it for a while; the power and speed is really impressive.”

Timmy Hansen
“I really enjoy Hell – I’ve won in the past – and I’ve always been quick there: I’m not quite sure why. It’s a challenging track in a beautiful location, and it’s very up and down. So grip levels are changing all the time, and the key to a good lap is to get proper traction out of all the corners. For that you need to get the set-up exactly right but that’s not easy: it’s definitely a circuit where you build up to speed and make small changes as you go along throughout the weekend, which help you to gain confidence and brake a little bit later every time. One interesting point is the joker lap on the first corner: it means that you need a firm plan at the beginning of the race, as there isn’t really time to react if you’re taking the joker straight away. It’s often quite a good idea to take the joker lap early there: you can make up a lot of time.”

Kevin Hansen
“This circuit is a lot of fun and I’m feeling confident. It’s a high-grip track with some long corners, so that should suit the characteristics of our car quite well. In the end though, a good car is a good car that works well everywhere, and I think that is what we have got this year. The main challenges in Norway are managing all the different elevation changes and keeping the rhythm. When you get it right, it’s really satisfying. We’re definitely on the right track, so my aim is to carry on like this now.”

Hell awaits Andreas Bakkerud and EKS Audi Sport.

PHOTO CREDIT: Audi Sport

EKS Audi Sport supported by Audi, Peugeot and Volkswagen after four rounds are within only 23 points of each other in the teams’ classification, the top five of the drivers’ world championship within only 25 points.

On home soil this weekend, Andreas Bakkerud has particularly enthusiastic fans that stand out in any paddock in their bright blue T-shirts [#BakkerudLife]. At their home venue they will turn out in particularly large numbers and frenetically cheer on their hero. '

“I’m tremendously excited about the event,” says Bakkerud who is planning various activities with his fans. “Hell is both my home round and one of my absolutely favorite tracks. Following my podium for EKS Audi Sport at Silverstone, I’m aiming for more – preferably a victory of course.”

In 2016, Bakkerud became the first driver in World RX history to achieve a perfect weekend of winning six races and scoring maximum points. Last year, he finished as runner-up.

Mattias Ekström took third place in 2016. “The track is simply fantastic,” says Ekström. 

“My favorite corner is Turn 2, a downhill left-hander. That’s where you feel like the car is getting an extra power boost. The entrance to the Joker Lap is one of the best. There I go into a really great drift at high speed," said Ekström. "The spectators have a full view of the track from practically all the seats. Plus, the race at Hell will always be a very special one for me because that’s where the EKS story began in 2014.”

Between the Silverstone and Hell, EKS Audi Sport tested dampers and practiced starts in Sweden. “We’re very strong this year,” says Mattias Ekström. “But we need to continue to improve in order to defeat the Peugeot and Volkswagen teams – and that’s our goal.”

MERCEDES FEATURE: Safety Cars & Virtual Safety Cars.

Safety Cars (SC) and Virtual Safety Cars (VSC) have played a crucial role in the outcome of half of the races so far this season. One of the most memorable races in recent years when it comes to Safety Cars was the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix. So we thought we'd delve deeper into the topic. 

What makes a Safety Car challenging for the team? 
The biggest challenge a Safety Car brings to the team is to make the right strategy choices. Under the SC the tyres will very quickly become cold. If they're new tyres, that's not much of a problem as they will be back in their operating window fairly quickly after the re-start, usually after two to three laps. Tyres that are in the middle or the end of their stint are much more difficult in that respect as they will re-start slower - or not at all. Without a Safety Car, at regular speeds and temperatures, those tyres would still generate good grip. However, once the energy is taken out, there is not enough rubber left on the tyre to re-start it. Newer tyres provide more grip because there's more rubber on the tyre and are thus able to generate more energy which will then heat up the tyre quicker. Anticipating how the tyres will behave after the end of the Safety Car is challenging as it is very tricky to simulate tyre wear and because it is difficult to know how much tyre wear there is live in the race. So the decision on whether or not the team thinks the tyre will re-start is based mostly on the strategic experience of the team in addition to information about the tyres from the drivers before the Safety Car. 

How does the team make sure it can react quickly to a Safety Car? 
The strategy group is in a continuous evaluation process, trying to anticipate what would happen if the Safety Car were to come out two, three or even five or more laps down the line, so that they can make the call on a pit stop as quickly as possible. If the team decides the situation in the race offers a good opportunity for a pit stop under a Safety Car, the driver is told "You're in your Safety Car window". That way the driver knows that he can come in without needing further confirmation from the team. The pit crew would already be waiting for him because they're on standby as soon as the Safety Car is deployed. 

What is the biggest challenge the Safety Car creates for the drivers? 
For the drivers, the re-start of the race is especially challenging. This moment is tricky because the tyres don't just lose temperature under the Safety Car, but also grip. F1 tyres generate the most grip in a specific temperature window that is usually well above 100 degrees Celsius. Outside of the temperature window, the grip levels drop quite considerably. In order to reach the maximum grip as fast as possible, the tyres are pre-heated to 110 degrees before they go on the car. Under a Safety Car, however, the tyre temperature can easily drop 40 degrees relative to peak, and thus lose a lot of its grip. So in terms of grip levels the first laps after a Safety Car are completely different to any other lap the drivers have done all weekend and it is very difficult to find the maximum level of grip. In Canada, this is particularly true for the big braking into Turn 1 and into the hairpin at Turn 10 as it is very easy to lock up the tyres. Especially braking into the chicane, it is very likely to see a change in position there as one driver will take more risks than the other. 

How long does it take for the tyres to heat up again? 
Depending on the layout of the track, it will typically take two to three laps to bring the tyres up to temperature again. But in the most extreme cases, it can take much longer than that. Baku, for example, is a track that makes it very difficult for the drivers to heat up their tyres as it features a very long straight where the tyres cool down and a lot of slow corners that don't generate a lot of energy into the tyres. 

Are there any other challenges for the drivers? 
Brakes can also create quite a challenge under a Safety Car. When the brakes are already hot, they're at risk of overheating as they require airflow for cooling. Due to the slower speeds under the Safety Car, the airflow and thus the cooling effect is limited, so the brakes can easily overheat. Cold brakes, on the other hand, aren't great either as the brakes work best when they're warm. So the drivers might try and generate temperature into the brakes using various driving techniques. This, however, is difficult to control as it is extremely easy to generate very hot brakes, due to no airflow coming in. 

Are there any benefits to a Safety Car? 
The Safety Car is deployed "whenever there is an immediate hazard but the conditions do not require the race to be interrupted". It ensures the safety of the marshals around the track and the extra safety is certainly the biggest benefit from deploying the Safety Car. However, there are some collateral benefits for the teams - for example, with fuel saving. A track like the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal is fuel limited, meaning that the drivers cannot go flat-out for all 70 laps of the Canadian Grand Prix and will have to do some form of fuel saving to make it to the end on the 105 kg fuel allowance. Under a Safety Car, the drivers can save fuel which they can then use for maximum performance later when the race gets going again. 

How much slower is the Safety Car? 
That depends on the track. Last year in Canada, the Safety Car came out at the very beginning of the race after a crash on the opening lap in Turn 3. Under the Safety Car, Lewis' did lap times of over 2 minutes (2:02.231 on lap 2). Even with relatively cold tyres in his first lap after the Safety Car he did a 1:18.135, compared to 1:16.296 with warmer tyres in lap 10. So the lap under the SC took roughly 60 percent longer. The speed differences between the Safety Car and a Formula One car depend on the area of the track. On a regular lap, an F1 car will take Turn 3 in Canada at roughly 125 kph; under the SC, however, they do only 45 kph. The difference in the hairpin (Turn 10) is roughly 15 kph (65kph vs 50kph under the SC). But it's not just the cornering speeds that are limited under the Safety Car, it's also acceleration and top speed. Last year, F1 cars took the speed trap before Turn 13 at over 300 kph, but clocked in "only" 230 kph under the Safety Car. Wide Open Throttle (WOT) time is also affected by the Safety Car - on a regular lap, WOT time around Montreal accounts for over 50 percent of the lap; under the Safety Car it's only about two percent. The slower laps under the SC are also reflected in the gear shifts. Drivers shift through the gears roughly 80 times on a regular lap in Canada, but only 50 times under the Safety Car. 

What are the main differences and similarities between a Safety Car and the Virtual Safety Car? 
In general, the VSC and the Safety Car are quite similar. Both will bring down the tyre temperatures, both will make the re-start tricky. However, the VSC is usually less challenging for the team because the cars travel faster and thus the drop in tyre temperature is not as steep as it is under the Safety Car. This effect is intensified by the fact that a regular Safety Car typically lasts about four laps, but a VSC only tends to last one to two. The VSC also doesn't bunch the field up, so on the re-start the next driver should be the same distance behind as before the VSC was deployed. 

FEATURE BY: Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport

PSRX Volkwagen Sweden hope to unlock more pace from the Polo R Supercar.

PHOTO CREDIT: PSRX Volkswagen Sweden

PSRX Volkswagen Sweden might lead the FIA World Rallycross teams' and drivers' standings, but they have had close battles with the likes of Peugeot Total and EKS Audi Sport. 

With testing being restricted this season, and with a break coming up between the World RX of Norway and the Swedish round, Johan Kristoffersson hopes that the team can find and unlock more pace in the PSRX Volkswagen Polo R Supercar.

"I think Petter and I are really keen to try to get some testing in with the car; we have a fantastic car in the Polo R Supercar – it’s such a great package," said Kristoffersson. "But I think we have more potential with this car."

Team Peugeot Total 208 RX Supercar appeared faster then PSRX Volkswagen Sweden, but track position provided vital. Petter Solberg has had incredible starts in his Polo R Supercar, but has not had the luck of late. 

Kristoffersson believes that there is more potential in the Polo R Supercar. 

“I think we’re still to find the sweet spot with this one – there’s more to come," Kristoffersson adds. "There are some ideas, some really small details with the car which I would love to test. Will they make the car quicker? I don’t know for sure, but to try them would give us some more ideas for making the car even more perfect!”

Kristoffersson heads to Hell with the aim of driving his own race.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media.

Swede Johan Kristoffersson extended his championship points lead by claiming victory at the World RX of Great Britain. PSRX Volkswagen Sweden and Johan heads to Hell in good shape, having won the World RX of Norway last year and three of the first four races of this season.

“I like this track. I won here last year and the Volkswagen Polo R Supercar was really fast there – I hope it’s going to be the same story this time," said Kristoffersson. "This is an original rallycross track, the way it flows is really nice. Great track."

The Swede set the fastest lap (38.246s) around the 1.019km Hell circuit last year. 

“What I also like a lot is that the [entry to the] joker lap is in the first corner, so this splits out the field a bit more straight away from the start," says Kristoffersson. "There should be less first-corner carnage than we have seen in some of the races more recently with the cars a bit more spread out."

The circuit contains a mixture of surfaces, 63% Asphalt and 37% Gravel. 

The Swede did not have the cleanest of weekends in UK, but he found more pace on Sunday and was quick enough to take pole position for the final.

"The last round at Silverstone was a tough track, it was just corner-corner-corner all the time, there was no real gravel there and nowhere to carry speed," he adds. "But what was good for me a few times was to get out at the front, get into some clear air, get clear of the pack and drive my race – I feel I didn’t do much of that this season and that’s what I want to do more of this weekend."

“You know the one thing that would be nice is some more consistent conditions. In the last few races we’ve had sun-rain-snow-sun-rain-sun… Just the sunshine would be good and hopefully that’s going to be coming now we’re a little bit more in the summer," Kristoffersson concludes.

Petter Solberg: "I need a result to turn things around a little bit."

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media.

After a tough round in Silverstone, Petter Solberg heads to his home round in search of more luck. The Norwegian failed to qualify for the final in UK after retiring with mechanical issues after Turn 1 drama involving himself and his teammate Johan Krisoffersson in the semi-final.

The Norwegian failed to qualify for the final at the World RX of Norway in 2017, but hope's his early season misfortune (in 2018) can be turned around this weekend. 

“This might be my home race, but it’s not one that has ever been kind to me though – I’ve had quite a lot of bad luck here and this week would be a really good time for that to change!," said Solberg. 

After failing to make it through to the final in UK, Petter lost vital championship points which saw him fall to fourth in the drivers' standings (25 points behind his teammate).

"Not making the final at the last round in Silverstone was so frustrating for me and, of course, I’m not happy with the place in the championship," says Solberg."I have to work on this in Norway, I need a result to turn things around a little bit."

“I have been at these times in motorsport before, you get one small thing that works for you and it’s like a trigger for everything else,'' he adds. 

"You know the team is doing a fantastic job; Volkswagen Motorsport and R is incredible what we have with the car and I feel like my driving is good – but I just need a break.”

Kevin Hansen: "This weekend has been one that really turned a corner for me."

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

Kevin Hansen classified 6th in the final. He really turned a corner by making it into the final for the 1st time this year. Unfortunately, he picked up a puncture over the massive jump of Silverstone that deprived him of any result.

“This weekend has been one that really turned a corner for me. We tried lots of different things in terms of set-up and I discovered some things that I know are going to be really useful in the future," said Hansen. "The result was that I was in the final for the first time this year – the fifth time of my career that I have gone to the final." 

Kevin got caught up in the semi-final first corner incident involving Petter Solberg and Johan Kristoffersson. "In the semi-final there was a big accident and I had a big hit that meant the steering kicked back and I felt that my shoulder dislocated a bit," says Hansen. "That didn’t distract me though: when you’re driving you don’t think about these things, and anyway, it sort of popped back in again on its own!"

"It was a pity that the wheel broke over the jump in the final, but that doesn’t take anything away from a great weekend for me,” he concluded.

Timmy Hansen: "We were really fast from start to finish and I know that we had the potential to win."

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

Timmy Hansen had all the speed but none of the luck at Silverstone. The Swede was stopped in the semi-final by a puncture that meant he was able to go no further. 

A frontrunner from the very beginning of the weekend, showing his talent consistently throughout qualifying and even winning a heat on Saturday.

“I prefer to look at the positives from this weekend rather than dwell on the negative from today: we were really fast from start to finish and I know that we had the potential to win," said Hansen. "I think we have more or less everything in place now apart from a bit of luck! In the semi-final the wheel just came down on its own, so nothing we could do."

Timmy is the only driver in the field to have won a heat in each of the 2018 World RX rounds so far. Timmy Hansen has only lacked luck thus far. He has shown strong and consistent pace in his Team Peugeot Total 208 RX Supercar. 

"I still enjoyed the weekend and the highlight for me was my win in qualifying, which shows exactly what we are capable of," said Hansen. "Whenever you have a bad result as a driver it’s normal to feel depressed for a little bit, but it’s not going to last for very long."

"I know we have a great car and I’m going to come back fighting hard on the next round in Norway," he adds. 

Sébastien Loeb: "I’m really happy, it’s our fourth podium in a row and it couldn’t be much better."

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

Sébastien Loeb, the winner last time out in Belgium, had a consistent run throughout the weekend and highlighted his pace with a podium finish in the final. 

With 2 second places in qualifying and a win in the semi-final, he put in another fighting performance in the 6-lap final after falling behind at the start, adding another hard-earned trophy to his collection: 4 podiums in 4 FIA World RX competitions so far this season.

“It was a great battle in the final. I had a bad start as there was a lot of grip and I nearly stalled the engine; so then I was sixth after the start and I needed to find a way to pass!," says Loeb. "Luckily, I took the joker lap at just the right time and then that helped me to make up some places."

"In six laps, there are not many opportunities to make up places if you have a problem. But I’m really happy, it’s our fourth podium in a row and it couldn’t be much better," he adds.

The Team Peugeot Total 208 RX Supercar has shown consistent pace throughout the opening rounds of championship and sometimes even quicker then both PSRX Volkswagen Sweden and EKS Audi Sport. The team have not introduced any updates to the car yet due to the tight schedule between races. 

"The result, I think, could be a bit better for us here, but I’ve had a lot of fun all year: we have enjoyed fierce battles but really fair battles, and there are three manufacturers fighting so closely,” concludes Loeb.

Sébastien Loeb moved up to second in the drivers' standings, 14 points shy of defending champion Johan Krisoffersson. While Team Peugeot Total are currently third in the teams' standings just 1 point away from second place EKS Audi Sport. 

Johan Kristoffersson: "I’m becoming much more of a Sunday person."

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

Johan Kristoffersson extended his lead at the top of the table with a third win from four races at World RX of Great Britain. The Swede wasn't far off the pace on Saturday, but felt more comfortable in his PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo R Supercar on Sunday.

“I don’t know what it is about me and Saturdays this season; it looks like I’m becoming much more of a Sunday person. But I don’t mind this – the final is on Sunday!," said Kristoffersson. "Yesterday was quite tricky, it wasn’t the perfect day, but we weren’t far away. We were in the battle. Today Q3 and Q4 went really well, it was great to be leading into the semis. But then things got quite interesting…"

Both PSRX Volkswagen Sweden drivers qualified for the semi-final with Johan on pole and Petter Solberg alongside him in third. Petter and Johan touched going into the first corner. The race was then stopped. Petter Solberg later retired in the semi-final with mechanical issues.

“Even before the start of the semi-final I had a problem with the radio in the car. I couldn’t hear the spotter, we found a way to fix this, but it was a little bit of a stress. And then we got to the first corner, I didn’t make such a good start, I touched with Petter and then I was straight to the barrier. For sure, this was not the plan!," says Krisoffersson. “For the re-started race, everything was OK."

Johan went on to win the semi-final and then dominated the final. "There was a little bit of work to do before the final, but I have the best team in the world to do this work – they were fantastic. I don’t know what it was, but it didn’t feel like I had the perfect pace in the first half of the race and Andreas [Bakkerud] was right with me. In some places it was so slippery, I just had to be really precise and careful," he adds.

“For the second half, I said to myself: “OK, just put these laps together…” I did that and it worked. I did the joker on the final lap and it was perfect."

The win in Silverstone is Johan’s first on British soil, means he moves 14 points clear at the top of the table. Despite a tough semi-final, PSRX Volkswagen Sweden also extends its advantage to 22 points.

Petter Solberg: "It always hurts a little bit more when it’s a collision with one of your team-mates"

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

PSRX Volkswagen Sweden dominated the first ever visit to Silverstone with Petter Solberg leading on Saturday night. Both Johan [Kristoffersson] and Petter progressed into the semi-finals in first and third respectively. 

First and third on the grid meant the two drivers would share the front row of the first semi-final. The unfortunate happened when both drivers touched on the run down to Turn 1. The race was then RED FLAGGED and repairs were carried out on Petter's Polo R Supercar, but he later retired due to mechanical issues. 

“It’s so tough to stop like this in the semi-final. We had a good car for the weekend, we were leading overnight and everything was looking good for the final. What happened with Johan was really one of those things, but it always hurts a little bit more when it’s a collision with one of your team-mate," said Solberg.

PSRX Volkswagen Sweden can draw positives from the Cooper Tires World RX of Great Britain, after a strong showing from both drivers throughout the race weekend.

 “What we can say is that the team has done a fantastic job, the car was so quick here all weekend. Even when the grip was harder to find on Sunday, we still made the Polo work," said Solberg. "It’s a shame, it would have been fantastic to keep the run going and to make another final, but it didn’t happen."

“Hey, this was a tough Sunday for us, but still the team is extending its lead. OK, I have dropped back a little bit, but now we move on and we look forward to Norway. I’m going home," Solberg concludes. 

Pernilla Solberg, PSRX Team principal: "One of the real positives is the co-operation we made between the organisers, the FIA and all the teams."

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

Petter Solberg and Johan Kristoffersson touched going into the first corner in the semi-finals. The race was stopped and, while Petter’s car was repaired in lightening-quick time on the grid, he retired with a technical issue later in the race.

Petter showed real pace in his PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo R leading the standing on Day 1 of competition, the event leading up to his retirement was unfortunate. However, there were a few positives to come out of the incident.

“One of the real positives to come out of the situation in the semi-final is the co-operation we made between the organisers, the FIA and all the teams. After the incident involving one of the other cars in Belgium, we were all working to make a better system with the red flag and today we saw the results of all that work," said Pernilla Solberg. 

"Everybody did a great job, the race director and everybody – we had real clarity on what was happening and how much time we had to work on the car."

Niclas Grönholm: "We still have a lot of work to do with the car."

PHOTO CREDIT: GRX Taneco Team.

For the fourth time this year, both GRX Taneco cars made it through to the semi-finals and Niclas Grönholm qualified for the final at Silverstone. 

The goal was clear: a place in the semi-finals. Having finished sixth and seventh in qualifying, Niclas confirmed his eighth place in the standings to take a spot on the second row, with Timur just behind on the third row.

“I was lucky,” said Grönholm, looking back on the semi-final. “Timmy Hansen buckled his wheel, so I grabbed third place and made it into the final.”

Timur on the other hand was not all that happy with his weekend leading up to Sunday. 
“I’m not pleased with this weekend’s results. I should be able to make better times, I should be faster," said Timerzyanov. "I don’t know what happened. I feel like I gave it my all but my peak speed isn’t what it should be. But I won’t give up! I know I can do better than that.”

Niclas Grönholm qualified for the final and looked like a contender for third place, but ultimately had to make do with P5. Niclas was the first driver in the final to take the joker lap in hope of running quicker in clean air, but lost time to the leading pack. 

“I gave it my all. I was closing in on Sébastien Loeb but it just wasn’t enough this time. I made a few mistakes in the last lap so missed out on a podium place," said Grönholm. "But it was a really good weekend for us and making it to the final for the second time shows how far we have come. That said, I know we still have a lot of work to do with the car.”

“I’m really pleased and pretty proud of what the team has achieved this weekend. We’re heading in the right direction and getting better with every race," said Pinomäki, GRX Taneco Team Manager. "It’s been a difficult period, with one race after another, and we haven’t had time to focus on the car’s development, but I hope we can do a bit more work before Norway to be even more competitive and build on our momentum.”

Mattias Ekström: "We can be satisfied because we have made progress."

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media.

EKS Audi Sport driver Andreas Bakkerud made the step onto the winners’ podium for the first time in 2018 after finishing second in the final. Mattias Ekström finished in fourth place.

For the third time this year, both EKS Audi Sport drivers qualified for the final. Starting alongside each other on the second row, Bakkerud held a much better line running into turn one and in doing so secured second place behind Johan Kristoffersson. The opening first few laps saw Bakkerud glued to the rear of Kristoffersson but missed out on victory by a mere 0.859 seconds.

Ekström behind the leading pair. After the joker lap, he was passed by Sébastien Loeb and ultimately had to settle for fourth place. “I didn’t realize that Loeb was so close behind me, which is why I stayed on the normal racing line,” said Ekström. “There was no jackpot for me today, but we took a good haul of points. And of course the podium for Andreas is fantastic. Our fight in the first corner was fair. Overall as a team we can be satisfied because we have made progress. Our starts are now more consistent.”

Bakkerud made his fourth appearance in the final on his fourth start for EKS Audi Sport. “It feels great to be on the podium for the first time with my new team and Audi,” said Bakkerud. “The pressure on me has now dropped. First I had to familiarize myself with the new car, but I’ve now achieved this thanks to the fantastic support from the entire team."

"I look forward confidently to the rest of the season, because now my favorite race tracks are looming on the horizon and my home race in Hell,” he adds. 

REPORT: Kristoffersson claims victory at the Cooper Tires World RX of Great Britain.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Media

REPORT BY - FIA World Rallycross Media

Johan Kristoffersson extended his FIA World Rallycross Championship points lead by scoring victory at the Cooper Tires World RX of Great Britain as part of the inaugural Speedmachine Festival at Silverstone.

PSRX Volkswagen Sweden’s Kristoffersson claimed a maximum 30 points from the British event in his Volkswagen Polo R by finishing top of the Intermediate Classification, winning semi-final one and the final, as EKS Audi Sport’s Andreas Bakkerud finished second and Team Peugeot Total’s Sebastien Loeb recovered from a slow start in the final to finish third.

Kristoffersson’s win coupled with a strong performance from team-mate Petter Solberg in qualifying, despite the Norwegian retiring from semi-final one, increases PSRX’s lead in the World RX Team’s Championship.

“In the final it was super high grip on the start line so I had to slip the clutch, but I managed to get a good launch. From then on, I was just trying to drive as fast as I could. Andreas [Bakkerud] was really on my tail all the way – he found some good speed in between the semi-final and the final and was really fast,” said winner Kristoffersson. “It’s so easy to make a mistake out there so I just tried to take it steady and then for the last three laps I tried to put my best laps together and after the joker lap I came out first. It’s awesome.”

Bakkerud passed EKS team-mate Mattias Ekstrom in the first corners of the final to secure a second place finish in his Audi S1. “This feels great, it really does. The car has been there all year, it just takes time to get used to everything when it’s new,” said Bakkerud. “The feeling is that I’m confident going into Norway, Sweden and the rest of the Championship on tracks I’m more familiar with. Speedmachine has been a great event and I think all the fans have really enjoyed it. We’ve met a lot of new people here this week – I asked them many questions and they really enjoy rallycross.”

For Mettet RX winner Loeb, his Silverstone result was this fourth consecutive podium of the season, the Frenchman overtaking Ekstrom in the final. “I did a really good final I think, with just a very bad start so then it’s complicated in six laps to recover that. I was sixth on the entry to the first corner, I had to find a way to pass the other cars. I took the joker lap at the right time and could push very hard,” he said. “Then when Mattias [Ekstrom] took the joker I arrived behind and was able to brake inside for the first couple of corners, it was a good run. I’m very happy. The Championship is really exciting this year and we are three manufacturers, six drivers fighting and I don’t know who will win – it’s really interesting. I enjoy it a lot.”

Ekstrom scooped the Monster Energy Supercharge Award for having the fastest reaction away from the start line in the final and finished fourth, ahead of GRX Taneco’s Niclas Gronholm and Team Peugeot Total’s Kevin Hansen, the former FIA European Rallycross Champion slowed on the final lap of the race with a problem.

The inaugural Speedmachine Festival hosted 27,250 spectators over the weekend, where fans enjoyed the frantic World RX action along with street food, a range of live music and manufacturer drive experiences on Silverstone’s Formula 1 circuit.

Just missing out on a place in the World RX final was Norway’s Tommy Rustad, racing an Marklund-HTB Racing Volkswagen Polo on his return to World RX and GC Kompetition’s Jerome Grosset-Janin who finished fourth in semi-final one and two respectively. Olsbergs MSE’s Kevin Eriksson, Team Peugeot Total’s Timmy Hansen and GRX’s Timur Timerzyanov also qualified for the semi-finals but didn’t make it into the final. British heroes Andrew Jordan and Mark Higgins endured a challenging weekend and finished 16th and 20th.

Sweden’s Oliver Eriksson won the second round of the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires to move into the lead of the standings. America’s Conner Martell finished second and Norway’s Sondre Evjen completed the podium finishers.

The Speedmachine Festival also hosted the first round of Americas Rallycross, with the final being won by Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross’ Tanner Foust ahead of team-mate Scott Speed. Britain’s Liam Doran completed the podium, with Subaru Rally Team USA’s Patrik Sandell fourth.

Stuart Pringle, Managing Director of Silverstone Circuits Ltd commented: “Speedmachine has delivered everything we wanted; fantastic World Rallycross racing, great music and food. We’re looking forward to making Speedmachine even bigger and better for next year.”

Paul Bellamy, World RX Managing Director for IMG, concluded: “What a fantastic weekend. The feedback we have had from the fans has been reward for all the hard work put in by everybody involved since we launched Speedmachine a year ago. Congratulations to Johan Kristoffersson and PSRX Volkswagen Sweden for claiming victory in such a closely-fought event, with three manufacturers represented on the podium. We can’t wait for the rest of the season and building on the Speedmachine concept for 2019.”