"The biggest rival is myself" - Kevin Hansen.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media

Claiming two titles in 2019, Kevin Hansen will most certainly have his eyes on the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship title.

Coming from a rallycross family steeped in success;  Kenneth Hansen, a 14-time European Rallycross Champion and, Susann Hansen (mother) being one of the most successful women in rallycross having claimed the 1994 European Rallycross title; Kevin has experience and knowledge on his side. 

The Swede competed in rallycross since 2014 and knows what it takes to become champion having won titles in every championship entered, apart from the big prize in World Rallycross. 

Hansen joined the World RX field in 2015 and only received a full-time drive in 2017 with Peugeot. In 2019, he finally had equal machinery to his brother Timmy Hansen, the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Champion. While 2019 was a challenging season for Team Hansen, Kevin brought some joy by winning the inaugural Abu Dhabi RX event following a penalty awarded to Niclas Gronholm. The same success did not go for brother, Timmy, who suffered from a DNF at this point.

And while Kevin wants more “proper wins” in the premier class. He admits that leading the championship in the early stages of the 2019 season was very hard and as the season progressed he believes that Silverstone was a turning point in his championship fight having spun on the joker lap. 

The condensed 2020 season will leave no margin for error. And, while the risks are high. Kevin admits there are a few key factors that he can improve upon for the upcoming season. 

“I’ve picked up some key factors to improve in my driving, that will unlock some extra tenths that could be crucial in the long run,” he said. “Also the key to becoming world champion is all within me, and continuing to work very closely together with Timmy will again make the lives for the other competitors even harder!” 

Whilst the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship is yet to get underway due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, motorsport drivers require strict training, dietary allowances, etc. to keep them in tip-top shape. Hansen is keeping himself mentally and physically prepared for the season ahead by: “enjoying life, taking care of my body, and spending as much time as I can with friends. Also driving as much simulator, karting, and crosscars as I can to stay in great shape.”

Every driver is aware of what they need to find within themselves to achieve the ultimate result on a race weekend. And, in the pursuit of excellence drivers often come up against each other and rivalries form. 

We asked Kevin who he thinks will be his biggest rival in 2020. “The biggest rival is myself,” he said. “If I can concur, Kevin, then I know the rest will fall into place.”

It’s quite a task to balance racing in multiple series, as the Hansen brothers mastered in 2019 having competed in the Titans RX series and the FIA World Rallycross Championship. But in addition to this enormous balancing act, the Hansen brothers formed the “YellowSquad”, a young driver development programme. 

Kevin doesn’t see balancing the YellowSquad with his racing commitments as a challenge, because they have a well experienced former driver and team owner Eric Fären as the team’s manager. 

“I’m super stoked to enter the second year of the #YellowSquad. The ambition with the team is right where we want them to be, growing into RX2, expanding our capacity, working with great people that share the passion for RX just like we do,” he said.

“Eric Fären is the perfect team manager for the YellowSquad. We put a lot of trust into him on race weekends, which we feel very good doing. To have two mega fast drivers in Henrik Krogstad and Dan Skocdopole is making me very proud as a team principal. The work we have done during the winter with these two is just what we hoped to be doing. They will become greater versions of themselves, and they will work just like we do in Team Hansen.” 

Kevin leading older brother Timmy and Andreas Bakkerud in Cape Town.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross.

Whilst most motorsport championships are issuing provisional calendars and others canceling their entire season (ie. Titans RX). Some countries are reducing their lockdown restrictions thus allowing racing within strict rules with no fans allowed to attend. The RallyX Nordic championship is an example of just that. The series opener was held in the first week of July and has been the perfect test bench for many rallycross teams in the past. So, we asked Kevin if Team Hansen RX intend to compete in any other series or championships this year. 

“Our main focus is World RX for sure, though we are looking at more races in 2020, but at the moment it's really hard to know what will be!” he explains.

While at the end of the 2018 season Peugeot withdrew from the championship as a factory team. The Hansen family were able to secure funding to purchase two 2017-spec Peugeot’s with some 2018 updates. And, in order to remain ahead of the field Team Hansen RX require two supercars capable of giving their drivers the best possible opportunities, which means the team needs to solve or fix any issues they might have had in 2019.

Kevin admits that the team had some weaknesses on loose gravel, and in 2020 they will have small upgrades on the Peugeot 208 WRX. 

“We know our weak spots from 2019, and we believe we have touched on those problems over the winter together with our partners,” he said.

Hansen adds that the team is working continuously with Oreca on the engine for more power and starts, but admits that “we know where to improve, and that sounds easier than it is to identify something like that when the car you have was the best in 2019.”

With the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship season set to begin in August in Höljes, Sweden. Double World RX champion Johan Kristoffersson returns, and biggest rival Andreas Bakkerud switches to Renault machinery. Kevin predicts that the 2020 season could be a five-way fight.

Can Team Hansen RX come out on top in 2020? We will find out in just under a month!

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Co-Editor - Franco Theron 

Kristoffersson aims to replicate Höljes comeback victory as he returns for Arvika.

PHOTO CREDIT: RallyX Nordic.

Double world champion Johan Kristoffersson will return to action when RallyX Nordic races into Arvika on 7-9 August, after confirming his participation in round three of the series’ 2020 campaign at his home circuit.

 

The Swede made his eagerly-anticipated rallycross return at Höljes’ ‘All-Star’ Magic Weekend earlier this month – and straight out-of-the-box, he was on the leading pace.

 

Fastest in the first free practice session in the headlining Supercar class behind the wheel of his 2016 VW Polo Supercar, the two-time FIA World Rallycross Champion missed out on topping the timesheets in Q1 on Thursday by less than 0.040s. He went on to finish a close second in the round one final, right behind the winner and reigning RallyX Nordic title-holder Robin Larsson.

 

When the heavens opened on Sunday, Kristoffersson outclassed all of his rivals in Q4 as conditions deteriorated and then simply drove away from his pursuers in the semi-final, going more than six-and-a-half seconds faster than anybody else could muster. 

 

"It was so much fun to be competing in a rallycross event again – especially on Sunday when the rain came and gave us a sniff of victory," he said. "I love every aspect of this sport, and after a year away, it felt like coming back home."

 

"In many ways, Höljes was the perfect weekend with the mixed weather, and we learnt a lot. The Polo isn’t new to us, but we made a lot of changes to it over the winter so there was a whole list of things we wanted to try out and different set-ups we wanted to experiment with.

 

"In the wet, we were right on the pace – if not indeed setting the pace, which was really encouraging. I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of driving in conditions like that. In the dry, we discovered where we need to improve to make the car even more competitive, and we’ve been working hard to do that ever since.

 

Almost 20 months on from his last victory in the discipline, his sensational comeback triumph at Höljes proved beyond doubt that Kristoffersson is back in business on the rallycross scene – and now he is aiming to keep that success story going at Arvika.

"Arvika is my local track – literally just 5km from my front door – and it’s one of the first I ever drove in rallycross, back in 2013," Kristoffersson said. "We’ve tested there a few times recently, and it’s great news that RallyX Nordic is returning after a year away."

 

"As a circuit, Arvika always generates close racing, and the joker lap coming right at the end of the lap can make for interesting finishes, so I’m sure it will be exciting. Hopefully, we can pick up from where we left off at Höljes..."

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Arvika returns to RallyX Nordic schedule as next round of 2020 season.

PHOTO CREDIT: RallyX Nordic

The revised 2020 RallyX Nordic calendar has been confirmed, featuring upcoming events at Arvika in Sweden and Nysum in Denmark.

 

RallyX Nordic kick-started the international rallycross season at Höljes earlier this month, with the ‘All-Star’ Magic Weekend attracting the likes of two-time FIA World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson, defending World RX champion Timmy Hansen, fellow World RX race-winner Niclas Grönholm, reigning Euro RX Champion Robin Larsson and five-time FIA World Rally Championship runner-up Thierry Neuville.

After the original RallyX Nordic schedule was disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak, alternative dates and venues needed to be sourced, which has resulted in a welcome return to the fray for Arvika.

 

The Värmland County circuit last hosted the series in 2018 and has always generated spectacular racing. It will rejoin the calendar for a single-header event next month – a weekend that will also comprise the Swedish Championship (SM) final across all classes – before competitors head across the border to Nysum four weeks later for an eagerly-anticipated Danish double-header.

 

“We are delighted to be able to officially confirm the upcoming RallyX Nordic events,” said Jan-Erik Steen, CEO of RX Promotion. 

“Arvika has long been a RallyX Nordic favorite, and it is great to be going back there again after a year away. With a willingness on both sides to make something happen, it did not take long to reach an agreement. Similarly, we are grateful to the organizers at Nysum for working so closely with us to fix an alternative date after government restrictions made the original one impossible.

 

“NEP set a new standard for live rallycross broadcasts at Höljes, and we look forward to seeing what they have in store for fans at Arvika and Nysum. In times like these, you need to think ‘outside-of-the-box’ and do things differently. That is what we did with the ‘All-Star’ Magic Weekend, and we look forward to building upon that momentum over the coming weeks and months. There is plenty more exciting news still to come – so watch this space!”

 

Revised 2020 RallyX Nordic Calendar

July 02-05         Rounds 1/2        Höljes, Sweden

August 07-09         Round 3                Arvika, Sweden

September 04-06 Rounds 4/5        Nysum, Denmark

Timmy Hansen crowned Champion, while Van Gisbergen wins series finale.

PHOTO CREDIT: Hansen Motorsport.

Reigning World Rallycross Champion Timmy Hansen claimed the inaugural FIA World Rallycross Championship's Esports Series title in the final round at the Killarney International Raceway in South Africa, as Shane Van Gisbergen took his second series win.

Hansen entered the final round leading the championship by six points ahead of Tom Blomqvist, but it was Blomqvist who topped the intermediate rankings ahead of Timmy heading into the semi-finals. 

The World RX Esports title decider came down to the final, a very familiar affair for Hansen who battled Andreas Bakkerud in the final to win the 2019 World RX Championship. Both Hansen and Blomqvist won their respective semi-finals to claim the best starting positions on the grid for the final. 

Having missed the Holjes round of the World RX Esports series, due to real-life motorsport commitments last month, Van Gisbergen made the best start in the final to take the lead, while Timmy battled for position and shut the door on Blomqvist on the run to turn one. 

Van Gisbergen proved his class by dominating the final to take his second win and finish third in the Esports Series, while South African GT racer David Perel claimed second place ahead of Tom Blomqvist, Timmy Hansen, and round three winner Jonathan Pailler.

It wasn't all smooth sailing for Timmy Hansen who had quite a few moments in the dirt hairpin where he and Andreas Bakkerud came together in 2019, but he came out on top and clinched the World RX Esports Series title. 

“This feels great. The World RX Esports series has been a great way to have some racing in the off-season and the result at the end was fantastic for me. We had some great rallycross races in the Esports series when I’ve been looking back at it, it’s properly exciting and this time again it fell my way. Shane was the star of the series by being so super-fast, but this feels amazing,” said Hansen.

“I practised a lot and went into this championship in the same way as I would have done anything else. I never felt I was the quickest out there; I was always missing a couple of tenths, but I was often able to have good launches and put in the laps when I needed to. I think that was the key to becoming champion."

It's been a great seven months for Hansen, who claimed the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship in November last year, and the virtual Race of Champions title last month. 

“Although we haven’t started racing properly yet in 2020 I already have two championships under my belt, this one, and Race of Champions Virtual," he said. "This year has already been good to me in terms of results, so I’m going into the season now with nothing to lose. I’m going to jump into it and do the best that I can, and enjoy being back on a real race track.”

Kevin Hansen also started the last race of the Esports season with a chance of the title, but a disconnect before Q1 then had battles in every session, and being pushed into a spin in his semi-final meant he did not make the final. 

"We had some bad luck in two of the races and maybe lacked a tenth of a second when it comes to pace," Kevin Hansen said. "Maybe I didn’t put enough practice hours in!"

Also just missing out on the last final was Sivert Svardal, P3 in semi-final one, and Marius Bermingrud, who was P4 in semi-final two. Orhan Avcioglu returned to the World RX Esports series and made the semi-finals, along with another newcomer from South African, Jordan Pepper.

The World RX Esports Series ran alongside a Sim category, and the title went to the 2020 DiRT World Series Rallycross Champion Killian Dall'olmo who won his third final in the four-round series. Tommi Hallman and Jonne Ollikainen completed the podium, whilst Quentin Dall'olmo, the winner of round one at Yas Marina circuit, dropped out of contention for the Sim title when he failed to make the final following a five-second time penalty in the semi-finals. 

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Three-Way Fight For Glory in World RX Esports Finale.

PHOTO CREDIT: Hansen Motorsport.

The first-ever World RX Esports series champion will be crowned this weekend as the series finale comes to a close, with three drivers in the hunt for the title.

Reigning FIA World Rallycross Champion Timmy Hansen is top of the standings thanks to consistency throughout the Esports season so far, but he is yet to win a race in the series.

Six points behind Hansen in the standings is Tom Blomqvist, the winner of round two at Hell in Norway. Third, in the standings is Kevin Hansen six points behind Blomqvist and could mount a title challenge with a strong performance this weekend.

Shane van Gisbergen will return to action after missing a round due to clashes with the Austrian V8 Supercars Championship. The New Zealander dominated round one at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi and then finished second to Blomqvist in Norway. But, despite missing a round he remained fourth in the standings. 

The winner from round three Jonathan Pailler also returns. Pailler caused an upset at Holjes with victory on his World RX Esports debut. Henrik Krogstad is another driver, like Timmy Hansen, who has been in recent real-life competition and has been a strong performer in the World RX Esports series so far. He will also be in the podium hunt.

World Rally Championship round-winner Hayden Paddon will return to make his third start, while Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy racer Simon Evans will make his World RX Esports debut appearance.

Like Van Gisbergen, Australian Supercars driver Scott Pye missed round three but is back for the series finale, together with former Ferrari Formula 1 driver Mika Salo. Oliver Bennett will make his Esports return as one of two BMW Minis on the grid, together with anther British driver, Max Coates. 

Blancpain GT star David Perel and GT racer, Jordan Pepper, both driving Peugeot 208s will fly the South African flag in the series finale on the Killarney circuit.  

Included in the line-up is Orhan Avcioglu, Tessa Whittock, Matvey Furahzkin, Sivert Svardal, Fail Race, and Marius Bermingrud who complete the 20-driver Pro line-up.

Meanwhile, in the Sim category Killian Dall’olmo, the DiRT 2.0 Rallycross World Champion, leads the standings in the Sim category by a single point over older brother Quentin Dall’olmo entering the final round decider. Lukas Mateja will be a victory contender in the season finale and is third in the points.

The event will be comprised of 22 races and form a two-and-a-half-hour show starting at 13:30 UK / 15:30 CAT on 12 July and available on World RX Facebook and YouTube, as well as on  SuperSport.

PRO CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:

1. Timmy Hansen (SWE) 73

2. Tom Blomqvist (GBR) 67

3. Kevin Hanssen (SWE) 61

4. Shane van Gisbergen (NZL) 55

5. Henrik Krogstad (NOR) 52

 

SIM CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:

1. Killian Dall’olmo (FRA) 37

2. Quentin Dall’olmo (FRA) 36

3. Lukas Mateja (CZE) 25

4. John Harris (GBR) 23

5. Daniel Johansson (SWE) 11

Larsson happy with RallyX Nordic results.

Robin Larsson leading the pack.
PHOTO CREDIT: JC Raceteknik 

Reigning RallyX Nordic Champion Robin Larsson claimed a win and second-place finish at the 'All-Star' Magic Weekend in Höljes this past weekend.

Larsson renowned for his trademark 'just-gotta-send-it’ style powered to victory by 0.662 over Johan Kristoffersson in the first Supercar round at the RallyX Nordic Magic Weekend. 

But it was not all smooth sailing for the Swede, Niclas Grönholm won every qualifying session including his semi-final, but it all came undone in the final where Robin was able to get off the line better than his rival to take the lead into the first corner. 

The Swede went on to win the first round of the RallyX Nordic 'All-Star' Magic Weekend ahead of Kristoffersson and Grönholm.

"For the first time in the new car, I got into it quickly and we increased the pace over the weekend. Starting with a win in the first round was a nice result for me and the whole team," he said. 

Whilst Sunday provided to be a bit of a challenge for many in the field. Robin still managed to claim second-place after being beaten to turn one by Johan Krisoffersson who won the final by 4.677 seconds in wet conditions. 

"In the final on Sunday, it was raining hard and we knew the start would be critical. It was a shame that we lost out there to [Johan] Kristoffersson because apart from that we had the same lap times. At the same time, [Niclas] Gronholm made a mistake in his semi-final, so it shows how small the margins are. It was a tough weekend, so a second-place feels good anyway," Larsson adds.

For JC Raceteknik, the event proved to be a successful start to the season. Larsson who will be driving for KYB Team JC in the FIA World Rallycross Championship in the latest-specification Audi S1 Supercar began the weekend with victory in round one on Thursday. He also had the pace in mixed conditions in round two on Saturday and Sunday.

"We came here as a warm-up for the World Championship and now I know that we are okay in the rain too when we get going," he said. "Joel and the team have made the car work like clockwork. Our pace was good against the other World RX drivers, Niclas who was really sharp last year is a good measure. Now we just need to make some small adjustments and get better starts."

Written By - Junaid Samodien

YellowSquad pleased with Supercar Lites debut.

Henrik Krogstad leading the field.
PHOTO CREDIT: #YELLOWSQUAD/SANNA KRANTZ

YellowSquad claimed their first Supercar Lites race win in the second round of the four-day RallyX Nordic Magic Weekend double-header, with Henrik Krogstad topping the timesheets in Qualifying 4 and also winning his semi-final.

Krogstad was a contender for victory all weekend, after scoring the team's first podium three days earlier in the first round of the championship.

As the rain arrived on Sunday, Henrik's pace took a turn for the better, when he dominated Q4 in wet and muddy conditions to top the session. Despite being beaten to turn one, he pulled off a brilliant switchback move on the exit of the velodrome hairpin, powering past Linus Östlund on lap two and then passing Jesse Kallio as the Finn took his joker lap.

He followed that up with another strong performance in the semi-final, comfortably winning the race to secure a front-row grid slot of the final. Unfortunately, a lack of grip off the line meant that Krogstad dropped to third by turn two, and the first-lap joker deployed by Mats Oskarsson turned out to be the optimal race strategy, leaving Krogstad fourth.

"I really thought we had this one. I made a very small mistake on the grid, running the revs a little bit too low at the start and that small error made a big difference to the outcome of the race. Getting to the first turn in third instead of first meant my hope of victory was pretty much over," he said. "This was my first race weekend in a Lites car after almost a year and a half, and getting starts right in the rain is not easy; it’s not something you do that often."

"It’s a good sign that I was fastest in Q4 and my semi-final. It’s just a question of time before everything clicks and I get that win. Everything else within the team is working great; it’s just the small details and increasing my experience even more that will make the difference.

"What Q4 and the semi-final did show is how much more consistent my pace was. Working with #YellowSquad is helping with that aspect of my driving a lot, especially with learning how to analyze my data in detail, understanding what I’m doing wrong, and then working to improve those areas. I feel like the team has gelled very well this week, both in terms of working together and also having fun while doing so!"

Whilst teammate Dan Skocdopole worked hard for his place in the round two semi-finals, as his car engaging safe mode in Q2 cost him time and precious intermediate points. Despite lacking experience in the wet, he fought back to score the points he needed, qualifying for the semis in 10th place.

But the rain continuing to fall meant that he had to focus on putting in five clean laps, so as Krogstad used his past experience in Supercar Lites from 2018 to great effect, Skocdopole ensured that he made the most of the experience with a mistake-free run. Fourth place in the semi-final was still a strong result on his debut Lites weekend but not quite enough to join Krogstad in the final.

"I'm pretty happy about how it went. We had natural speed all weekend; the only issue is I struggled to put it all together and get the result a few times," Skocdopole said. "Reaching the semi-final in both rounds and the final in the first round is a good debut result; if we keep going like this, good results will come in the future. Thank you to the team for all their efforts during this very long weekend!"

Kevin Hansen, the YellowSquad Team Principal is happy with his drivers and how the team performed on debut at the RallyX Nordic 'All-Star' Magic Weekend. 

“There were promising results for both drivers: Henrik has made a fantastic comeback after his one-year sabbatical, stepping up massively to be fast ever since the first qualifying session on Thursday. His driving today was fantastic: so stable, consistent and mature. To score a podium with Henrik was definitely the best part about this weekend, along with having a real shot to win today's race," Hansen said.

“Dan has also developed so much during this weekend alone, getting to know the car better and better and becoming more comfortable with the team; we're all learning how to work best together. His approach has been really mature. There have been some rookie rallycross mistakes from lacking a bit of experience, which is to be expected because he's a rookie! But we're working on those points very hard before the next race and I'm sure he's hungry for more. He'll know the car is fast given the times Henrik was achieving this weekend."

Written By - Junaid Samodien

A weekend of ups and downs for Grönholm-duo at Rally X Nordic

PHOTO CREDIT: Gronholm RX

It was a weekend of ups and downs for father-son duo at the Rally X Nordic ‘All Star’ Magic Weekend.

 

The 'All-Star' Magic Weekend kicked-off on Wednesday afternoon with a free practice session and a full first round on Thursday. Niclas Grönholm was on the pace straight from the first start and won all three of the Qualifying rounds and his Semi-Final, but a small mistake at the start of the Final cost him a perfect race score, and he would eventually finish in third.

 

Round two started on a similar note for Niclas who topped the timesheet in free practice and the first two Qualifying runs. Rain arrived for Q3 which was a disadvantage as he would start on a semi-wet track and lost time to those who had raced in dry condition. Another top 3 finish in Q4 saw him retain the lead in the Intermediate classification. 

The Finn had a bad start in the Semi-Final which saw him stall the Hyundai i20 RX, but he eventually fought back to fourth-place, but it was not enough to secure a place in the final.

 

"It was an up-and-down week for us here at Höljes. For sure it would have been nice to win or at least to fight for the win, but it was not to be," he said.

Despite not achieving the desired results in Holjes, GRX Taneco's main aim was to gather as much information on the updated Hyundai i20 RX Supercar. 

"Our main goal here was to get as much mileage in our updated car as possible and to learn how the new updates work in this challenging track and in various weather conditions," Niclas  said. "From this aspect we had a quite good race and we have a lot of positive to take with us from this to be better prepared for the FIA World RX opening round here."

 

Niclas' shared a car with his father who took part in the Legends Race. Marcus Grönholm (his father) topped the leaderboard of the flying lap shootout race as well as first Qualifying race. In Sunday’s Final, he went on to take a commanding lead straight from the start and finished ahead of his rivals.

 

"It was nice to have a fun race with some old friends and check out our new car," Marcus Grönholm said.

"But this race wasn’t about me - at the end, it was more about working on the car and helping Niclas and the team to be ready for our main goal at World RX."

 

Jussi Pinomäki, GRX Taneco Team Manager adds that the team were able to answer many questions over the course of the weekend, which they will use to improve the Hyundai i20 RX ahead of the FIA World Rallycross Championship season opener in August. 

"It was a very valuable race week for us, as we had a lot of unknows regarding our potential performance," Pinomäki said. "We were able to answer many of the questions on our list, but we will still have a big homework to do when we get back to the base."

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Wet-weather masterclass sees Kristoffersson win RallyX Nordic round two.

Johan Kristoffersson leading Oliver Solberg.
PHOTO CREDIT: RallyX Nordic

Johan Kristoffersson reminded everybody just why he is a two-time World RX Champion with a wet-weather masterclass at the RallyX Nordic 'All-Star' Magic Weekend in Höljes, Sweden.

The Swede had been there or thereabouts throughout Saturday’s two qualifying sessions, but never quite on the pace in his rebuilt 2016 Volkswagen Polo. But when the heavens opened on Sunday, that all changed.

Kristoffersson outclassed all of his rivals in Q4 as conditions deteriorated, before simply driving away from his rivals in the semi-final, going almost ten seconds faster than anybody else could manage. That earned him a front-row spot for the final, and after nailing the start to out-drag pole-sitter Larsson to Turn One, he was untouchable.

 

Round one winner and reigning RallyX Nordic Champion Robin Larsson added the runner-up trophy to his round 1 victory, with former title-holder Oliver Solberg reaching the rostrum on his series return.

"It’s very nice to be back! When the sniff of a win was there, I felt I could be really threatening on pure pace. It was great to get back into a super-competitive mode, analyzing everything and trying different lines in the rain when I had a gap behind me," Kristoffersson said.

 

"My start in the final was very good – all three wet starts were very good, in fact. The Polo is easy to launch in the wet, controlling it with the clutch and throttle. I made sure to spray the cars behind me so they couldn’t see anything – that was planned! From there on, I tried to push a little harder on the first lap while making no mistakes, and then just focussed on banging the laps in with a safe margin."

 

"I haven’t driven this car much before, so it was nice to see how it handles and it worked very well, with no problems whatsoever. I’m very happy."

Kristoffersson will return to World RX this year with Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Father-son duo takes on RallyX Nordic 'All-Star' Magic Weekend.

PHOTO CREDIT: GRX Taneco. 

Father-son duo takes on this week’s RallyX Nordic 'All-Star' Magic Weekend at Höljes, Sweden. Niclas Grönholm will enter the Supercar class, while his father, double FIA World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm will compete in the Legends Race on the same event.

 

GRX Taneco will field one car for the Rally X Nordic ‘All Star’ Magic Weekend event that will be shared by both Grönholm family members.

 

“It’s going to be awesome to finally get back to racing and rallycross!," Niclas said. "It’s been a long break for the sport’s world and way too long time out of the Hyundai for me personally. But that’s behind us and now I’m very much looking forward to get out on the track and face many of my racing friends again. I expect the racing to be very tough in Höljes so it will be a great chance for us to get ready for the upcoming World RX season, shake off the “rust” and test our updated car."

 

The Legends Race will feature greats and champions of the yesteryear. Amongst them is GRX Taneco Team Principal Marcus Grönholm. “This is not a comeback – I promised my family to stop permanent racing already some time ago," said Marcus Grönholm. "But as an one-off event, with fast cars and many great drivers, Höljes will be great fun and I’m looking forward to enjoy every bit of it in our GRX Hyundai i20 Supercar. Also, I’ll get to compare my lap-times with Niclas and I am sure he will give me a hard time chasing him.”

 

The Finnish squad intends to use this event as a part of the pre-season testing, in order to prepare themselves and the car for the World RX season that will start at Höljes in late August.

 

“Niclas and Marcus will push the car to its limits in a very real racing environment, giving us a real data to work with and allowing us to be better prepared for the World RX season,” said GRX Taneco Team Manager Jussi Pinomäki.

 

Rally X Nordic ‘All Star’ Magic Weekend event will start on Thursday, July 2nd and will last throughout the weekend, featuring two RallyX Nordic rounds and one Legends Race competition.

#YellowSquad unveils striking new livery.

Henrik Krogstad's RX2 car.
PHOTO CREDIT: YellowSquad

#YellowSquad has unveiled its livery for the 2020 rallycross season, which will be seen in both the RX2 International Series and RallyX Nordic Supercar Lites category this year.

The YellowSquad is a junior rallycross team formed by brothers Kevin and Timmy Hansen in February 2019, with one aim in mind to deliver a platform for aspiring rallycross drivers to learn the skills needed to progress up the ladder towards the World Rallycross Championship.

The team's livery has been created by top motorsport designer Adrien Paviot, who is best known for designing the helmets of Formula 1 stars: Charles Leclerc, Romain Grosjean, and Pierre Gasly, plus WRC champions Sébastien Loeb and Sébastien Ogier.

Paviot also designed the livery for Loeb's record-breaking Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak car, and is responsible for designing Team Hansen's World RX cars.

“The car looks absolutely amazing. I think Adrien has done a great job on the design and making something that stands out. In my opinion, it's the best RX2 car I've ever seen, even though I raced a car in the class myself! So it's a very big compliment," said Kevin Hansen, #Yellow Squad Team Principal.

“It's very aggressive, it stands out a lot with the heavy bright yellow matte finish that we have, with shiny elements on top of that. I think it's great for the partners, they get great exposure, and on top of that, there are new matching suits, gloves, and shoes from Sparco for the drivers.

“Everything looks amazing next to the car and I can't wait to see the drivers wearing their Sparco gear and jumping into these cars, matching everything together. I'm sure we look the fastest, and we'll also try to be the fastest on track this weekend!”

Norwegian Henrik Krogstad and Czech teenager Dan Skocdopole will race the cars during the 2020 season, with the attention to detail demonstrated on the team's livery symbolizing the highly professional approach #YellowSquad are taking to its first Supercar Lites campaign.

"I think the livery looks awesome! It's the first time I've had a full-on livery with matching suit, shoes, and everything," Krogstad said. "I'm really looking forward to racing with #YellowSquad while sporting the team colours from head to toe!"

Dan Skocdopole shares his opinion on the striking new #YellowSquad livery: “The car design looks pretty slick, hopefully, the aesthetics translate into an action-packed and fast car throughout 2020. Höljes here we come!”

The new #YellowSquad livery will make its first on-track debut this Thursday when the RallyX Nordic Magic Weekend at Höljes begins with a double-header to get the 2020 programme underway.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Photo Credit - #YellowSquad

FEATURE: GCK's David Mansfield talks all this spotting.

David Mansfield reviewing data/video with Guerlain Chicherit and Liam Doran.
PHOTO CREDIT: GC Kompetition.

Up top! Right there! Clear high! Two behind! These are terms that you’ve mostly like heard while watching IndyCar or NASCAR. The FIA World Rallycross Championship is no different, as the world’s best drivers battle on track for the best result possible, these drivers also have their own set of eyes perched high in a spotters tower with one aim to assist their driver to maximize their performance on track. 

The main role of a spotter is to keep their driver-focused and informed of what is ahead of them as well as providing real-time information about the cars in the immediate vicinity, and in the case of rallycross they also assist with joker lap strategies as well.  

In the FIA World Rallycross Championship, there is a special tower for spotters where they are able to look over the circuit (higher vantage point) and have live video and timing screens at hand to give their driver(s) all the information they require to assist their driver, and when to potentially take the Joker lap. 

In order to learn a bit more about spotters or spotting in World RX, we speak to none other than David Mansfield from GC Kompetition (GCK) about his road to RX, the role within the sport and more. 

Some of you might not know David Mansfield, so let’s get to know a bit more about him and where it all began for him in Rallycross. 

“I got started with rallycross at a national level in 2008 when I was working alongside Liam Doran at Lydden [Hill] preparing the circuit to bid for the European Rallycross championship back to the UK for the first time in 20+ years,” he said.

“Once we secured the European championship and the circuit was up and running I went on the road to help Liam and his team across all the championship events taking on a performance role that eventually lead to becoming a spotter when they were introduced way back in 2012 ish…”

Having been involved in World RX for a few years now, and to properly understand the role of a Spotter in the short, sharp, action-packed championship, we asked David about his role within the sport.  

Anton Marklund and Guillaume de Ridder on the joker lap in Cape Town.
PHOTO CREDIT: Junaid Samodien

“The role has developed over the years from just “saying what you see” and keeping the driver safe and aware of what they can’t see from inside the car... to nowadays taking the race results into your hands by running strategy in real-time, especially since the joker lap has become a huge part of every race,” he explains. 

“There are some interesting calls from spotters and I’m one of the first to play armchair quarterback and shout or laugh at the screen when you see some of the decisions being made. But it’s certainly difficult to understand everything from the outside watching in, especially as there’s so much data in the spotters tower that you have to process within a short period of time to try and get the best result every lap for your driver and team.”

“So understanding the thought process and what some of the spotters are planning is a tall order. Especially when you take into account that teams have a set plan with a few different scenarios or strategy plays they can make before the start of each race. Usually, that plan goes up in smoke once the light goes green and the cars are at the first corner, and this is where the experience comes in."

Mansfield explains that running reactive race strategies helps but if you don’t achieve the desired result, you as a spotter/strategies should prepare to have a helmet or boot thrown at you. 

“In all the teams I’ve worked for I’ve been allowed to run a reactive race strategy and that helps a ton but you have to be prepared to have a crash helmet or even race boots thrown at you if you make the wrong call and the driver isn’t happy with the race result so it’s a fine line between glory or maximum misery!” 

While the role of spotting in NASCAR and IndyCar versus World Rallycross is not too different, the only real comparison is the length of the races. But, how does spotting in NASCAR and IndyCar differ to the role of spotting in Rallycross? 

“I’ve only recently been aware of spotters in other forms of motorsports to be honest and I’m now friends with a few NASCAR spotters because of the work I do with the American rallycross events,” he said. “You definitely need more endurance to spot for NASCAR or Indy car as the races are longer so it’s not my thing but I assume it’s similar to the sport of fishing... pack some snacks, wack on the sun cream and chill for a few hours watching the world go by.” 

Every job requires special training courses or University degrees etc. before you are allowed to apply or start working in the specified profession. Is there anything specific that someone would have to study or a special skills they are required to have to join Rallycross as a spotter?

“They say to master anything you need to practice for 10,000 hours. I kinda believe that especially with something like spotting because of all the possible scenarios,” Mansfield said. “I know I’m only approximately 5,000 hours into watching race re-runs and onboards from previous years but to fast track the skill I work with multiple teams and drivers in as many different championships as possible to stay sharp.” 

As they say: ‘practice makes perfect’. So, does David Mansfield have any secrets when it comes to improving his skill as a spotter. 

“There is one secret to get really good at spotting that I used when I first started. That’s to focus on whoever you think is the best spotter in each race and study their calls and try to figure out why they make these calls. It helped me a bunch in the beginning learning by watching Kenneth Hansen and his team in my first few years in European Rallycross and cross-referencing calls with the drivers to see their opinions of the strategy,” he said. “It would be like a boxer trying to impersonate Ali’s style and if they have the guts to get in ring that would give them a pretty big head start.”

Accuracy is key in motorsport. Without accuracy in engineering, mechanical, or even spotting a driver could lose valuable time or even positions in a race. How accurate do you actually need to be as a spotter? And, are you required to forecast incidents, time splits, etc.

“This depends on the spotters ability and the drivers capacity to take in information during the race. I’ve worked with 27 supercar drivers to this point and all of them are different so you have to adjust accordingly,” he said. 

Drivers often have preferences with regard to the information they want the spotter to provide. Mansfield explains: “Someone like Andreas [Bakkerud] just needs the clear concise facts whereas Liam wants to know much more during the race so there is little left for him to think about what’s happening around him.”

“In some cases when I’ve seen it coming I’ll tell a driver they are about to be hit and give them a quick 321 countdown so they can adjust for the hit. Sometimes this pays off others I forget to press the button! Haha”

Whilst David leads the way for GC Kompetition in the spotters tower and studying telemetry. He admits that his main role within the team is to brew a mean cuppa tea. We can not verify this fact as we are yet to try his tea.

“Yes reviewing telemetry in between races using the vbox system and my main role is BREW CHIEF... I make a mean cuppa tea being English as you can imagine,” he said.

Reflecting on the past few years in World Rallycross, we asked David what has been his best highlight as a spotter. He immediately points out Andreas Bakkerud’s record-setting clean sweep in Norway 2016.

David Mansfield with Guerlain Chicherit.
PHOTO CREDIT: GC Kompetition.

“What springs to mind as a highlight would be Andreas’ perfect race weekend in Norway. I laterally said turn in twice and joker 6 times and Andreas won the event and scored a perfect 30 points for a clean sheet. It’s epic when you’re watching how a driver pulls off a great turn 1 move and ends up 1st, that’s when it gets interesting because it’s then on the spotter if they win the race or not,” he explained.

From time-to-time while watching NASCAR or IndyCar you’d hear this spotter calls, this is slightly different in World RX. Spotter calls aren’t broadcast, and in order to draw a picture of what a spotter would actually, tell their driver we asked him if he’d give us an example of what he’d tell his driver in a before, during, and after a race. 

“Not a chance that the secret sauce and why I’ll be wearing a mask this season so nobody can read my lips…. Haha,” he jokingly says. 

In 2020, GC Kompetition will have six drivers on the World Rallycross grid. Surely, Mansfield won’t be responsible for all the drivers. 

“[I’m] responsible for making the tea and providing light-hearted moral boosting entertainment across all drivers but I guess I’ll just be working with one or two of the drivers if this season ever actually gets going.. as to who you will have to wait and see I guess,” he said.

A very special ‘Thank You’ to David Mansfield for taking some time out of his day to discuss the world of spotting with us. We’d also like to thank Nini Mikolajski (Roots) for arranging the interview. 

Written By – Junaid Samodien

Pailler wins on debut in World RX Esports Series

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media.

Jonathan Pailler claimed victory at round three of the FIA World Rallycross Championship’s Esports Series at Holjes, while Timmy Hansen moved into the points lead.

 

Pailler, the Euro RX driver, joined the World RX Esports event, for the first time in the Swedish round and delivered a fast pace throughout qualifying.

 

He qualified for the final by finishing P3 in semi-final one, then stayed out of trouble in a rain-hit, action-packed final with a lap one joker lap to claim victory in a Peugeot 208 WRX.

 

Three different drivers took the fastest time in qualifying; Sivert Svardal, Timmy Hansen, and Tom Blomqvist, round two winner Blomqvist fastest in Q3 and Q4 to take the TQ (top qualifier) position for the semi-finals. By taking the TQ, Blomqvist also moved into the series points lead, and he won semi-final one from pole position to take pole for the final.

 

Tom made a great start from pole position in the final, but he clipped the infamous turn one kerb, which forced him into the path of brothers Timmy and Kevin Hansen, and Svardal, all four cars going off the circuit. Pailler, starting from P5 on the grid, was able to dive into the joker while Timmy Hansen took the lead.

 

Pailler climbed to P2 when Svardal took his joker on lap three, then into the lead when Timmy Hansen took his joker on lap four. Hansen dropped back into the chasing pack, battling with Svardal, Kevin Hansen, and Blomqvist for the final two laps, with positions changing at every corner. Blomqvist finished P2 with Timmy Hansen P3, Kevin Hansen P4, and Svardal P5.

 

"This first World RX Esports race was a big learning curve for me to learn about the car characteristics, compared to what Fabien and I usually race online. I started driving on Thursday evening with the Dall'olmo brothers and it really wasn't easy but lap after lap I managed to get closer to their times," Pailler said. "When I saw the Hansen brothers' and Blomqvist's lap times I really wasn't confident, but the two first qualifiers went really well with a clean track. In Q4 I managed to stay with Timmy and get into his rhythm."

"With nothing to lose in the final, I managed an undercut, in turn, one to take the joker and come out third. I then realised that in the wet I could keep up with them and go faster. I focused on driving clean and making no mistakes and it paid off. I really didn’t expect to win but it’s a great surprise, especially given the level."

 

There were also semi-finals and a final for the Sim category at Sweden, with Killian Dall’olmo delivering a strong fight-back performance in the wet final to climb through the field after a slow start and claim his second victory in a row, ahead of older brother Quentin Dall’olmo and John Harris.

 

The final round of the World RX Esports series will be at Cape Town, South Africa on Sunday 12 July.

World RX Esports Series Championship Standings:

1. Timmy Hansen (SWE) 73

2. Tom Blomqvist (GBR) 67

3. Kevin Hanssen (SWE) 61

4. Shane van Gisbergen (NZL) 55

5. Henrik Krogstad (NOR) 52

The countdown is on to Höljes' 'All-Star' Magic Weekend

There is less than a week to wait. Less than a week until the starting lights go out on the first major rallycross event of 2020. Less than a week until some of the biggest names in the sport – several coming out of retirement especially for the occasion – descend on Höljes in Sweden to battle wheel-to-wheel for glory. Less than a week...until the eagerly-anticipated ‘All-Star’ Magic Weekend (2-5 July).

 

As the world gradually begins to open up again, Höljes is preparing to stage Europe’s first high-profile motor racing event since lockdown. More than 90 competitors have signed up to take part across the five classes – ‘Legends’, Supercar, Supercar Lites, CrossCar/Crosskart and CrossCar Junior – and fittingly, amongst them are some heavy-hitters indeed.

 

In the invitational ‘Legends’ class – for drivers who are no longer active but whose past achievements make them incontestable titans of the sport – two-time FIA World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm will take on 74-year-old former FIA European Rallycross Champion Per Eklund, fellow rallycross heroes Andreas Eriksson and Stig-Olov Walfridson and rallying and rallycross star Henning Solberg. It is the kind of tantalising line-up that has never been seen before – and arguably, never will be again.

 

In the Supercar category, double FIA World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson will mark his return to the discipline following a sabbatical season in the FIA World Touring Car Cup. The ‘Super Swede’ will be up against a host of fellow title-winners, including reigning FIA Euro RX and RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires Champion Robin Larsson, former RallyX Nordic Champions Oliver Solberg and Thomas Bryntesson, two-time RX2 Series Champion Oliver Eriksson and ex-FIA Junior World Rally and WRC 2 Champion Pontus Tidemand.

 

There will be two notable ‘debuts’ in the 22-strong Supercar field, as both JC Raceteknik’s Ben-Philip Gundersen – last year’s RallyX Nordic Supercar Lites Champion – and Jamaican ace Fraser McConnell (Olsbergs MSE) make their maiden appearance in the class, while GRX Taneco’s Niclas Grönholm reached the World RX final at Höljes in 2019 and will be fired-up to kick-start his 2020 campaign with victory.

 

Supercar Lites promises to be fiercely-contested, too, as a gaggle of young chargers rev up to duel doorhandle-to-doorhandle around the iconic Värmland circuit. Defending Höljes winner Thomas Holmen will take on local specialist Linus Östlund, leading lady Nathalie Petersson – back after a bruising rookie season in 2019 – rapid rallycross returnee Henrik Krogstad, highly-rated Swedes Marcus Höglund, Martin Enlund and Nils Andersson and fast Finn Jesse Kallio, who came, saw and conquered in his only previous RallyX Nordic outing on home soil at Kouvola last summer.

 

Five-time FIA World Rally Championship runner-up Thierry Neuville and reigning FIA World Rallycross Champion Timmy Hansen headline the 40-strong CrossCar/Crosskart entry, as the Belgian and Swede team up under the new LifeLive Nordic banner. Ten CrossCar Juniors complete the line-up, as for the first time RallyX Nordic welcomes competitors as young as 12 – proving that the future of the sport is every bit as bright as its present and past.

 

“After many weeks of planning, we are all tremendously excited to get the ‘All-Star’ Magic Weekend underway,” enthused Jan-Erik Steen, CEO of RallyX Nordic promoter, RX Promotion. “A tireless effort has been put in by all involved, and the result is that we have a mouth-watering entry list, huge interest from all around the world and a broadcast arrangement that is set to bring viewers more live rallycross action from a single event than ever before.

 

“The start of a season is always something to look forward to, but the three-month pause has left everybody hungrier than ever for real-life racing – and that is what we are proud to present. The drivers are ready, the cars are ready, Höljes is looking superb and now all that remains is for fans to settle down on the sofa and tune in for what will unquestionably be the motorsport event of the year so far.”

 

The joint brainchild of RallyX Nordic promoter RX Promotion and Höljes’ organising club Finnskoga MK, and supported by the Swedish arm of international broadcasting heavyweight NEP, the ‘All-Star’ Magic Weekend will follow a purely digital, pay-per-view livestreaming model to adhere to current COVID-19 restrictions.

 

The commitment is to bring more rallycross action, highlights and ‘insider’ content than ever before to fans all around the world, with a global English-language feed, a presenting team composed of Andrew Coley, Hal Ridge, Neil Cole and Molly Pettit and no geoblocking.

 

Prominent Swedish streaming platform StayLive will host the ‘All-Star’ Magic Weekend, with the attractively-priced subscription package offering more than 26 hours of live-action and interviews for just 249 SEK (c. 460 ZAR). Subscribers will also gain complimentary access to all 2019 RallyX Nordic races as a bonus. You can sign up here.

Content Supplied by RallyX Nordic.

New, but familiar assault for Doran in 2020.

PHOTO CREDIT: GC Kompetition.

Liam Doran will this year, take on yet another bid to win the FIA World Rallycross Championship. In the process, Doran will once again join the 2019 title rival to the Hansen's; Andreas Bakkerud. However, rather than racing in their 2019 EKS machinery, the pairing will join GC Kompetition, a team that Brit is all too familiar with. 

Competing in rallycross since 2009, Doran first joined the FIA European Rallycross Championship, finishing third in 2010 with the Kenneth Hansen Racing (Division 1). He then stepped up to compete in the Supercar category, recording second position in 2012 with his own team; just edging Tanner Foust and slotting in behind the champion, Timur Timerzyanov. 

He then joined the Global Rallycross Championship in 2011 and raced on-off for three years. 2014 saw him joining the FIA World Rallycross Championship with the Monster Energy World RX team. Competing again on an on-off rotation, GCK grabbed hold of his expertise in 2018 to compete at Loheac (France), Riga (Latvia), and Estering (Germany). 

While the team joined the grid earlier that year, it needed crucial input from proven drivers. Doran filled the shoes of Jerome Grosset-Janin after an abrupt end to his season. 

Doran adapted well to this challenge, showing tremendous pace in Loheac; recording the teams’ second-best finish of the season. The Brit then sat out for the American and South African rounds as Anton Marklund took his turn. 

Last year saw the 'British Bomb' join his old teammate, Andreas Bakkerud. Racing with EKS prepared Audi S1’s, the team did very well to allow Bakkerud to finish on equal points with the eventual winner, Timmy Hansen. 

Doran was well on for his first-ever win in Norway last year, joining Niclas Grönholm on the front of the grid for a very wet race. With an excellent start, he led the pack into the joker (lap). As Kevin Abbring led the field, Grönholm and Kevin Hansen bumped doors behind him. This allowed for Doran to catch up quickly, with the front three, who were still to joker. 

The 'British Bomb' in the 2018 GCK Renault Megane R.S.RX.
PHOTO CREDIT: GC Kompetition. 

With virtual victory in sight and only two laps to go, a mechanical issue brought him to a halt. While Grönholm eventually won the race, Marklund in GCK machinery crossed the line first. Had it not been for a mechanical infringement, the team could have taken their first win. 

Nonetheless, GCK showed tremendous progress and has been an ever-present entry into the FIA World Rallycross Championship finals. 

With both Bakkerud and Doran joining GCK in 2020 under the banner Monster Energy GCK RX Cartel, both the team and the drivers will benefit. More so, Doran, who is already familiar with the team and machinery, will be able to help Bakkerud adjust with more ease. 

"Teaming up with GCK will be great. I drove the Mégane R.S. RX in 2018 and we really got on, so I’m definitely looking forward to getting back behind the wheel," Doran said. "Last year I struggled to get to grips with the car (the Audi S1), so to get back in something I know will be great – and with all the developments made on the car since I last drove it, I have high expectations."

"We ended last year on what seemed like a bit of a low with Andreas missing out on the title, but all in all 2019 was a massive success for us and I’m sure we can carry that momentum into 2020 with GCK."

Will 2020 see Doran grab his first-ever FIA World Rallycross Championship win? Anything will be possible in an action-packed, condensed 2020 season!

Written By - Franco Theron and Junaid Samodien.

Finland returns as World RX reveals calendar with three double-headers.

Event winner foust leads Timur Timerzyanov.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Championship.

The FIA World Rallycross Championship has formally announced the return of Finland to the 2020 calendar, and a trio of double-header events.  

Due to the delayed start of the World Rallycross Championship season, the event format for the first three weekends (Sweden, Finland, and Latvia) includes two separate rounds condensed into two days, both of which will be awarded full World Championship points.

These changes were announced in conjunction with the formal confirmation that World RX will return to Finland after six years. In addition to this, the World RX has also confirmed that Abu Dhabi will host a single event rather than a double-header as previously announced.

The newly added CapitalBox World Rallycross of Finland will form rounds three and four of the championship that is now projected to take place over eight weekends from August to December.

Finland last featured in World RX in 2014 when the fourth round of that year’s FIA World Rallycross Championship was run on the undulating track at Kouvola. The event was won by Tanner Foust, the first American to win a round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

"I’m delighted that we can add events in Finland. Everything from the initial idea, to getting a contract, has taken just a few weeks and illustrates the best kind of lateral thinking and cooperation from the event organiser, our World RX competitors, the IMG World RX team and the FIA to recognise an opportunity and make the most of it," said Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President of motorsports events at IMG.

IMG, World RX rights holders issued a statement regarding the attendance of spectators in 2020. The statement read: "All events in 2020 will run within the prevailing national health and safety requirements for mass gatherings and individual event organisers will provide information on spectator attendance closer to their race date."

“Our main focus is to organise a great event for the competitors, and at the same time to take care of the safety of the participants, with all the necessary restrictions," said SET Promotion’s Event Manager, Sami Puumalainen. "It’s great to get World Rallycross back to Finland after such a long break. We know that many teams and drivers have good memories of the Kouvola circuit; we will do our best to make this one a great and memorable event too." 

The Finnish event will be run behind closed doors and without spectators.

Provisional FIA World Rallycross Championship 2020:

1. Sweden, Höljes, August 22-23 (two rounds in one weekend)

2. Finland, Kouvola, August 29-30 (two rounds in one weekend)

3. Latvia, Riga, September 19-20 (two rounds in one weekend)

4. Belgium, Spa-Francorchamps, October 3-4

5. Portugal, Montalagre, October 10-11

6. Spain, Barcelona, ​​October 17-18

7. United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, October 30-31

8. Germany, Nürburgring, December 12-13

*Subject to FIA approval

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Neuville and Hansen to lead new team at RallyX Nordic.

PHOTO CREDIT: Hansen Motorsport 

Reigning FIA World Rallycross champion Timmy Hansen and World Rally Championship star Thierry Neuville will lead Hansen Motorsport's new CrossCar team "LifeLive Nordic" at the upcoming RallyX Nordic 'All-Star Magic Weekend' in Höljes on July 2-5.

Neuville will make his international rallycross debut at the RallyX Nordic 'All-Star Magic Weekend', the first major rallycross event since the COVID-19 outbreak, and it also marks Timmy's first competitive racing miles this year, as the opening round of the World RX season has been postponed until August.

"I’m very excited to get this 2020 race season started, finally!," Hansen said. "It’s the first proper race of the year after loads of esports races. I can’t wait to do the real thing again. It’s not in a Supercar this time, but that sensation of the g-forces, the jumps, and just driving Holjes in itself is magic. It is the Magic Weekend, and for many different reasons."

LifeLive Nordic TN5 CrossCar.
PHOTO CREDIT: Hansen Motorsport

"I’m happy that we’ll do not only one race but two races, so that means loads of starts, loads of laps to get that race feeling back in the body, finally to prepare for coming back to Höljes for the world championship in August."

Both Hansen and Neuville will race under the LifeLive Nordic banner, a new partnership between Hansen Motorsport and Belgian CrossCar manufacturer LifeLive, one of five brands authorised to build FIA-approved CrossCars.

“It’s also a great opportunity to get our TN5 into Nordic competition," Neuville said. "It’s a big premiere for us. We are very aware that it’ll be a huge challenge for our team and for LiveLive Nordic, to brings the cars there, and especially to make the cars quick. We’re coming to get the product over there, to get a first impression about its speed, the improvements that need to be made and the development that needs to continue."

"I want to show that we’ve made improvements. It’s a very special market: usually everyone is running with the same brand of car, and we would like to change that in the future," the Belgian adds. "That’s why we have to come over and get mileage on special tracks like Höljes, which is probably one of the best rallycross tracks in the world."

CrossCars is an affordable entry-level category for off-road racing, which Hansen Motorsport already has experience with through its #YellowSquad junior team.

"Being in the CrossCar category will be very tough. I’ve followed it closely, especially through #YellowSquad last year, and I know the level is very high," the Swede said. "The young guys are extremely fast and experienced in that category, so I have to stay very focused, as I do with any other race that I do, including the world championship, super focused on my performance and trying to get everything right in the race."

The Höljes track is an undisputed icon of rallycross, featuring a mix of almost everything. The first section of the track is quite technical due to it's twisty nature, while the second half is a sprint to the finish line. 

There isn't a single corner on the track that won't bring action and overtaking. 

"I’m very pleased to race on this famous rallycross track, and be part of the race weekend as well. I was able to follow it last year already and it was really interesting, so I’m really looking forward to taking part in it," Neuville said.