Dakar 2021: Stage 1 and Stage 2 analysis.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

Written By: Franco Theron - NamWheels

Has Mini already won? 

Whilst the start of the rally saw a curb in top speed regulations, the X-raid Mini’s of Stephane Peterhansel and Carlos Sainz seemed t play the same tactics as their Red Bull motorbike counterparts, during the prologue. 

While Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota Gazoo Racing) took the lead on the prologue, the Mini’s quickly doused Toyota’s early celebratory mood. With the two mates almost in sync, the reigning champion (Sainz) took the lead, a mere 5 seconds ahead of Peterhansel. 

On today’s second stage, Peterhansel punched back, finishing just under 7 minutes ahead of Sainz. 

Yet, it was the Toyota of Al-Attiyah, who reigned supreme on the stage; taking 2:35 minutes out of Peterhansel’s overall lead and 9:17 from Sainz. 

All this means that the three favourites are now just less than 10 minutes away from one another, with Sainz trailing Peterhansel by 6:37 and Al-Attiyah trailing the leader by 9:14. 

While Mini started strongly, Toyota quickly punched back today. It will be anyone’s win. 

What about the other South-African Toyota Gazoo Racing Hiluxes? 

Henk Lategan, in his first-ever Dakar, seems to do well. The two-time SACCS champion is now in 16th position overall, trailing Peterhansel by 49 minutes. He is positioned just ahead of his more experienced, yet ever-cautious Dakar Legend teammate, Giniel De Villiers. The latter is now 18th, just over 52 minutes behind. Yet, as we know, De Villiers is never a quick starter; climbing up the leaderboard, stage by stage. 

Shameer Variawa did well on stage 1, finishing just ahead of Lategan in 12th. At the time of editing, Variawa does seem to struggle in the second stage, trailing the leaders by more than two hours. 

KTM stronger than ever? 

Having won 13 consecutive Dakar titles before Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda) bested the KTM trio in 2020, the KTM squad seems to be back at the 2021 edition with new ambition. The 2016 and 2019 winner, Toby Price, was quick to state the obvious; being that KTM held back on the prologue stage so as to not open the tracks on the first stage of the rally. 

It certainly proved to pay off as the initial Honda pace setters of Brabec and Joan Barreda Bort got lost, earning Price the lead of the rally. 

The second stage of the rally would, unfortunately, swing the favour back in the hands of the Honda’s as Barreda Bort seized the opportunity of a later start to retake the lead for the manufacturer. Brabec finished second and now sits just under 7 minutes behind. 

The KTM of Mattias Walkner came to a halt early in the stage, with the Austrian eventually losing almost two hours and a half. Sam Sunderland lost exactly 23 minutes today, while Price lost even more at 32 minutes. 

KTM might have won 13 consecutive titles, yet the last few years proved to be more of a daunting task in keeping up with appearances. With Yamaha and Husqvarna also being in the mix, will we again see a game of cat and mouse right up until the end? 

We certainly think so… 

The “Kalahari Ferrari” had us worried, but not for long 

Ross Branch (Monster Energy Yamaha) showed us his capabilities during the prologue; taking into account that this is only his third ever Dakar. The Botswanian then seemed to struggle during the first stage, losing valuable time and eventually finishing 12th. 

But, with the ever-present smile on his face, Branch raced ahead during the second stage, threatening the leaders of the stage. 

He would eventually finish today’s stage in fourth (at the time of typing this article), moving up to third overall as the leading Yamaha rider, 6:37 shy of the lead. 

With 10 stages remaining, anything can still happen. Yet, Branch has already showcased his performance in 2020. A stage victory might well be in reach, but can we expect even more? 

We might only be in the second stage of this years’ Dakar, but both the car and motorbike categories are already lighting up and our Southern-African competitors are doing us proud. 

Al-Attiyah/Baumel to head field for DAKAR 2021 STAGE 1.

PHOTO CREDIT: Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa.

Toyota GAZOO Racing's Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel topped the short, sharp 2021 Dakar Rally prologue in their South African-built Toyota Hilux. Their time was matched by Brian Baragwanath and Taye Perry, in a Century Racing CR-6 buggy, which is also built in South Africa. 

“We are very pleased with Nasser and Mathieu setting the fastest time. They’ve proven before that they are happy to attack from the front,” TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Team Principal, Glyn Hall, said after the 11 km prologue. 

“Henk and Brett did exactly what we had hoped they’d do – a solid performance that places them in a good position for Stage 1.”

Dakar debutants Henk Lategan and co-driver Brett Cummings, posted a time just 15 seconds slower than that of the leaders, placing them in 7th place for the start of Stage 1 tomorrow.

Whilst teammates Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Alex Haro Bravo suffered a throttle response problem at the start of the prologue stage and lost some time resetting the system. They managed to restrict their time loss to 20 seconds despite the problem but will be starting Stage 1 in 19th place – which means De Villiers will have to deal with more dust and scattered tracks than he would have liked.

The final car in the Toyota GAZOO Racing SA team is that of Shameer Variawa and co-driver Dennis Murphy. The pair’s prologue time was 33 seconds off the pace. They’ll be starting as the 26th car on the road.

Stage 1 is a 622 km special that comprises a 345 km liaison, and a timed section of 277 km. The route will see the crews tackle sandy tracks, strewn with rocks in places. Protecting the tyres will be key in these conditions.

Dakar 2021: Tactical warfare?

PHOTO CREDIT: Giniel de Villiers/Toyota GAZOO Racing South Africa.

Written By: Franco Theron - NamWheels

Motorsport enthusiasts could again sigh in relief as the 2021- and second Saudi-based Dakar Rally got underway today with the Prologue. Not relevant to the end result itself, the prologue saw competitors test themselves against one another as well as position themselves for the road order of the first official stage on 3 January 2021. 

With the 2021 edition seeing multiple regulation changes in both the motorbike and car categories, competitors and teams are already hinting towards tactical warfare. 

Yet, Southern-Africans already have reason to smile…

Motorbike category: 

With tyre regulations being changed and limited in a bid to ensure safer and slower riding, the motorbike competitors will now be more hesitant to go full-throttle throughout the whole of every stage. 

Neither the less,  2020 Dakar victor and the first person to break the dominance of the Red Bull KTM team, Ricky Brabec held nothing back. Storming into the Jeddah-based prologue, the American recorded the fastest time; six seconds faster than his Monster Energy Honda teammate, Joan Barreda Bort. 

Ross Branch, also known as the Kalahari Ferrari, who joined the Monster Energy Yamaha squad for 2021, recorded the fourth-fastest time, some 14 seconds behind Brabec. The Botswanian is highly pipped to take at least one stage victory, if not challenging for overall victory. 

Car category: 

The car category flamed up with news that new FIA Cross Country regulations have imposed speed restrictions on the T1 and T2 classes in a bid to cater for a more level playing field. Toyota, X-Raid and Prodrive competitors will therefore be allowed to race at 180km/h, while T3, T4, and T5 competitors will be allowed to race at 130km/h. 

While three-time and 2020 winner, Carlos Sainz Snr (X-Raid Mini) hinted the overall fight to be between the X-raid Mini’s and the Toyota’s. Glyn Hall, Team Principal of Toyota GAZOO Racing South Africa welcomed these terms; stating that his team will now have a better opportunity to keep the Mini’s within their reach. 

While the buggies of the Prodrive BRX’s and X-Raid Mini’s may only be two-wheel-drive, compared to the four-wheel-drive Toyota’s, the buggies do tend to have a speed and power advantage. 

Accordingly, one of the 2021 favourites, Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota) took to the prologue today, recording the fastest time. However, the time was soon matched by the new South-African pairing of Brian Baragwanath and Taye Perry (Century Racing). 

While this means that Al-Attiyah will open the tracks, the X-Raid Mini’s of Stephane Peterhansel crossed the finish line in 14th place, while Sainz recorded the 28th fastest time. Yet, the latter stated to have had a puncture. 

Was this strategic or does Toyota’s new-found trust in their tyre capabilities prove to be the determining factor for 2021? Or are the X-Raid team playing tactical motorsport chess, knowing that Al-Attiyah would now have to open the road? 

At the time of typing, the stage times were so extremely close, that all of the top 42 competitors, crossed the finish line within one minute from another. 

Henk Lategan, in his first Dakar, recorded the seventh fastest time, while Giniel de Villiers came in 20th. 

Sebastien Loeb, in the new Prodrive, built BRX Hunter also recorded the 11th fastest time, with team-mate, Nani Roma coming in 15th. 

While it is still early days, tactics already seem to be the order of the day. Not much could be said about performance, as all teams are still cautiously finding their… wheels, whilst not giving away too much to their competitors. 

However, with the 277km stage from Jeddah to Bisha now within reach, we can be certain of a highly competitive 12 stages.

Brian Baragwanath targets "a top ten result" in 2021 Dakar Rally.

PHOTO CREDIT: Brian Baragwanath Racing

We're just days away from the 2021 Dakar Rally getting underway in Saudi Arabia, and things are beginning to heat up for Team Century Racing, as two seasoned South African athletes, Brian Baragwanath and Calheine "Taye" Perry are gearing up for the start of a thrilling new adventure. 

Brian will be driving the South African engineered and built Century Racing CR6 buggy, with Taye Perry alongside as his female co-pilot. 

The duo, in the Team Century Racing #339 entry, consists of Brian Baragwanath, a multiple Quad, Off-road Champion and 3rd overall in the Quad Category Dakar 2016, and Taye Perry, a multiple Off-road Champion, and Dakar Rally 2020 Finisher.

Baragwanath lived his first Dakar rallies on a quad bike in South America. And, despite retiring from his first Dakar in 2015, he impressed a year later when he finished on the podium in the quad's category. Unfortunately, a severe elbow injury forced him to stop riding and turn to four wheels. 

"After my appearances on the Dakar which was great, I suffered a big crash in 2016, injuring my elbow. That, and the fact that I started a family (married, with two children) pulled me away from bikes. I was looking for a new challenge," Baragwanath said (in an interview with A.S.O)

The lady behind the road-book in charge of navigation (this year) successfully completed her first Dakar Rally just a year ago in Saudi Arabia, on a bike. 

The 2020 Dakar wasn't the easiest for her after coming off her KTM bike on the penultimate day at km240, but her grid and determination helped her make it to the end of the stage. A fellow competitor from the car category towed her in, and under the new regulations, she was required to push her bike for the final few hundred meters to complete the stage. Perry then set-off to work on fixing her bike for the final stage of the Dakar the next day.

This year, she will trade two wheels for the navigator's seat alongside Brian. 

"I immediately accepted when offered the chance to go racing in both the South African Cross Country series and the 2021 Dakar. I think it all came together remarkably quickly in the car because both bike and quad off-road racers are instinctive navigators, used to reacting immediately at high speeds," she said (in an interview with A.S.O). "Having the luxuries of an air-conditioned cabin, a seat, a safety harness and a roll-cage around one feels like a sheer indulgence. So, the least we can do is give it our all."

Both Brian and Taye have high expectations, as they will compete in a Century Racing CR6 that has already proven to be competitive last year. 

"We have spent months preparing for the Dakar Rally, and we are aiming for a top ten result," Brian Baragwanath said. 

"It’s been a challenging journey, to say the least, but fortunately we received massive support from our supporters and sponsors. These include trusted South African brands, such as Century Racing, CompCare Medical Scheme, Caltex Havoline SA, Dozer Earthmoving, and Trollope Mining Services."

The 2021 Dakar Rally will ease all participants into a competitive mindset with a short 11km Prologue on Saturday, 2 January 2020, setting up a safe starting order for the first 277 km stage on 3 January 2021. With unadulterated desert, extreme endurance conditions, tough terrains, navigational hazards, marathon stages, and 100km up-and-down-racing, it is bound to push the competitors to their limits. Spanning 14 days, the Dakar 2021 route will require skillful driving and navigation, as well as careful management of mechanical aspects. 

"Only the toughest competitors are expected to cross the finish line in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah. We look forward to representing our sponsors and our Country!" Brian concluded. 

Written By: Junaid Samodien.

Photo Credit: Century Racing. 

Additional Information: Dakar Interview.

Kristoffersson "working on it" to secure 2021 World RX return.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX

Three-time Champion Johan Kristoffersson is working on all avenues to return to the World Rallycross Championship in 2021. 

After a one-year hiatus from the championship following Volkswagen Motorsport's withdrawal. Kristoffersson announced his return to the highly competitive championship, in a hired 2018 specification Volkswagen Polo R Supercar. 

Whilst the stage was set for a thrilling 2020 season. The World RX championship along with many other motorsport categories were put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, and with a later start to the season (in August) than usual. The calendar was altered to consist of 10-rounds with three doubleheaders and four stand-alone events, but that soon changed as things worsened globally. 

The final adjusted calendar saw the season consist of four doubleheaders at four different European venues equalling eight rounds in total. 

Johan Kristoffersson leading Robin Larsson (KYB Team JC)
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX

Betting odds would suggest that Johan would dominate the season from start to finish. However, that was not to be. Why? Because the master tactician returned. 

Mattias Ekstrom returned to the championship with KYB Team JC and proved to be a championship contender from the get-go. While Kristoffersson failed to win round two of the championship (on Sunday in Sweden), it was pretty clear that he thrilled by the prospects of a close and competitive season. 

Johan went on to claim four wins, two second-place finishes, a third-place finish, and his worst result of the season, a fourth-place finish in Finland (round four). It was quite evident that his rivals found performance over the off-season and in 2019, whilst Kristoffersson's hired VW Polo R Supercar had a few updates, including a WRC specification rear wing. 

The 32-year-old Swede had a flawless season in terms of reliability and staying away from trouble (punctures and bad car damage) which helped shape his championship fight. Those around him ran into trouble, but he only had a minor scare in Kouvola which was solved almost immediately.

Leading the championship by 27-points with one round remaining at the Nurburgring, news filtered through that the final round(s) of the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship would be canceled due to the second wave of coronavirus in Germany. Following the announcement, Johan was declared the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Champions and later received the official FIA trophy at the FIA Virtual Prize Giving. 

Johan Kristoffersson is officially the most successful World Rallycross Championship driver of all time, and despite being announced as an official Rosberg Xtreme Racing driver for the 2021 Extreme E series. The Swede is also working on a potential return to the World RX in 2021. However, his hopes hit a stumbling block after Volkswagen Motorsport announced their withdrawal from all forms of motorsport at the end of 2020, but he admits that he is "working on it".

"We are working on that at the moment. The last two rounds of the rallycross championship got canceled, so the season ran pretty short anyway, and we were not really prepared for the season to end so fast. So, we didn't really have time to think about 2021 yet, and then the news came from Volkswagen that they are going to stop competing in motorsport," Kristoffersson said.  

"[Right now] we are working on a solution to see what we can do, and what we can find out. The biggest support for our team in 2020 came from the local dealers, Volkswagen Sweden together with BAUHAUS."

"We will try to continue that work and let's see what's going to happen with the car that I used in 2020. At the moment I don't know but we are working on it," he concludes.

Speaking at the FIA Prize Giving Virtual Press Conference, Johan said teams can begin to prepare for the season ahead following the release of the 2021 calendar.

"We have the 2021 calendar now, so in terms of that I think the teams can prepare, and for 2021 there isn't a huge difference in the regulations compared to '20. So, I think in terms of that there are no worries," he said.

Kristoffersson says the new promoters of the World Rallycross Championship should immediately start working towards the electric future of the sport, as he believes it's more crucial. 

"I also think as soon as we get a new promoter. They should start to work towards the electric future and make a decision quite soon on what's going to happen. So, that teams can prepare for 2022, I think is more crucial."

Can Johan Kristoffersson go for a fourth championship title in 2021? Time will tell! 

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Team RX Racing to debut Proton Iriz RX Supercar in 2021

PHOTO CREDIT: Team RX Racing.

In a brand-new venture to bring a new Supercar into top-flight rallycross, Team RX Racing has announced a collaboration with Tony Bardy Motorsport and Proton Motorsport rally specialists Mellors Elliot Motorsport to build and race a Proton Iriz RX Supercar in 2021.

The car will be based on the Iriz R5 rally car, which was built and developed by Mellors Elliot Motorsport's [MEM] and has undergone extensive testing by the likes of double-World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm and Pontus Tidemand. The Iriz RX is being developed to suit the requirements of top-level rallycross competition and will be entered into the British Rallycross Championship 5 Nations Trophy, European Rallycross Championship, and selected World Rallycross Championship events from 2021. 

2007 British Rallycross Champion Ollie O’Donovan is set to race the new Supercar in its maiden campaign and will be operated for Team RX Racing by TBM, a firm that has run O'Donovan's rallycross Supercars for almost 15 years. 

"This is a very exciting day for the whole team," a thrilled O'Donovan said. 

"The cars we have been racing in the British and European Rallycross Championships for the last few years are getting a little long in the tooth, and for some time now we have been looking at where to go next."

"The easy option would have been to buy a car from the World Championship, but we wanted to do something different, to stand out from the crowd."

"I’ve worked with Tony for a very long time now and he is one of the best in the business. Linking his experience of rallycross with the expertise of MEM in the cooperation we’ve put together is a hugely exciting prospect," he adds.

PHOTO CREDIT: Team RX Racing.

Team RX Racing Chief Engineer and Tony Bardy Motorsport Owner Tony Bardy admits that they had a different car planned, but decided "to do something different".

"We did have a different car planned to move us forward, but Ollie didn’t want to be like everybody else, he wanted to do something different. I pondered over that, but to start from scratch it would take years to build and develop something brand new," Bardy said.

"Then it occurred to me, I’ve known the guys at MEM a very long time, and the Iriz is something very different. It didn’t take us long to decide that this is the way to go, to create the first Proton rallycross Supercar."

"The Iriz has already done lots of rallies and proved the concept, so as long as we can get comparable power from the engine to what we have now, which I’m sure we can, I see no reason why we can’t be right where we want to be. The quality of the Iriz R5 is high, and to be involved in this new project with the Iriz RX is a breath of fresh air."

Mellors Elliot Motorsport and Proton Motorsport's Team Principal Chris Mellors adds that when developing the Iriz R5, his team over-engineered the car in some areas as they have had the intention to do some rallycross at some point. 

 

"When we built the Iriz R5 originally, we had in the back of our mind that we might like to do some rallycross, so it was a bit over-engineered in some areas from the start," Mellor said.

"We’re very excited, both Ollie and Tony have vast rallycross experience and it’s great to have a collaboration for this project to see what we can achieve together."

"Although the Iriz is very short, it has one of the longest wheelbases of the R5 cars, with very good suspension travel and fabulous front geometry, from Proton’s original design. We’ve got a lot of adjustments available and we’re going to need to make some specialist components to best suit a rallycross setup, but we’re not far away already."

"We’ve had some very positive rally tests recently, and we’re getting stuck into the build of the new car now."

"We like winning and that’s what we want to be doing with this project too," he adds.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Ekström rules out return to World RX in 2021.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX.

2016 FIA World Rallycross Champion Mattias Ekström has ruled out a return to the championship in 2021. 

Ekström made an unexpected return to the championship this year, as a replacement for Jānis Baumanis who could not compete due to budgetary issues linked to the coronavirus pandemic.

Immediately following the 2018 World RX finale in Cape Town, South Africa, the Swede announced that he will no longer compete as a full-time entrant. However, you can not keep a champion away from the highly competitive World RX championship. He returned for a one-off appearance with JC Raceteknik at the World RX of Benelux where he claimed a tenth-place finish. 

In the latter half of the 2019 season, the Swede took up an advisory role assisting the Monster Energy RX Cartel, as Andreas Bakkerud was in championship contention. However, it was not to be for the Norweigan who ended the season as vice-champion having finished the season on equal points to rival Timmy Hansen. 

A few months later, EKS announced that they would be selling a few Audi S1 Quattro's to Joel Christoffersson's JC Raceteknik. 

After a thrilling and captivating 2019 season. Could anything really top that? The answer was rather simple, YES! 

JC Raceteknik made their World RX debut under the banner KYB Team JC with Robin Larsson and Baumanis at the wheel. However, those plans soon changed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which meant the 2020 calendar would need to be altered. 

World RX in 2020 was originally set for an 11-round calendar, but due to a later start than usual and the COVID-19 pandemic, the calendar was watered down to 8-rounds at four venues.

Four venues, four doubleheaders, eight rounds, and thrilling action from start to finish. Any mistakes or errors would be costly. And, to spice things up even further, double World RX champion Johan Kristoffersson returned in a VW Motorsport Polo. 

Could anyone stop, Johan? Yes! 

Ekström would be a strong candidate as he returned as a super-sub in the second Audi S1 Quattro with KYB Team JC. 

No-one would have expected to see Mattias return, a return that would ultimately be a blessing in disguise for the championship, as he took the fight to his fellow countrymen.

The pair were closely matched throughout the season, but it was Johan Kristoffersson who came out on top with four event wins, with Ekström claiming two wins and a few second-place finishes seeing him end the season as vice-champion for the third time.

"I got into this season without having a thought of driving rallycross again, and we sit here with the title in the Teams’ Championship and second in the Drivers’ Championship. The only other goal was of course to also win the Drivers' title, but we were simply not fast enough," Mattias Ekström said. 

KYB Team JC led the teams' championship from start to finish with Team Hansen only coming on strong at the tail end of the season. 

The 2016 World Champion admits that he had more fun driving as a hobby instead of as a factory team, and pinpoints his wins in Holjes and Riga as the best races of the season. 

"It has meant a lot to me to compete and have fun again together with JC Raceteknik, driving as a hobby instead of as a factory driver is a huge difference," he said. "In Holjes for example I had the coolest rallycross race of my career on Sunday, and then another fantastic Sunday in Riga."

Despite finishing second in the championship, Ekström believes that the season went better than expected, and he is very proud to see how KYB developed shock absorbers that are capable of winning races and potentially championships. 

"I think it [the season] went better than expected to complete the season despite Coronavirus. We had a little trouble with some things, but that's also part of the rules of the game. It's fun that there are sponsors and companies who are willing to invest even in tougher times, especially since a lot of things have been quite last minute," he said. "I am also very proud to see how KYB has developed shock absorbers that can win the World Championship."

A return to top-flight rallycross was never on Mattias Ekström agenda in 2020, as he became a test driver for the CUPRA e-racer programme, in addition to competing in the full 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship. It was also announced that the Swede will be the male driver for the ABT CUPRA XE team in the 2021 Extreme E series. 

Having fully committed to the Extreme E series, Ekström has ruled out a return to the World Rallycross Championship in 2021. 

"A year ago I said that the chance was zero that I would return to rallycross, but I had to jump in and it was full push again. So if I said no a year ago, I must say no again. In 2021, my priority will be Extreme E,” he said.

Can we really rule out Mattias Ekström from a return to World RX? It's quite simple... No! Mattias has a competitive fire burning within him, and if he is given an opportunity in a top-flight car or team. He will undoubtedly grab the opportunity with both hands. So, it's not the end just yet! 

Written By - Junaid Samodien.

"An amazing feeling" to win Teams' Championship in first year as KYB Team JC - Joel Christoffersson.

PHOTO CREDIT: JC Raceteknik

In a shortened but challenging season, KYB Team JC has come out on top in their maiden season in the FIA World Rallycross Championship. 

Winning a  championship in a maiden season is something very hard to come by for any motorsport team, but this season KYB Team JC was leading from start to finish, and come out on top with their nearest rival only 16 points behind in the 2020 World RX Teams' Championship standings. 

Whilst Johan Kristoffersson led the way in the drivers' championship standings from the get-go, his direct rival Mattias Ekström did not make it easy for him. Winning two events of eight on his way to second in the championship for the third time in his career.

After eight rounds in four different countries, despite the challenges surrounding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the ninth and final round of the World RX set to take place at the Nurburgring in Germany was officially cancelled yesterday handing KYB Team JC the teams' championship. 

JC Raceteknik under the stewardship of Joel Christoffersson enjoyed great success in rallycross through the years having won the European Rallycross Championship last year with Robin Larsson, and four titles in the RallyX Nordic series. However, after acquiring two 2019 specification Audi S1 Quattro's from EKS. The Varmland-based team took a leap to World RX as KYB Team JC in pursuit of the ultimate prize - the drivers' and teams' championships. Whilst they failed to achieve the drivers' title, the teams' title in their first year is an incredible achievement. 

"I started JC Raceteknik in 2014 with a dream to race in the World Championship at some stage, so to already win the Teams’ Championship in the first year of World RX as KYB Team JC is difficult to top," Joel Christoffersson, JC Raceteknik & KYB Team JC, Team Principal, said.

"To be World Champions is an amazing feeling. Before the season this was my goal, and to have led from the start only makes it better! Due to Covid-19, the season started late, and although it is, of course, a shame not to be able to finish and celebrate on-site at the Nurburgring, it feels good to be able to tie the knot."

Robin Larsson returned to World RX after a one-year hiatus with KYB Team JC, and was initially set to be joined by Jānis Baumanis. However, due to budgetary issues linked to the pandemic, the Latvian season would be over before it even started.

Surprise!! It was quite a surprise, as Mattias Ekström returned to the championship after retiring from a full-time drive at the end of the 2018 season. 

But was it a full-time drive in 2020, initially the Swede was signed up for the first double-header of the season, which grew to the second double-header and the rest is history after he negotiated with sponsors and clients to remain racing for the remainder of the season. 

It was quite a season, seeing Mattias closer to Johan Kristoffersson than ever before finishing just 27 points behind the three-time World Champion. 

"Mattias and Robin have done a fantastic job. I think we have given Johan and Kristoffersson Motorsport a good fight this year – we are the team that challenged them the most," Christoffersson said. "Mattias has done what he can throughout the season and we are really happy with his second place in the Drivers’ Championship. This is the first and probably only time he will race in a full season with us and it has been an honour to have him on the team."

"Robin has stepped up and shown that the pace he had in the European Championship last year has continued. Unfortunately, he was both unlucky and made a couple of mistakes of his own, otherwise, I think he would have had a great chance to get top three in the Drivers’ Championship."

The 2020 FIA World Rallycross season has not been easy by any stretch of the imagination. With eight rounds condensed into four weekends, and the slightest mistake not only costing time to repair but it forces teams to put in additional hours. 

This season has also seen KYB Team JC taking the biggest step in performance overnight during the double-header weekends, and despite Kristoffersson getting out of the blocks the quickest, he finished behind Mattias at two events this year, in Sweden (round 2) and Latvia (round 2).

"I’m very grateful for all of the hard work by everyone in KYB Team JC and JC Raceteknik this season. It has not been an easy year for anyone, and everyone has fought really hard," he said. 

"Also a big thank you to all our partners who lined up despite these tough times, without them we would not have been able to take the World Championship title. Now the whole team will reload and work on trying to find a plan for 2021."

Ekström's KYB Team JC Audi Supercar with the Teams' Championship trophy and Vice-Champion trophy.
PHOTO CREDIT: JC Raceteknik.

One could say without Mattias' guidance and experience, the team might not have won the championship this season. As he is not only a master tactician but is also well versed in set-up and improving a race car. Whilst the Swede might not be happy with a second-place finish for the third time, he was a lot closer to the Kristoffersson (the 2020 champion) this year. 

"I got into this season without having a thought of driving rallycross again, and we sit here with the title in the Teams’ Championship and second in the Drivers’ Championship. The only other goal was of course to also win the Drivers' title, but we were simply not fast enough," Ekström said. "Everyone knows Johan's capacity and at the same time as his car is very good, but I think we gave both him and the team a good fight. Then Robin has, in my eyes, taken the biggest step and it has been fun to see his maximum level rise."

The 2016 champion labels the season-opening weekend in Sweden (double-header) and the World RX of Latvia double-header, as the coolest rallycross races of his career having claimed a second-place finish and a win at both events. 

"It has meant a lot to me to compete and have fun again together with JC Raceteknik, driving as a hobby instead of as a factory driver is a huge difference. In Holjes for example I had the coolest rallycross race of my career on Saturday, and then another fantastic Sunday in Riga," he said.

"I think it went better than expected to complete the season despite Coronavirus. We had a little trouble with some things, but that's also part of the rules of the game. It's fun that there are sponsors and companies who are willing to invest even in tougher times, especially since a lot of things have been quite last minute. I am also very proud to see how KYB has developed shock absorbers that can win the World Championship."

The 2019 EuroRX champion Robin Larsson admits that Ekström was very important to the team this season, and he was able to learn from the 2016 champion. 

"Mattias has been very important to the team and to me too. Being able to race in a full World Championship season with him has made me learn things all the time - with setup, driving on the track, and to recharge between races," he said.

The 2020 season has not been the smoothest for Larsson who only brought home a podium finish in Latvia (Riga) despite making the finals at four rounds this year. 

"My season has gone a bit up and down. In Riga, I had very good speed and finished on the podium together with Mattias," Larsson said. "Otherwise, I struggled with small errors and problems that cost a lot, while I also made some mistakes."

"The double-header events have also been difficult and costly if something goes wrong, but it is the same for everyone."

Larsson hoped that the teams' championship would be decided in Germany with a good old fight with the Hansen brothers.

"I would have liked to have decided the season on-site in Germany from a team perspective, where we would have had a battle between us and the Hansen brothers for the title," he said.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Kristoffersson left emotional after clinching third title "with our own team".

PHOTO CREDIT: Morgan Carlsson

Johan Kristoffersson has been crowned a three-time FIA World Rallycross Champion following the cancellation of the season finale at the Nurburgring. 

With a healthy 27-point lead to Mattias Ekström with one round to go (in Germany). Johan has been declared the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Champion following the cancellation of the World RX of Germany earlier today. 

Kristoffersson aimed to end the season on a high in Germany, but due to the surge in coronavirus cases in Germany, the season has unfortunately come to a premature conclusion. The 2020 season was set to get underway in April earlier this year but was delayed due to the pandemic, and eventually got underway in August in Höljes, Sweden. 

As the condensed season progressed, it was clear that there would be more double-headers than standalone events, but something that was clear from the get-go was that Johan was hungry for success. He claimed a win at each event and only missed out on a podium in Finland (round 4). 

With news that the planned season was canceled, it meant the season ended with a bang in Barcelona where Johan came out on top with a win. There were four double-headers this season, with the Swede ending on top, just like 2017 and 2018. 

"The first time is obviously something special, and the second title is memorable as I won eleven of twelve rounds. Now, it is emotional because we did it with our own team, where everything started some years ago," Johan Kristoffersson said. 

The 31-year-old Swede admits that it has been a very odd season, and a rather stressful one with him trying to avoid getting infected, as COVID-19 grabbed hold of the world this year. 

"A lot of instructions and restrictions to follow and a bit stressful trying to stay away from the infection. Some people have it without showing symptoms so you never know," he said.

Ahead of the season, Kristoffersson used the RallyX Nordic as a warm-up event in his 2016 KMS built Polo GTI RX. However, for the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship, the Swede hired a 2018 Polo R Supercar from Volkswagen Motorsport. A car that was previously used by Petter Solberg in the 2018 season.

"We hardly believed in it ourselves, but we wouldn't take no for an answer and finally put all the pieces together," he adds.

Johan won four rounds of eight, three of them on Saturdays.

"Throughout the years I have vastly improved my ability to find the pace early on," Kristoffersson said. "You have to do your homework about the grip and style of driving, and so has the rest of the team."

His first win on a Sunday came in the final round of the season in Spain (Barcelona), also the most memorable round in Johan's view.

"The semi-final in Barcelona! We looked beaten all day but turned everything around and for the first time that weekend, I could enjoy the track properly, doing that ahead of Ekström. A great feeling!" he said.

With a third title this season, Johan is officially in a league of his own having broken records throughout his illustrious career. 

A noteworthy achievement was the mind-blowing 11 wins from 12 events in 2018, a feat that any driver could dream of, but with that being said. 

The 2020 World Rallycross Championship season has now come to a premature end, which leaves one question on the table. Will Johan return in 2021 for another title bout? 

"It's too early to say, but it would be great fun!," the three-time World Champion said.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Kristoffersson and KYB Team JC declared champions as World RX finale is called off.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media

The final round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship set to take place at the Nürburgring (Germany) on 12-13 December has been cancelled, consequently crowning Johan Kristoffersson as the 2020 World RX drivers' champion and KYB Team JC teams' champions for the 2020 season. 

The 2020 season was due to start in April this year, but due to the global COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the start of the season was delayed to August. This, in turn, meant that adjustments were made to the calendar, which saw rounds in Norway, France, Abu Dhabi, South Africa, Portugal, and Belgium all cancelled due to a rise in coronavirus cases.

With Germany set to make its debut appearance on the World RX calendar in August, the event was moved to mid-December. 

"In light of continued health concerns regarding COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the organizer of the World Rallycross of Germany, scheduled to take place 12-13 December, has decided to cancel the final event of the 2020 FIA World Rallycross season," the statement from World RX said. "A number of options were explored in the hopes of moving forward with this event, but unfortunately, it was not possible in the end."

Although the Nürburgring proved over recent months that events with spectators also work in the context of infection protection, the situation is now a different one due to the sharp rise in the number of infections in Germany. Thus forcing the cancellation of the 2020 event. However, World RX will return to the Nürburgring in 2021.

"We were all very much looking forward to this premiere at our race track," the Nürburgring Managing Director Mirco Markfort said. "The FIA World Rallycross Championship is an entertaining and action-packed format that further enriches our portfolio. Nevertheless, this decision is essential for the benefit of all involved and their health". 

The cancellation of the World RX of Germany, unfortunately, means that the season has effectively ended at the Barcelona double-header held last month. And with a 27-point lead in the championship standings, Johan Kristoffersson is a World Rallycross Champion for a third time. Whilst KYB Team JC are the 2020 FIA World Rallycross teams' champions.

"We offer our warmest congratulations to Johan and the KYB Team JC for their well-deserved titles,” said Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President of Motorsports Events at IMG. “We are disappointed we were not able to hold our final event in Germany, but are very proud of the season we were able to produce throughout these unprecedented times, and our deepest gratitude goes to all our event organisers, partners and fans for their patience and continued support through it all."

The EuroRX and Super1600 championships have also ended prematurely following the cancellation of the World RX of Germany, which was set to host a third and final round of the season. However, due to the series not reaching a third round, it means that the season did not meet the FIA championship requirement, and thus no champions will be crowned. 

The premature conclusion of the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship also marks the end of an era. An era of growth, success, and global reach that many championships could only dream of, and that all came down to the hard work of IMG, commercial rights holders of the World Rallycross Championship. 

Despite signing a lengthy deal with the FIA to hold the commercial rights to the championship since 2013, the British promoter announced that they will end the agreement at the end of this season. And, whilst the future of World RX remains uncertain with a new promoter, the FIA are currently working to appoint a new promoter for the World RX championship for 2021 and beyond.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

A third world title with KMS would be a dream come true – Kristoffersson.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

Two-time World RX champion Johan Kristoffersson is on the verge of a third title with one round remaining in the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship. 

Whilst winning two-titles isn’t as easy as it may seem, winning a third title this season will see the Swede cement his place firmly as an all-time World RX great. 

Kristoffersson has continued to raise the bar each season setting a high target for younger drivers to aim for and beat in the future.

Some may say his Volkswagen Polo R Supercar is a clear step-up above his rivals, and that was true in 2017/18, but making it work and staying consistent is also key to his success on and off track. 

2018 was the year of dominance seeing the Swede claim a mind-blowing 11 wins from 12 rounds, a feat that any other driver could only dream of, but unfortunately, as soon as the joy came. It went following Volkswagen Motorsport and PSRX Volkswagen Sweden’s withdrawal from the championship at the end of that season. It then meant that Johan was left without a seat for the 2019 season, and he’d have to look for a (racing) seat elsewhere. 

Following a year out of the World Rallycross Championship, he announced his return for the 2020 season with a hired Polo Supercar from Volkswagen Motorsport. The Polo came with a new WRC specification low drag rear wing but didn’t undergo any other significant upgrades in the year off. 

Returning for the 2020 season, all the stars aligned for Johan, but unfortunately, the start season was delayed, and some events dropped off the original calendar due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The likes of Portugal, Norway, France, Abu Dhabi, South Africa, and Belgium, which saw the calendar shrink to nine rounds at five European venues. 

Having won a round at each double-header this season, his rivals always seemed to have an edge over him in preparation for the second round just a day later. 

With a limited amount of engineers, mechanics, etc. allowed at any event due to the strict FIA COVID-19 protocol. His rivals were always able to take a step forward, but he would as well. At each event, he was in contention for a race win but some circumstances did not play out the way he had hoped. 

When consistency is key in a fairly short and compact season, Johan has always been in contention for a podium finish and has only ever missed out on a podium finish in Finland where he bagged a fourth-place finish at round four of the championship. 

Compared to previous years, his rivals are a lot closer this season as their supercars have made progress since 2018. But in order to stay ahead of his rivals, he has had to extract the maximum from himself and the car to gain that competitive advantage over his rivals.

“We knew we will have a good chance to fight for the championship. But there are so many things to overcome during the season and the job has to be done both from me as a driver and the team making no mistakes whatsoever,” Kristoffersson said. “The other teams have definitely improved since 2018 and the fight is very close.”

“But we haven’t retired from a single race of the season and haven’t even had a puncture. I’ve always done decent starts and stayed out of contact as much as possible.”

In the pursuit of perfection, sportsmen (drivers or athletes) often analyze data and review footage of previous events in an attempt to see what happened in the past and how they can beat these odds. Kristoffersson does just that but what sets him apart is that he not only analyzes his data, but also watches onboards of rivals to study how they manage certain situations to learn from it, and if presented with that particular situation immediately know how to deal with it. The Swede also looks at statistics to help him with decision making over the course of a race weekend. 

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World Rallycross Championship.

“It’s always good to have a look at previous years before heading to a race. Both in terms of tire and joker tactics and study how your opponents use to play the game to be as prepared as possible,” the double World Champion said. 

In 2017-18, he joined forces with double World RX champion Petter Solberg, and after two dominant years, PSRX Volkswagen Sweden withdrew from the championship at the end of the 2018 season meaning that Johan would not have a seat for the 2019 season. He returned as an independent entrant this year with Kristoffersson Motorsport, and can only rely on his knowledge and data, as well as that of his crew in order to find improvements. Whilst his rivals this season have two-car teams which help with data collection and testing different set-up options. This in turn puts them at an immediate advantage. But we have seen this season that Johan has been the quickest on track, whilst KYB Team JC made the most significant improvements overnight.  

In order to stay ahead of the field on a double-header weekend, improvements made overnight is quite important. These improvements come from driver feedback, data,  onboard footage, and tyre strategy, but this season one-car teams have been at a larger disadvantage compared to that two-car teams who were able to share data and set-ups. 

KYB Team JC’s Mattias Ekstrom is seen as a master tactician and has taken a big step forward on the second round of each double-header weekend, and has won two events to date. 

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Championship. 

With one-car, an engineer, mechanics, and a spotter, Johan is at a slight disadvantage, but he looks on the bright side, and only focuses on how he can extract the best of the team and himself. 

“I’m always trying to focus on doing my best and the team's best possible, and not thinking to much of what my opponents are thinking and planning to do. What I feel is the most difficult with being a one-car team is the limited data we collect in terms of set-up, track conditions, launch settings,” he explains. “Petter Solberg and I worked very well together in 2017 and 2018, and I have learned a lot back then which I can use now, plus I have the same engineer Richard Browne that makes it a bit easier.”

Some might say Johan Kristoffersson is only as good because of the car he drives, but the statistics suggest otherwise. He is constantly seeking perfection and with the performance always seems to put in, he is reaching an entirely new level of performance which sets him apart from many other drivers. 

Having had no. 1 on his car for two years, this season he has had to settle for no.3, which immediately ties with what he's on the verge of achieving this season. A third world title. The Swede has always been aware of the challenges he would face this season, but admits it would be a dream come true should he win the title with Kristoffersson Motorsport (KMS). 

“That was our aim for the season, but we knew it going to be tough. It’s a very different atmosphere within our private family-based team compared to PSRX which was a much bigger team, and with two cars,” he said. “But winning the title with my boys from KMS would be so cool and a dream come true since we started with rallycross back in 2013.”

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Championship.

Earlier this month, the penultimate round of the World RX championship at Spa-Francorchamps was canceled due to an increase in Coronavirus cases in Belgium, which means with only one round remaining in the World RX championship in Germany (in December). 

And, with one round remaining and 30 points up for grabs. The championship leader, Johan only requires four points to be crowned champion for the third time. 

It’s not within a racing driver's DNA to let off the gas one little bit. And, despite being within arms reach of the 2020 title, he still aims to approach the season finale with a winning mentality. He will go “Flat out! With an aim to finish on a high!” Ending this season on a high will lay strong groundwork for the season to come. 

With all the challenges in the world this year, in life, there are always changes, but one we didn’t quite expect was the announcement that World RX promoters, IMG would be stepping away from the series at the end of the 2020 season. 

IMG laid the groundwork for a very successful championship since 2013, one that allowed fans from across the world to gain free access to events via live streaming, gain great access to the drivers, and more, which is so hard to come by in many other motorsport series. 

If and when a new promoter does take over the World RX championship, Johan Kristoffersson would like to see the promoter get rid of the random qualifying draw. “Well, I’ve never liked the random draw, I just don’t like random,” he said. “Other than that I think the sport itself doesn’t need many changes.”

The world is going green, and so will World RX as it switches from internal combustion engines to electric powertrains in 2022. A change that will take some time for diehard petrolheads to get used to, but Johan has offered the new promoters some advice on how they should approach the development of the cars, etc. as they usher in a new era of World RX.

“If and when it goes electric, I think it's very important that the cars should be extreme, difficult for the drivers to control and faster than current cars,” he adds. “With the lack of anti-lag sound, the fans need something extra to make it exciting!”

Written By – Junaid Samodien

In collaboration with The Pitcrew Online.   

Spa World RX of Benelux CANCELLED due to the resurgence of the coronavirus.

PHOTO CREDIT: GC Kompetition

The next round of the World Rallycross Championship, the Spa World RX of Benelux in Belgium has been cancelled due to the resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic, the organisers announced.

The cancellation comes after news broke that the penultimate round of the 2020 FIA World Rally Championship was cancelled due to the resurgence of the coronavirus. 

Spa's World RX of Benelux was originally set to take place in May, before it was moved to October and then to November with an aim to allow a bigger audience to attend the penultimate round of the championship. 

However, due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in Belgium and Europe, the organizers announced last week that the event will be held behind closed doors, but it has now changed following the cancellation of the championship round at Spa-Francorchamps. 

"The current health situation in Belgium and throughout Europe has forced the organisers into taking this joint decision," the statement issued by the circuit said. "The Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, IMG, and the FIA are in fact very mindful of the progression or development of the pandemic and the extremely tense situation in the hospitals."

"Furthermore, the various restrictive measures taken recently by several governments, such as those relating to travel, make the situation extremely complicated for holding the Spa World Rallycross of Benelux."

Spa-Francorchamps joined the World Rallycross Championship in 2019 and quickly became a fan favorite with its wide banked dirt hairpin and use of the legendary Eau Rouge/Raidillon. 

Whilst Timur Timerzyanov claimed his first-ever win in the world championship, ahead of Andreas Bakkerud and Joni Wiman.  

"This decision is related to an exceptional situation and even if this saddens all the teams who have worked so hard to hold this second edition, announced last week moreover to be held behind closed doors following the deterioration in the public health situation, our priority is and will remain the health of safety of everyone," Nathalie Maillet, the Circuit CEO, said.

In addition to the cancellation announcement, the circuit has also announced that it expects to host the second edition of the Spa World RX of Benelux on May 22-23, 2021. 

The cancellation of the penultimate round of the season means that the final round of the 2020 World RX season is expected to take place at the Nürburgring in December (later this year). 

This in turn means that with a maximum of 30 points available for the final round of the championship, that should Johan Kristoffersson outscore Mattias Ekstrom by four points, he will be crowned a three-time World Champion. 

Whilst KYB Team JC (with a 16 point lead) would seal the teams' championship in Germany should they finish ahead of the Team Hansen. 

Written By - Junaid Samodien

The World RX of Benelux to be held behind closed doors.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX.

The World RX of Benelux set to be held at Spa-Francorchamps will be held behind closed doors, the event organizers have announced.  

World RX first visited Spa-Francorchamps in 2019 and quickly became a fan favorite with its wide banked dirt corner and Eau Rouge hairpin. 

The circuit was originally set to host the third round of the 2020 calendar, but the date was later moved to October due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

In September, the event organizers and IMG announced that the Belgian round would be moved in hopes that delaying the round until November would allow more spectators to attend the event. 

Organizers say that following decisions made by Belgian Authorities, the event will be held behind closed doors due to current circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic, despite hopes of welcoming the largest possible audience to the event next month. 

"Following the decisions of the Belgian Authorities, we will unfortunately not be able to welcome you during the 2020 edition of the Spa World Rallycross of Benelux which will be held behind closed doors," the event organizers statement said.

"This is a huge disappointment for the Spa World Rallycross of Benelux team, whose primary motivation has always been to welcome the largest possible audience and to offer them the best possible experience."

"Our number one priority remains everyone’s health! But given the current circumstances, the organisation of this event under regular conditions is impossible."

"Holding the race behind closed doors was therefore the only solution authorized by the Belgian authorities to preserve the sporting aspect of our event."

Spa-Francorchamps will now host the penultimate round of the 2020 World Rallycross Championship season, with the Nürburgring hosting the finale in December.

For more information on ticket refunds, etc. CLICK HERE

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Team Hansen hails 'big step' after win and double podium in Catalunya.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull/Hansen Motorsport

Reigning team champions Team Hansen has taken a big step in Barcelona having claimed their first win and first double podium of the season. 

The 2020 season has ebbed and flowed for the Swedish team, and in the early stages of the season they struggled to find traction on low grip circuits, but despite that their drivers claimed three podium finishes before heading to the World RX of Barcelona (double-header). 

With no wins to there record after a strong championship winning 2019 season, returning to winning ways was there ultimate objective, and following extensive testing prior to the final double-header of the season. The Team Hansen brought some valuable knowledge and updates with them, which provided to work on the 1.133 km track

The Hansen brothers were in the mix all weekend, and on Saturday afternoon reigning champion Timmy Hansen "beat the unbeatable" to register his first win of the season ahead of Johan Kristoffersson and Kevin Hansen. The 'brodium' was on!

Whilst some cynics might have thought it would be a one-off for the Hansen's on Saturday. They were wrong, the Hansen's were back and just as strong on Sunday for round 8 of the World RX championship, but this time with Kevin Hansen ahead of Timmy in the intermediate rankings in third and fourth respectively. 

Sunday saw Timmy claim his second piece of silverware, having finished second in round eight of the World RX season finishing behind Johan Kristoffersson this time around after beating him a day before. 

"It's been a fantastic weekend with a massive step-up in performance for both me and Kevin. We are fighting for wins now which feels great. Yesterday [Saturday] we got it, today [Sunday] not quite, but it's still been a great weekend and I'm happy that the work that we've done in the lead-up to this weekend has paid off," Timmy Hansen said.

"We had great pace today but the race didn't quite go in our favour. I wasn't lucky enough to have any pole position starts today which wasn't ideal so qualified fourth, though I was hoping to beat Bakkerud in the semi-final, even with older tyres, to get myself that all-important front row grid slot."

"The final was carnage. I came up behind Johan and it was the same battle again from Saturday but this time around I couldn't quite manage it," he adds. "The only way to win was to put in a perfect run and I didn't quite put together a string of perfect laps in the final; I wasn't quite able to find that perfect rhythm from the day before."

After a third-place finish a day before, Kevin continued his strong form edging older brother in the intermediate rankings having claimed two second-place finish in Q2 and 3. Whilst his pace was quite promising all weekend, his day would end in the semi-finals. 

The semi-finals saw a very crowded first corner which meant Kevin was shuffled back to fifth place at the start, though he quickly recovered to fourth at turn three, sneaking past Timo Scheider on the inside of the long right-hander.

An early joker to find clear air didn't quite pan out as he caught Tamás Kárai a lap later and, while a brilliant overtake exiting turn six put him into fourth place, too much time was lost to Robin Larsson who held the last spot for the final.

"Today was a very promising day. The car performance was amazing in all three qualifying sessions and I was feeling really comfortable with the adjustments the team had made overnight. My speed was much better today so I was very happy with everything in that respect," Kevin Hansen said.

"We had a bit of a bad start in the semi-final but I felt we were in a good position by jokering first. That's a good place to be, first into the joker, so it was looking promising. Unfortunately, Karai had gone for the complete opposite strategy to us so getting past him lost us the time we needed to make the final."

"Overall this was a very strong weekend, a great return to form, and I feel like I'm getting better every weekend," he adds. "For the first time this year, I was within sight of a victory, and I don't plan to let it out of my sight again for the rest of the year. I'm even more excited to be heading to Spa now with the momentum we've built here, with the team back to winning ways."

With a win and two podium finishes in two days, Team Hansen's quest to retain the teams' championship is back on track. Heading to Barcelona with a 43-point deficit to KYB Team JC, Timmy and Kevin's efforts has narrowed that gap to only 16 points, with two rounds in Belgium and Germany still to go.

Timmy has also leap-frogged Niclas Grönholm to third in the drivers' championship having been six points behind heading into Barcelona. The Swede now has a 16 point advantage over Niclas with two rounds to go, meanwhile Kevin has inched closer to Grönholm and is just 12 points behind sitting fifth in the championship standings. 

"What was most impressive on Sunday was Kevin's level of performance increasing further," Kenneth Hansen, team boss said. "In past years he was slightly behind Timmy's pace but now he's at exactly the same level; sometimes even quicker. So we have two really quick drivers and cars. Today he found the level he's normally capable of delivering."

"Our win yesterday seems to have made Johan even hungrier to make sure he didn't get beaten to victory! He was clearly very determined to make sure Timmy didn't win in the final again today. But having one race like yesterday's final, where Timmy put in an absolutely perfect drive, is still a fantastic performance. My voice is almost gone from pushing Timmy so much on the radio!"

After a challenging start to the season, Kenneth Hansen says his team is back in the game to defend their teams' title, and they will continue to push with an aim to leap-frog KYB Team JC in the standings.

"We're back in the game for the teams' world championship now and we'll be doing everything we can to catch the Audis in the title race," Kenneth warns. "I believe with the direction we're going in and what we've learned this weekend will also help us in Spa. Now we've made a big step for this weekend, finding the next bit of pace will be even harder, as the rate of return on testing gets smaller and we're also quite late into the season now. Plus we need good weather! But we'll do some more testing and see what we find. We never stop pushing!"

Written By - Junaid Samodien