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| PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool |
Since the championship's inception in 2014, Mettet formed part of the inaugural World RX calendar, and ten years on, it will play host to rounds 5 and 6 in 2024.
Mettet is a happy stomping ground for six-time World Champion Johan Kristoffersson, who has six wins to his record and returns to Belgium with a healthy 25-point lead in the championship.
The Swede has won three out of the four rounds this season and will look to add more glory to his ever-growing record.
His team-mate Ole Christian Veiby, who recently became a father before the Hungarian double-header, finds himself second in the overall classification, but hot on his heels, are the CE Dealer Team duo of Niclas Grönholm and Klara Andersson, who are tied on points, but just nine points behind the Norweigan.
Grönholm, in his electric-powered PWR RX1e, profited from an incident involving Kristoffersson and Kevin Hansen on Saturday afternoon in Hungary claiming his first win for an electric car in the 'Battle of Technologies' era.
After a challenging start to the campaign, the Hansen World RX team is aiming to bounce back in Belgium. Reflecting on the team’s last outing, Kevin Hansen showed good pace throughout the weekend but was unlucky to not come away with a better result in Hungary, following a dramatic clash with Kristoffersson in Saturday’s final that denied him a shot at victory.
Bringing up the rear of the field is Anthony Pelfrene, who has reached the semi-final stages and is currently eighth in the standings ahead of ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport's René Münnich both are piloting sustainably fuelled combustion-powered cars.
The World RX of Benelux will also mark the halfway point of the 2024 Championship, so get strapped in and ready for some exhilarating action!
THE TRACK: CIRCUIT JULES TACHENY [METTET]
THE TRACK INFORMATION:Track Length: 1079 meters in length
Joker Lap: 1231 meters
Tarmac/Dirt: 60%/40%
World RX Debut: 2014
The Jules Tacheny circuit has hosted the FIA World Rallycross Championship in the past, between 2014 and 2018 and 2023. With its demanding, winding course, the circuit has always offered an exceptional spectacle to its public, who are ideally situated to see all the action on track. Like its British counterparts at Lydden Hill and German counterpart at Estering, the Circuit Jules Tacheny shaped the beginnings of the intense and unique sport of rallycross. The succession of bends on gravel and asphalt offers ideal conditions for hellish sprints punctuated by contact and cascading skids.
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| PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool |
KMS-HORSE Powertrain
DRIVER: Johan Kristoffersson:
"There were some things I wasn't happy with there [in Hungary]. I put myself into situations where I became vulnerable and exposed. It won't do. I have to act smarter and be sharp. I think it's okay for us, not as good as the one in Hungary, but better than Portugal, which awaits next time. Here there are two long accelerations, but also technical parts. It's important that the whole team does a good job and that we don't get any technical issues."
DRIVER: Ole Christian Veiby
"Three out of four on the podium so far. It's not so bad, but now it's time to recharge for a new weekend and pick up more points. It is important to stay away from the worst fights in the start. The first turn looks a bit the same this time. We have to think about the championship as well".
HANSEN WORLD RX TEAM
DRIVER: Timmy Hansen
“We looked strong in Hungary but never ended up on the podium which we were hoping for. We stayed there testing after the race and made some good progress and I think we can bring that into Belgium. We are starting to understand how the tyres are working and how we need to approach setting up the car which we’re excited to put into practice this weekend. Despite no podiums, we have still reached every final which highlights our consistency and aids our championship fight. Kevin and I will give it everything we’ve got for the rest of the season and hopefully we can get both cars on the podium this weekend.”
DRIVER: Kevin Hansen
“We are looking forward to Belgium and it’s nice to be back with full power as last year we had to race with our RX2e cars. Unfortunately, the race doesn’t start with a longer straight, which would favour our electric car, however there are some later on in the circuit which will allow us to stretch our legs and maximise our car’s full potential. The test after Hungary really helped us understand the car better so hopefully this will make us a little more comfortable and quicker so we can challenge in Belgium.”
CE DEALER TEAM
DRIVER: Niclas Gronholm
“It is great to return to Mettet after a long time and showcase electric and sustainable motorsport to our Belgian fans and partners. I believe our car is well-suited to this track. Now it is all about having a strong weekend overall. We need solid results on both days to stay in the fight for the championship"
DRIVER: Klara Andersson
"Sharing third place in the standings with Niclas is fantastic. We are determined to fight for the title as a team. This year, we have been able to leverage each other's strengths to develop both the cars and ourselves. I believe we are the strongest team in the championship, with the most potential of all."
“I am incredibly excited to head to Belgium. It is my first time on this track. It will be challenging, but I am looking forward to it. This weekend is all about delivering and gathering points, but it is going to be tough as always."
2024 FIA WORLD RX OF BENELUX: ENTRY LIST
Johan Kristoffersson (KMS-Horse Powertrain) - VW Polo KMS 601 RX
Ole Christian Veiby (KMS-Horse Powertrain) - VW Polo KMS 601 RX
Timmy Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - Peugeot 208 RX1e
Kevin Hansen (Hansen World RX Team) - Peugeot 208 RX1e
Niclas Gronholm (CE Dealer Team) - PWR RX1e
Klara Andersson (CE Dealer Team) - PWR RX1e
Rene Munnich (ALL-INLK Munnich Motorsport) - Seat Ibiza
Anthony Pelfrene (JDM Raptor Racing) - Peugeot 208 WRX
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