PSRX Volkswagen Sweden are prepared for a close championship battle

The 2018 PSRX Volkswagen Sweden Polo R testing in Silverstone.
COPYRIGHT: FIA World Rallycross

The second official FIA World Rallycross Championship test concluded at Silverstone Circuit earlier this week. With testing restrictions in place this season teams are only permitted to run on official WRX circuits in three official tests.

All the permanent 2018 teams assembled at the Silverstone Circuit in UK ahead of the official 2018 season launch. The season launch would also see teams testing there cars on the new Silverstone Rallycross circuit ahead of its official debut on the World Rallycross calender in May. 

Defending World Rallycross team champions, PSRX Volkswagen Sweden focused on more development work with an aim to improve the new Volkswagen Polo R ahead of the season opener in Barcelona, Spain.

Petter Solberg, PSRX Team Owner and Driver said: “Things are looking good. We’ve made more positive steps with the car here. We’ve been working on a few areas, but with things like the geometry, I feel like we’ve made some good progress. What we really wanted was some dry weather running, so much of our testing seems to have been done in the rain. We got some work done on Monday when the sun was out, but we had to stop testing for the launch and then it was wet again on the second day!"

COPYRIGHT: PSRX Volkswagen Sweden

The 2017 FIA World Rallycross season saw the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team winning EIGHT of TWELVE championship events, in what was a very dominant season for the team. In 2018, the team will have a fight on there hands with the competition closing in on them.    

Defending World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson, said: “Petter and I have worked closely on what we want from the car and, as usual, Volkswagen Motorsport has done a great job in delivering that. As well as seeing the car’s performance moving forward, this week has also been really interesting to see the new track at Silverstone – and to see it in both the wet and the dry conditions.”

The 2018 FIA World RX Championship kicks off with the World RX of Catalunya-Barcelona in Spain on April 14-15.

Full steam ahead for the 2018 FIA World Rallycross championship

EKS RX driver Andreas Bakkerud on track during testing in Silverstone
Copyright - FIA World RallyCross Championship

The 2018 FIA World Rallycross Championship is shaping up to be the closest and most competitive season yet, with this year’s leading contenders predicting an unforgettable season. Less than half a second would split the top four drivers following Monday’s track test at Silverstone, the new home for the World RX of Great Britain, with defending champion Johan Kristoffersson anticipating big competition ahead for the Championship title that he will defend this season. 

“It is going to be really tough this year, the competition looks incredibly strong,” the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden driver commented. “World RX is all about small margins but we have been working hard to prepare, as I am sure our rivals have been too. We are ready to race!”

With Kristoffersson being joined by fellow title-winning alumni Mattias Ekstrom and Petter Solberg in gunning for this year’s World RX title, along with nine-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb and established front-runners Andreas Bakkerud and Timmy Hansen, the stage has been set for what promises to be a closely-fought title battle.

World RX Managing Director for IMG Paul Bellamy, said: “The depth of quality from this season’s World RX field is extraordinary. Everyone competing has a chance to reach the finals and challenge for wins. No-one can afford to let their guard down so the action is going to be intense. Fans are in for a real treat - it’s going to be a fantastic season!”

With two iconic venues joining the schedule in Silverstone for the World RX of Great Britain (May 26-27) and Circuit of The Americas for the inaugural World RX of USA (September 29-30), World RX’s growth continues unabated heading into its fifth season as a fully-fledged FIA World Championship.

“The 2018 season is going to be a pivotal year for the championship,” Paul Bellamy added. “We enjoyed a very successful first visit to Cape Town last year and now we have a brand-new rallycross track here at Silverstone – an iconic venue – and another at the Circuit of the Americas, which will be the perfect introduction for World RX in the United States. With our mix of classic rallycross venues and new purpose-built facilities, World RX has never looked more attractive.”

Copyright: FIA World Rallycross Championship

The World RX of Great Britain at Silverstone will form the cornerstone of the eagerly anticipated Speedmachine festival, which will incorporate thrilling on-track rallycross action with world-class live music from the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Lethal Bizzle and Ministry of Sound, as well as the opportunity for fans to test drive cars around the international circuit, watch classic motorsport demonstrations, participate in eSports and much more.

Testing will continue with a full-day of track action at Silverstone on Tuesday [March 27] before the opening round of the 2018 season takes place with the World RX of Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain on April 14-15.