Andreas Bakkerud explains Q3 crash in Abu Dhabi.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Live Coverage.

Monster Energy RX Cartel's Andreas Bakkerud hit the ground running in Abu Dhabi.

The Norwegian claimed a fifth-place finish in Q1 and second in Q2. 

On the Saturday morning in Q3, Bakkerud got off to a strong start and began to challenge Timmy Hansen for the lead of the race. He took the joker lap on lap two, and Hansen covering him off took the joker lap on lap three... The two collided at the joker lap exit. 

Team Hansen MJP's Timmy Hansen was forced to withdraw from the weekend after the Q3 crash with chassis damage on the Peugeot 208 WRX Supercar. 

Following an investigation, the Stewards deemed that Bakkerud was at fault, and he was disqualified from Q3. 

Seconds before the crash.
IMAGE CREDIT: FIA World RX Live Coverage.

Andreas Bakkerud took to his youtube channel #BakkerudLife to explain the incident and talk about the overall race weekend. So, let's hear from the man:

"I am going to tell you guys, how Q3 was in Abu Dhabi. I guess that is the main question and the most craziest crash ever. I've had." 

"So, I had a pretty decent start. I was behind Timmy [Hansen] just following him for one and a half laps, it was pretty easy. He was sliding and drifting all over the place, and I was ready to attack when I got the opportunity. I went to the joker [lap] and unfortunately, I out-braked myself in the joker a little. Then he went to the joker after I was chasing him."
"Then I was 110% sure it was the finish line. So, the thing was we a huge crash." 

"This track a little bit longer, and if you take a normal rallycross track like Hell. Four laps there was the same time as we spent in Abu Dhabi on three laps. So, I think my inside stopwatch told me that "hey, now is the finish line". 

The impact with Timmy Hansen
IMAGE CREDIT: FIA World RX Live Coverage

"You see drivers when they cross the finish line, they went all the way to the right. All the way out to the fence. I saw him maybe a split of a second before the crash." 

"I was really sore in the neck and the back the day after, my tum and my knees. But, I'm overall happy that it wasn't any personal damages."

"My limited budget is very limited. To get to the first event of the year, and crash the car and have the damage of €60,000 wasn't the way I would like the season to start."

"At the end of the day, we got disqualified from Q3. So, from that moment on Liam [Doran] asked me, if I could be his spotter in the semi and the final. Even though it was a bad weekend for me. I needed him to have a good one. Liam got to the final. It was a big win, and we decided that "Hey, everything can happen now!" And, I think you just have to be smart about it in the final. Which he was..."

WATCH the FULL EPISODE below.

#BakkerudLife - Andreas Bakkerud talks preparation for Abu 

Dhabi and the incident with Timmy Hansen.

TRANSCRIBED - Junaid Samodien