PREVIEW: High-octane, action packed World RX returns this weekend.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media.

The long-awaited sixth season of the FIA World Rallycross Championship will finally get underway this weekend in Höljes, Sweden. 

Originally, the 11-round season was due to start in April at Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona. Instead, a 10-round, seven-venue schedule including three doubleheaders, with the first doubleheader at this weekend's season opener. 

The 2020 World RX season will remain within the European borders, visiting Finland, Latvia, Belgium, Portugal, and Spain with the championship concluding in mid-December in Germany. 

Due to the current challenges around the Coronavirus. The FIA, the governing body of world motorsport, has developed protocols and procedures to manage the risk associated with the resumption of motorsport amid the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The FIA has used what they have learnt from the resumptions of the Formula 1, Formula E, and World Endurance Championships to benefit the FIA World Rallycross Championship and in collaboration with IMG, they have developed a Return to Racing Event Plan which is specific to rallycross and in line with FIA procedures.

Strict regulations on PCR pre-testing, temperature checks upon entry to the circuit, mandatory use of face masks, and social distancing have been applied along with the creation of team groups and sub-groups to minimize the risk of an outbreak spreading. Trace procedures are also in place along with containment measures in the case of a suspected case.

There are also changes to podium procedures and press conferences. The measures will vary from round to round and will depend on the guidelines and regulations issued by the relevant local health authorities.

"The FIA has undertaken a lot of work along with the World Health Organisation (WHO) our ASNs, event organisers and local health authorities in devising robust COVID-19 protocols to enable the return to motor sport in these challenging times," Professor Gérard Saillant, FIA Medical Commission President, said.

"I am delighted that the FIA World Rallycross Championship is resuming racing this weekend at Höljes, Sweden. We trust that the measures we have in place will be effective in ensuring the health and well-being of all those in attendance."

PHOTO CREDIT: Junaid Samodien

Reigning FIA World Rallycross Champion Timmy Hansen will begin the defence of the title he won in a tense season finale in Cape Town last year. Entering the last event of the year in a three-way battle for the title, Hansen ended the season level on points with Andreas Bakkerud, with the title being decided by the number of victories in the season. 

Hansen will again be joined by younger brother Kevin Hansen at Team Hansen RX. 

The season-opener in Höljes will see 17 drivers taking to the grid, including two-time World RX Champion Johan Krisoffersson returning with machinery that he is well acquainted with the Volkswagen Polo R Supercar. 

That's not all folks... 2016 World Champion Mattias Ekstrom returns as a super-sub for Janis Baumanis who has been forced to take a step back from a full-time drive due to financial issues caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Ekstrom will return for the opening round in a Supercar he is quite familiar with, the Audi S1 Quattro, and will race under the banner KYB Team JC alongside 2019 EuroRX champion Robin Larsson. 

Niclas Gronholm and Timer Timerzyanov won three events for GRX Taneco in 2019 and will return for more in 2020. Gronholm missed two events last year due to an appendix operation and would have been a championship contender had he not missed those two events. Joining them on the grid in a third Hyundai i20 Supercar for GRX SET in Höljes is multiple European Champion Krisztian Szabo.

While Andreas Bakkerud returns after he was left licking his wounds at the end of the 2019 season. He is hungrier than ever to lift the championship crown, and will partner Liam Doran at Monster Energy GCK RX Cartel. Bakkerud and Doran will race in a pair of Renault Megane R.S. RX Supercars this season. 

Swede Anton Marklund will go it alone this season in a third Megane under the banner GCK Bilstein, whilst former teammate Guerlain Chicherit returns in a Renault Clio alongside Rokas Baciuska at UNKORRUPTED.

Two-time DTM Champion Timo Scheider will return for another full-season with ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport, alongside team boss Rene Muennich in a pair of Seat Ibizas.

While 2019 World RX of Sweden winner Sebastian Eriksson returns to his home track this year with an Olsbergs MSE Honda Civic in a bid to repeat the win.

Finn Jani Paasonen is back for the full championship with his new Ferratum Team after acquiring a Ford Fiesta from Austrian company STARD.

In Sweden, the World Championship will complete rounds one and two with a full event, which requires a format change to the weekend schedule. Each World RX event will consist of three rounds of qualifying, semi-finals, and the final - taking place each day. 

While the supporting championships FIA European Rallycross and the Projekt E series will complete the usual schedule of one event taking place over two days, with two qualifiers on Saturday, the remaining two qualifiers, semi-finals and finals on Sunday.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media

Höljes also forms the opening event of the three-round FIA European Rallycross Championship for Supercars, which will include events in Latvia and Belgium.

Travel restrictions and other issues have reduced the 21-car entry list to 16 expected starters for the season opener.

Whilst Robin Larsson will not return to defend his crown in 2020. Both Jean-Baptiste (JB) Dubourg (Peugeot) and Thomas Bryntesson (VW Polo) will aim to lift the EuroRX title at the end of the season. 

Joining them on the grid will be two-time RX2 Series Champion Oliver Eriksson who will step up to EuroRX with a Ford Fiesta, and RX2 event winner Ben-Philip Gundersen in a JC Raceteknik prepared Audi S1. 

The EuroRX entry list also includes former WRC-2 Champion Pontus Tidemand, 74-year-old Swedish motorsport legend Per Eklund and Tobias Daarbak.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media

The new all-electric series, Projekt E will join the World RX support package this season with four events. The first event in Sweden followed by Latvia, Belgium, and Germany. 

Projekt E will incorporate the traditional values of rallycross by allowing teams to create cars using a wide range of production models, but the battery and powertrain kits are required to be purchased from Austrian company, STARD.

The powertrain kit comprises of three electric motors, two used on the rear axle, and one on the front, that produces a 450kW racecar with 1000Nm of torque.

The landmark first event will feature three cars, the entry list led by Ken Block who is joined by British rally driver Natalie Barratt and Austrian rally champion Hermann Neubauer. All three will drive Ford Fiesta-based cars. While the debut of the new Citroen C3 ERX has now been postponed until round two in Riga.

The FIA World Rallycross season-opener will undoubtedly create big talking points and answer a few questions we might already have. The likes of can Team Hansen RX successfully defend their titles. Is Robin Larsson a title contender? What can RX Cartel achieve in 2020? And, finally, will GRX Taneco return stronger than before?

We will most certainly get a few answers to these questions at Höljes doubleheader this weekend. 

The action will begin from 10:30am on Saturday and 09:50am on Sunday, with live streaming carried on the official FIA World RX Facebook and YouTube channels. While South African fans will be able to watch the live broadcast of the semi-finals and finals on pay-TV channel SuperSport  from 15:00pm on Sunday afternoon.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Motorsport gets dedicated home on SuperSport.

PHOTO CREDIT: Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport. 

On 1 September, SuperSport will launch a new channel line-up to give your favourite sport a dedicated home of its own. Motorsport is one of them. 

The days of channel hopping to find your favourite form of motorsport is coming to an end. In the past, motorsport was often scattered across a number of channels, but from 1 September a dedicated new channel called "SuperSport Motorsport" will be launched. 

"There are two main reasons for the change. There is so much sport and some gets ‘lost’ amid the deluge," Clinton van der Berg, SuperSport Senior Manager Communication said.

"Exhaustive market research has also shown that sports fans would find it easier to enjoy the sport of their choice on a dedicated, named channel. Fans can get frustrated jumping around the remote. In the early days, this wasn’t a problem, but with a dramatic increase in content, the need arose for a more seamless, customer-centric approach."

Motorsport has long been labeled as a fringe sport with football, cricket, and rugby often taking priority, whilst Formula 1, MotoGP, etc. were often shuffled across multiple channels. The new motorsport channel does raise a few questions, and we have sought some clarification from SuperSport regarding the new dedicated motorsport channel. 

There are so many different motorsport disciplines from F1, WEC, World RX to MotoGP, which are broadcast on SuperSport, and this poses a unique challenge to the dedicated SuperSport Motorsport channel because some events are likely to clash. 

However, Clinton van der Berg reassures us that "clashes will be accommodated with any spillover content going onto one of the ‘Variety’ channels. These will be clearly cross-promoted."

Written By - Junaid Samodien. 

Three for the price of one as GC Kompetition increases World RX presence.

GC Kompetition is back, and bolder than ever. Three new teams with one objective to win the FIA World Rallycross Championship. 

GCK are renowned for “changing the rules” wherever they go, and this season it will be no different. 

The French squad will field five permanent entries and a part-time entry for Kevin Abbring at selected events. Swede Anton Marklund will return in a Renault Mégane R.S. RX, whilst two of the biggest names in rallycross, Andreas Bakkerud and Liam Doran will trade their hired EKS Audi S1’s for a pair of Mégane R.S. RX supercars this season. 

Will Guerlain Chicherit (GCK team owner) return this season? Of course! The Frenchman has made the biggest change this season switching from the longer wheelbase Renault Mégane to the slightly shorter Renault Clio R.S. RX, and joining Guerlain on the grid in the newly formed “UNKORRUPTED” squad is Rokas Baciuška.

Let’s take a look deeper look into these three new teams...

PHOTO CREDIT: GC Kompetition.

UNKORRUPTED

The name at first makes you wonder, why they chose the name "UNKORRUPTED". Because uncorrupted in the English dictionary means: “not subjected to corruption” or “free from moral corruption,” which has no actual link to the team. But with their aim to push the boundaries and disrupt the World RX order you could draw a parallel with the word “unkorrupted”.

UNKORRUPTED will field a pair of Renault Clio R.S. RX that have undergone massive developments in the offseason, including a new engine update from ORECA, new BOS dampers, and significant work on weight distribution. 

GC Kompetition was founded by former freeskiing Champion and motorsport athlete Guerlain Chicherit in 2017. While GCK only entered the FIA World Rallycross stage in 2018 finishing the season in 5th place in the teams’ standings. In 2019, the team expanded into two teams, the main team being GC Kompetition with Chicherit and Marklund, and another team for up and coming talent under the banner "GCK Academy" with a pair of Renault Clios.

In the compact 2020 season Guerlain will switch to the Renault Clio alongside Rokas Baciuška who had a limited World RX programme in 2019 after entering the championship with ES Motorsport, and later joining GCK as an independent entry. The 20-year-old Lithuanian claimed his best result in Loheac last year with a fourth-place finish. 

PHOTO CREDIT: GC Kompetition.

GCK Bilstein

Joining GC Kompetition in the second half of the 2018 season, Anton Marklund showed his trust in the team by committing to be a key part in the development of the Mégane R.S. RX. The Swede returned in 2019 for the full season, and crossed the line first in Norway, but was later disqualified for a technical infringement. A few rounds later, Marklund claimed GC Kompetition’s best ever result with a second-place finish at Loheac, France. 

This year Marklund will return as an independent entrant with “GCK Bilstein” with the sole focus of challenging for the Drivers’ World Title in a Renault Mégane R.S. RX.

The Mégane R.S. RX that Marklund hopes will propel him to the top of the standings has undergone additional developments on the engine and a new evolution of the Bilstein dampers for the 2020 campaign.

PHOTO CREDIT: GC Kompetition.

Monster Energy GCK RX Cartel

The Monster Energy RX Cartel took the World Rallycross stage by storm when they launched early last season with the objective of being fast on track and disruptive in the paddock. They certainly ruffled a few feathers along the way. 

While the 2019 season went all the way to the checkered flag in Cape Town, Andreas Bakkerud came out as the runner-up finishing on equal points to the World RX Champion Timmy Hansen, only to be split by the number of victories in the season which ultimately decided who would be the World Champion. 

This season, Andreas Bakkerud and Liam Doran have traded in their Audi S1 Supercars for a pair of GCK prepared Renault Mégane R.S. RX. Doran will return to machinery he knows quite well having driven the Mégane at three rounds in the 2018 World RX season. But, with their combined experience Andreas and Liam will undoubtedly be the ones to watch this season. 

We can not wait to see these three teams juke it out for victories in 2020! Bring it on! 

Written By – Junaid Samodien

KYB Team JC could be a force to be reckoned with in 2020.

Robin Larsson leads Niclas Gronholm in RallyX Nordic.
PHOTO CREDIT: JC Raceteknik.

KYB Team JC might be a new team on the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship grid, but with a proven car and three-star drivers, it might just be the team to be reckoned with in 2020. 

It’s a good week because it’s race week and the first one for the 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship (World RX) season. While most of the 2020 field consists of familiar drivers (albeit in different teams and liveries), one of the most anticipated teams to take on the new season, will be that of KYB Team JC. 

Why, you might ask? 

Well, the team will see two spectacular drivers join the grid in former EKS owned Audi S1 machinery. One of the drivers being Janis Baumanis, who has always been a prominent figure on the grid and looked set to take the fight for the top position at the 2017 Cape Town RX. However, due to COVID-19 related funding problems, he will not race in the full World RX season with the team.

Mattias Ekström has been called upon to replace Baumanis for the Holjes double-header. The 2016 World RX champion came out victorious on two occasions previously and will certainly be ready to uphold the EKS name once again. 

Having raced with STARD, Baumanis has 34 World RX starts to his name since 2015 and has featured on the podium twice (Norway and Canada 2019). Yet, the Latvian is hungry for that first top-step position when he returns to racing. 

Janis Baumanis (left) and Robin Larsson (right) cars for the 2020 World RX season.
PHOTO CREDIT: JC Raceteknik.

Joining Ekstrom and Baumanis in a similar Audi S1, will be Robin Larsson, who absolutely dominated the 2019 European RX season by winning 4 out of the 5 events. Re-joining the 2020 World RX grid, the Swede already knows the Audi S1 Quattro quite well as his flamboyant and spectacular driving style certainly suits the car. The Swede even took on the Latvian RX round in 2019 in a bid to support Andreas Bakkerud and fend off the chasing Hansen brothers last year. 

Also winning the RallyX Nordic series last year, while Bakkerud and Doran showcased the power of the EKS Audi supercar, Larsson will without a doubt also be able to aid Baumanis in getting comfortable with the new car. With the sole focus of lifting the championship trophy at the end of the season, both Baumanis and Larsson might just be the fiercest new “kids” on the block. 

However, with GCK broadening out and now including Bakkerud and Doran, while GRX Taneco will undoubtedly be stronger than ever, and lastly, the Hansen's coming back from a high, the 2020 class will not be an easy task for any new team. 

Yet, both KYB Team JC and it's drivers certainly has the knowledge to take on the others. 

Larsson, Ekström, and Baumanis are aching to start and we are anxiously waiting to see what they can do! 

Written By - Franco Theron (PedalFest SA & NamWheels) & Junaid Samodien

"Our expectation for this year is to continue where we left off in 2019" - Kevin Hansen.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

Kevin Hansen, the reigning TitansRX and NitroRX champion firmly sets his sights on the ultimate crown in rallycross having finished third in the drivers' championship last year. 

Despite winning the season-opener in 2019, the Swede wasn't able to convert his early championship lead into success, and he ultimately believes that spinning on the joker lap at the British round was a turning point in the title fight. 

Whilst heading into the season finale in Cape Town still in contention for the World RX title, Kevin decided to support his brother in his quest to be world champion and ended the season in third place in the standings. 

Kevin Hansen (yellow) and Timmy Hansen (blue) pictured together in photoshoot.
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.  

Ahead of the 2020 World Rallycross season-opener in Holjes this weekend, Team Hansen RX unveiled their 2020 livery, featuring the traditional Hansen Motorsport blue, plus light blue accents for Timmy Hansen, while Kevin's Peugeot 208 will feature yellow accents to distinguish the team's two cars this season.

"I think the new livery looks amazing," Kevin Hansen said. "We've tried to make the two liveries look more similar this year, so it looks more like the cars belong to the same team. We are the reigning world champions so we need to present a united front, even more, this year. Mine especially looks really great!"

Holjes is a happy hunting ground for Kevin. The Swede came within +0.338s of winning the World RX of Sweden last year and is excited that the season will kick-off on home soil. 

"To start the season with my home race is very exciting," he said. "We're used to doubleheaders and the team is as well, so this format won't feel like a surprise. It'll be very calm with no fans but if we do well in the final, the celebrations will feel a bit empty, with no-one in the grandstands. We feel all the support from our home fans and we hope they will share their feelings and emotions about World RX's return with us on social media." 

Despite the challenges that the 22-year-old Swede faced in 2019, he is ready for action this season and expects Team Hansen RX to continue where they left off in 2019 having claimed the drivers' and teams' titles. The Swede aims to achieve his ultimate goal this season - to be World Champion. 

"Our expectation for this year is to continue where we left off in 2019. We learned a lot from being in the lead of a world championship and fighting for wins, so I don't feel nervous at all. I feel very comfortable with who I am, what I can achieve, and what I'm capable of doing, so it's just about getting to the track and fine-tuning the car, extracting everything we can from every race. Becoming a world champion is the ultimate goal."

Kevin also explains the reasoning behind switching from race number #71 to #9 in the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

"I'm switching to #9 for only one reason this year: the qualifying grid draw. #71 has not performed well in these draws for the past few years, so I felt it was time to try and change that. Hopefully now with #9, which has the best average grid position for Q1 grid draws, this will help make things a little easier for Q1" he said. "I'll always keep #71 in my heart and use that number anywhere else I race, but I need to do everything possible to optimize my performance."

Written By - Junaid Samodien

“If we are fast in Höljes, we can be fast anywhere” - Timmy Hansen.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

Timmy Hansen will begin the defense of his FIA World Rallycross Championship drivers' title five months later than initially planned as the 2020 season gets underway with a double-header on home soil at Höljes in Sweden this weekend. 

Coming off the back of an extraordinary 2019 season, where Timmy Hansen and Andreas Bakkerud ended the World RX season on equal points leading to a countback of race victories ultimately determining the champion. Timmy and Team Hansen RX will have their eyes on defending the drivers' and teams' titles this season against a line-up that's even tougher than last year. 

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and restrictions in place in a number of countries, Höljes (Sweden) inherited the role of season-opener this weekend, giving Team Hansen RX a unique opportunity to begin the season on home soil.

"It's exciting to start a new year. We begin the season in Sweden with our home race but it's going to be very different this year; without spectators, it's going to be more like a 'normal' race," Hansen said. "But the track layout is always fantastic and I'm looking forward to racing at Höljes."

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

Having spent the off-season preparing their Peugeot 208 WRX supercars for the season ahead, the 28-year-old Swede believes that the Höljes double-header will be a good indication of where they stand as a team for the 2020 campaign. 

"This weekend should be a good indication right away of where we stand. If we are fast in Höljes, we can be fast anywhere," he said. "I want to continue what we did last year; it was a fantastic season, the best season I have ever had as a racing driver. But I still have more to give, more left in me that I want to give to the sport and I can still become a better rallycross driver. That's my goal for this year, and hopefully, that leads to another world title."

And with a more compact 2020 season, keeping out of trouble will be vital for all the drivers aiming to lift the championship trophy at the end of the season. Hansen is aware of this and aims to avoid another Abu Dhabi like incident, which saw his Peugeot 208 requiring a chassis rebuild after Andreas Bakkerud collided with him last year. 

"We have to be clever during these first races not to end up in any trouble because there is definitely no way you have time to repair any big damage between the two rounds on Saturday and Sunday," he said. "So ideally I want to avoid another Abu Dhabi from last year! To recharge between the two days will be challenging but I'm up for it."

The reigning champion has elected to race with number one on his rear window this season.

“To race with number one on the rear window is a nice reminder of what we did last year. It's a journey that I will never forget and I worked so hard for it. It had been a dream for many years and a goal, and now we have achieved it, so seeing that number one is a way to continue to enjoy it. It definitely feels good.”

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Ekström to make RX return for season opener in Holjes.

PHOTO CREDIT: JC Raceteknik.

Former World Rallycross Champion Mattias Ekström will make a return to World RX for the 2020 season-opener in Sweden this weekend with KYB Team JC, replacing Jānis Baumanis. 

Having announced his retirement from World RX at the end of the 2018 season. Ekström made his rallycross return last year at the World RX of Benelux with JC Raceteknik in his 2016 championship-winning Audi S1. Later that year, he also raced in the RallyX Nordic finale at Tierp, alongside Robin Larsson who he will race alongside this weekend. 

Baumanis will not be able to take part in the full World RX season with KYB Team JC due to the economic effects of the Coronavirus [COVID-19] pandemic creating budget problems for the Latvian driver.

Mattias Ekström has won twice before on his home circuit, in 2014 and 2015, and won the World RX Drivers’ title in 2016, which makes him the ideal candidate to replace Baumanis.

"Since we have a vacant Audi S1 ​​EKS Supercar for Holjes, I contacted Mattias," Joel Christoffersson, KYB Team JC Team Principal said. "He has been a guest driver in the team twice before and thought, just like us, that it would be great fun to drive in his home race. Mattias will be a strong addition to KYB Team JC. He is a driver with many tips and tricks and if there is anyone who knows these cars, it’s him. It will definitely be an advantage for both Robin and us as a team to have him with us."

"It’s sad that Janis won’t race in the full World Championship with KYB Team JC this year, I and the whole team had really looked forward to this collaboration. But given the situation around Covid-19, I think everyone understands that something like this could happen and I hope we can take up the collaboration with him again."

The 2016 World RX Champion will test at Dalarna in Sweden on Tuesday ahead of his rallycross return this weekend. 

"It's always fun to compete. Rallycross has, and has always had, fast and fun cars that I enjoy driving," Ekström said. "So, competing with Joel and JC again feels good, especially after the final round of RallyX Nordic at Tierp last season where I had the opportunity to give Robin some support. Robin has already won an event at Holjes this year, so is already in the groove."

"My biggest priority this weekend is to have as much fun as possible. But of course, the day I do not dream of winning is the day I stop competing."

"The goal is always a trophy, but then we will see what is realistic according to the conditions. Holjes is always special, but this year it will be something completely unique without the fans. It’s a strange feeling, but still exciting."

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Could GRX Taneco be 2020's dark horse?

PHOTO CREDIT: GRX Taneco.

Seen by many as not only the strongest team in 2019, but also the potential 2019 World Rallycross Champions, the GRX Taneco took the paddock by storm as they took 3 of the 10 victories throughout the season. The team also fought hard with Team Hansen RX, only to finish second in team standings after the World RX of South Africa. 

This year, however, GRX Taneco will again compete with its two-star drivers, namely Niclas Grönholm and Timur Timerzyanov, with an added third car entered for selected rounds. These will include Krisztián Szabó and Juha Rytkönen. 

Earmarked by many as the driver, who should have taken the 2019 title, Niclas took two victories in Norway (a career first) as well as South Africa. The Finn crossed the line first in Abu Dhabi, only to be stripped from the victory after he made a pass on Kevin Hansen. 

The Finn did well to keep his tabs on the championship, only to lose out to Kevin Hansen, Timmy Hansen and Andreas Bakkerud when he sat out of the Belgian and United Kingdom rounds due to an appendix operation. 

Niclas Grönholm and Timur Timerzyanov celebrating at 2019 Cape Town season finale.
PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media.

Teammate, Timur Timerzyanov broke his 6-year streak of bad luck to claim his first-ever World RX event win at Spa-Francorchamps. 

Grönholm jumped back onto the scene in Hell (Norway), with a win after Anton Marklund was disqualified for a technical infringement. 

As the season progressed, the fight between Timmy Hansen and Bakkerud grew more fierce, while Grönholm still managed to set up a consistent points haul. 

Heading for the last round in South Africa, Grönholm still had a mathematical chance of taking the title, yet would have needed to win all his heats and finals, with his three competitors not taking a single point from the weekend. 

From the start, this was a difficult task and although Grönholm evidently knew that this was not possible, he still raced for the win. The Finn raced extremely hard, while Timerzyanov helped the team to a double podium in the end. 

Unfortunately, the Hansen brothers also raced extremely hard, with both brothers also seen in the final. This meant that Team Hansen RX took the teams-championship by a slender 43 points. Grönholm in turn won the event, but his victory was strongly overshadowed as Timmy Hansen and Bakkerud ended the season equal on points and had to debate the end-result in the stewards' room, post-race. 

Although Timerzyanov is yet to be seen in his race car this year, Grönholm already showcased a strong form at Hell during the RallyX Nordic "All-Star Magic Weekend" event. 

A new season will see more progress, but also more competition as Bakkerud will join a very strong GCK team, the Hansen brothers are promised to be more competitive, and Johan Kristoffersson rejoins the grid after a one-year hiatus. 

2020 will certainly be one of the most anticipated seasons in FIA World Rallycross history and the GRX Taneco team promises to be at the head of the field. 

2020 GRX Taneco pre-season testing. 

VIDEO CREDIT: GRX Taneco

Written By: Franco Theron

“I aim to turn the pressure into a positive” - World RX Champion Timmy Hansen.

PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

Reigning World Rallycross Champion Timmy Hansen will have a target on his back this season as he returns to defend his crown in the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

The 2019 season was the closest fought season in the history of the world championship with both Timmy and Andreas Bakkerud ending the season on equal points, but with a count-back of wins, Hansen was declared the victor.

Slipstream SA spoke to Timmy Hansen ahead of the 2020 season opener. 

In all forms of sport, defending a title always comes with added pressure. So, we asked the reigning champion if he feels any added pressure as he heads into the season with an aim to defend the title(s), and how he aims to turn that added pressure to a positive?

“Well, the pressure is always there as a race driver and I think mainly about myself. I always want to perform and I am here because it's a huge challenge and that is what I love about it, so yes,” he said

“I do aim to turn the pressure into a positive but I wouldn't say it's more pressure. I would rather say I put less pressure on myself now because I have won the world championship already and I have achieved my goal in that way, and it feels like I don't have to do it again, but I definitely want to and I most of all I want to improve as a driver and drive faster than I've done before.”

The 2020 World RX season has been condensed into a ten round calendar, with 3 venues hosting double-headers this season, and no fly away events due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Whilst there was some downtime for many, it does not mean that racing drivers or any athletes for that matter used the downtime to relax. They often use it as downtime to improve themselves both physically and mentally for the challenges ahead, and this is no different for Timmy Hansen. With a condensed calendar in 2020, it will add enormous pressure on teams and drivers to perform from the get-go.

“This break has been a huge help to prepare myself on the physical and mental side,” Hansen said. “I feel really strong after all the training. I haven't been traveling so training has really been uninterrupted and I've done all the training that I planned to do. So, I feel really strong physically and mentally.”

“I've been able to set aside what happened last year and really find my motivation to perform and to continue to push myself as an athlete, so yeah. I feel great! I feel better than before any other season.”

Timmy will embark on the challenge of retaining his World RX crown in 2020 with heavy hitters returning to the championship, the likes of double World RX champion Johan Kristoffersson and Euro RX champion Robin Larsson in a former EKS RX Audi. 

2019 runner-up Andreas Bakkerud will switch to GC Kompetition machinery in a Renault Megane R.S RX Supercar alongside Liam Doran in Monster Energy GCK RX Cartel.

In the pursuit of perfection and improving, teams will refine their cars and update them to solve flaws of previous seasons and this is no different in World Rallycross. At some 2019 events, the Peugeot 208 WRX had the tendency to struggle on loose surfaces and excelled on high grip tracks. This year, the team has made changes to both the engine and to solve the grip issues, as Kevin Hansen revealed in an interview with Andrew Coley (World RX commentator).

“We're not a factory team anymore, and we do have a great car so I don't want to overextend what we're doing, but with that said of course as a team we want to continue to improve and there are several areas in which you can improve: teamwork, me as a driver, set up, performance of the race car, and the engineers have worked hard and have had in many ideas,” Timmy said.

“Together as a team, we had many ideas at the end of last year and we were working on them and hopefully, we have fine-tuned the car even better for 2020.”

Timmy Hansen leading his brother and Timo Scheider in Cape Town.
PHOTO CREDIT: Red Bull Content Pool.

The 2019 World Rallycross Championship was a tense affair and went right down to the wire between Andreas Bakkerud and Timmy both vying for top honors. The season finale was won by Niclas Gronholm after Bakkerud and Hansen collided in the tight gravel hairpin in Cape Town. Hansen spun and lost track position crossing the finish line in fourth behind the event winner. That meant the pair were equal on points and a countback would seal the title for Hansen having won four events in 2019.

Rivalries make sports very interesting for fans, and with old champions returning there is no doubt we’ll see new rivalries form in 2020. So, who does Timmy think will be his biggest rival this season?

“I mean Kristoffersson, of course, he is a two-time world champion and he will be on the grid and in the same machine that he used so on you know, looking at it that way I'm looking forward to race against him and again to really measure myself against him, after all the work we have done and how far we've come as a team,” he said. “But Andreas, you know, we ended on equal points last year, and I know he hasn't been lazy (during off-season) and, Gronholm as well, he was super strong last year and I know they've been working very hard to do you know there are four drivers or three drivers apart from me and Kevin and then.”

“You know, you have to be very humble before these the start of a season. I think is very important to know that your competitors will be strong but mainly focus on your own performance.”

The 28-year-old Swede has also added two eSport titles to his belt during the off-season. He claimed the World RX eSports Series and Race of Champions Virtual titles. We asked him if simulator racing was a good tool to sharpen his racing skills during the off-season.

“I don't know, time has to tell if I improved by doing that or not, you know, motorsport practice and training it's very hard to measure and like when I'm out running or in the gym do I become faster by doing that, you know for like one session doesn't make a difference, but all the sessions combined.”

“I'm sure that it makes a difference and I think it's the same with eSports. I've been racing and I have been keeping sharp so I wouldn't say there's anything particular I've learnt apart from being in that racing zone and mentally it was a big challenge which I could carry some lessons from so yeah, it was it was a good way to spend the break. And fun of course.”

Whilst many countries are still battling the Coronavirus pandemic, and some are still under partial lockdowns. The reigning champion shared a few words with motorsport fans.

“We are all in this together and even if I am a racing driver or you know, a CEO of a large company or an employee of a large company or anybody else in the whole world have an equal part in fighting this, you know, it's all about social distancing and we can do it and I can only encourage people to continue to stay, you know, stay socially distant,” he said.

“I've been staying at home. I've been going to work and really limiting what I'm doing so yeah, I'm not better than anyone. I don't have a bigger responsibility, but we're all equally responsible and yeah, this is something that the world is really doing together never before have I seen the entire world like this acting in the same way for the same goal to save our elderly, you know family mainly as well as everyone else in risk.”

“And motorsport is starting again soon, so you'll be in entertained if you're at home.”

The 2020 FIA World Rallycross Championship season is now just a week away with a double-header at Höljes in Sweden.

Written By: Junaid Samodien

Krogstad takes RallyX Nordic lead with first win in Arvika.

PHOTO CREDIT: ROBIN LINDQUIST

Henrik Krogstad has taken the lead in RallyX Nordic's Supercar Lites category, after claiming his first-ever round win at the third round of the season in Arvika, Sweden.

The Swede topped every practice session, three out of four qualifying rounds, and the first semi-final on his way to overall victory.

His most dominant run of the weekend was in the second qualifying round, where he went four seconds faster than any other driver; an unheard of advantage in a four-lap rallycross race, where races are often settled with gaps as small as tenths of a second.

After a second and fourth place at the season-opening Magic Weekend double-header at Höljes, Krogstad was fourth in the championship heading to Arvika. But a maximum points score from round three propelled him all the way to the top of the standings, tied with Jesse Kallio on 71 points.

"We were doing a lot of testing on Monday focusing only on our starts. I’ve been quick at Arvika before but never been able to get in clean air, and this weekend I nailed every start, which allowed me to just enjoy driving upfront rather than having to fight every lap," Krogstad said. "And this will be useful for the season finale at Nysum too, even more so than here at Arvika."

“I also had enough self-confidence to be able to enjoy being in the lead. I knew that even if the other drivers could follow me, they couldn’t pass me, because the speeds here are so high. Höljes has always been one of my weaker tracks so we worked really hard on the little details there, and kept that approach here. So now we’ve come here, to a track that suits me, and we’re extremely fast."

"We had a great setup on the car from the start. I don’t believe we changed anything on the car all weekend, at least nothing significant with the set-up. Eric and the guys used their experience with the Lites car and their baseline set-up was perfect out of the box.

"It’s been so great having Timmy here. He knows so much and he has the answer to everything that I ask. It’s not only down to the advice he gives about driving but his mental coaching, ensuring I have the right mindset during the weekend, which is so important as well."

Reigning World RX Champion Timmy Hansen, #YellowSquad's Head of Driver Development, was trackside to help Krogstad optimize his performance throughout the weekend. 

Hansen has revealed how impressed he is with Krogstad's performance. 

"Henrik's performance this weekend is one of the best I've ever seen in rallycross," Hansen said. "It's a one-make series and to be sometimes a second a lap faster than anyone else is absolutely amazing, especially considering these are the best drivers you can go up against in this class right now. And he was still in a league of his own."

A happy Timmy Hansen thrilled with what his seeing.
PHOTO CREDIT: ROBIN LINDQUIST

“From the beginning, he had fantastic pace and within the team, we didn't look too much at the others. Even though we were far ahead we still worked on the details and trying to get that perfect run together and race by race, we were still able to improve and find a bit of time here and there."

"Henrik drove with incredible confidence and seeing him in the semi-final and final, securing it with such a margin, is something that doesn't happen very often. It's a fantastic sporting achievement, so I must take my hat off to Henrik this weekend and to the entire #YellowSquad team. We were able to get the set-up just to Henrik's liking and all of the pieces came together this weekend."

"It's a lot of pressure performing at the end after such a good weekend; I know that myself from my own good races! But he was still able to put that run together when he needed to in the semi-final and final. So it was a massive performance, hugely impressive, I couldn't have done it better myself, so I'm very proud of him."

The #YellowSquad's next event is the RallyX Nordic season finale at Nysum, Denmark, on September 4-6. 

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Kristoffersson withstands Eriksson challenge to seal hometown Nordic RX win.

Johan Kristoffersson leads at the start of the Supercar final at Arvika.
PHOTO CREDIT: RallyX Nordic.

Johan Kristoffersson claimed a second straight victory in the RallyX Nordic series on home soil in Arvika, but Oliver Eriksson made sure he had to work for it. 

The two-time World RX champion asserted his dominance from the get-go with a clean sweep in all four qualifying sessions, semi-final, and went wheel-to-wheel with Oliver Eriksson in the six-lap final.

In the final, Eriksson braved it out around the outside of the first corner before snatching the inside line on the exit of Turn Two to lead.

For the next two laps, the Swede led the field and withstood every attempt that Kristoffersson made to get past. Time and again, the Volkswagen Polo driver pulled alongside, but the two-time RX2 Series Champion boldly hung onto the lead.

Unable to find a way past, Kristoffersson took the joker lap at the end of lap three to get some clean air in an attempt to jump Eriksson.

Eriksson knew he needed to get the hammer down if he was to retain his advantage. Unfortunately, a mistake at the last corner saw him tap the barrier on the inside, and the contact would ultimately leave him with a double puncture.

Kristoffersson powered to his second victory from three starts in RallyX Nordic this year, while Eriksson was going in the opposite direction. Linus Westman snuck past on the last lap to record an excellent second-place finish, with the  Eriksson having to properly get his elbows out to fend off Peter Hedström on the run to the chequered flag. Flashing across the finish line on only two rims, the third position marked an astonishing effort.

"I said all along that you need to be extremely sharp if you want to achieve a clean sweep," Kristoffersson said. 

"Oliver [Eriksson] was really on it in the final. I had a little bit too much wheelspin at the start and he pulled a great move up the inside of me and over the jump. After that, we had a fun battle for a couple of laps – it was only a shame it was cut short as I was looking forward to continuing the fight."

"Still, I’m very happy that we were able to put on such an exciting show."

Written By: Junaid Samodien

Citroën works driver Ostberg to debut C3 ERX in Sweden.

Citroën Racing driver Mads Ostberg will debut the all-new Citroen C3 ERX in the first round of the 2020 Projekt E Series in Holjes.

Ostberg, the winner of Rally Portugal 2012, has experience in competing with the C3 R5, and won the World Rally Championship’s official support category – WRC2 – in the first two rounds of the 2020 Championship in Monte Carlo and Sweden with the car. The Norwegian’s experience and success in rallying has made him the perfect candidate to work on the development of the C3 ERX, and to also give the car its debut in the Projekt E Series at Holjes, where he will race against Ken Block and other drivers on the legendary Varmland circuit.

"It’s a really nice opportunity for me to take part in this project in Holjes," Ostberg said. "For sure everything will be brand new to me, the car, the track and I’ve never competed in rallycross before so I think it will be an amazing experience."

"To drive this car was so much fun already, it’s so powerful and so enjoyable. It will be really, really amazing to finally compete in rallycross. I’m loving to do it in the electric Citroen C3 ERX.”

The C3 ERX has been developed by STARD in Austria, supported by Citroën Racing, and is based on a C3 R5 rolling bodyshell. The C3 ERX will also use 80% of Citroën Racing's R5 components together with STARD's REVelution electric powertrain system. 

"Mads is one of the most talented drivers in the world of rallying, and he has been right at the front for many years now," said Michael Sakowicz, STARD CEO and founder. "He has a huge amount of experience working with manufacturer teams at a very high level and it has been very helpful to have his input and validation into our world-wide unique STARD REVelution powertrain as the Citroen Racing works driver that he is."

"He’s the perfect driver to race the C3 ERX on its debut in the Projekt E Series and his participation makes the line-up even stronger after Ken Block was announced to drive the Ford Fiesta ERX at the Holjesweekend yesterday."

The C3 ERX customer racing programme was revealed by STARD and Citroen Racing just days ago, with cars ready to buy and parts also available at the Citroen Racing Shop.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Ken Block makes rallycross return for Projekt E season opener.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX.

Gymkhana, Rallycross, and Rally star Ken Block will compete in the inaugural Projekt E race at the World Rallycross Championship season opener in Höljes, racing an electric Ford Fiesta. 

The American will race an all-electric STARD-built four-wheel-drive Fiesta ERX, which uses three electric motors producing 450kW (613bhp) combined power with a top speed of 240km/h. 

The STARD developed REVelution electric powertrain will be used in all cars competing in the Projekt E series. 

Block last competed in a World RX event in 2017, driving a Ford Focus RS RX with his Hoonigan Racing Division team. But, at the end of the season, the team withdrew after Ford Performance announced that they will "take a break" from the championship. 

Earlier this year, Block drove the electric Extreme E Odyssey 21 on the final stage of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, and he was quite surprised by the instant torque. Whilst he briefly experienced the power of electric machinery in the Dessert. He will make his first competitive outing in an all-electric Projekt E car in the season opener later this month. 

"I am stoked to take part in the worldwide first-ever electric rallycross race in the Projekt E series in a STARD Ford Fiesta ERX!," Ken Block said. "The car is rad and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel in Höljes."

The brand-new Fiesta ERX that Block will race has been given a special VIN, 043 in honor of Block’s debut in the car.

"We are very much looking forward to having Ken racing our Ford Fiesta ERX at Holjes," said STARD CEO and founder Michael Sakowicz. "Not just because he is one of the most famous race drivers in the world and it shows the potential of Projekt E that the class is able to attract drivers like Ken, but also because he has vast experience of motorsport and rallycross and it will be very interesting to get his feedback."

"Ken has driven and raced in all kinds of crazy cars, but I really think he will be very impressed with the Fiesta ERX."

Last year, STARD revealed the first Projekt E electric rallycross car, a Ford Fiesta which underwent a number of tests and refinements. The Fiesta ERX also became the first electric rallycross car to compete in an event. STARD entered in a round of the Hungarian Rallycross Championship with Stohl Group President, Manfred Stohl behind the wheel. History was made when Stohl claimed victory ahead of a 600-hp ICE [Internal Combustion Engine] Supercar. 

Ford Performance have announced their intentions to support the Projekt E series, whilst STARD announced earlier this week that Citroën Racing will join the series supplying C3 R5 chassis equipped with the REVelution electric powertrain kit for the all-new electric Projekt E Series. 

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Electrifying new FIA eRX2 Championship revealed.

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media. 

The new all-electric World Rallycross Championship support series eRX2 has been officially revealed. 

eRX2 is sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) will replace the RX2 Series on the support bill in 2021. The new series is a joint venture between Spanish electro-mobility specialist QEV Technologies, Olsbergs MSE, and RX Promotion, the company that operates the current RX2 International Series and will be run by FIA World Rallycross Championship promoter, IMG.

The vision for the FIA eRX2 Championship is to provide a pathway to the top of the sport for aspiring rallycross stars. RX2 – like its predecessor RX Lites – has served as an excellent training ground for drivers on their way up the ladder to the pinnacle of World RX, and eRX2 is now set to raise the bar even further by embracing the discipline’s electrification and focussing firmly on the future.

"We are delighted that through the launch of the FIA eRX2 Championship we are able to provide a cost-effective entry point for younger drivers to become part of rallycross’ electric future," said Gyarfas Olah, FIA Off-Road Commission President. "We look forward to making further announcements about the championship over the coming months."

 

Having won the FIA’s tender to develop the ‘arrive-and-drive’ eRX2 concept – based around a bespoke, lightweight four-wheel-drive electric rallycross car with a spaceframe chassis and 32kWh battery producing 250kW (335bhp) of power – the QEV has spent the past nine months working hard behind-the-scenes in preparation for its launch.

"This is a tremendously exciting time for electric motorsport, and here at QEV, we all firmly believe that the FIA eRX2 Championship can play a major role in helping to shape the future of rallycross’ electric landscape. Since winning the tender back in October, our team has worked tirelessly to develop the new eRX2 car," said Joan Orús, COO, QEV Technologies.

 

"With short, sharp races, rallycross is the ideal discipline for electric cars, and we are confident eRX2 will generate more dynamic and spectacular action than has ever been seen before."

PHOTO CREDIT: FIA World RX Media. 

"Not only will the degree of torque available make the car considerably quicker than the current RX2 model, but it will also be more challenging to drive, especially on the limit, which will be a key factor in helping to prepare competitors for the subsequent step-up to Supercar level."

 

"One of the aspects I like most about the eRX2 car is all of the additional areas in which the driver can make a real difference, from the distribution of the torque to brake bias, which simply isn’t possible with an internal combustion engine vehicle," Orús adds. "Being able to manually balance the car and its performance mid-race, while traveling side-by-side at speeds of up to 150km/h will truly showcase a driver’s skill set and technical understanding."

The first iteration of the eRX2 car – featuring an interim ‘prototype’ composite bodyshell on top of RX2’s existing Supercar Lites chassis – was exclusively unveiled during RallyX Nordic ‘All-Star’ Magic Weekend at Höljes in Sweden earlier this month.

 

The battery – which has been fully safety-tested – is mounted next to the driver in the centre of the car to ensure optimum, 50/50 weight distribution, while power is supplied evenly to the front and rear wheels by a pair of motors and inverters, all of which benefit from a cooling system to prevent excessive temperatures.

"We are delighted to be working with QEV Technologies to develop the new eRX2 Championship and car. QEV’s experience and expertise in the electro-mobility domain speaks for itself, with sustained success both on and off-track – they are truly a pioneer in the sphere," said Andreas Eriksson, CEO, Olsbergs MSE. 

 

"It is that same pioneering spirit that earned them the tender for the FIA eRX2 Championship, and their eagerness to innovate and push back boundaries truly resonates with all of us here at OMSE. They have been very open in acknowledging that this will be their first foray into rallycross, but they have shone in every other motorsport discipline they have entered and are learning fast. They are an excellent partner in every respect."

 

"There is no question that the future of motorsport is going to be electric, and as far as I am concerned, there is no question that QEV is going to set the pace in rallycross’ bright new era."

 

The eRX2 car will be able to run for up to 25 minutes, with recommended 20-minute recharges between sessions over the course of a race weekend. 

 

"We understand how important it is for drivers progressing to international competition to race at World Championship events," said Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President for motorsports events at IMG, the FIA World Rallycross Championship promoter. "It’s exciting that the next generation of drivers will be able to drive bespoke electric race cars and be at the forefront of the electrification of rallycross."

The final car is set to be officially presented towards the end of this year, and six European events are planned for the FIA eRX2 Championship’s first season, with the full calendar to be released in due course.

Written By - Junaid Samodien

Finnish RX champion Rytkönen joins GRX for home round.

PHOTO CREDIT: GRX Taneco.

Double Finnish Rallycross Champion Juha Rytkönen will race the third GRX Hyundai i20 Supercar in his home rounds of the FIA World Rallycross Championship at Kouvola.  

Rytkönen, who has spent the majority of his career in rallying, has spent the last two years competing in various rallycross events and has claimed two Finnish Rallycross Champions’ titles.

Whilst Krisztián Szabó will race the third GRX SET Hyundai i20 at Höljes, Rytkönen takes the wheel of the GRX-built Hyundai i20 Supercar for the second double-header at Kouvola on August 29-30.

 

"I am extremely grateful to have this opportunity to race in the highest level of rallycross," he said. "Even more so – to race in Finland, at my favorite track, and with a Finnish team is very exciting." 

"After two years of racing at the national and regional level, I feel I need to take the next step. Sure, to have one of the best cars at my disposal for this race also brings great responsibility, but I am ready to learn from the experienced GRX drivers and engineers and give my best at every single moment."

"Juha's experience from various different cars in the past, combined with his humble attitude, will give him a solid base to continue developing further. We as a team will try to help him with our experience in the best way we can, and hopefully we are able to progress through the weekend and have a solid race together," says co-founder of SET Promotion and GRX Taneco Team Manager, Jussi Pinomäki. 

 

The FIA World Rallycross Championship season will kick-off on 20-23 August with a double-header in Höljes, Sweden.

Written By - Junaid Samodien