Rallycross 2019

19-12-11 RallyX on Ice blir en del av SM-veckan 2020
Ny arena för nästa säsongs RallyX on Ice
Segraren tar hem allt i en endagstävling i Luleå
SM vinnarna kommer att ta emot sina priser på samma scen

RallyX on Ice som presenteras av Cooper Tires kommer att bli en del av SM-veckan 2020. En ny arena introduceras och tävlingen avgörs under en dag i Luleå den 28e mars, där segraren tar hem allt.

RallyX on Ice har besökt några av Skandinaviens främsta rallycrossbanor och nu senast – under våren 2019 – så fick förarna tävla på tre banor som hade dragits upp på Åresjön. Serien har lyckats attraherat några av de största globala namnen inom motorsport, från stjärnorna Andreas Bakkerud och Timmy Hansen som tävlar i FIA World Rallycross Championship till de amerikanska racingförarna Josef Newgarden och Hélio Castroneves.

Tävlingen 2020 kommer att bli den mest högprofilerade tävlingen hittills, den kommer att vara en del av SM-veckan – något som kan liknas vid Sveriges egna multi-sport ”Vinter OS”. SM-veckan, som firade 10-årsjubileum förra året, innehåller allt från skidskytte och längdskidor till draghundssport, alpint, jiujitsu och styrkelyft.

Parallellt med detta så kommer svenska vinterrallycrossmästerskapet, RallyX on Ice addera ytterligare en dimension till SM-veckan då några av sportens främsta förare kommer att mötas i tight hjul mot hjul och handtag mot handtag action. Allt detta på en specialbyggd bana placerad på Luleälven, mitt i Luleå, huvudstaden i Norrbottens Län.

Eventet drivs i samarbete med Svensk Bilsport och kommer att vara ett endagsevent som innefattar tre tävlingar. Huvudklassen är den fyrhjulsdrivna, 310 hästkrafter starka enhetsbilen Supercar Lites. Utöver detta så deltar den spektakulära tvåhjulsdrivna, +400 hästkrafter starka supernationella klassen och till detta tillkommer den alltid populära CrossCar/Crosskart kategorin.

Delar av tävlingen kommer att direktsändas i SVT och SVT Play. Alla deltagare kommer att ha möjlighet att vinna RallyX on Ice titeln medan SM tecknet bara kan erhållas av förare som har svensk licens.

"Vi är glada att kunna presentera en ny upplaga av RallyX on Ice för 2020. Att ingå i SM-veckan är hedrande och ett erkännande för vår rallycross serie som ser en växande popularitet” säger Jan-Erik Steen, VD för RX Promotion, RallyX on Ice promotor. "SM-veckan är ett prestigefullt evenemang i Skandinavien och det finns alltid fler nya sporter som vill in än möjliga lediga platser – så det är en stor ära att bli en del av föreställningen 2020.”

"Banan och tävlingsområdet kommer att bjuda på de allra bästa förutsättningarna och att dessutom få tävlingen direktsänd i SVT gör evenemanget extra intressant för deltagare, sponsorer och fans. Att få vara i hjärtat av Luleå med de vackra omgivningarna, kulturella aktiviteterna och underhållning som erbjuds innebär att det verkligen kommer att finnas något för alla som närvarar.”

"Om intresset som hittills mottagits för tävlingen är en indikator så förväntar vi oss att startfältet snabbt fylls upp. Det är säkert att den kommande RallyX på Ice festen kommer att vara mycket spännande och intressant, både på och utanför banan!"

Anmälningen för RallyX på Ice 2020 kommer att öppnas i mitten av januari, tillgängliga platser fördelas enligt principen först till kvarn.

19-12-10 RallyX on Ice to star in Sweden's 2020 'Winter Olympics'
New venue for next season’s RallyX on Ice winter warm-up
Winner takes all in single-day contest in Luleå
Swedish Winter Champions to be crowned on same stage

RallyX on Ice presented by Cooper Tires will form part of Sweden’s ‘Winter Olympics’ in 2020, as the annual rallycross season curtain-raiser races into an exciting new venue for a high-speed, high-stakes, winner-takes-all single-day showdown in Luleå on 28 March.

In recent times, RallyX on Ice has graced some of Scandinavia’s premier rallycross tracks and most recently – in spring 2019 – participants tackled three challenging courses laid out over a frozen lake in Åre, Sweden. Along the way, the series has attracted some of the biggest motorsport names on the planet, from FIA World Rallycross Championship superstars Andreas Bakkerud and Timmy Hansen to US racing heroes Josef Newgarden and Hélio Castroneves.

The 2020 event is set to be the highest-profile yet, taking place as it will within the framework of SM-veckan – Sweden’s multi-sport ‘Winter Olympics’, which this year celebrated its tenth anniversary and showcases a wide range of disciplines from biathlon and cross-country skiing to dog-sledding, Alpine slalom, jiu-jitsu and powerlifting.

Alongside the Swedish Winter Rallycross Championship, RallyX on Ice will add a dynamic dimension to SM-veckan, as some of the sport’s finest talents go wheel-to-wheel and doorhandle-to-doorhandle on a purpose-built track on the frozen Lule River, right in the heart of Luleå, the capital of Norrbotten County on Sweden’s northern coast.

Run in conjunction with the Swedish Automobile Sports Federation, Svensk Bilsport, the single-day event will be preceded by official test days and will comprise three competitions – the bill-topping Supercar Lites for identical 310bhp, four wheel-drive rallycross cars; the spectacular 400bhp+ two wheel-drive Supernational class; and the always well-supported CrossCar/Crosskart category.

The event will be partially broadcast live on Swedish national television and livestreamed via SVT Play. All entrants will be eligible to win the coveted RallyX on Ice titles, while the Swedish Championship crowns will be contested between drivers in possession of a Swedish licence.

“We are delighted to unveil the ‘new-look’ RallyX on Ice for 2020, and to be included in Sweden’s high-profile SM-veckan is another endorsement of the growing popularity of our winter motorsport series,” enthused Jan-Erik Steen, CEO of RallyX on Ice promoter, RX Promotion. “SM-veckan is a prestigious week on the Scandinavian sporting calendar, and there are always more candidate sports than places available – so it’s a great honour to be a part of the show.

“The racing promises to be red-hot, and to have it broadcast live is a major coup for competitors, sponsors and fans alike. Not only that, but being right in the heart of the city, the raft of surrounding cultural activities and entertainment means there will genuinely be something for everyone that attends.

“If the interest received so far is any indication, we expect grids to fill up fast, because one thing is for sure – the upcoming RallyX on Ice festival will be the most exciting and compelling yet, both on and off-track!”

Registrations for RallyX on Ice 2020 will open in mid-January, with places to be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

19-12-03 TitansRX announces 2020 schedule
TitansRX is pleased to announce its 2020 calendar, which features a return to five locations from last year, plus the addition of a new event in North America.

As with the first season, drivers will compete in an international series. This year's schedule will be made up of 14 rounds across seven events, including a grand finale hosted in Nyirad, Hungary. To qualify for the grand finale, drivers have to compete in at least 10 rounds across five race weekends.

In addition to the full International Series, two regional cups, Cup North and Cup South, will also be contested. For these, drivers only have to compete in three events (six rounds) in order to win them. At the grand finale, the top qualifying regional drivers can compete in a ‘Super Cup’ to determine the best drivers from both regional competitions.

Cup North will begin at the MJP Arena in Austria at the end of April, before heading to Nyirad in Hungary in May. Cup South meanwhile will begin in Montalegre, Portugal in June, followed by a visit to Essay in France in July.

After that, there will be events in Canada (Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières) and Germany (Estering) in August and September respectively, which will count towards both the North and South cups.

The Canadian event is a new addition to the schedule in 2020 and will mark the first time TitansRX has ventured out of Europe.

"It is very satisfying for me to see the natural progress of the 2020 TitansRX season with the addition of a North American event at Trois-Rivieres and two embedded regional cups" said TitansRX founder and CEO Max Pucher. "Both firm up the position of TitansRX as a stable second tier of the rallycross landscape filling the gap between World RX and the national championships."

"The FIA, sponsors, and drivers have also reacted very positively to our Real-E initiative to reduce our ecological impact," he added. "In 2020 TitansRX will have between 15-20 Pantera RX6 race cars for 'Arrive&Drive' rental, depending on driver subscription."

"We look forward to bring exciting Rallycross action to fans around the world!"

The 2020 TitansRX season will also be the first year of the new Real-E initiative, which sets the goal of making the series more environmentally friendly than a battery-electric racing series.

Further details about the 2020 TitansRX season will be revealed in due course.

For more information about the new calendar, please click HERE.

19-11-28 Schemat för RallyX Nordic 2020 bygger på ett framgångsrikt koncept
RallyX Nordic återvänder till fansens favoritarenor under säsongen 2020
Nationella förare ansluter till ordinarie förare vid varje event
Tre helger med dubbeltävlingar ger ett mervärde för fans och publik

Racekalendern för 2020 RallyX Nordic som presenteras av Cooper Tires släpps idag (28 november). Den består av 8 tävlingar på fem platser, vilket inkluderar tre stycken dubbeltävlingar. Detta bygger vidare på succén från 2019 där pallplaceringarna avgjordes under dramatik den sista tävlingsdagen.

Likt förra året så börjar säsongen med den legendariska rallycrossbanan i Höljes i Sverige den 23/24 maj, detta följs upp med Nysum i Danmark 6/7 juni. Den spektakulära Finnskogbanen i Norge den 25/26 juli och tillsammans med Höljes och Nysum blir dessa tre helger dubbeltävlingar - ett tydligt bevis på dess popularitet och framgång under 2019

29/30 augusti är det dags för Finland på en bana som ännu inte bekräftats. Slutligen så anordnas säsongsfinalen på Tierp Arena den 26/27 september.

Formatet för racehelgerna kommer att vara oförändrat under 2020. De alltid lika spektakulära och 600 hästkrafter starka Supercar tillsammans med de extremt konkurrenskraftiga Supercar Lites kommer att fortsätta vara helgernas huvudattraktioner. I Supercar Lites lockar intresset för att se morgondagens världsstjärnor tillsammans med entusiastiska amatörer slåss hjul-mot-hjul i identiska bilar. CrossCar kommer även dem att ingå efter det positiva test året 2019, i skrivande stund väntar vi med spänning på det ny FIA reglementet som under kommande år skall implementeras.

Under varje racehelg kommer dessutom gästförare/ gästserier att medverka. Norska mästerskapet i Supercar kommer tillsammans med RallyX Nordic´s deltävling i Höljes samt under RallyX Nordic´s deltävlingar på Finnskogbanen avgöra sin mästare. Detta kulminerar under ”Super Saturday” på Tierp Arena vid säsongsfinalen där det febrilt arbetas med att få dm absolut bästa svenska Supercar förarna som finns tillgängliga att delta.

”Vi är supernöjda med att återvända till de här fantastiska banorna under 2020”, säger Jan-Erik Steen, VD för RallyX Nordic promotor, RX Promotion. ”Förra säsongen fick vi uppleva ett fantastiskt mästerskap där pallen i Supercar avgjordes under det absolut sista varvet. Med det som bakgrund så finns det inget behov att förändra upplägget i någon större utsträckning”

”Supercar Lites går från klarhet till klarhet och är en serie som har vuxit fram till att bli huvudattraktion tillsammans med Supercars. Den erbjuder möjlighet för förarna att visa sin potential under lika förutsättningar, detta till ett rimligt pris – med denna bakgrund så blir resultatet extremt tight racing. Det finns mycket likheter mellan Lites och CrossCar där det senare är tänkt som det första steget mot en fortsatt karriär till att bli en Supercar förare. Redan nu kan vi se en fantastisk talang med framtida förare på högsta nivån.”

”2019 var otvivelaktigt den bästa RallyX Nordicsäsongen hittills, vi vill behålla det momentum vi har och göra nästa säsong ännu bättre. Vi är säkra på att med de banorna och klasserna som vi bekräftar idag så kommer vi lyckas med precis det!”

2020 RallyX Nordic Kalender*
Maj 23/24 Tävling 1/2 Höljes, Sverige
Juni 06/07 Tävling 3/4 Nysum, Danmark
Juli 25/26 Tävling 5/6 Finnskogbanen, Norge
Augusti 29/30 Tävling 7 TBC, Finland
September 26/27 Tävling 8 Tierp Arena, Sverige
* Alla datum i väntan på FIA / NEZ-bekräftelse

19-11-25 TitansRX stars Tamara Molinaro and Reini Sampl to demonstrate Pantera RX6 at the Monza Rally Show
TitansRX stars Tamara Molinaro and Reini Sampl will demonstrate the series’ Pantera RX6 supercar at the Masters’ Show, the final challenge of the Monza Rally Show on Sunday 8 December.

The popular event Monza Rally Show, which has been held since 1978, takes place at the famous Italian Grand Prix venue and attracts some of the biggest names from motorsport the world of motorsport.

More than 55,000 passionate spectators attended the event last year, which was won by MotoGP icon Valentino Rossi – his seventh victory in the event.

For Molinaro, one of the stand-out stars of the inaugural TitansRX season, it will mark the first time she has driven the Pantera RX6 on home soil, making the occasion all-the-more special.

“It’s a dream to drive a rallycross car like our Pantera at the Monza Rally Show,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity for our incredible series from a visibility point of view and it will be so much fun for us as drivers, too.”

The event also holds a special place in Molinaro’s heart, being the first event she ever attended, and she’s keen to put on a show for her compatriots.

“Monza Rally Show was the first motorsport event I ever went to, I was one month old in 1997,” Molinaro revealed, “[so] you can be sure I will do donuts until my tyres are completely finished””

For Sampl, it gives the Austrian another major platform to show off his skills behind the wheel.

“The Monza Rally show is one of the biggest events and has so many stars and big names from rallying,” he said. “I’m proud to drive the Pantera there. I won’t be looking for the fastest time, going sideways will be the plan at Monza. The spectators will love it for sure!”

TitansRX’s Pantera RX6 Supercar is a purpose-built machine produced by MJP Racing in Austria. The car, powered by a 540 bhp Ford-derived engine delivers comparable performance to top-level rallycross supercars, but at a fraction of the price.

19-11-25 Holten Motorsport becomes first projekt E entry for 2020
The Norwegian team, Holten Motorsport AS, are the first to announce their commitment to Projekt E and will enter the inaugural 2020 electric series with a Ford Fiesta-based Projekt E race car.

Projekt E is a collaboration between STARD (Stohl Advanced Research and Development) and IMG, the promoter of the FIA World Rallycross Championship and will feature as a support series at select European rounds of the world championship weekend.

As the progression to electrification in motorsport gathers momentum, Holten Motorsport AS were keen to be among the first to make that move.

Holten Motorsport Project Manager Nils Reimers, who also represents his own technology investment company, Ing Nils Reimers AS (INR) a majority owner of the Holten Motorsport main partner Tomax, said: “This move to Projekt E will push us in the right direction for EV technology development.

“It is a fact that motorsport is the spearhead for new automotive technology and Projekt E brings us on to a technological platform that makes our advances and learning relevant in a changing automotive industry,“ he said.

Team Manager Svien Bjarte Holten also stressed the advanced technology of Projekt E, which is being provided to teams in the series at a cost-effective level.

“Projekt E is a ground-breaking undertaking and enables private teams to enter the world of electric motorsport with an unmatched level of road car electric powertrain relevance thanks to STARD´s technical concept which is as simple as it is innovative and affordable,“ Holten said.

Holten Motorsport has had a long association with World RX and European Rallycross competition. Most notably, Daniel Holten was the first driver to campaign a Volkswagen Beetle in the FIA World Rallycross Championship in 2015 in partnership with Eklund Motorsport.

The previous year he raced a Ford Fiesta ST at world level and also competed in Euro Supercar. He has also competed in RX Lites and RX Sweden since making his debut in 2010. Earlier this year Holten was crowned Norwegian Rallycross champion in a TouringCar Fiesta. Holten have yet to announce drivers for Projekt E.

Michael Sakowicz, CEO and Founder of STARD is delighted to welcome Holten Motorsport to Projekt E. “The official Projekt E presentation by STARD and IMG was just a few weeks‘ ago, yet we are already starting to see commitments from teams as they prepare for this new undertaking,“ he said.

“We are delighted that Holten Motorsport are the first team to officially announce their participation. Projekt E is here. We were not talking two years in advance - you can buy the kit and race in 2020. It´s as simple as that.

“At a recent meeting in Vienna we were able to provide the team at Holten AS with the opportunity to drive the car and this totally sold the concept. We are now looking forward to working with Holten AS as our customer on their path to a new era of racing.”

The 2020 calendar for Projekt E was released last week. The series begins with the first round at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium on May 16-17 as a support to the third round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy.

19-11-14 Spectacular season celebrated at South African Awards Gala
Stars of the show honoured at end of thrilling RX2 Series campaign
Special accolades for McConnell, Eriksson, Kallio, Gundersen and Färén
Maria Eriksson receives night’s biggest cheer for ‘Spirit of RX2’ award

The highlights and high-achievers of the 2019 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires have been celebrated in fitting fashion at the series’ annual Awards Gala, as the champion was officially crowned and others honoured for the part they played in another spectacular season of high-octane action.

As in 2018, the destiny of the laurels in the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series went down to the wire last weekend at Cape Town’s Killarney International Raceway, where reigning champion Oliver Eriksson successfully completed his title defence with a fifth victory of the year.

Ben-Philip Gundersen – the only driver to defeat Eriksson in a straight fight in 2019 – posted back-to-back triumphs at Höljes and Lohéac en route to the runner-up spoils. Eriksson’s rookie team-mate Jesse Kallio, meanwhile, tallied five podium finishes on his way to an impressive third place in the overall standings, in so doing helping to secure the coveted Avitas Motorsport Team of the Year trophy for Olsbergs MSE.

All three men are undoubtedly stars of the future on the World Championship stage, and they were joined at Cassia, Nitida Wine Farm by Fraser McConnell, Sami-Matti Trogen, Vasiliy Gryazin, Simon Olofsson, Anders Michalak, Steve Volders, Linus Östlund and Niklas Aneklev – each of whom similarly enjoyed their moments in the spotlight over the course of what was another hard-fought campaign.

The evening’s most eagerly-anticipated element was the presentation of a number of special accolades designed to recognise the series’ most noteworthy performers. OMSE ace McConnell won the Cooper Tires Fans’ Favourite Award, the result of which was decided via a Facebook video vote. The Jamaican’s prize is a set of tyres to be used in RX2 in 2020.

Champion Eriksson received the P1 Fuels RX2 Ambassador of the Year Award and a 54-litre fuel drum for his role in positively promoting the series both on and off-track, while the IMG RX2 Unsung Hero Award was presented to Eric Färén, who picked up a pair of VIP hospitality passes to an event of his choice on the 2020 FIA World RX calendar for his tireless work behind-the-scenes.

The Swede also took time to talk about the new #YellowSquad RX2 outfit that will join the grid next year, drawing upon the experience and expertise of newly-crowned World Champion Timmy Hansen and younger brother Kevin Hansen, who will partner Färén in the running of the team.

As Olsbergs RX2 Rookie of the Year, Kallio was awarded a €500 Olsbergs MSE parts credit by GCK Academy World RX driver and former RX2 runner-up, Guillaume De Ridder. JC Raceteknik’s Gundersen received the same prize from De Ridder’s 2019 GCK stablemate and former RX2 Champion Cyril Raymond, deservedly being selected as the Olsbergs RX2 ‘Hard-Charger’ for his crowd-pleasing performances this season.

Arguably the loudest cheer, though, was reserved for the recipient of the ‘Spirit of RX2’ Award, as an emotional and visibly surprised Maria Eriksson was welcomed onto the stage by event compere, FIA World RX television reporter Neil Cole. That set the scene for an evening of dining, drinking and dancing, as the RX2 family let down its collective hair and partied into the night.

“What a way to celebrate our third season!” enthused Series CEO, Andreas Eriksson. “I am immensely proud of how RX2 has established itself over the past three years as the leading support series to World RX and forged such an excellent reputation on the international stage through exceptionally entertaining on-track battles and the highest levels of professionalism in the paddock.

“Last week, we welcomed a new name into the fold in the shape of the Hansen brothers’ #YellowSquad, which is another endorsement of RX2’s ever-growing profile and popularity. Kevin Hansen is a former RX Lites champion who understands and appreciates the importance of what we are doing here, and we are delighted to have him and Timmy on-board.

“RX2 is very much a family, and whilst everybody is a fierce competitor on the circuit, off-track, the mutual respect and inclusive environment we have worked so hard to foster is I think a crucial factor in our drivers’ development. That is ultimately the key to this series’ ongoing success – and every indication is that 2020 is going to be our biggest and best season yet.”

19-11-12 Rejuvenated RX2 calendar reveals exciting new venues for 2020
Refreshed range of venues for fourth season of FIA World RX feeder series
Nürburgring an exciting new addition as old favourite Montalegre rejoins the fray
Rallycross classics Hell, Höljes and Lohéac headline spectacular summer

The RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires will race into 2020 with a refreshed and rejuvenated calendar, characterised by classic rallycross circuits, a return to some old stomping grounds – and an intriguing new addition.

Following three successful seasons as the official feeder series to the FIA World Rallycross Championship – propelling both Cyril Raymond and Guillaume de Ridder into the top flight along the way, and bringing countless more drivers to the attention of some of the sport’s leading Supercar teams – interest in RX2 is sky-high, as was witnessed during last month’s Supercar Lites sampler day at Lohéac, which attracted almost 25 eager participants.

Now, the championship is delighted to unveil the seven venues that will make up its 2020 schedule on the World RX undercard. As was the case last year, the season will start in Spain (18/19 April) at the popular Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – home to Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix since 1991.

Remaining in the Iberian Peninsula, round two will take place at Portugal’s picturesque Circuito Internacional de Montalegre (2/3 May), a much-loved traditional rallycross track that – while new to RX2 – previously welcomed the series’ RX Lites predecessor.

Next, competitors will once again take the road to Hell in Norway for round three on 13/14 June. Another favourite is hot on its heels in the shape of Höljes in Sweden (4/5 July) for the legendary ‘Magic Weekend’ – which routinely attracts as many as 50,000 enthusiastic fans as well as capacity entry lists – before the action shifts to a rallycross newcomer, Germany’s Nürburgring (1/2 August), a venue steeped in motorsport folklore.

France follows, as Lohéac – which this year staged arguably the most exciting and intense final in RX2 history – returns to the calendar for a fourth consecutive campaign (5/6 September). The action will conclude once again at Cape Town’s Killarney International Raceway in South Africa (14/15 November), where last weekend, the destiny of the 2019 crown was decided.

“We’re excited to reveal the 2020 RX2 calendar today,” enthused series CEO, Andreas Eriksson. “We think it represents the perfect blend between celebrating rallycross’ roots and embracing the sport’s future.

“Hell, Höljes and Lohéac need no introduction – they are legendary tracks in the discipline, and no self-respecting international rallycross series would be complete without them. In a similar vein, we are delighted to return to Montalegre, which used to feature on the RX Lites schedule and, with its unique characteristics, will I’m sure test the RX2 drivers and teams to the limit.

“We are all very much looking forward to going to Germany’s Nürburgring for the first time, and to writing a new chapter in this iconic venue’s celebrated history. Barcelona was a successful event for us last year, and Cape Town has provided a spectacular backdrop to the season finale since 2017 – there is nowhere better to conclude what I have no doubt will be another hugely engaging, competitive and captivating RX2 campaign.”

2020 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires Calendar
April 18/19 Barcelona, Spain
May 02/03 Montalegre, Portugal
June 13/14 Hell, Norway
July 04/05 Höljes, Sweden
August 01/02 Nürburgring, Germany
September 05/06 Lohéac, France
November 14/15 Cape Town, South Africa

19-11-11 Timmy Hansen and Team HANSEN MJP score thrilling World RX championship double
Timmy Hansen and Team HANSEN MJP scored the FIA World Rallycross Championship Drivers and Teams titles respectively in a heart-stopping season finale in South Africa, with Timmy's title won on a tiebreaker and team-mate Kevin Hansen also finshing third in the world championship.

Timmy extended his championship leader over closest rival Andreas Bakkerud from one point to two heading to the Semi Finals with second place in qualifying, winning Q1 and Q3. A straightforward Semi Final win then put him on the front row alongside Bakkerud for what would transpire to be greatest championship showdown in rallycross history.

Timmy was immediately on the offensive after being beaten to turn one by Bakkerud at the start of the Final, and a mistake by the blue-and-black car at the hairpin opened the door for Timmy to try and pass. An out-of-control Bakkerud then clattered into Timmy and spun him around, with all hope of the title appearing lost.

But as he had done several times earlier this year when the odds had been against him, Timmy regrouped and threw everything he had at getting the result he needed.

He climbed to fourth place – his brother Kevin behind him in fifth after also being spun out in the same incident – and scored enough points to finish the year level on points with his title rival. With four victories to Bakkerud's one, Timmy secured the title in circumstances even a Hollywood scriptwriter couldn't have envisaged.

Team HANSEN MJP also wrapped up the teams championship in a more straightforward manner, banking the required eight points in Qualifying to ensure they scored a second world title after their 2015 success.

Both drivers showed strong pace throughout, with Kevin finishing fourth in qualifying and finishing right behind Timmy in their Semi Final to wrap up a strong third place in the drivers championship, an incredible achievement for the youngest full-time driver in FIA World RX.

In addition to Kevin's title success in TitansRX and Nitro RX, it means Team HANSEN MJP has won every title in every championship they entered in 2019, making it by far the team's most successful year despite nearly not making the grid at all nine months ago.

CHAMPION
Timmy Hansen
Qualifying 1 1st
Qualifying 2 9th
Qualifying 3 1st
Qualifying 4 2nd
Semi-Final 2 1st
Final 4th

Kevin Hansen, 2019 World RX of South Africa
3rd
Kevin Hansen
Qualifying 1 4th
Qualifying 2 6th
Qualifying 3 3rd
Qualifying 4 4th
Semi-Final 2 2nd
Final

Talking Points
This year's season finale will go down in history as the greatest season finale in any top-level rallycross championship to date. Title deciders had gone to the last round of the season in FIA World RX before, but for the drivers championship to be decided in the final race of the season – and in a tiebreak scenario, no less – was unprecedented.

For pure excitement alone, the World RX of South Africa Final will struggle to ever be matched. It had everything condensed into six laps - drama, controversy, a title contender in the barrier facing the wrong way and multiple switches of who would go home with the drivers title mid-race. Our heart rates are still through the roof just thinking about it!

Timmy may have ended the year level on points and won on a tiebreaker, but that tiebreaker showed how much he deserved the title. He scored four wins in 2019, double that of the next-best driver Niclas Grönholm, who won the South African season finale.

The big number
1
The number that matters. 1st in the FIA World RX Drivers Championship. 1st in the FIA World RX Teams Championship. 1st in TitansRX. 1st in Nitro RX. Team HANSEN MJP has finished first in every rallycross championship it has entered in 2019.

21
Timmy Hansen
“What would happen after the Final was not on my mind. I’m in shock! I was so focused all weekend; I think I put in the performance of my life. The whole weekend I was focused on going race by race. So many times this year we struggled in the beginning, so I just focused on each session at a time, knowing I needed to do the maximum every time to have a chance to become champion. When we won Q1, I knew we were in a good position to do well, but the focus was always on taking everything one step at a time.

“What a season it’s been. We are world champions! I don’t know what to feel – I wasn’t prepared for what comes after the driving part! I’ve been dreaming about this my whole life since I was a kid. It feels amazing. It’s everything that I wished for.”

71
Kevin Hansen
“I’m happy with my season and to come third in the championship is a great feeling. I gave it everything I had to try and be Top Qualifier but after qualifying, I knew that my focus had to be on helping Timmy win the championship. I was just a bit too far back in the points after then. I’m so happy for Timmy; after every bad event like Abu Dhabi or Trois-Rivières, he came back stronger and won. We have driven each other to succeed and that’s a big part of the reason why we were so strong in the teams’ championship.

“Overall this has been an amazing year for me, my best yet. Third in World RX and winning TitansRX and Nitro RX, I couldn’t have asked for much more! I learned so many things this year: I’m sure someday it will be my turn to win the world title. But for now, I will join Timmy in celebrating his championship success!”

The
Boss Kenneth Hansen
“To come from where we were at the end of last season to the end of this season is hard to believe. We overcame each hurdle one at a time: first, finding a way to get to the first race with two cars – one of which needed a total rebuild almost straight after! – then making sure we did all the races, all while developing the car to try and make it faster. Everyone in our team had two or three jobs: Timmy and Kevin were doing more than just driving the cars! We constantly worked to be better, to make the car better, and we could see the progress as the year went on.

“I’m so proud of Timmy and Kevin, of course not just as team principal but as a dad. They were brilliant, very focused on the task they needed to do, very respectful and mindful of what the team as a whole needed in how they raced each other. The first title is always very special, it’s a memory Timmy will keep forever, and someday I’m sure it will be Kevin’s turn to have that too.

“After crossing all over the world for World RX, TitansRX and Nitro RX we can finally have some rest! Not too much rest, of course, because we want to be back next year to defend our titles and that will require plenty of work in the off-season, but for now we will enjoy this moment. Everyone in the team worked hard for it and they deserve it!”

19-11-10 JC Racetekniks Ben-Philip Gundersen tvåa i rallycrossmästerskapet RX2 International Series
Under rallycross-VM i Sydafrika kunde Ben-Philip Gundersen avancera i mästerskapet och ta hem silvret i RX2 International Series. Samtidigt slutade teamkompisen Petter Nårsa femma i semifinalen.
– 2019 har varit en helt fantastisk säsong för oss, där vi slutat på pallen i alla mästerskap vi deltagit i, säger teamchef Joel Christoffersson.

JC Raceteknik har haft sin mest framgångsrika rallycrossäsong någonsin. Tidigare under hösten tog de, tillsammans med Robin Larsson, guld i FIA European Rallycross Championship (Supercar-EM). De blev också dubbla mästare i RallyX Nordic, där Larsson segrade i Supercar och Ben-Philip Gundersen vann i Supercar Lites. Men framgången slutade inte där och efter helgens tävling kan teamet även titulera sig som tvåa i Supercar Lites-mästerskapet RX2 International Series.

Under helgen bjöds det på spänning in i det sista när rallycrossen skulle avgöras och mästare krönas. Inför helgens sjunde och sista deltävling i RX2 International Series, som kördes på banan Killarney International Raceway i Kapstaden, låg JC Raceteknik-föraren Ben-Philip Gundersen på tredjeplats. Men denna gången hade han marginalerna på sin sida och kunde säkra en silverplats i mästerskapet redan efter semifinalen.

Det blev däremot ingen pallplats i tävlingen för norrmannen. Han visade stabil körning i grundomgången och segrade i semifinalen. I finalen låg han tvåa, när han på näst sista varvet körde in i en däcktrave och bilens styrning gick sönder. Han fick därmed nöja sig med en sjätteplats i tävlingen.

Teamkompisen Petter Nårsa, som tidigare kört full säsong i RallyX Nordic, körde under helgen sin andra deltävling någonsin i RX2 International Series. Tävlingen bjöd på endel mixade resultat, men toppades med en heatseger och en tredjeplats i Q3. Poängen gav honom en sjundeplats i grundomgången. I semifinal körde han in på en femteplats och avslutade därmed på en total sjundeplats i Kapstaden.

Joel Christoffersson, teamchef JC Raceteknik:
”2019 har varit en helt fantastisk säsong för oss, där vi slutat på pallen i alla mästerskap vi deltagit i. Så hela teamet var riktigt taggade inför helgen. Vi kom till Sydafrika för att fightas om tredjeplatsen tillsammans med Ben-Philip och åker härifrån med ett silver. Det var en väldigt skön känsla för oss alla.

Petter körde här för första gången och hade naturligtvis mycket att lära på banan. Idag under Q3 och Q4 utvecklades han mycket och tog sig till semifinal, vilket var målet för helgen. I semifinalen hade han en fight i första kurvan och tappade lite tid, men totalt sett är jag nöjd med hans insats och ser fram emot hans nästa säsong.”

Ben-Philip Gundersen, Supercar Lites:
”Innan vi kom hit till Sydafrika visste vi att det var tekniskt möjligt att ta silvret, men vi valde att fokusera på att köra i land tredjeplatsen i mästerskapet. Trots att det var god marginal ner till fjärdeplatsen kan allt ske i rallycross och inget är avgjort på förhand. Det fick vi bevisat nu, och allt eftersom helgen gick kunde vi plötsligt köra för silvret. Det var en otroligt stor bonus att kunna avsluta med en andraplats i RX2 International Series.

Teamet, bilen och min körning har fungerat väldigt bra i helgen. Men trots det kunde vi inte få en repris på fjolårets seger här i Kapstaden. Fast oavsett så blev det en bra helg. 2019 har varit ett fantastiskt år, med seger i RallyX Nordic och nu en andraplats i RX2. Tusen tack alla som har stöttat och hjälpt oss den här säsongen.”

19-11-07 Two world titles on the line in World RX South Africa finale
After nine gruelling rounds all over the planet, everything boils down to this: the FIA World Rallycross Championship grand finale in Killarney, South Africa, this weekend. It’s the moment that Timmy, Kevin, Kenneth, Susann and the entirety of Team HANSEN MJP have worked for over the past nine months.

But few expected this, the team included. Go back a year, and it looked likely that the Hansens would not be competing in rallycross at all. Now, they are battling for both championships at the final round. It’s one of the most remarkable comeback stories ever told in international motorsport. To borrow a favourite phrase from another recently-crowned champion, Formula 1’s Lewis Hamilton: still I rise.

So what does the team need to do? Team Hansen MJP needs to score eight points to win the teams’ title irrespective of what key rivals GRX Taneco do. Timmy Hansen currently leads the drivers’ standings, one point ahead of nearest rival Andreas Bakkerud. Kevin is third but only eight points behind his older brother and still in contention, depending on what happens with Timmy and Bakkerud.

So the scene is set for a momentous weekend for the Peugeot 208 WRX squad: using a car that they have developed themselves throughout the season. Is Sweden – one of the spiritual heartlands of rallycross – about to conquer the world?

Track The track:
Killarney International Raceway

The Killarney rallycross track was purpose-built a couple of years ago for World RX’s arrival and it boasts a spectacular view of the iconic Table Mountain near Cape Town. It’s a very fast track with high cornering speeds, making it an awe-inspiring test of commitment, at one of the most popular rounds of this year thanks to its end-of-term carnival atmosphere. It’s fast, furious and absolutely breathless.

The big numbers
23
Killarney will be the 23rd rallycross event that the Hansen brothers will have been to this year, in their busiest but most successful programme yet.

35,000,000
The approximate number of people worldwide who will have watched Team Hansen MJP compete in the FIA World Rallycross championship on television this year.*
*Based on 2018 viewing figures

1950
Although Killarney is a brand new rallycross track, there’s been racing at Killarney since the 1950s, with luminaries such Sir Stirling Moss, Jim Clark and Wolfgang von Trips competing.

What to look out for
Some big moves: this is the final chance to do well of the season, so for most drivers there’s absolutely nothing to lose – expect some daring manoeuvres from start to finish. There’s a long and strategically important joker loop in the latter half of the lap as well: this will be crucial in terms of making passing opportunities happen.

Key to being quick in Killarney is confidence, as well as good traction off the line and the ability to establish a flowing rhythm with the track as quickly as possible. Expect great weather in Cape Town to round off 2019 – so it should be a good weekend!

Ideal set-up:
Killarney International Raceway
The car tends to run quite stiff in South Africa, in order to provide the most direct handling possible on asphalt and through the fast corners. It’s important not to make it too stiff though, as that can compromise traction off the line.
In terms of specification, the car remains unchanged from its configuration at the previous rounds.
The high speeds in South Africa demonstrate the part that aerodynamic set up plays in the performance of the car. It’s a question of finding the right compromise though, because although the downforce helps to increase cornering speeds, it also produces drag in a straight line.

Where to watch World RX
FIA World Rallycross has a variety of ways to keep up to date thanks to comprehensive live worldwide TV coverage on channels such as TV 10 (Sweden), Viasport 3 (Norway), LTV (Latvia) and ORF (Austria). WRX’s full TV listing can be found here.

You can also watch live coverage of all the World RX qualifiers on Team HANSEN MJP's Facebook page and, in selected countries, watch the Finals on World RX's YouTube channel.

Event Timetable
All times CET
Saturday 9th November
Free Practice 08:15
Qualifying 1 12:00
Qualifying 2 14:00
Autograph session 10:45
Sunday 10th November
Warm-up 08:00
Qualifying 3 09:10
Qualifying 4 11:10
Semi-Final
Final

21 Timmy Hansen
“It's the last race of the season, it's been a hectic year, and I want to enjoy this last race, enjoy being in the car again for the last time this year and no matter how it goes, we have a lot to celebrate on Sunday evening. It's been a fantastic year so far and hopefully we can end it with a good result.

“I'm proud of what we have done this year as a family and as a team, to achieve all these great results that we've already scored. It's been super enjoyable: we've done more races this year than any other year with Titans RX and Nitro RX, and we've been more successful than any other year. So far me and Kevin have scored half the wins in World RX, five in total, plus Kevin won Nitro RX and Titans RX, with a 1-2 in Titans. It's been by far the most successful year in our history, so if we could win the world championship as well, it would be the perfect end to the season.”

71 Kevin Hansen
“It's a really easy situation for me. I'm third, I have no pressure from behind, I have a goal ahead, so it's just a case of going flat out!

“It was a lot of hard work to get here and compete this year, so it feels amazing to have made it here and be so close to the teams' championship title. But it was already a win just to be there at the start line in Abu Dhabi. That spirit has been our key to being successful this year, so to be part of the team and put this run together with everyone is such an amazing feeling.

“I believe we will secure the teams' title this year, we are only a few points away, and it will be incredible if it does happen. It's going to be an amazing feeling, hopefully after the qualifying sessions are over, to have secured one championship and then just a few hours later we can secure the next one as well!”

The Boss Kenneth Hansen
“We will manage the season finale the same way as we have done all year. Timmy and Kevin will be able to go flat-out and our only expectation is that they continue to have respect for each other, as they have done so far.

“We definitely won't take anything for granted. Whatever happens this weekend, we will celebrate on Sunday, because just being here this year and having managed to complete the whole season is like a win for us.

“It should be possible to win. Like Barcelona this year, when we finished first and second, it's something you dream about but you don't know if it will ever happen. But we know now it's possible.”

19-11-05 Hansen brothers and Team Färén join forces for 2020 RX2 #YellowSquad entry
Kevin and Timmy Hansen will take their #YellowSquad development programme to the next level in 2020, by entering the team in RX2: the feeder series for the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

Together they will form a partnership with former RX driver Eric Färén and his Team Färén, which will oversee the operational element of the team.

Team Färén, which has managed RX2 event winners in the past, will add the experience of Kevin and Timmy to present a complete package for young drivers to succeed and be prepared for their next steps towards World RX.

#YellowSquad will provide valuable assistance to the team's young drivers, covering everything from driving development, physical training, working with partners and the media as well as fine tuning the skills needed to win races and championships.

This is the latest evolution in the life of #YellowSquad: in February this year, Kevin and Timmy formed the team with the aim of discovering the next generation of rallycross stars.

They fielded teenage sensation Julius Lungdahl in the CrossCar category of RallyX Nordic, with Ljungdahl taking one event win and fourth in the final standings.

#YellowSquad’s RX2 project is the second stage of Kevin and Timmy’s driver development programme, which aims to take young rallycross hopefuls all the way up the career ladder, eventually leading to a full World RX drive.

The final stage of #YellowSquad's 2020 expansion will be announced at a later date.
Kevin Hansen
Team Principal

“Part of what makes #YellowSquad so important to us is the fact we are investing so much towards getting young drivers into rallycross, which this expansion will allow us to do. Everyone in the Hansen family loves rallycross, so to be able to create a ladder for drivers to move up into RX2 and then Supercars – whether this is in World RX or Euro RX, or even Titans RX – makes us really proud.”

Timmy Hansen
Head of Driver Development
“In my career I was lucky to grow up in a family that lives and breathes rallycross, and in my parents Kenneth and Susann, I had two great teachers! But not everyone has a multiple rallycross champion in the family, so I was keen to work with Kevin in finding and developing the next generation of rallycross talent ourselves, using all the lessons I have learned from my years in European and World RX. There are so many elements that go into being a great rallycross driver beyond what happens in the driver’s seat, and I will be working with the #YellowSquad drivers as much away from the car as in it.”

Eric Färén
Team Manager
“Like Kevin and Timmy have said, their expertise is helping the drivers and that will be their focus, while I take care of the operations of the team. By focusing on the areas we are each best at, we have a better package for everyone next year. RX2 for me is the best place for drivers to start: the cars are all the same and I would say 90% of the result is down to the driver, so it’s easy to see who the best driver is. RX2 cars are built so that you learn all you need to be good in a Supercar, so that’s why you need to have a good team, to understand the setup and to have a good car. A lot of World RX drivers have come from RX2 and I feel like it’s the last step before a driver is ready for World RX, so it fits perfectly into #YellowSquad’s development ladder.”

19-11-01 Showdown in South Africa: Rookie challenger takes on defending champ
Oliver Eriksson bids to defend his crown in Cape Town season finale
Rookie challenger Jesse Kallio promises to fight to the end
Battle for third place still to be resolved in the ‘Mother City’
All of the action available via Facebook livestream and TV broadcast

For the second consecutive campaign, Cape Town will play host to the title-decider in the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires next weekend (9/10 November), as Olsbergs MSE team-mates Oliver Eriksson and Jesse Kallio dispute the destiny of the coveted crown at Killarney International Raceway.

This time last year, Eriksson lifted the laurels in South Africa following a season-long duel with OMSE stablemate Guillaume De Ridder – the Belgian having since stepped up to the World Championship stage with the GCK Academy.

History repeating itself?
Twelve months on, the Swede – four times a winner in 2019 – returns to the ‘Mother City’ once again firmly in contention for championship glory, holding a 21-point advantage over rookie team-mate Kallio in the overall standings, with 30 remaining up for grabs. That means Eriksson could theoretically wrap it all up as early as the qualifying stages – but in rallycross, it is always wise to expect the unexpected...

“It’s cool to be back in Cape Town to fight for the RX2 title for the second year in a row,” remarked the defending champion. “It’s been a tough but very rewarding season so far – I’ve had two very quick new team-mates to keep me on my toes and we’ve achieved some great results, particularly the four back-to-back wins earlier in the year.

“I’ve got a decent margin in the points, but rallycross is nothing if not unpredictable and in this sport, you can never take anything for granted – like last year in South Africa, when an electrical problem put me out from the lead in the final. Hopefully we will have a cleaner weekend this time around, and I can promise you we’ll keep on pushing right the way to the last chequered flag!”

Former Super1600 star Kallio, for his part, has turned heads throughout 2019, with rostrum finishes in each of the opening five rounds and coming within a whisker of registering his maiden RX2 Series triumph at Spa-Francorchamps back in May. The Finn might be the underdog next weekend, but he has promised to put up a stern fight.

“I can’t wait to take to the track at Killarney!” the 20-year-old enthused. “It’s my first time in South Africa, and it’s a fantastic place to finish what for me has been a real whirlwind of a first season in RX2. I’ve learned so much and had a lot of fun along the way, and to take five podiums straight off the bat was far more than I could have expected – particularly given how competitive the field is.

“The most recent round in France was actually the only time I’ve not been on the podium this year, so I’m doubly fired-up to get back up there and spray some champagne next weekend. The title might be a tall order given the points situation, but giving up is not in my nature and I am fully focussed on signing off the season with the only result I’ve not achieved in RX2 so far – victory.”

Fights throughout the field
It is not just the championship showdown that will grab the attention, either, with battles to be fought and scores to be settled right the way down the order. JC Raceteknik’s Ben-Philip Gundersen leapt ahead of OMSE rival Fraser McConnell into third in the classification courtesy of his second win of the season at Lohéac last time out. The Norwegian took the chequered flag first at Killarney 12 months ago, while the popular Jamaican remains in search of his breakthrough series success.

Elsewhere in the high-calibre, 13-strong field, SET Promotion’s Sami-Matti Trogen is another ‘Flying Finn’ well capable of springing a surprise. Sports Racing Technologies star Vasiliy Gryazin is a consistent contender and regular podium threat, while Linus Östlund arrives fresh off the back of clinching the championship runner-up spoils in RallyX Nordic. Ominously, the last time the Swede appeared in RX2 – on home soil at Höljes back in the summer – he reached the rostrum...

Fellow speedy Scandinavians Simon Olofsson and Anders Michalak, 2018 EuroRX TouringCar champion Steve Volders, Sweden’s Niklas Aneklev, former X Games snowmobiling gold medallist Petter Nårsa and America’s Lane Vacala – both of whom made consistent improvements on their series debut in France – complete the entry list.

The Killarney RX2 action will begin with free practice and the opening two qualifying races on Saturday (9 November), followed by the remaining two qualifiers, two semi-finals and final on Sunday (10 November).

Fans will be able to watch all of the qualifying races live via both the FIA World RX and RX2 Series Facebook pages, with the semi-finals and all-important final featuring as part of the live World RX television broadcast.

2019 RX2 Cape Town Entry List
2 Ben-Philip Gundersen NOR JC Raceteknik SWE
12 Anders Michalak SWE Anders Michalak SWE
16 Oliver Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE SWE
18 Linus Östlund SWE Olsbergs MSE SWE
22 Sami-Matti Trogen FIN SET Promotion FIN
35 Fraser McConnell JAM Olsbergs MSE SWE
47 Jesse Kallio FIN Olsbergs MSE SWE
50 Lane Vacala USA Lane Vacala USA
52 Simon Olofsson SWE Simon Olofsson SWE
54 Petter Nårsa SWE JC Raceteknik SWE
55 Vasiliy Gryazin LVA Sports Racing Technologies LVA
77 Steve Volders BEL Nationale Renstal Trommelke BEL
91 Niklas Aneklev SWE Olsbergs MSE SWE

Championship Standings
1. Oliver Eriksson (SWE) 163 points
2. Jesse Kallio (FIN) 142 points
3. Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR) 128 points
4. Fraser McConnell (JAM) 119 points
5. Sami-Matti Trogen (FIN) 105 points
6. Vasiliy Gryazin (LVA) 91 points
7. William Nilsson (SWE) 57 points
8. Simon Olofsson (SWE) 56 points
9. Anders Michalak (SWE) 55 points
10. Steve Volders (BEL) 51 points

19-10-30 World RX continues bold expandsion with reval of 2020 Calendar
he 2020 calendar for the FIA World Rallycross Championship, released today, will feature 11 rounds including a visit to the iconic Nurburgring in Germany and a return to the Montalegre circuit in Portugal.

In other evolutions of the 2019 calendar, Abu Dhabi moves from being the season-opener to the penultimate round. Locations for two of the 11 rounds will be revealed over the coming weeks, pending FIA World Motor Sport Council final ratification.

The traditional FIA European Rallycross Championship classes for Euro Supecar and Super1600 will continue to support world championship rounds as will the RX2 International series presented by Cooper Tires.

The 2020 season will also usher in the all-electric rallycross development series, codenamed Projekt E, which will feature at a number of the European rounds of the world championship.

The 2020 season begins with the World RX of Barcelona-Catalunya on April 18-19 and concludes with the traditional finale in Cape Town on November 14-15, a contract which now extends until at least 2021.

The World RX of Portugal, in the northern Portuguese town of Montalegre, returns after a one-year hiatus. Portugal had the privilege of hosting the opening round of the first FIA World Rallycross Championship in 2014.

Spa-Francorchamps, which featured epic battles on the daunting Eau Rouge-Raidillon section in 2019, is the third event of 2020 on May 16-17 – the World RX of Benelux.

The World RX of Germany, makes its debut on August 1-2 amid the stadium atmosphere of the Mullenbachsleife within the Nurburgring grand prix circuit layout.

Elsewhere the calendar has a traditional look to it with events in the rallycross heartlands of Hell in Norway (June 13-14), Holjes in Sweden (July 4-5) and Loheac in France (September 5-6).

Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President of Motorsports at IMG, the promoter of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, said: “World RX continues to flourish as our footprint grows. We have put together a perfect blend of traditional rallycross circuits and bold new venues for 2020.

“We are delighted to add Nurburgring to the FIA World Rallycross Championship and equally pleased to welcome back Portugal in 2020 and extend our partnership with the City of Cape Town until 2021.

“Last year we added Abu Dhabi and Spa-Francorchamps. Next season Nurburgring joins the family and we will have further details of the two other destinations for 2020 shortly.

“We are also thrilled to bring Projekt E, the first electric production-based motorsport series, to our rallycross portfolio as further proof of our commitment to a world which is rapidly embracing EV technologies.”

Projekt E is a collaboration between IMG and Austrian company STARD (Stohl Advanced Research and Development).

The calendars for Projekt E and the RX2 International series will be released shortly.

VM-kalender 2020
Datum Plats Land
18-19/4 Barcelona-Catalunya Spanien **
2-3/5 Montelagre Portugal **
16-17/5 Benelux SPA Belgien *
13-14/6 Hell Norge *
4-5/7 Höljes Sverige * + **
18-19/7 TBA **
1-2/8 Nürburgring Tyskland
5-6/9 Loheac Frankrike * + **
19-20/9 TBA * +**
30-31/10 Yas Marina Circuit Abu Dhabi
14-15/11 Cape Town Sydafrika
* = EM
** = Super1600

19-10-23 RX2 ready to race into fourth season as interest rises for 2020
Rallycross success story set to continue into 2020
World RX graduates prove efficacy of feeder formula
Last month’s Lohéac test stoked interest in series

Interest in the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires is sky-high as drivers and teams begin planning for 2020, with the ultra-competitive single-make series set to speed into a fourth consecutive campaign on the FIA World Rallycross Championship undercard next year.

Building upon the popular RX Lites category, RX2 was an instant hit when it debuted at the beginning of 2017, with no fewer than 53 drivers – representing 12 different nationalities – joining the grid over the series’ 20-round history to-date.

With everybody taking to the track in identical Supercar Lites machinery, a level playing field is guaranteed – placing the emphasis firmly on technical and tactical skills and ability behind the wheel.

Proving the series’ success as a promotional formula, RX2 has already catapulted 2017 champion Cyril Raymond and 2018 runner-up Guillaume De Ridder to the very pinnacle of the discipline in World RX, while Kevin Hansen – who heads into the forthcoming World Championship showdown in South Africa as one of three title contenders – lifted the RX Lites trophy in 2015.

Raymond and De Ridder’s GCK team-mate and boss Guerlain Chicherit tried his hand at RX2 in 2017, with Reinis Nitišs – the youngest event-winner in World RX history – following suit last year.

A whole host of hopefuls similarly climbed into the cockpit of the 310bhp, four wheel-drive Supercar Lites car during a test day at Lohéac last month, with the feedback from the expert instructors – Raymond, Oliver Eriksson and Damien Meunier – underscoring that the series’ future is in safe hands.

“Although 2019 clearly has a bit more mileage in it yet, we are already hard at work preparing for the fourth season of RX2 in 2020,” acknowledged series CEO, Andreas Eriksson. “Over the past three years, the championship has propelled several drivers into World RX and brought dozens to the attention of leading Supercar teams – and we are confident that moving forward, many more RX2 competitors will join the very top flight.

“RX2 offers an ideal, very cost-effective platform for progression, allowing drivers to demonstrate their talent on the biggest stage around with equal opportunities for all. Add in the unprecedented exposure offered by the Facebook livestream of each and every round, and RX2 makes eminent sense from a driving and marketing approach alike. We are proud of the impact we have made over the past three seasons – but the story is far from finished yet!”

In the meantime, of course, there is still a title to be contested, and the 2019 RX2 campaign will conclude at Cape Town’s Killarney International Raceway on 9/10 November, where the destiny of the coveted crown will finally be decided. The 2020 RX2 calendar – including a mix of classic rallycross tracks and exciting new venues – will be announced shortly.

19-10-20 Kevin Hansen crowned series winner at Estering in Germany
Kevin Hansen was crowned the inaugural series winner of TitansRX after taking victory in the final round of the season at Estering this weekend. The Swede went into the season finale in a prime position to take the title, having finished on the podium at every event this season.

In round 11 on Saturday he finished second to Jerome Grosset-Janin who claimed his maiden TitansRX victory in what was a highly attritional race thanks in-part to Estering’s trademark rain.

After a red flag caused by a collision between wildcard driver Kevin Eriksson and 'CsuCsu', Grosset-Janin made the strongest start, rocketing from the back row of the grid past Timmy Hansen to trail Topi Heikkinen and Kevin Hansen into the first corner. Timmy Hansen would retire not long after following contact with a first turn wall.

Grosset-Janin soon made light work of Kevin Hansen, and began hunting down Heikkinen for the race lead. His job was made easier on the third lap of the race when Heikkinen slowed with damage.

That left the Frenchman with an unassailable lead for the closing laps of the race and he headed home Kevin Hansen to become the fourth different winner of the 2019 season. Despite retiring, Heikkinen was classified in third behind the two finishers.

TitansRX round 11 final results
1. Jerome Grosset-Janin 04:59.771
2. Kevin Hansen 05.02.846
3. Topi Heikkinen DNF
4. Timmy Hansen DNF
5. 'CsuCsu' DNF
6. Kevin Eriksson DNF

In the round 12 final, Kevin Hansen emerged from a hotly-contested first corner battle in the lead and never looked back as his title rivals fell by the wayside.

Firstly Heikkinen slowed considerably when his bonnet flew up and covered his windscreen. In a bid to avoid the struggling Finn, Timmy Hansen missed his braking point at turn two, which set him back. He later developed a technical issue, all-but-guaranteeing the title for his younger brother before the race's end.

Behind Kevin Hansen, Eriksson recovered from being shuffled down the order on the first lap to claim second, capping off a fine debut weekend in TitansRX for him. He held off a charging Grosset-Janin in the final laps of the seven-lap contest, with him settling for third – his third successive podium finish and his fourth of the season.

Tamara Molinaro finished third after also being forced out on the opening lap, while Timmy Hansen and Heikkinen did manage to make the finish as well, albeit in fifth and sixth placer, 19 and 36 seconds adrift of the race winner respectively.

TitansRX round 12 final results
1. Kevin Hansen 05:04.614
2. Kevin Eriksson 05.05.687
3. Jerome Grosset-Janin 05:06.681
4. Tamara Molinaro 05:14.327
5. Timmy Hansen 05:23.345
6. Topi Heikkinen 05:40.628

Kevin Hansen leaves Germany as the first-ever series winner in TitansRX history. Timmy Hansen secured second place, 35 points behind by virtue of this weekend's double points format. Like the Hansen brothers Heikkinen was guaranteed a top-three series position coming into this weekend – he took third, ahead of Grosset-Janin.

Molinaro claimed the final coveted spot in the top-five, beating 'CsuCsu' and Ronny C'Rock, with Andreas Steffen, Craig Breen, and Oliver Webb all rounding out the top-10, the trio having not completed a full campaign.

TitansRX series final standings (top 15)
1. Kevin Hansen 317
2. Timmy Hansen 282
3. Topi Heikkinen 281
4. Jerome Grosset-Janin 213
5. Tamara Molinaro 151
6. 'CsuCsu' 141
7. Ronny C'Rock 124
8. Andreas Steffen 103
9. Craig Breen 84
10. Oliver Webb 80
11. Kevin Eriksson 72
12. Andrew Jordan 67
13. Abbie Eaton 64
14. Hayden Paddon 58
15. Reini Sampl 55

For more information about TitansRX, click HERE

19-10-17 Who will emerge from the TitansRX grand finale on top?
TitansRX's inaugural season will conclude this weekend with the grand finale double header at Estering in Germany (19-20 October). Three drivers remain in contention for the series win going into the weekend, and the addition of double points for the event only adds another layer of intrigue into what has been a thrilling season.

Kevin Hansen currently holds the advantage with a nine-point lead in the standings ahead of brother Timmy Hansen, while Topi Heikkinen sits a further one point back.

Behind the title contenders in fourth is Jerome Grosset-Janin who assumed the position after a strong event at Nyirad which was rounded out by a second podium of the season. Tamara Molinaro remains in contention for the 'best of the rest' spot and will be looking to bounce back after a trying weekend in Hungary.

After a brace of appearances in TitansRX support races this year, Rene Munnich and Mandie August will be making their debuts in the Pantera RX6 as wildcard entrants. The European championship regulars will be joined by Kevin Eriksson who famously won his first World Championship race at Estering in 2016. Nyirad wildcard Werner Panhauser will also be returning for a second event

"It is rather unbelievable that with Estering this week we are already at the end of our first TitansRX season," said TitansRX founder and CEO Max Pucher. "It is also nearly unbelievable that we have been as successful as we have. While we can look back on coming in hot from the first event, we hardly ran into any problems except bad weather."

"Both drivers and spectators loved the cars and the product and while running a low budget TV production was a challenge that did not stop us from having over three million viewers on Eurosport and over 30,000 spectators at the racetracks."

"There is no time to be complacent and self-congratulatory. We face unique challenges in getting our product to the market and we have to be very careful what to do next," he added. "Our future will only depend on whether there are enough drivers and sponsors to put their time and money into our product. I look forward to see everyone who loves TitansRX at Estering."

Once again Rachael Downie and Tom Brooks will front the series' coverage on Eurosport, details of which can be found below.

TitansRX Estering entry list
4 Oliver Webb
6 Reini Sampl
10 'CsuCsu'
12 Werner Panhauser
21 Timmy Hansen
25 Tamara Molinaro
30 Abbie Eaton
37 Rene Munnich
38 Mandie August
55 Andreas Steffen
57 Topi Heikkinen
71 Kevin Hansen
74 Jerome Grosset-Janin
90 Ronny C'Rock
96 Kevin Eriksson

TitansRX series standings (top 15)
1. Kevin Hansen 223
2. Timmy Hansen 214
3. Topi Heikkinen 213
4. Jerome Grosset-Janin 123
5. Tamara Molinaro 105
6. 'CsuCsu' 89
7. Ronny C'Rock 84
8. Craig Breen 84
9. Andreas Steffen 73
10. Andrew Jordan 67
11. Hayden Paddon 58
12. Oliver Webb 52
13. Reini Sampl 51
14. Abbie Eaton 44
15. Perry McCarthy 28

19-10-10 Kevin Eriksson to make his TitansRX debut at Estering
International rallycross star Kevin Eriksson will make his TitansRX debut at the season finale at Estering in Germany later this month (19-20 October).

Eriksson is one of rallycross’ most recognisable names, with championship titles in RX Lites and RallyX on Ice. He’s also won races in World Rallycross, European Rallycross and RallyX Nordic, and has made appearances in Global Rallycross and GRC Lites.

He is perhaps best-known for his win at Estering in WorldRX in 2016, where his ‘round the outside’ pass in the first corner became an overnight viral sensation.

"I'm super excited to have been given an opportunity to race one more time this year together with my old team but in a new situation, car and series," said Eriksson, who also previously raced for MJP Racing in World RX.

"For sure it's not going to be easy to learn a new car, especially jumping in on the last race of the season but I feel as ready as I could be and for sure helps that it is on a race track where I will feel at home at directly. I’m going to do what I do best and produce some great and exciting racing."

Eriksson’s signing is the latest coup for TitansRX, which has welcomed a whole host of star drivers throughout its debut season.
"I am very happy that Kevin Eriksson is joining us for our Grand Finale at Estering," said TitansRX founder and CEO Max Pucher. "We share the best year MJP Racing had in World RX and Estering is the place of one his most famous victories."

TitansRX series standings (top 15)
1. Kevin Hansen 223
2. Timmy Hansen 214
3. Topi Heikkinen 213
4. Jerome Grosset-Janin 123
5. Tamara Molinaro 105
6. 'CsuCsu' 89
7. Ronny C'Rock 84
8. Craig Breen 84
9. Andreas Steffen 73
10. Andrew Jordan 67
11. Hayden Paddon 58
12. Oliver Webb 52
13. Reini Sampl 51
14. Abbie Eaton 44
15. Perry McCarthy
For more information about TitansRX, click HERE

19-10-08 Comback för Ramona i Ungern
I helgen gjorde Ramona Karlsson comeback efter två års uppehåll bakom ratten, i den nya serien Titans RX, med enhetsbilar prestandamässigt jämförbara med Supercars, och med världstoppnivå på förarna. Ramona, som varit föräldraledig, visade sig damma av rattrosten snabbt på den mycket utmanande och snabba banan i Nyirad, Ungern. Efter första omgången lade sig Ramona på en total tredje plats, strax bakom Kevin Hansen och Thomas ”Topi” Heikkinen, och före Timmy Hansen på 4:e plats.

I andra kvalomgången startade alla topp 5-förarna i bredd och det blev en tuff kamp in i första kurvan, där Ramona drev ut i räcket och tvingades bryta. Mekanikerna gjorde ett fantastiskt jobb och lyckades laga bilen till det tredje och sista heatet, där Ramona tog hem en seger. Ramona kvalade in till semfinal, men på grund av sin DNF i andra heatet startade hon i sista led, och lyckades inte ta sig förbi fältet utan slutade 6:a i semifinalen.

Dag två var det dags för nytt race. Ramona, som brukar vara snabb i starten, fick en mindre bra start i heat 1 och kom ut som femma efter första kurvan – och lyckades inte köra ikapp startfältet. I heat två tog Ramona revanch och gick upp i en klar ledning, dock släppte bakvagnen vid en inbromsning i banans snabbaste parti, och Ramona krashade mot däckbarriären. Tredje heatet tog Ramona åter igen revanch och vann efter en stabil körning – dock resulterade kraschen i många förlorade poäng och Ramona lyckades inte ta sig till semifinal.
”Jag ser tillbaks på en mycket tuff, rolig och innehållsrik helg. Målet var att placera oss i mitten av startfältet så jag blev väldigt glad och överraskad över att vi inledde racet med en tredje plats! säger Ramona. ”Det känns riktigt positivt att farten finns när allt fungerar, men jag känner att jag behöver mer mil i bilen för att hålla ett jämnt tempo och få bort småmissarna. I rallycross är det extremt små marginaler, och speciellt på utmanande banor som denna.”

Tävlingen vanns av Kevin Hansen, följd av Timmy Hansen och Jérôme Grossit-Janin.

Vad gäller framtida planer för Ramona är det ovisst. ”Detta var bara ett inhopp i ett race, men det gav absolut mersmak. Vi får se vad som händer nästa säsong. TitansRX är en ny och mycket intressant serie, med mycket snabba bilar och hög nivå på förarna – fast för en mycket lägre prislapp än Supercar”. berättar Ramona.

19-10-07 Hansen brothers share wins as title fight hots up in Hungary
Timmy and Kevin Hansen shared the main event victories at the Nyirad Motorsport Centrum in Hungary as top-level rallycross racing returned to the historic track.

Coming into this weekend Timmy Hansen was trailing both Kevin Hansen and Topi Heikkinen in the standings, and needed a strong weekend to keep his title hopes alive. He got off to a perfect start on Saturday by leading hom Heikkinen in the round nine final.

With a heavy downpour taking place just before the final, grip was limited at the start. Nevertheless, all six drivers on the grid got away fairly equally, with Kevin Hansen passing Tamara Molinaro going into turn one.

At the front semi-final two winner 'CsuCsu' pressured Timmy Hansen into the first turn and was looking stronger early on in the wet conditions. However, contact in turn two ended up resulting in race-ending suspension damage, ending any home of a home victory for the popular Hungarian driver.

From then on Timmy Hansen was untroubled at the front, but the battle for second was very much on, with Jerome Grosset-Janin leading Heikkinen.

On the third lap of the race Heikkinen found a way past the Frenchman, with Grosset-Janin now in Kevin Hansen's sights as the Swede continued his fightback from a lowly grid position.

The kept each other honest over the next two laps, with Kevin Hansen holding the upper hand in the tight and twisty parts of the track, while Grosset-Janin at an advantage on the more open parts of the course.

On the penultimate lap Kevin Hansen made contact with Grosset-Janin's bumper multiple times, eventually finding his way past in the final complex of corners.

Kevin Hansen then gapped Grosset-Janin rapidly, and finished a comfortable third behind race winner Timmy Hansen and Heikkinen, despite a small fire developing in his Pantera RX6 on the last lap.

Grosset-Janin slowed considerably on the final lap due to visibility issues, but was able to hold on to fourth, ahead of Molinaro.

Ahead of the final, Reini Sampl, Abbie Eaton, and Ramona Karlsson all missed out from the first semi-final, which was won by 'CsuCsu' who opted to use wet tyres in the mixed conditions. He made light work of Heikkinen and Kevin Hansen, both of which opted to race on dry tyres.

in the second semi-final, with lessons learned from the first, every driver opted for wet tyres. Timmy Hansen won from Grosset-Janin, with Molinaro holding off Andreas Steffen for the final transfer spot.

Local wildcard Tamas Turi was eliminated along with Perry McCarthy who failed to finish the race following heavy contact with a barrier in the dirt section which brought out a red flag. McCarthy was later diagnosed with a rib injury.

TitansRX round nine final results
1. Timmy Hansen 05:59.349
2. Topi Heikkinen 06:00.814
3. Kevin Hansen 06:11.513
4. Jerome Grosset-Janin 06:18.959
5. Tamara Molinaro 06:22.957
6. 'CsuCsu' DNF

On Sunday Kevin Hansen was dominant, topping qualifying for the first time this season, then winning the final with a textbook display.

He took full advantage of his front-row starting spot to lead into turn one ahead of Timmy Hansen and Heikkinen who had to resist pressure from a charging Grosset-Janin.

While the Hansen brothers flew in formation at the front of the field, Grosset-Janin continued to hound Heikkinen, with the Frenchman eventually passing the three-time event winner on lap three. That wasn't the end of their battle though, with Heikkinen keeping the pressure on until the final lap, although he couldn't find a way past.

That allowed Grosset-Janin to claim his first podium finish since round one, behind Kevin Hansen and Timmy Hansen, while fourth place for Heikkinen marked the first time he has missed the podium since round five at Montalegre.

In fifth was Eaton, who was making her first final appearance of her fledgling rallycross career.

The sports car ace scored a fine third in her semi-final, setting up her maiden main event appearance, and at the start she made light work of Steffen – the German driver eventually retired with suspension damage after making contact with a barrier on the second lap of the seven-lap final.

Ahead of the final, wildcard drivers Turi, Werner Panhauser, and Ronny C'Rock all failed to advance from the first semi-final, while Sampl, Dietmar Brandt, and 'CsuCsu' were eliminated in the second semi.

Molinaro was eliminated in the qualifying stage with engine trouble following contact with Eaton in Q2.

TitansRX round 10 final results
1. Kevin Hansen 05:25.266
2. Timmy Hansen 05.25.994
3. Jerome Grosset-Janin 05:31.059
4. Topi Heikkinen 05:31.564
5. Abbie Eaton 05:34.034
6. Andreas Steffen DNF

With his third win of the season, Kevin Hansen continues to lead the series standings as TitansRX gears up for its double-points grand finale at Estering in Germany in two weeks time.

A strong weekend for Timmy Hansen has thrust him right back into contention, while a difficult round 10 has dropped Topi Heikkinen front second to third, although he trails second place by a solitary point.

Grosset-Janin's podium coupled with Tamara Molinaro's early retirement in round 10 means that he now has firm hold of fourth in the points, although the Italian remains only 18 points behind.

TitansRX series standings (top 15)
1. Kevin Hansen 223
2. Timmy Hansen 214
3. Topi Heikkinen 213
4. Jerome Grosset-Janin 123
5. Tamara Molinaro 105
6. 'CsuCsu' 89
7. Ronny C'Rock 84
8. Craig Breen 84
9. Andreas Steffen 73
10. Andrew Jordan 67
11. Hayden Paddon 58
12. Oliver Webb 52
13. Reini Sampl 51
14. Abbie Eaton 44
15. Perry McCarthy 28

For more information on TitansRX, click HERE

19-10-03 TitansRX heads to Hungary for eagerly-anticipated Nyirad rounds
TitansRX heads to Hungary this weekend for the penultimate race weekend of the 2019 season. The series' first event at the 1.2km Nyirad Motorsport Centrum will be the first time a major international rallycross event has taken place at the track since 2013. That event, a European championship round, was won by TitansRX driver Timmy Hansen.

With just four races left the fight at the top of the points table remains as close as ever with Kevin Hansen, Topi Heikkinen, and Timmy Hansen covered by just 11 points. The title rivals have shared all eight event wins so far, with three apiece for Heikkinen and Timmy Hansen, while Kevin Hansen has two wins, but has finished on the podium in every final so far this season.

Behind them there is an even closer fight for fourth. Tamara Molinaro currently heads that battle, but Jerome Grosset-Janin and Ronny C'Rock are close behind. 'CsuCsu' will also be looking to make another two final appearances this weekend as he competes on home soil.

This weekend joining the TitansRX regulars will be Ramona Karlsson, who returns to racing after her maternity leave, two-time German rallycross champion Dietmar Brandt, and S1600 frontrunner Werner Panhauser. Abbie Eaton will also be returning for her third appearance this season.

TitansRX series standings (top 15)
1. Kevin Hansen 178
2. Topi Heikkinen 173
3. Timmy Hansen 167
4. Tamara Molinaro 87
5. Jerome Grosset-Janin 85
6. Craig Breen 84
7. Ronny C'Rock 80
8. 'CsuCsu' 70
9. Andrew Jordan 67
10. Hayden Paddon 58
11. Oliver Webb 52
12. Andreas Steffen 47
13. Reini Sampl 31
14. Perry McCarthy 24
15. Nelson Piquet Jr. 22

19-09-30 VM arrangör i rallycross ingår nästa år i den populära Supercupen i rallycross
Vi är väldigt glada att kunna informera att Finnskoga MK blir ny arrangör i 2020 års tävlingsupplägg.
Supercupen har under året genomfört fem tävlingar med både rallycrossbilar och crosskart Xtreme, det har i snitt varit ca: 100 startande i varje tävling med det tvådagars upplägg som man kalkylerade med när cupen startades upp.

När nu Höljes ansluter som arrangör, tror vi att ännu fler förare väljer att deltaga i Supercupen.

Planering av tävlingskalender pågår just nu för att få till ett bra upplägg utan kollisioner med SM och Rally X.

19-09-27 Ramona Karlsson to make motorsport comeback in TitansRX
Ramona Karlsson will join the TitansRX field for its penultimate race weekend at the Nyirad Motorsport Centrum in Hungary next week (5-6 October).

The Swede has experience in the Production World Rally Championship and has been a winner in the Swedish Rally Championship. She has also raced in European Rallycross, and became the first female competitor in the World Rallycross Championship in 2014 when she made a semi-final appearance on her series debut in Montalegre, Portugal.

Karlsson’s debut in TitansRX will also mark her first return to competition following maternity leave.
“I’m really looking forward to being back behind the wheel again, it’s been two years since I competed,” she said. “For sure I expect to be a bit rusty because of this, but I hope to come into the game as quickly as possible.”

“I will for sure enjoy this and I’m very happy for this opportunity, I have really longed to stand on the starting line. Making the semi-finals is my first goal, and then we’ll take it from there. I’ve followed the TitansRX and think it’s a very interesting series, I can’t wait to join!”

Karlsson will be one of three female drivers in a star-studded field for TitansRX’s first visit to Hungary, joining series regular Tamara Molinaro and Abbie Eaton who will be returning for her third event.

"I do not have official statistics to prove it but TitansRX Europe in Nyirad will most likely be the first rallycross race worldwide to feature three female drivers,” said series boss Max Pucher. “Swedish rallycross ace Ramona Karlsson will be joining our grid and try to put her rallycross experience to use against not only the female competitors but also our alpha-male road racing folks.”

“I really enjoy that we are this motorsport family that is able to simply enjoy the sport and make the spectators happy. You most certainly should not miss it."

TitansRX series standings (top 15)
1. Kevin Hansen 178
2. Topi Heikkinen 173
3. Timmy Hansen 167
4. Tamara Molinaro 87
5. Jerome Grosset-Janin 85
6. Craig Breen 84
7. Ronny C'Rock 80
8. 'CsuCsu' 70
9. Andrew Jordan 67
10. Hayden Paddon 58
11. Oliver Webb 52
12. Andreas Steffen 47
13. Reini Sampl 31
14. Perry McCarthy 24
15. Nelson Piquet Jr.

19-09-26 Eriksson and Östlund celebrate the taste of Swede success
Double title glory for Swedish rallycross powerhouse on home turf at Tierp
Oliver Eriksson reflects on superb maiden season for Honda Civic in Europe
Linus Östlund adds domestic Supercar Lites crown to Crosskart honours

Olsbergs MSE toasted a double triumph at Tierp Arena last weekend (21/22 September), as Oliver Eriksson and Linus Östlund clinched the Swedish Championship title in the Supercar and Supercar Lites classes respectively – capping a tremendously successful 2019 campaign for the team in RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires.

Spearheading the Honda Civic Supercar’s first full season in European competition, Eriksson was on the pace from the outset. Just shy of the podium in the Höljes curtain-raiser back in May, the 20-year-old reached the highest step of the rostrum in round two and thereafter did not finish outside of the top three until the Tierp finale, when a freak suspension breakage sent him spearing out of the race lead and into the tyre barriers.

That denied Eriksson what would have been a commanding fourth victory of the season and agonisingly cost him the Nordic crown by a single point, but as he reflects upon his achievements overall and his maiden Swedish title, he does so with an overwhelming sense of a job well done.

“It’s been a good season,” he acknowledged. “There were a lot of unknowns at the start of the year. We expected to be quick given the Honda’s form in the US, but the style and diversity of the tracks is different in Europe so there’s always that question mark. The Civic was superb all year, though, and there were times when it was the fastest car outright against more ‘proven’ opposition, which is testament to the brilliant preparation by OMSE.

“I was surprised by how competitive we were at Finnskogbanen, which is a super-short, narrow track, and Nysum was a really satisfying event. After lucking into the win a little bit at Höljes, to repeat the result on pure pace in Denmark and take a maximum score away from that weekend was fantastic and gave us a big confidence boost for the rest of the season.

“Robin [Larsson] and I always seemed to be around each other on-track, and Jere [Kalliokoski] was obviously up there too until the last round. It was a hard but fair battle throughout, and I think I drove well. To come away with five podiums out of seven – including three wins – was great, and we would have ended the season with four wins but for what happened at Tierp.

“To secure my first Swedish title was very rewarding, and now our aim is to help Fraser McConnell to win ARX 2 in the US this weekend, after which it will be full focus on Cape Town – and the RX2 season finale.”

Countryman Östlund enjoyed a similarly successful season, his first full-time assault on RallyX Nordic silverware. Victories at Finnskogbanen and Tierp were the highlights of a stellar campaign, which also included podiums at Höljes, Nysum and Riga.

Having narrowly missed out on a top three championship finish in the domestic Supercar Lites series in 2018, the 19-year-old deservedly clinched the crown 12 months on, and fell just ten points short of the overall Nordic laurels at the end of a hard-fought duel with Ben-Philip Gundersen.

“I’m super happy,” enthused the three-time Swedish Crosskart Champion. “It’s been a really fun season, with a lot of good racing. Aside from Höljes obviously, I didn’t really have much prior experience of the circuits on the calendar so we weren’t too sure how we would get on and being honest, I wasn’t expecting to achieve such strong results and to be so quick at every track.

“The more laps I got in the car, though, the faster I was able to get up-to-speed at each event and we didn’t make many mistakes – that was one of the keys, I think. Given the strength of the competition in Nordic’s Supercar Lites class this year – with five different winners and ten podium-finishers – we really couldn’t afford to slip up or leave anything on the table.

“Considering I’m still quite ‘green’ in Supercar Lites, having such a great team around me at OMSE made a huge difference. Both Kevin and Sebastian Eriksson were always on-hand with advice and support, which translated into strong results, and to end the season on the top step of the podium was just perfect.”

19-09-23 Larsson claims Nordic crown by one point after rollercoaster finale
•Oliver Eriksson's last lap drama hands Robin Larsson the championship
•Ben-Philip Gundersen wraps up Supercar Lites title
•Emotional Rasmus Tuominen finishes the season one point ahead of Tommi Hallman in RX Academy
•Nils Andersson retains CrossCar crown

Fans were treated to a thrillingly unpredictable finale as the 2019 RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires campaign came to a nail-biting conclusion at Tierp Arena last weekend (21/22 September). Competing on home soil, Robin Larsson stunned spectators with the ultimate comeback, claiming the Supercar title after rival Oliver Eriksson crashed out of the final in spectacular fashion.

JC Racetenik’s Larsson began the eagerly-anticipated showdown weekend trailing his Olsbergs MSE rival by four points, but overhauled the deficit to Eriksson when the latter dramatically made contact with the tyre barrier at Turn One on the final lap after his suspension failed. Brother to the championship runner-up, Kevin Eriksson eventually took the race victory ahead of Larsson and Sebastian Eriksson in the VW Beetle.

Supercars: Zero to hero for Larsson
Robin Larsson dominated the event’s early stages, winning all four of the qualifying rounds, but disaster struck in the semi-finals when his Audi S1 endured a slow getaway. Larsson finished fourth, leaving a place in the final just out of reach and Oliver Eriksson as the champion.

The next twist in the tale came when Larsson’s JC Raceteknik stablemate – and 2016 FIA World Rallycross Champion – Mattias Ekström dropped out of his final pole position slot with technical difficulties. Suddenly, Larsson was back in the race.

A strong start in the final left the recently-crowned FIA European Rallycross Champion fourth, but he was unable to make inroads into Kevin and Sebastian Eriksson in second and third respectively. Turn One on the last lap, however, was the scene of race and championship leader Oliver Eriksson’s season unravelling, as the young Swede suffered a failure under braking that sent him spearing off into the tyre barrier in the closing moments of the 2019 championship and handed the title to his pursuer.

“I don’t know where I am right now!” confessed 2019 RallyX Nordic Champion Larsson, who took the chequered flag second on the road at Tierp. “I caught up Andreas [Carlsson] and I saw Oliver out of the race, so I really don’t know what is going on right now!

“I don’t know what happened to him [Eriksson], but I’m so happy for our success because we’ve had amazing speed all weekend and it was taken away from us in the semi-final with some issues. The start procedure didn’t work at the pre-grid for the final so I just went full throttle in first gear and it went! I did everything I could with this Audi. I never gave up!”

Nordic’s ‘quiet man’ Jere Kalliokoski had a low-key afternoon, finishing fourth to hang on to third place in the championship standings ahead of Ulrik Linnemann and Carlsson, who completed the top five in the season-end classification.

Round one winner Kevin Eriksson bookmarked his own campaign with victory in the last round, scoring a 100 per cent win record in the Nordic races the Ford Fiesta driver entered in 2019. Namesake Sebastian Eriksson also enjoyed a strong weekend at the wheel of his Beetle as he rounded out the podium in third position.

The Supercar championship has ebbed and flowed throughout the 2019 season, with highs and lows for each of our title contenders – many of which came in the semi-finals and the final at the last round – but eventually, Robin Larsson was crowned RallyX Nordic 2019 champion.

Supercar Lites: Gundersen storms to Supercar Lites glory
The Supercar Lites championship was sewn up even before the semi-finals, after three qualifying heat wins and a third position in Q4 put Ben-Philip Gundersen’s points tally just out of reach for Linus Östlund, who went on to win the final.

With nothing to lose in the championship, the Olsbergs MSE driver went all-out for the win. After going three-wide and locking horns into Turn One with both JC Raceteknik cars, Östlund powered to victory despite a close call on the final lap joker merge with second-placed finisher Sondre Evjen. Gundersen took to the final step of the podium, rounding out an incredible year for the Norwegian driver.

“We’ve had some great fights this year in the Supercar Lites championship with Linus [Östlund] and my team-mate Sondre [Evjen] but it's great to finally finish on top,” he reflected. “It's been a really strong season for us in Nordic, so I am very happy.”

Simon Olofsson and Jimmie Walfridson finished fourth and fifth on the road, mirroring their championship positions at the end of the season.

The Supercar Lites championship has seen five different winners in 2019, confirming how competitive the class is and the calibre of drivers taking part.

RX Academy: Tuominen gets the job done
Rasmus Tuominen was the eventual winner of the RX Academy championship by a single point. After being chased down in the latter stages of the season by compatriot Tommi Hallman, Tuominen held his nerve and did everything he had to, finishing behind round seven winner Hallman on the road but ahead in the standings. Jonne Ollikainen signed off his season on a high, taking third in the race to similarly confirm his podium position in the championship.

“I can’t even find the words, we struggled on Saturday so we had to recover on Sunday and we won it by one point. I don’t know what to say now. It's been a brilliant season and I couldn't be more thankful to my parents and all the sponsors,” said Tuominen.

CrossCar: Nils Andersson becomes a double champion
In CrossCars, Nils Andersson took the title for the second year running, despite not making it to the final at Tierp Arena. Meanwhile, chief rival Jimmie Österberg suffered a nightmare weekend, scoring just four points from the last event of the year and resigning himself to the runner-up spot in the standings. Julius Ljungdahl was the driver on-form in Sweden, taking his first victory of the season.

“This feels amazing, I have been waiting for it all year!” commented Andersson. “We’re adding this to last year's championship, so it is the biggest win so far for us. We will celebrate tonight!”

Results and Championship Standings
Supercar Final Result
1. Kevin ERIKSSON (SWE) Olsbergs MSE 5 laps
2. Robin LARSSON (SWE) JC Raceteknik +0.569s
3. Sebastian ERIKSSON (SWE) Olsbergs MSE +3.131s

Supercar Lites Final Result
1. Linus ÖSTLUND (SWE) Olsbergs MSE 5 laps
2. Sondre EVJEN (NOR) JC Raceteknik AB +0.617s
3. Ben-Philip GUNDERSEN (NOR) JC Raceteknik AB +0.983s

RX Academy Final Result
1. Tommi HALLMAN (FIN) 5 laps
2. Rasmus TUOMINEN (FIN) +3.616s
3. Jonne OLLIKAINEN (FIN) +5.222s

CrossCar Final Result
1. Jimmie ÖSTERBERG (SWE) Österberg Motorsport 5 laps
2. Isac EGONSSON (SWE) Carcontrol +3.074s
3. Isak REIERSEN (SWE) JC Raceteknik Juniorteam +4.654s

Supercar - Final Championship Standings
1. Robin Larsson (SWE) 169 points
2. Oliver Eriksson (SWE) 168 points
3. Jere Kalliokoski (FIN) 156 points
4. Ulrik Linnemann (DNK) 116 points
5. Andreas Carlsson (SWE) 99 points
6. Philip Gehrman (SWE) 97 points

Supercar Lites - Final Championship Standings
1. Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR) 176 points
2. Linus Östlund (SWE) 166 points
3. Sondre Evjen (NOR) 141 points
4. Simon Olofsson (SWE) 113 points
5. Jimmie Walfridson (SWE) 104 points
6. Anders Michalak (SWE) 100 points

RX Academy - Final Championship Standings
1. Rasmus Tuominen (FIN) 156 points
2. Tommi Hallman (FIN) 155 points
3. Jonne Ollikainen (FIN) 111 points
4. Marko Muru (EST) 106 points
5. Luka Nurmi (FIN) 106 points
6. Joni Heikkinen (FIN) 104 points

CrossCar - Final Championship Standings
1. Nils Andersson (SWE) 128 points
2. Jimmie Österberg (SWE) 119 points
3. Isak Reiersen (SWE) 116 points
4. Julius Ljungdahl (SWE) 113 points
5. Isac Egonsson (SWE) 103 points
6. Timmy Enlund (SWE) 81 point

19-09-22 JC Raceteknik tog dubbla mästerskapsguld i RallyX Nordic – plockade totalt sex medaljer under helgen
Medaljregn för JC Raceteknik med dubbla guld och två brons i RallyX Nordic, ett silver i Fin RX och ett SM-brons.
– Det har varit ett fantastiskt år och jag är stolt över allas insatser under säsongen, säger teamchef Joel Christoffersson.

Den avslutande deltävlingen av RallyX Nordic i Tierp blev en riktig rysare in i det sista för klassen Supercar. Efter att Robin Larsson tagit maximala poäng i grundomgången låg han och Oliver Eriksson i delad ledning i mästerskapet inför semifinalen. Men väl i semifinal slutade Larssons turbo fungera och han blev stående i starten. Han kom i mål som fjärde förare och blev därmed förste reserv till final. Mattias Ekström, som gjort ett inhopp under tävlingen och slutade tvåa i grundomgången, vann sin semifinal. Han valde sedan att avstå finalen, vilket gav Larsson möjligheten att köra final istället. I finalen bröt den ledande Eriksson på sista varvet. Det gjorde att Larsson kom tvåa i tävlingen och kunde ta mästerskapsguldet med endast en poäng.

Ben-Philip Gundersen kunde säkra mästerskapsguldet i Supercar Lites redan efter en seger i grundomgången. Det blev också en pallplats för norrmannen i Tierp, där han slutade trea. Samtidigt knep Sondre Evjen bronset i mästerskapet, efter en fjärdeplats i tävlingen. Teamkollegan Jimmie Walfridson tog SM-brons i samma klass och avancerade till en femteplats i mästerskapet. Supercar-föraren Mats Öhman hade en motigare tävling och slutade på en total tiondeplats.

För värmländska JC Raceteknik Juniorteam har det varit en bra och utvecklande debutsäsong i Xtreme och Xtreme Junior. 15-årige Isak Reiersen tog en tredjeplats RallyX Nordic i klassen Crosscar, vilket också var resultatet i tävlingen. För Alex Gustafsson, 12 år, blev det en andraplats i Finska Mästerskapet FinRX.

Joel Christoffersson, teamchef JC Raceteknik:
”Hur den här tävlingen skulle gå hade nog ingen kunnat räkna ut innan. Robin började med full pott i grundomgången, men sen vände allt med turboproblemen i semifinalen. Vi är här för att vinna mästerskapet, så grabbarna fixade bilen och Mattias valde att kliva av sin finalplats. Det är såklart fruktansvärt tråkigt att Oliver Eriksson fick bryta på grund av tekniska problem, men det är en del av motorsporten och nu var turen på vår sida.

Att Ben-Philip kunde säkra guldet så tidigt var väldigt skönt, det var han värd efter säsongen. Och såklart kul med medalj för Sondre i mästerskapet och Jimmie i SM. Sen har båda våra förare i JC Raceteknik Juniorteam gjort ett väldigt bra jobb och kört hem varsin mästerskapsmedalj.

Det har varit ett fantastiskt år och jag är stolt över allas insatser under säsongen. Så jag vill säga stort tack till hela teamet och våra förare som alltid gett allt, Mattias Ekström och EKS för allt stöd och såklart våra sponsorer som gör detta möjligt.”

Robin Larsson, Supercar:
”Det känns hur skönt som helst att ta guld i både EM och RallyX Nordic den här säsongen. Dagens tävling är nog det sjukaste jag varit med om i mitt liv, och jag tror många kände så. Det gick från allt, till inget, och sen till allt igen. För första gången den här säsongen plockade vi enbart ettor i grundomgången, så vi hade en jättebra känsla inför semifinalen.

Men i starten var det inget tryck i motorn och jag var sist iväg. Frustrerande, men jag försökte plocka placeringar och blev tillsist fyra. När jag hörde att Kevin Eriksson kanske blivit diskad kom hoppet om en finalplats tillbaka, men så blev det inte så. Hoppet försvann, men jag åkte ut mot starten som sista reserv. Där fick jag reda på att Mattias valt att stå över finalen för oss, då kom hoppet om mästerskapsguldet tillbaka. Jag startade från bakre led, men kom ut rätt bra. Sen såg jag att Oliver Eriksson stod parkerad i en vall… När jag gick i mål ropade de i hörlurarna att jag vunnit, men jag trodde först inte på det.

Jag och hela teamet har kämpat riktigt hårt den här säsongen, så det var skönt att kunna knyta ihop säcken. Stort tack till alla som dragit sitt strå till stacken i år: teamet, Joel, Ola och Mats, pappa och Simpa, Mattias som gjorde detta möjligt, EKS och såklart alla sponsorer. Nu har vi bockat av de här två gulden, så vad som händer nästa år får vi se. Jag hade tyckt det vore väldigt kul att ta upp matchen mot de stora killarna i VM.”

Mattias Ekström, Audi S1 EKSRX:
”Att JC Raceteknik är ett bra team visste jag sedan Spa, och att köra Audi står alltid högst upp på min önskelista. Jag tycker att körningen funkade både på blött och torrt underlag, och det var kul att få köra på den här banan. Sen blev det ett annorlunda avslut efter att Robins bil strulade i semifinalen. Jag har fått mycket hjälp under min karriär och vet att det här gänget kämpat stenhårt hela året. De förtjänade att ta matchen på banan, så därför avstod jag min finalplats. För Robins del såg det inte ut att gå, men på sista varvet hände allt… JC Raceteknik ska vara stolta över sina mästerskapsmedaljer, och jag är glad för deras skull.”

Mats Öhman, Supercar:
”Det har inte varit min säsong direkt i RallyX Nordic. Jag har absolut haft något heat då och då som gått bra, men överlag är det inte mycket att hänga i julgranen. Det var första säsongen i den nya Audi-bilen, och vi har hela tiden jobbat med att anpassa den till mig och utveckla den. JC Raceteknik gör ett suveränt jobb. Idag funkade tyvärr inte starterna alls, men å andra sidan körde jag också alldeles för sakta. Men det gick bättre för teamet. Robin har haft en del stolpe ut i RallyX Nordic, så det var skönt att han också fick ha lite tur idag. Dubbla guld… Det visar hur suveränt det här teamet är och de har gjort ett bra jobb den här säsongen.”

Ben-Philip Gundersen, Supercar Lites:
”Jag är väldigt nöjd med säsongen och att kunna ta det här guldet är skönt. Hela teamet har jobbat hårt för det här och jag är stolt över jobbet de gjort. Också tack till alla sponsorer som gjort det här möjligt. RallyX Nordic började lite kämpigt under den första tävlingen och det har varit några hårda fighter under säsongen. Men sen dess har vi haft ett högt tempo och plockat bra poäng. Även om jag hade velat avsluta på pallen här i Tierp är jag nöjd med tredjeplatsen, det har varit många bra chaufförer på banan. Nu firar vi lite men sen ligger all fokus på avslutningen av RX2 International Series i Sydafrika om två månader.”

Sondre Evjen, Supercar Lites:
”Säsong startade jäkligt bra för mig, men sen har det gått lite upp och ner. Farten har egentligen funnits och jag har tidsmässigt legat i toppen tillsammans med Ben-Philip och Linus Östlund. Så att ta den här tredjeplatsen i RallyX Nordic är bra för teamet och alla runt mig. Tack till alla sponsorer, det är samma gäng som stöttar mig varje år och de gör det möjligt. Också tack till hela JC Raceteknik, vi har blivit som en stor rallycrossfamilj. Exakt vad som sker nästa år vet jag inte, men vi kommer gå för full säsong i Supercar-EM och kämpa om guldet där.”

Jimmie Walfridson, Supercar Lites:
”Den här säsongen har varit väldigt upp och ner, men jag tar med mig mycket positivt. Bland annat har jag haft väldigt bra varvtider, men inte riktigt lyckats knyta ihop säcken. Att få mer jämnhet i körningen är något jag jag får arbeta lite med, men annars har utvecklingskurvan i år varit bra, tycker jag. Jag behövde en femteplats för att säkra SM-bronset och det lyckades jag i alla fall med i helgen. Nu ska jag jobba på att försöka få ihop en budget så jag kan köra nästa säsong. Och jag vill samtidigt passa på att tacka JC Raceteknik, alla samarbetspartners, familj och vänner för stödet i år.”

Isak Reiersen, Crosscar:
”Det här var mitt första år i Crosscar, så att ta en mästerskapsmedalj känns bra. RallyX Nordic har gått väldigt upp och ner. Där det varit allt från tekniska problem och rullning till klockrent race med en riktigt bra crosskart. Trasiga drivknutar gjorde att jag inte kunde köra första deltävlingen i Höljes, så hade inte det hänt kunde mästerskapet sett annorlunda ut. Men, det är motorsport. Vi gick in i helgen med målet att försvara bronset, och även om vi hade chanserna på silvret är jag väldigt nöjd med resultatet. Också stort tack till mitt team, mekaniker, sponsorer och alla som stöttat mig under säsongen.”

Alex Gustafsson, FinRX:
”Det här året har varit en riktig upplevelse och att komma tvåa i FinRX känns otroligt. Det skulle egentligen vara ett läroår och inför säsongen var målet att jaga pallplatser i tävlingarna. Men efter andraplatsen under den första tävlingen la vi fokusen på att behålla andraplatsen i mästerskapet – det lyckades vi med. Även om vi haft lite strul med starterna på torrt underlag har vi haft högt tempo. Teamet har gjort ett så bra jobb hela året. Tack till JC Raceteknik som alltid trott på mig, Henrik, pappa, Börje och Nina som varit med mig den här säsongen och såklart alla sponsorer. Jag är obeskrivligt glad.”

19-09-22 Jimmie Walfridson trea i rallycross-SM och femma i RallyX Nordic
Torsbysonen Jimmie Walfridson uppfyllde helgens mål med att säkra SM-bronset under finalen i RallyX Nordic på Tierps Arena i helgen. Samtidigt klättrade han en placering i totalen.

I helgen kördes finaltävlingen RallyX Nordic och rallycross-SM. Jimmie låg inför tävlingen på delad tredjeplats i Svenska Mästerskapet och på sjätteplats i RallyX Nordic. Målet var att säkra SM-bronset i klassen Supercar Lites och avancera i det Nordiska Mästerskapet, vilket han lyckades trots att han hade en motig helg.
– Jag hade en lite för dålig grundomgång där jag bröt i mitt första heat, men jag hade en bättre semifinal. Jag behövde en femteplats för att säkra SM-bronset och det lyckades jag iallfall med i helgen, säger han.

Banan i Tierps Arena är en annorlunda rallycrossbana. Startrakan är en dragracingbana, följt av en 180-graders kurva. Där smällde det en hel del när ingen av bilarna ville ge sig. I en av de smällarna hamnade Jimmie som tvingades bryta sitt första heat. Han fick därefter starta i ytterspår i sina tre övriga omgångar och lyckades inte notera några topptider. Han avancerade dock upp några placeringar och slutade tia i grundomgången.

I semifinalen startade han i femte spår i sista ledet och lyckades köra upp sig till tredjeplats och kvalade därmed in som sjätte bil i finalen. Där var han femte bil ut ur första kurvan och det blev även placeringen över mållinjen.
- Den här säsongen har varit väldigt upp och ner, men jag tar med mig mycket positivt. Bland annat har jag haft väldigt bra varvtider, men inte riktigt lyckats knyta ihop säcken. Att få mer jämnhet i körningen är något jag jag får arbeta lite med, men annars har utvecklingskurvan i år varit bra, tycker jag.
Nu ska jag jobba på att försöka få ihop en budget så jag kan köra även nästa säsong. Och jag vill samtidigt passa på att tacka JC Raceteknik, alla samarbetspartners, familj och vänner för allt stöd i år, avlutar Jimmie.

I SM-tabellen blev det förövrigt trippel värmländskt när Linus Östlund kammade hem guldet före Simon Olofsson och Jimmie knep bronset.

SM, Supercar Lites 2019
1. Linus Östlund
2. Simon Olofsson
3. Jimmie Walfridson

RallyX Nordic 2019
1. Ben-Philip Gundersen, 176 p
2. Linus Östlund, 166 p
3. Sondre Evjen, 141 p
4. Simon Olofsson, 113 p
5. Jimmie Walfridson, 104 p

Mer info med tabeller, resultat och annat smått och gott hittar du på www.walfridson.com. Där har vi som vanligt följt tävlingen heat för heat.

19-06-04 Supercupen lockar rallycrosseliten till Bollnäs
Med svenska eliten på plats blir det rallycross för hela slanten på Eriknäsbo motorstadion kommande veckoslut.
Och mitt i hetluften återfinns två hemmaåkare - Viktor Andersson och Mattias Ohlsson - som båda två siktar på seger i klassen Crosskart Extreme.

Årets andra deltävling i nystartade Supercupen i rallycross avgörs i regi av Bollnäs MK. Tre heta kvalomgångar på lördag följs av en fjärde omgång - samt finalpass - dagen därpå.
Crosskart Extreme är den nya poppisklassen inom svensk bilsport. De små bilarna, försedda med 750 cc motorcykelmotorer, är mycket snabba och ljudet är "det rätta".
- Klassen har vuxit snabbt i popularitet de senaste säsongerna. Det är tuffa kamper om pallplatserna i varje tävling, berättar Mattias Ohlsson.
Som har siktet högt ställt på sin hemmabana.
- Jag siktar ALLTID på seger. Och visst finns det goda förutsättningar att lyckas i den målsättningen, menar Mattias bestämt.

Men konkurrensen är minst sagt stenhård. Hela 36 hugade spekulanter är anmälda, där ingen bjuder på något gratis. Inte minst gäller detta klubbkollegan Viktor Andersson - den regerande svenska mästaren.
- Om det är någon jag vill ha efter mig i resultatlistan så är det Mattias. Vi är visserligen bästa kompisar men också båda vinnarskallar, förklarar Viktor.
Det var också Viktor som lyckades bäst av de båda när Supercupen hade premiär på Westombanan i Arvika för en månad sedan. Växbokillen knep då en fjärdeplats i A-finalen, efter Aleksander Wiik från Norge, Nils Andersson, Arvika, samt ännu en norrman, Jan Emil Wilsberg.
- Blev inblandad i en startsmäll i finalen och hamnade på efterkälken. Men jag hade snabbaste varvtider av alla efter det. Nu kör jag för seger, fortsätter Viktor.

Men det finns faktiskt flera hemmahopp. Till exempel SMK Söderhamns Joel Olsson, som till i år tagit klivet över från folkrace - där han under en längre tid tillhört de snabbaste i landet. Simon Englund, Bollnäs MK, är ett annat intressant namn, liksom blott 15-årige värmlänningen Isak Reiersen, segrare i den nordiska seriens deltävling i Danmark den gångna helgen.

Eller varför inte Jonny Andersson? pappa till Viktor Andersson.
- Farsan vet man aldrig vart man har. Han kan mycket väl blanda sig i tätstriden, skrattar Viktor.
Supernationella 2400-klassen mönstrar 26 deltagare och är om möjligt ett lika stort geting-bo som Crosskart Extreme. Till knapp favorit får 2018 års svenska mästare Rasmus Olsson, Karlskrona, räknas i sin snabba BMW. Räkna heller inte bort västmanlänningen Niclas Härdevik-Norström (guldmedaljör 2017) eller Finnskogas Per Berglund.

I breddklassen 2150 cc är Porscheföraren Björn "Putte" Alvarsson, Vadstena, alltid snabb. På agendan står även tre ytterligare klasser - Supernationella, Junior 2150 samt Historiska. I den sistnämnda håller publiken tummarna för legenden Göran "Zamora" Lind, fyllda 74, men still going strong!
- Startfältet innehåller en bra bit över hundra deltagare, varav många håller yppersta klass. Allt är klappat och klart för en härlig rallycrossfest i två dagar! avslutar tävlingsledaren Ann-Mari Bergström.

19-06-03 Oliver Eriksson extends points lead with Nysum masterclass
Oliver Eriksson, Robin Larsson and Jere Kalliokoski the class of the field
Heartbreak for Danish fans as home favourite, Ulrik Linnemann crashes out
Ben Philip Gundersen moves to the top of the table in Supercar Lites

RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires delivered another exciting instalment of its 2019 campaign at Denmark’s Nysumbanen last weekend (1/2 June), as championship leader Oliver Eriksson continued his winning ways.

Nysum’s blend of fast, flowing corners, figure-of-eight layout and bridge/jump combination makes it one of the most popular tracks on the calendar for fans and drivers alike, and this year, it delivered crowd-pleasing action throughout, from the headlining Supercar class to the Supercar Lites, RX Academy and CrossCar support series.

Supercars: Eriksson maintains his momentum
Oliver Eriksson picked up from where he had left off at Höljes in the Supercar category, making it two wins out of three races and extending his advantage in the title standings over the chasing pack. The young Swede piloted his Olsbergs MSE Honda Civic from pole position to a commanding victory in the final, despite failing to set the fastest time in any of the qualifying rounds.

“I had a great launch and whilst I saw [Jere] Kalliokoski was challenging me on the outside, he braked early so I kept control and took my line on the inside,” the 20-year-old commented. “From there, I just tried to drive a clean race and not get over-excited – and in the end, it worked out.

“The start of the season is going incredibly well, so let’s hope that continues. I’ve pulled a bit of a gap in the championship but it’s still early days – we haven’t even reached halfway yet, so we’re going to keep pushing for wins!”

Robin Larsson – the initial pace-setter – pressurised Eriksson all the way to the chequered flag but struggled to properly challenge and ultimately had to settle for the runner-up spot, a great result considering he had been excluded for overtaking under yellow flags in the second qualifier.

Kalliokoski took the final step on the podium with another consistently quick run in his Ford Fiesta. The Finn showed impressive pace throughout to line up on the front row of the grid for the all-important final, but Larsson snuck up the inside heading towards Turn Two on the first lap, relegating Kalliokoski to third.

After dramatically crashing out of practice, and his car then catching alight, Philip Gehrman miraculously recovered to place a respectable fourth overall. Peter Hedström and Andreas Carlsson were classified fifth and sixth respectively, although neither driver made it to the finish line.

Danish native Ulrik Linnemann certainly had the support of the crowd at Nysum, but his efforts to repeat his win from last year were curtailed when contact with Hedström in the early stages of the first semi-final unfortunately forced him to retire.

Support Series: Changing of the Guard
The Supercar Lites category saw a changing of the guard, as Ben-Philip Gundersen recovered from a puncture in Q4 to take the win ahead of Linus Östlund – and with it, the championship lead. The Swede similarly regrouped from retirement in Saturday’s first qualifier to make it through to the final – and ultimately, onto the podium. Jimmie Walfridsson completed the rostrum in third, ahead of Anders Michalak, Simon Olofsson and Sondre Evjen.

"Its been a really good weekend. We had some ups and downs, but in the end we were fastest, so I'm really, really happy with that" commented Ben Philip Gundersen.

After his success in the opening rounds at Höljes, Thomas Holmen posted some good results in qualifying but was hampered by alternator and power steering problems in Q2. The Norwegian teenager failed to make it to the final after narrowly missing the cut with a fourth place in his semi-final. Countryman Evjen was another championship front-runner to struggle, finishing seven seconds off the pace in the final.

Rasmus Tuominen was the dominant force in the RX Academy at Nysum, the Finn winning every race he started. Tommi Hallman gave chase for most of the day but eventually had to settle for the runner-up spoils, with Höljes winner Marko Muru completing the podium.

An elated Isak Reiersen celebrated CrossCar victory after a tight battle with Jimmie Österberg and Søren Jelsbak. Nils Andersson – the man to beat two weeks ago in Sweden – could only manage fourth place in Denmark.

The next stop on the RallyX Nordic calendar will be Riga’s Bikernieki National Sports Base in Latvia on 20/21 July, for round four of the championship.

19-06-02 Fyra JC Raceteknik-förare på pallen i Nysum
Det blev succé för JC Raceteknik i helgen, där både Gundersen och Reiersen segrade samt Larsson och Walfridson kom tvåa respektive trea. Samtidigt tog en av teamets juniorer en andraplats i det finska mästerskapet.
– Det har varit en suverän helg på många sätt och vi är glada över pallplatserna, säger teamchef Joel Christoffersson.

Den tredje deltävlingen av RallyX Nordic kördes under helgen i danska Nysum, och för JC Raceteknik räckte det till fyra pallplatser i tre olika klasser. Teamet klättrar också upp i mästerskapsledning.

I Supercar Lites slutade helgen på bästa möjliga sätt för Ben-Philip Gundersen. Efter både omgångssegrar och en bruten omgång vann han både grundomgången, semifinal och final. Han plockar därmed maximala poäng vilket gör att han tar över ledningen i mästerskapet. Jimmie Walfridson, som haft en tuff inledning på säsongen, gjorde en bra tävling och slutade på en tredjeplats. Han avancerar även fyra placeringar i mästerskapet, från tionde till sjätte plats. Sondre Evjen hade en tuffare tävling och trots bitvis högt tempo hittade han aldrig rätt flyt på banan. Han slutade sexa i finalen och ligger kvar på en total andraplats i RallyX Nordic.

I Supercar visade Robin Larsson bra jämnhet och tog snabbaste tiderna i båda träningarna samt tre av omgångarna. Men en svartflagg i den andra omgången blev en kostsam historia och han slutade i och med de trea i grundomgången. Trots det körde han upp sig till andraplats i semifinalen och slutade även tvåa i tävlingen trots dubbelpunktering i final. Efter helgen ligger han fortsatt trea i mästerskapet. För teamkompisen Mats Öhman var det första tävlingen i den nya Audi S1-bilen. Det bjöds på blandade resultat och två brutna omgångar för norrbottningen, som slutade på nionde plats.

Även för de båda förarna i JC Raceteknik Juniorteam har det varit en lyckad helg. 15-årige Isak Reiersen hade en del tekniska problem under helgen, men lyckades trots det fightas bland topptiderna. I semifinalen “satt det som en smäck” och han tog en seger. Farten hängde med till finalen där han segrade, och han klättrar därmed upp till en tredjeplats i RallyX Nordic-tabellen. I finska Virrat kördes den andra deltävlingen i FinRX och för 12-årige Alex Gustafsson var det hans andra tävling i crossklartklassen Xtreme Junior. Han imponerade stort, tog två heatsegrar och segrade i grundomgången. I finalen gasade han hem en andraplats och klättrar därmed upp i till andraplats i mästerskapet, med en poäng upp till ledaren.

Joel Christoffersson, teamchef:
”Jag är otroligt glad för Supercar Lites-gänget. Det har varit en suverän helg där vi var etta, trea och fyra in i finalen. Både Ben-Philip och Jimmie fick till en kanonfinal. Ben-Philip har visat högt tempo hela säsongen, medan Jimmie haft en lite tyngre inledning. Så det känns skönt att få det här resultatet. Sondre har haft bra fart i helgen, men i finalen hade vi inte rätt tempo. Vi vet att han kommer komma tillbaka starkt i Riga.

I Supercar var det skönt att kunna komma till start med båda bilarna. Robin har gjort ett väldigt bra jobb, men svartflaggen i andra omgången drabbade oss hela helgen. I semifinalen körde han upp sig från fyra till tvåa, och vi gjorde några justeringar på bilen till finalen för att försöka höja tempot ytterligare. Tyvärr blev det en punktering för oss i finalen, men Robin lyckades ändå ta andraplatsen. För Mats del har vi tagit tävlingen lite som ett test. Farten har inte riktigt varit där vi velat ha den, men vi kommer testa ännu hårdare inför Riga för att kunna ge mer.

Det var verkligen skönt för Isak att få ta den här vinsten. Han har haft en extremt tuff inledning av säsongen med drivaxelproblem, men visar att när allt fungerar är han i toppen. Att Alex fick ta en andraplats under FinRX i helgen är också jättekul. Vi har fått följa hans utveckling i många år nu, och han har verkligen hittat rätt i den nya karten. Både den här helgen och förra tävlingen har han visat högt tempo, så det kommer bli ett spännande mästerskap.”

Robin Larsson, Supercar:
”Trots andraplatsen är jag lite besviken. Det här var min första tävling på banan och jag var snabbast genom hela tävlingen, bortsett från andra omgången där jag fick en svartflagg. Det känns som att den grejen satte prägeln på hela helgen och det är riktigt surt att inte kunna bjuda upp Oliver till dans i finalen. Jag kom ut som tvåa genom första sväng, och även om ingen kom ikapp mig bakifrån fick jag inte riktigt upp farten som jag ville. Exakt vad det beror på vet jag inte, delvis dammet som gjorde det svårt att hålla rätt linjer men också att jag hade dubbelpunkteringen. Bilen har fungerat bra genom helgen, så nu är det bara att ladda om inför nästa tävling.”

Ben-Philip Gundersen, Supercar Lites:
”Att leda mästerskapet är vi mycket nöjda med. Helgen har egentlig varit bra, men det har också varit en helg där vi behövt kämpa väldigt hårt. Så den här segern smakade mycket gott. Tempot har varit högt från start, samtidigt som de andra också kör fort. Vi har jobbat endel med inställningarna, och mekanikerna har gjort ett riktigt bra jobb med bilen den här helgen. I semifinalen hade jag en bra känsla och ledde från start till mål, samma sak gjorde vi i finalen. Det är en skön känsla. Också stort grattis till hela JC Raceteknik för alla de andra bra resultaten i teamet, det blev en fin helg för oss alla.”

Jimmie Walfridson, Supercar Lites:
”Det var verkligen kul i helgen! Äntligen hittade jag flytet och haft marginalerna lite mer på min sida. Det mesta har stämt, även om jag inte alltid fått bästa startspår. Men jag har haft ett jämnt tempo, försökt använda insidan av huvudet och inte ställa till med så mycket dumheter. Det känns skönt att både fått tagit en omgångsseger och en pallplats, nu har vi visat att vi är att räkna med resten av säsongen.”

Sondre Evjen, Supercar Lites:
”Jag har haft okej fart genom hela helgen, däremot har jag kämpat mycket med att hitta flytet och jämnheten i körningen. I början slet jag lite med starterna, men de blev bättre allt eftersom. I semifinalen fick jag till en väldigt bra start, men kom in med för hög fart i den första kurvan och snurrar nästan. Trots det klarade jag av att hålla andraplatsen in i mål. I finalen fick jag inte till flytet alls utan kom ut dåligt i starten och blev liggande i dammet bakom de andra förarna. Det känns trist, men vi tar nya tag till Riga.”

Isak Reiersen, Xtreme:
”Det är första året för mig i Xtreme, jag är fortfarande ung och det är ett tufft startfält med många rutinerade förare. Trots det lyckades jag ta den här segern – det här känns så skönt. Vi har kämpat med tekniska problem under början av säsongen, och även den här helgen hade vi problem med drivknuten. Under helgen la vi ner allt vi hade och mekaniker gjorde ett otroligt jobb att få karten redo. Jag har alltid vetat att farten finns så fort allting fungerar, men nu har vi också fått visa det. I både semifinalen och finalen hade vi hittat rätt i kartens setup, och då kunde jag köra i mitt tempo utan att ta några risker. Så tack till alla sponsorer, mina mekaniker, min spotter, alla som stöttar mig och hela JC Raceteknik – det är alla de personerna som gör det här möjligt.”

Alex Gustafsson, Xtreme Junior:
”Det här känns såklart riktigt gött. Redan från träningen har det varit en bra helg och jag har haft bra fart. I första omgången gick det perfekt och jag tog en heatseger. I andra omgången ville jag kanske lite för mycket och överladdade lite, men det blev ändå en andraplats. Tredje omgången var magisk! Jag startade längst bak, var tvåa ut ur starten och vann tillslut. I finalen fick jag inte till en perfekt start, och det blev trångt i första sväng. Jag kämpade för att ta några luckor, men det var bra motstånd och jag kom tvåa. Vi har jobbat rejält hårt i helgen och haft väldigt kul. Det är också första gången tar pool position och ligger tvåa i ett mästerskap, så det känns fantastiskt. Tack hela teamet för all hjälp och grattis Raoul till segern”

19-06-02 Årets första pallplats för Walfridson kom under RallyX Nordic i Danmark
Jimmie Walfridson, 29 år, har haft en minst sagt motig inledning av rallycross-säsongen. I de två första deltävlingarna som kördes i Höljes för två veckor sedan slutade han tolva respektive åtta I helgen kördes den tredje deltävlingen av mästerskapet RallyX Nordic på Nysumbanen i Danmark. Att säga att han kom till start rejält revanschsugen är ingen överdrift.
- Äntligen hittade jag flytet och har haft marginalerna på min sida, säger han.

På Nysumbanen har Jimmie kört några gånger tidigare, bland annat med crosskart.
- Det här är en rolig bana som jag gillar - både snabb och teknisk, sa han redan innan tävlingsstart.

Jimmie höll upp tempot och var med och slogs i toppen direkt under de fria träningarna. Därefter fortsatte han i det höga tempot, vilket resulterade i två fjärdeplatser i de första omgångarna och en sjundeplats i tredje omgången. I fjärde och sista omgången kammade han även hem årets första fullpoängare.
- Så otroligt skönt, säger han.

I finalen var han bra med i starten från andra led, även om det blev lite trångt och bökigt. Han var tredje bil ut ur första kurva och hade en tät fight om andraplatsen med Linus Östlund. Jimmie fick backa tillbaka och slutade trea - vilket gav honom årets första pallplats. Dessutom klättrar han upp från tionde till sjätteplats i mästerskapstabellen.
- Det var verkligen kul i helgen! Det mesta har stämt, även om jag inte alltid fått bästa startspår. Men jag har haft ett jämnt tempo, försökt köra med insidan av huvudet och inte ställa till med så mycket dumheter, avslutar han med ett skratt.

Teamkompisen i JC Raceteknik vann tävlingen i Supercar Lites, före Finnskoga MK´s Linus Östlund.

Nästa tävling för Jimmies del blir 15-16 juni då RX2 International series körs i Norska Hell. Han startar där för att hålla igång under RallyX Nordicsäsongen.

RallyX Nordic Nysum
1. Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR) 30 p
2. Linus Östlund (SWE) 26 p
3. Jimmie Walfridson (SWE) 23 p
4. Anders Michalak (SWE) 19 p
5. Simon Olofsson (SWE) 17 p
6. Sondre Evjen (NOR) 19 p
7. Petter Nårsa (SWE) 13 p
8. Thomas Holmen (NOR) 12 p
9 Niklas Aneklev (SWE) 9 p
10. Mats Oskarsson (SWE) 9 p
11. Hans-Ola Frøshaug (NOR) 8 p
12. Nathalie Petersson (SWE) 6 p

RallyX Nordic efter deltävling 3
1 Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR) 75 p
2. Sondre Evjen (NOR) 68 p
3. Linus Östlund (SWE) 66 p
4. Thomas Holmen (NOR) 62 p
5. Simon Olofsson (SWE) 56 p
6. Jimmie Walfridson (SWE) 43 p
6. Anders Michalak (SWE) 43 p
8. Petter Nårsa (SWE) 32 p
9. Mats Oskarsson (SWE) 32 p
9. Marcus Höglund (SWE) 32 p

Mer info hittar du på www.walfridson.com där vi följt tävlingen heat för heat.

19-05-29 Nysum beckons as red-hot title fight races into Denmark
Eriksson leads the field into Nysum, but rivals are breathing down his neck
Home favourite Linnemann returns as defending race-winner and with a point to prove
A third of 18-strong CrossCar grid are local specialists
Semi-finals and finals to be broadcast live on Facebook

The 2019 RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires campaign resumes this weekend (1/2 June) with what promises to be another edge-of-the-seat instalment, as spectacular Danish track Nysumbanen plays host to a fast-developing and intriguing title fight.

All four classes – Supercar, Supercar Lites, RX Academy and CrossCar – were fiercely-contested over the course of the double-header curtain-raiser at Höljes earlier this month, with a particularly close battle in the headlining Supercar category culminating in the top four drivers being separated by just three points in the championship standings.

Rounds one and two were all about the Erikssons. After Kevin Eriksson led home a slow-starting Peter Hedström and the increasingly impressive Jere Kalliokoski on Saturday, it was the turn of younger brother Oliver to take the win – and with it the championship lead – on Sunday. The Swede looked set to finish third until a controversial collision between Robin Larsson and Sebastian Eriksson at the exit of the joker put the former into a spin and earned the latter a five-second penalty.

Oliver duly leads the field into Nysum, a circuit that has established itself as a pillar of the RallyX Nordic calendar in recent years, providing thrilling action for drivers and fans alike. Characterised by a fast-and-flowing, 1,160m lap, the track is unique in the series for its figure-of-eight layout and bridge/jump combo – ensuring spectators are in for a true rollercoaster ride as the championship builds momentum.

Eriksson took the chequered flag first in Denmark last year, but was relegated to second by a post-race penalty for clipping a track marker on the exit of the joker. This time round, ‘Flying Finn’ Kalliokoski, last weekend’s Silverstone FIA Euro RX event-winner Larsson and Hedström are all within just three points of the early leader in the title chase – setting the scene for some sensationally close racing – and that is without even counting fifth-placed Ulrik Linnemann, who will arguably be the most fired-up of all to shine this weekend.

The Dane made a head-turning RallyX Nordic debut on home soil last year, registering a hugely popular victory in the final following Eriksson’s demotion – a result he is eager to replicate 12 months on. Linnemann was out of luck at Höljes, displaying front-running pace on both days before falling victim to a run of punctures. After Olsbergs MSE team-mate Eriksson proved what the new-to-Europe Honda Civic is capable of, he would like nothing more than to open his 2019 account with a podium finish – if not better – in front of family and friends.

“I’m really looking forward to racing on the track where I grew up,” the 31-year-old enthused. “I think Nysum will suit the Honda well and I have high hopes of taking revenge after my bad final results in Sweden. Lots of people are expecting great things of me at my home circuit, so I hope I can make them proud...”

In evidence of the unpredictable and top-tier action in RallyX Nordic this year, no fewer than 11 drivers occupied the 12 available final slots at Höljes – amongst whom were Philip Gehrman, a podium-finisher then and also in Denmark last year, so the Swede will doubtless fancy his chances on his return. Nysum will mark seasonal debuts, meanwhile, for JC Raceteknik’s Mats Öhman – who lost 95 per cent of his mobility following a snowmobile accident in 1998 – and local favourite Dennis Rømer.

The competition is every bit as hot in the supporting Supercar Lites category, with Norwegian teenager Thomas Holmen stunning his rivals by racing to victory in the opening round of the campaign following an 18-month absence from the cockpit. So tightly-disputed is the class, Holmen could only manage sixth place in Sunday’s final, but that was nonetheless enough to maintain the championship lead heading to Denmark.

Sunday’s top two – Sondre Evjen and Ben-Philip Gundersen – mirrored the top two from Nysum last year, meaning the JC Raceteknik pairing will return in confident spirits, and the former sits just a single point behind countryman Holmen at the summit of the standings. Simon Olofsson was similarly a podium-finisher in both events, and can always be counted upon to put in a crowd-pleasing performance.

The RX Academy and CrossCar showdowns at Höljes were equally as gripping, with the promise of more to come – particularly with a clutch of local heroes in the 18-strong CrossCar field in Denmark.

For those unable to get to the track, every RallyX Nordic event in 2019 will be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/rallyxnordic and www.rallyx.se/rallyx-tv, with live coverage of the semi-finals and finals also set to be broadcast on Viasat in Norway and throughout the Baltic nations on TV6 Latvia. In Denmark, highlights will be shown on Viasat channels, TV3 SPORT, TV3 MAX, Viaplay and five local TV 2 regional channels approximately a week after each event.

Entry Lists
Supercars
4 Robin Larsson SWE JC Raceteknik
8 Peter Hedström SWE Hedströms Motorport
11 Jere Kalliokoski FIN Kalliokoski Motorsport
16 Oliver Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE
17 Mats Öhman SWE JC Raceteknik
27 Dennis Rømer DNK Dennis Rømer
61 Andreas Carlsson SWE Andreas Carlsson Rallycross
72 Ulrik Linnemann DNK Olsbergs MSE
88 Daniel Thorén SWE Hedströms Motorsport
95 Philip Gehrman SWE Gehrman Motorsport AB

Supercar Lites
2 Ben-Philip Gundersen NOR JC Raceteknik
11 Mats Oskarsson SWE Oskarsson Motorsport
12 Anders Michalak SWE Michalak Motorsport
18 Linus Östlund SWE Olsbergs MSE
20 Nathalie Petersson SWE Hedströms Motorport
52 Simon Olofsson SWE Simon Olofsson
54 Petter Nårsa SWE Öhman Motorsport
56 Thomas Holmen NOR Thomas Holmen
69 Sondre Evjen NOR JC Raceteknik
90 Jimmie Walfridson SWE JC Raceteknik
91 Niklas Aneklev SWE Olsbergs MSE
99 Hans-Ola Frøshaug NOR JC Raceteknik

RX Academy
3 Joni Heikkinen FIN RX Academy
22 Rasmus Tuominen FIN RX Academy
27 Marko Muru EST RX Academy
44 Jonne Ollikainen FIN RX Academy
66 Luka Nurmi FIN RX Academy
72 Clémentine Lhoste FRA RX Academy
87 Tommi Hallman FIN RX Academy
95 Jimi Kalliomäki FIN RX Academy

CrossCar
6 Martin Enlund SWE Enlunds Motorsport
8 Jonas Ericsson SWE SSD Swespeed
11 Jimmie Österberg SWE Österberg Motorsport
12 Fredrik Arnesson SWE Fredrik Arnesson
14 Nils Andersson SWE NA Motorsport
20 Julius Ljungdahl SWE Yellow Squad by Hansen
21 Lars Söderström SWE SSD Swespeed
46 Thomas Eek Murstad NOR Murstad Motorsport
67 Isac Egonsson SWE Carcontrol
85 Petter Hane SWE Petter Hane
99 Leon Sørensen DNK Leon Sørensen
170 Isak Reiersen SWE JC Raceteknik Junior Team
175 Timmy Enlund SWE Enlunds Motorsport
768 Dennis Munch DNK Dennis Munch
924 Soren Jelsbak DNK Soren Jelsbak
958 Rasmus Larsen DNK Rasmus Larsen
987 Lars Nielsen DNK Lars Nielsen
990 Tobias Andersen DNK Tobias Andersen

19-05-27 Albatec and Higgins denied home success at Silverstone
Albatec Racing and Mark Higgins saw their bid to reach the finals of Dayinsure World RX of Great Britain come to an abrupt end after contact in Sunday’s final qualifying race. Returning to race action for the first time since last November, the reigning British Rallycross Champion made his first appearance of the season at Silverstone’s round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship, racing head-to-head with the World RX regulars in the Eddie Stobart NCME-supported Peugeot 208 RX Supercar.

Silverstone’s notoriously challenging jump provided excitement right from the start, a broken driveshaft sustained on landing on the opening lap of Saturday’s first practice sending Mark back to the paddock for repairs. The Albatec team mechanics, and students from the National Centre for Motorsport Engineering at the University of Bolton, did a sterling job to replace it before the second session, when the triple British Rally Champion successfully completed six laps of the Northamptonshire circuit.

After set-up changes prior to Q1 to solve some handling issues, Mark confidently headed into the first of his two qualifying races. Unfortunately, damage was sustained during contact with other cars, which prevented him from showing the speed that netted him the domestic title in only his first season in the sport. The mechanics worked tirelessly to repair the damage to the chassis legs in their efforts to elevate him from his overnight position of P15 ahead of Sunday’s final two races.

A superb performance in Sunday’s Q3, despite a loss of power steering on the last lap, resulted in the ninth fastest overall time, and he went into the fourth and final race knowing a repeat showing was necessary to seal his place in the semis. After a good start, he slotted into the inside into turn one but was squeezed into the tyre barrier, dropping him 13 seconds down the order and ending his weekend.

Andy Scott, Team Principal, Albatec Racing:
“It’s disappointing to have the weekend and our hopes of progressing ended with contact in the final race. It was always going to be a tall order to recover from the damage sustained in the opening two races. Mark as always drove well, in Q3 particularly with some impressive pace that netted a strong overall position. If we could have repeated that in Q4 we could have had a shot at the finals which was our aim before the weekend. All credit to him, and the team for getting the car repaired and ready so quickly.”

Mark Higgins, Driver #134, Albatec Racing:
“It’s been a frustrating weekend. We were chasing a handling issue on day one and seemed to be getting on top of it for the start of day two. Once this was resolved we seemed to find a lot more pace. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the car and to come back into it at this level with limited preparation was never going to be easy.

“I enjoyed qualifying three and it’s been great being back in the car and with the team. With a little bit more time and preparation, let’s hope for better things next time out.”

Dr Mark Busfield, Director, National Centre for Motorsport Engineering at University of Bolton:
“The weekend has once again proved challenging not just for Mark but for the team and our students from the University of Bolton. We’ve overcome those challenges time and again, however we just couldn’t recover from the issues we had on the opening day. The challenges have allowed the students the opportunity to see first-hand the trials and tribulations of motorsport. We have all enjoyed this experience to race on the World Stage.”

19-05-27 Timmy Hansen scores World RX of GB win in thrilling fashion
Timmy Hansen took a thrilling World RX of Great Britain victory at Silverstone, defeating Andreas Bakkerud thanks to a great strategy with a perfectly timed joker lap. Team HANSEN MJP team-mate and younger brother Kevin showed great speed all weekend but a small mistake cost him a chance to make the Final.

Saturday began in the best possible way, with Timmy and Kevin going fastest and second fastest respectively in Qualifying 1. It was a close fight, with Kevin sticking a stunning move around the outside to take the lead, only for Timmy to claw back time and resume the lead after joker laps had been taken. There was another formation finish in Qualifying 2, where both Timmy and Kevin were in the same heat once again, the former scoring Q2 victory and the latter going third fastest in the aggregate Q2 times.

Rain had fallen on Silverstone overnight, which meant both drivers being in the first heat would be a disadvantage. Timmy and Kevin were still 1-2 in their heat for a third consecutive time but ultimately would only place second and fourth in the session. Their positions then switched in Q4, which put both on the front row for Semi Final 1.

All appeared well in the Semi Final, with both Hansens running 1-2 yet again. Timmy and Kevin pulled away out front and both took their jokers on the last lap but a small mistake from Kevin when entering the hairpin, turning in slightly too early, put him nose-first into the tyre barrier and cost him 10 seconds. A second place had become sixth at the penultimate corner of the race.

Despite the setback, Team HANSEN MJP turned its focus straight to the final, in which Timmy was starting on the front row. His race was nearly over at the first turn when Timmy’s Peugeot 208 WRX was squeezed into the inside tyre barrier by Andreas Bakkerud, which inflicted minor damage to his car and dropped him to second place.

But a focused, determined Timmy regrouped and, with the help of a clever strategy from the team, jokered early and set the fastest lap of the weekend, taking the lead with one lap to go and delivering a stunning comeback victory.

A great weekend for Timmy put him straight into the lead of the World RX drivers’ championship, with Team HANSEN MJP still first and second, Kevin only four points behind Timmy in the standings. It was also a strong weekend in the teams’ championship, extending the lead to 25 points over GRX Taneco. After the disappointment of Sweden losing to Finland on Thursday in the IIHF World Championship ice hockey tournament, it was a nice bonus for the Swedish World RX team to beat the Finns three days later!

1st
Timmy Hansen
Qualifying 1 1st
Qualifying 2 1st
Qualifying 3 2nd
Qualifying 4 4th
Semi-Final 1 1st
Final 1st

7th
Kevin Hansen
Qualifying 1 2nd
Qualifying 2 3rd
Qualifying 3 4th
Qualifying 4 2nd
Semi-Final 1 6th
Final

Talking Points
Timmy Hansen becomes the first driver in 2019 to take two World RX Final victories, following on from Team HANSEN MJP's 1-2 finish at Barcelona.
Despite winning several World RX events during his career, this is the first time that Timmy has led the world championship.
Team HANSEN MJP has been on tour so far this year but the next two rounds are much closer to home: Hell awaits the Hansens in Norway, followed by Höljes in the team's native Sweden.

The big number
0.472
The crucial time in milliseconds Timmy gained on Andreas Bakkerud between their respective joker laps in the Final, which put Timmy into first place to start the final lap.

immy
Hansen

21 Timmy Hansen
“It was definitely hard today; Bakkerud found some good pace and won Q3 and Q4, as well as his Semi Final, so for sure it was tough to line up next to him. He squeezed me into the tyres at the first corner, so I was happy to be able to continue. I came out second and when I took my joker I did a great lap, so once he took his I emerged in the lead. I definitely had to work hard to get it, but it tastes even sweeter when that happens. Of course there were mixed emotions, especially after the Semi Final. We’re in this together. Kevin's going to come back stronger, mistakes happen sometimes and I would have enjoyed to be up on the podium with Kevin this weekend but I hope we get to do that in Norway.”

71 Kevin
Hansen

Kevin Hansen
Photo: Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
“Saturday was really good, I think I had really good pace. The starts were amazing, I really felt at home and that I have upped my level quite a lot on Saturdays. Then on Sunday I was having good pace in qualifying but was struggling a bit with the reverse grid, it didn’t feel in our favour as in the end I was P3. The Semi Final was going really well and I had good speed behind Timmy, he was on fresh rubber and I wasn’t. I think it was a good Semi but just a small mistake in the end cost me a lot. It’s been a long time since I led a championship so it was nice to have it for four races, but now I want to take it back! Now I have led once, I know how it works so let’s take that lead back and keep it.

Kenneth Hansen
Saturday was really good, we had a strong performance, were 1-2 in Q1 and finished the day 1-2 which was perfect. Bakkerud came back quite strongly today and won Q3 and Q4 but we also had a very good day. The only bad thing was the small mistake from Kevin in the Semi-Final that cost him second place and he finished sixth.

“We had a big fight in the Final with a big push to try to overtake Bakkerud with a joker gamble, which we managed to do. This time the joker decision was very late. Timmy normally can feel when he wants to take the joker but won’t know what it looks like behind him. It’s my decision as I am the spotter for Timmy and I didn’t have time to see the time gap, but suddenly there was a big gap. In turn seven, before the split with the joker, I just had a feeling that we needed to call it and Timmy took the joker. We knew that Bakkerud had some hot tyres and was losing performance and it went very well for us.”

Next round:
World RX of Norway
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Team HANSEN MJP's next stop on the World RX tour is closer to home in Hell, Norway. Unlike the first four rounds of the championship, it's more of a traditional rallycross circuit, with plenty of history behind it. Those years were spent developing the circuit with good kerbs and no tyre stacks. In the words of Kenneth Hansen, it’s “proper racing” there and there’s a little evolution in the circuit. More than anything, though, it's a track that drivers almost universally love, with plenty of undulation. We'll see you in Hell on June 15-16

19-05-26 Eriksson does the hat-trick – championship leader cleans up at Silverstone
Defending champion extends unbeaten run at ‘Home of British Motor Racing’
Kallio makes it an OMSE one-two as Gryazin reaches rostrum for first time in 2019
Tens of thousands of fans lap up the festival atmosphere at SpeedMachine

Oliver Eriksson completed an early-season hat-trick at Silverstone’s SpeedMachine Festival this weekend (25/26 May), as the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires championship leader saw off all comers and survived a drama-fuelled final to maintain his perfect start to the 2019 campaign.

The third consecutive Formula 1 venue on the RX2 calendar, Silverstone produced world-class entertainment from the first lights-out to the final chequered flag – to the evident delight of the tens of thousands of enthusiastic spectators that flocked to the celebrated ‘Home of British Motor Racing’.

Eriksson was quickest out of the blocks and maintained that advantage throughout, with Olsbergs MSE stablemate Jesse Kallio and Sports Racing Technologies star Vasiliy Gryazin similarly steering clear of the chaos to join the Swede on the rostrum in second and third positions respectively.

Qualifying Races
Imperious from the outset, Eriksson took a clean sweep of fastest times through the qualifying races, occasionally aided by his closest rivals either tripping each other up or slowing each other down. As in Belgium a fortnight ago, the Swede was pushed hardest by team-mate Kallio, with JC Raceteknik’s Ben-Philip Gundersen once more a thorn in the OMSE duo’s side, albeit losing ground when he got stuck in traffic in Q3 and Q4.

Sami-Matti Trogen showed well for SET Promotion in fourth, ahead of the third OMSE entry of Fraser McConnell, who admitted to overdriving on Saturday as he got to grips with the track. The Jamaican rapidly put that sluggish start behind him, however, to fire up the order with the second-best time in Q4, perhaps inspired by words of support from countryman Sean Paul on Saturday night, as the global rap superstar and SpeedMachine stage headliner tried out the Supercar Lites cockpit for size.

William Nilsson placed sixth for JC Raceteknik – winning the plaudits for highest jump and mastering the Turn One switchback – with fellow Swede Anders Michalak a solid seventh at the scene of his finest RX2 finish to-date in 2018.

Gryazin was similarly well in the mix in eighth, ahead of reigning EuroRX TouringCar champion Steve Volders. Simon Olofsson – who was tipped into a dramatic roll at the beginning of Q2 following a first corner squeeze, thankfully emerging unharmed – and record-breaking former Olympic skier Albert Llovera brought up the order.

Semi-Finals
From pole position, Eriksson was untroubled as he led the first of the two semi-finals from start to finish – although a demon getaway from Michalak saw the Swede momentarily nose in front from the second row of the grid as he braved the wide outside line through Turn One, before being muscled down to third by Gundersen.

The top two remained safe throughout, but behind, Michalak had his hands full staving off a fired-up McConnell, whose early joker strategy failed to pay off as he lost time behind Volders. A staunch and determined defence ultimately saw Michalak progress through to the final at Silverstone for the second successive season.

Like team-mate Eriksson, Kallio faced little real opposition in semi-final two, although the fast-starting Nilsson briefly threatened to sneak between the two front row sitters at lights-out before tucking into second ahead of Trogen. The Swede, however, would eventually lose out to early jokers Trogen and Gryazin – who enjoyed a crowd-pleasing side-by-side duel along the way – as the Finn and Latvian both advanced to the final, with their disappointed JC Raceteknik rival ruing a tactical error in leaving his own joker too late.

Final
The final was a dramatic affair, to say the least – requiring three attempts to safely navigate beyond Turn One. At the first time of asking, a coming-together between Gryazin and Michalak squeezed the latter into the tyres, and with the STS RX-run car stranded, there was no option but to red-flag the race.

A few minutes later, they tried again, but this time, Gundersen aimed his JC Raceteknik car down the inside of Kallio into an ever-decreasing gap – with much the same outcome. Trogen’s SET Promotion car was also innocently caught up in the contact, leaving him with a damaged wheel and although the Finn lined up for the third effort to get the race underway, he did not go far.

That left a three-car shoot-out for glory, with Eriksson duly commanding proceedings after shaking off the early attentions of team-mate Kallio, as the OMSE stablemates replicated their one-two finish from Spa-Francorchamps a fortnight ago and the Finn maintained his record of finishing on the podium in every event he has started. Gryazin’s third place marked the Latvian’s first visit to the rostrum in 2019.

Next for the RX2 contenders will be Hell in Norway in three weeks’ time (15/16 June), the first of three traditional rallycross tracks on the series’ calendar – and the opening leg of an eagerly-anticipated Scandinavian double-header.

Quote, Unquote
Oliver Eriksson (1st): “A clean sweep – you can’t ask for any more than that! The team was amazing all weekend and gave me a great car again, so all I had to do was keep it neat and tidy and keep racking up the results. Looking at the entry list in RX2, if you’d asked me before the season started if I could win three in a row like this, I’d have said ‘no way’, but we had our fair share of bad luck last year – particularly early on – so we’ll take the good luck when it comes and everything is just seeming to bounce our way right now. It was tricky to maintain focus with the stoppages at the beginning of the final and the adrenaline rising and falling, but I just had to remain calm. Jesse was quick, but I could control the pace from the front and my spotter read the race well to enable me to stay ahead. Now we need to keep this momentum going and see if we can make it four from four in Norway – no holding back!”

Jesse Kallio (2nd): “I’m happy with second place – it continues our great start to the season with a podium at each event and represents more good points towards our championship challenge. It was tight all weekend with a lot of quick drivers in the field, and we had to fight pretty hard. I had a clean run from pole position in my semi-final, though the final was obviously far more dramatic! I tried to put Oliver under as much pressure as I could, but he doesn’t make many mistakes – he’s certainly a tough nut to crack. We also had a small issue with the brakes, but it wasn’t bad enough to affect the overall result. There are plenty of positives to take away with us and I still have a lot to learn in RX2 – it’s all about the small details, but we are getting closer each time. I’ve got good memories from Hell after winning there last year in Super1600. It’s a real old-school rallycross track and you can properly push the car there – I’m looking forward to it.”

Vasiliy Gryazin (3rd): “It feels great to take our first podium of the year. Silverstone is one of my favourite tracks on the calendar and SpeedMachine is a fantastic event, so I really enjoyed coming back. We had good pace on Saturday, but I didn’t feel 100 per cent today so it took more effort to stay focussed and I didn’t have quite the same confidence in the car. Still, I had a fun fight with Nilsson and Trogen in the semi-final and Lady Luck was definitely smiling on me in the final. By the time it came to the last re-start, we had a problem with the clutch – any more stoppages and I think we’d have been finished. I had to really take it gently at the start, but thankfully she held out and here we are.”

Andreas Eriksson, RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires CEO: “The second edition of SpeedMachine was another fabulous weekend, with a fantastic festival atmosphere, big crowds and some awesome live music – though ultimately, it was the rallycross action that stole the show and our RX2 boys played a major part in that. We saw last year that this track generates some great racing, and it was a similar story 12 months on. Congratulations to Oliver and Jesse on another one-two finish for OMSE, and to Vasiliy on achieving his first podium of the season – I’m sure it won’t be the last. Now, we move on to Norway and one of the world’s most iconic rallycross circuits – and I for one am looking forward to one Hell of an event.”

Final Result
1. Oliver ERIKSSON (SWE) Olsbergs MSE 6 laps
2. Jesse KALLIO (FIN) Olsbergs MSE +1.966s
3. Vasiliy GRYAZIN (LAT) Sports Racing Technologies +3.996s
4. Sami-Matti TROGEN (FIN) SET Promotion +6 laps
5. Ben-Philip GUNDERSEN (NOR) JC Raceteknik +6 laps
6. Anders MICHALAK (SWE) Anders Michalak +6 laps

Championship Standings
1. Oliver Eriksson (SWE) 89 points
2. Jesse Kallio (FIN) 76 points
3. Fraser McConnell (JAM) 61 points
4. Sami-Matti Trogen (FIN) 57 points
5. Vasiliy Gryazin (LVA) 51 points
6. Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR) 48 points
7. William Nilsson (SWE) 37 points
8. Anders Michalak (SWE) 37 points
9. Simon Olofsson (SWE) 34 points
10. Steve Volders (BEL) 26 point

19-05-26 Hård helg på Silverstone - Daniel till sjukhus och Peter tvingades till motorbyte
Rallycross-EM är ingen dans på rosor alla gånger. Daniel Thorén i närkontakt med hård betong och fick uppsöka sjukhus med brutna revben. Peter Hedström överhettade motorn efter hård smäll bakifrån som påverkade kylningen.

Det har varit blod, svett och tårar hos Hedströms Motorsport, när de denna helgen körde inledande EM-deltävlingen i rallycross på anrika Silverstone i England. Redan i första kvalomgången började det. Peter och Daniel i samma heat. Heatet rödflaggat precis efter att Peter hoppat sönder hjulupphängningen. Peter fick starta om med trasigt stag i bakvagnen och tog rygg på Bryntesson.
- Jag fick slita med understyrning, ett stag gick sönder i bakvagnen, men lyckades sätta sjunde tid, berättar Peter.

Daniel rullade i mål med fjortonde tid och nästa kvalomgång blev inte bättre. Daniel Thorén kom först ut i sitt heat och hade en tuff kamp med Attila Mozer. Duellen slutade i en hård betongmur för Daniel, som fick föras till sjukhus med smärtor i nacke, rygg och revben. Efter röntgen konstateras revbensbrott och Daniel beordrades vila och observation på sjukhuset.
- Det här var inte vad jag väntat mig, jag vill ju vara på banan och tävla, men tyvärr har ett revben gått av och bråkat med höger lunga, säger Daniel Thorén från sjukbädden.

Peter fick sig en rejäl tryckare i Q2 han också, men här var det bilen som tog mest stryk.
- Jag var först in i första kurvan, fick en smäll bakifrån och bliv vänd, tempen i motorn gick upp ett halvt varv senare, berättar Peter Hedström.
Peter rullade över mållinjen med direkt skadliga 167 graders motortemp i sin VW Polo Supercar. Teamet fick jobba stenhårt för att få bilen över startlinjen i Q3 och därmed undvika nollpoäng.
- De lyckades tömma kylsystemet och plocka ur ett tändstift så de fick fart på motorn.
Bilen knuffades igång och Peter kunde rulla över startlinjen vid starten, vilket var vad som krävdes. Teamets tekniker skruvade sedan till fyratiden på natt till söndag för att få motorn bytt och bilen i topptrim till Q4. Väl där kämpade sig Peter genom fältet efter en dålig start, slutade tvåa i heatet, med sjätte tid i omgången.
Lagom till semifinalen kom regnet. Peter gjorde fjädringen mjukare, vis av regnkörning, men banan blev tyvärr knappt sämre i fästet av regnet.
- Jag valde fel helt enkelt och fick slita hela finalen med för mjuk bil, säger Peter Hedström.
Peter rullade mål som fyra i sin semifinal och tyvärr utom räckhåll för finalkörning.
- Det är bara att bita ihop och komma igen, teamet har gjort en kämpainsats och jag fick i alla fall några EM-poäng med från tävlingen trots allt oflyt, avslutar Peter.

FIA Euro RX 2019, Supercar, ställning efter en deltävling.
1. Robin Larsson 30
2. Thomas Bryntesson 26
3. Jean-Baptistrte Duborg 23
4. Andra Duborg 19
5. Rene Munnich 17
6. Pontus Tidemand 17
…
11. Peter Hedström 8

19-05-26 Hansen grabs the spoils in Speedmachine finale
Timmy Hansen claimed victory in a gripping final of the Dayinsure World RX of Great Britain at the SpeedMachine Festival, the fourth round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy.

Hansen thus became the first double winner of the 2019 season, following victory in Barcelona in round two in his Team Hansen MJP Peugeot 208.

The Swede engaged in a titanic battle with Monster Energy RX Cartel’s Andreas Bakkerud who got the better of the start in Sunday’s final. Timmy eventually hunted the Norwegian down and there was only a car-length between them at the flag.

“Today Andreas (Bakkerud) found some more pace and he was able to win both qualifying sessions,” Hansen said. “In the final, he had about a half a car better launch than me, it was tight going in to the first corner. Coming out second I knew I had to stay super close. I was absolutely on his bumper just before my joker lap which was a perfect lap.

“I kept on pushing, he went in to the joker a lap later, and when we merged I saw that I had a bit more speed and seeing him behind as we hit the finish line was a great feeling. I definitely had to work very hard to day to get this result.”

Timmy also usurped his brother Kevin at the top of the drivers’ standings with today’s win. He sits on 88 points to Kevin’s 84 after the younger Hansen made contact with the tyre barrier on the last lap of his semi-final, meaning he missed the final.

From a family perspective, Timmy admitted to mixed emotions after the race. “The semi-final was good for me but going over the line in the semi I was checking for Kevin and I saw that he was gone and then I heard on the radio that he was stuck in the joker section.

“So it was a shame for him as I had a perfect run in the semi and for him to miss out was tough. It was also difficult to keep my head down between the semi and the final because I had to keep focussed on my own race while feeling for him.”

Bakkerud, desperately seeking his first win of the season, after being so close last time out in Spa-Francorchamps, was disappointed not to have reached the top step this time when the win was within his grasp.

He also revealed that all was not well with the Audi S1. “We had some issues with the handbrake. Every time I pulled it the car stalled so I ended up driving without the handbrake in the semi and the final,” he said.

“Belgium was OK because I didn’t feel I had the speed to win but this weekend I definitely felt I could. I tried to use every trick I had in the book so the final result does not feel good.

“This is four podiums in a row for the RX Cartel, we had both cars in the final here but just didn’t get the job done. It hurts a bit to sip champagne and not be happy. I almost had it in my pocket today. All I can do is keep on pushing and hopefully the win is nearby.”

GCK Kompetition’s Anton Marklund claimed third in the Renault Megane RS RX, the Swede’s first World RX podium place of 2019 and his second overall after a second-place finish in Canada in 2014.

“Since Abu Dhabi we have shown good pace and in Spa where we ran top three pace. It was nice to get the starts working in the semi-final and final today and to get some clear air,” he said. “I am very satisfied with a P3 and very happy for the team.”

Timo Scheider in the ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport team Seat Ibiza was fourth in the final just ahead of Hungarian Krisztian Szabo’s EKS Sport Audi S1.

Unfortunately for British fans, Liam Doran, Bakkerud’s team-mate in the Monster Energy RX Cartel finished sixth in the final after an eventful home event.

Fellow-Briton Oliver Bennett provided plenty of cheer for home fans by making his first ever World RX semi-final only for his Mini Cooper to catch fire on the final lap and end his race. Silverstone’s notorious jump was the culprit, the Mini bottoming out on landing and a broken oil seal sparking the blaze.

The second semi-final was red flagged after Joni Wiman, standing in for Niclas Gronholm in the GRX Taneco Hyundai i20 contacted the tyre barrier soon after the jump with the car rolling on its side. The resultant suspension damage to the front right-hand corner meant he did not make the semi-final re-run.

“It was a late call for me to step in for Niclas and I tried to do my best, but struggled with a rhythm and set-up for this track,” Wiman said.

“Front row for the semi-final was a satisfying result. In the semi-final it all got very messy, very fast. (Janis) Baumanis and (Liam) Doran were fighting hard for the position and after the big jump I saw an opportunity and went for it. Unfortunately I got squeezed on to the tyre barrier and rolled the car.”

Timur Timerzyanov, in the sister GRX Taneco Hyundai i20, went from the high of a maiden World RX win in Spa-Francorchamps to the low of missing the final at Silverstone. “I was concentrating on my own race, but this weekend my result was not entirely decided by me. Next-up is race in Hell, Norway, and that is one of my favourite tacks in the championship so we need to focus on that now,” the Russian said.

Latvia’s Janis Baumanis was the only man to have reached all three World RX finals prior to Silverstone. However, that sequence was broken when he finished fourth in semi-final two with a battered Team STARD Ford Fiesta, after being caught up in the Wiman incident.

Jani Paasonen in the second STARD Fiesta car finished well down the pecking order as did British wildcard Mark Higgins in his Peugeot 208.

Apart from Marklund’s third place, Silverstone produced mixed fortunes for the GC Kompetition squad.

Team boss Guerlain Chicherit finished fourth in semi-final one while Cyril Raymond narrowly missed out – ending 13th overall despite a win in Q4 in the GCK Academy Renault Clio RS.

It was a torrid weekend for Guillaume De Ridder. The Belgium was the victim of contact from Doran who got out of shape over the jump in Q3. The Briton collected De Ridder’s Renault Megane on landing forcing him to retire with suspension damage.

The team worked feverishly to get him out for Q4 but missed pre-grid by seconds, ending any hopes of advancing to the semi-finals. It was a bitter end after he had taken a race win in Q1 on Saturday.

On a good news note, the French team announced that they were adding 19-year-old Rokas Baciuska to their driver roster from the World RX of Norway (June 15-16) onwards. The Lithuanian had parted company with ESmotorsport prior to the weekend.

Frenchman Herve Knapick had issues as early as Q1 when he failed to make the start line – a consequence of gearbox issues in the Citroen DS3.

The World RX final rounded out two action-packed days of the SpeedMachine Festival – combining non-stop track activity, world-class entertainment with headline acts Sean Paul and Jax Jones and the best of British street food.

World RX now moves to Hell in Norway for round five from June 15-16

19-05-26 Mixade resultat för William Nilsson under rallycrossfesten på Silverstone
Under helgen kördes den tredje deltävlingen av rallycrossmästerskapet RX2 International Series i Storbritannien. För Nilsson slutade tävlingen med en fjärdeplats i semifinal.
– Trots att tempot egentligen fanns så fattas det där lilla extra. Det är något vi som team måste jobba ytterligare med, säger Nilsson.

På banan Silverstone, som i vanliga fall är välkänd för sina F1-tävlingar, bjöds det i helgen på en rejäl rallycrossfestival. Men trots gator fyllda med matstånd, ett nöjesfält och scenframträdande av världsartisten Sean Paul var det rallycrossen som levererade mest action. För William Nilsson, som kör RX2 International Series, bjöd helgen på både medgång och motgång. Hyfsade resultat genom kvalificeringarna resulterade i en sjätteplats i grundomgången, och i semifinalen såg han ut att gå mot en andraplats.
– Innan semifinalen regnade det och när det blev uppehåll, precis innan vi skulle köra ut på banan, var det svårt att veta hur snabbt det skulle torka upp. Så vi valde att köra med full regn-setup. Väl i semifinalen fick jag en kanonstart och kom ut som tvåa från andra led, men tyvärr torkade banan snabbare än vi trott och jag tappade till fjärdeplats, säger Nilsson.

JC Raceteknik-föraren slutade därmed åtta i tävlingen och klättrar upp till en sjundeplats i mästerskapet.
– Trots att tempot egentligen fanns, och att jag tog ett par heatsegrar i helgen, så fattas det där lilla extra. Det är något vi som team måste jobba ytterligare med. Inför deltävlingen i Hell kommer vi snacka ihop oss, analysera allt och sen jobba på att utveckla bilen ännu mer.

Nilsson tävlar inte bara i rallycross, utan kör även full racingsäsong i klassen V8 Thunder Cars. Till helgen körs den andra deltävlingen i Anderstorp, där han tävlar för teamet Memphis Racing.
– Det ska bli jättekul åka dit, få släppa rallycrossen lite grann och fokusera på V8. Jag är ju rookie i det och tar allt för vad det är. Målet är att ha roligt och lära sig så mycket som möjligt. Jag kommer försöka ta vid där jag slutade sist, men med ännu mer fokus på att göra bättre kval.

19-05-26 JC Racetekniks Robin Larsson segrade under EM-premiären i Storbritannien
Robin Larsson gasade hem en vinst i den första deltävlingen och tar därmed ledningen i rallycross-EM. Samtidigt tvingades teamkollegan Ben-Philip Gundersen bryta efter en krasch i RX2-finalen.
– Det blev en perfekt start på Euro RX. Robin behöll kontrollen från start till mål och vi ser fram emot resten av EM-säsongen, säger teamchef Joel Christoffersson.

Under helgen nådde rallycrossen den välkända F1-banan Silverstone för den första deltävlingen av FIA European Rallycross Championship, samt det tredje deltävlingen i RX2 International Series. För teamet JC Raceteknik resulterade det i både seger och mästerskapsledning.

Förra helgen slutade Robin Larsson på en andraplats i RallyX Nordic – den här helgen gick det hela vägen. Det blev närmast en perfekt helg för Larsson, som redan från träningen startade på topp. Han segrade i tre av de fyra omgångarna, samt tog en andratid, och gick därmed vinnande ur grundomgången. Även i semifinalen höll han tempot uppe och blev förste föraren att korsa mållinjen. I finalen knöt han ihop säcken och gick segrande ur tävlingen. Han leder även mästerskapet efter den första deltävlingen.

I RX2 International Series blev det ett tungt avslut för fjolårstrean Ben-Philip Gundersen. Tävlingen bjöd på blandade resultat för norrmannen, men han slutade trots det trea i grundomgången och körde in på en andraplats i semifinalen. I finalen gjorde han en bra start och låg tvåa när heatet rödflaggades. Även i omstarten var han bra med, men blev knuffad in i däcktravarna. Heatet rödflaggades återigen, men Gundersens bil var så pass skadad att han inte kunde starta om. Han slutade femma i tävlingen och ligger kvar på en sjätteplats i mästerskapet.

William Nilsson hade högt tempo under tävlingen, och körde hem flera heatsegrar. I semifinalen såg han ut att gå mot en andraplats. Men på grund av fel set-up på bilen och en jokermiss från teamchefen slutade han istället fyra och blev därmed förste föraren utanför final. Efter helgen klättrar han till sjundeplats i RX2 International Series.

Nästa deltävling i båda mästerskapen blir i norska Hell 15 juni, men redan till helgen körs den tredje deltävlingen i RallyX Nordic på dansk mark.

Joel Christoffersson, teamchef JC Raceteknik:
”Det blev en perfekt start på Euro RX och Robin behöll kontrollen från start till mål. Jag är verkligen nöjd med hur han körde och resultaten han fick genom hela helgen, så vi ser fram emot resten av säsongen. I RX2 hade vi lite kämpigt under lördagen. Men vi jobbade hårt både med körningen och bilens inställningar – och hade bättre fart idag. Ben-Philip hade en riktigt bra semifinal och gjorde en snabb start i finalen. Men finalen blev rödflaggad och vi knuffades av banan i den andra omstarten. Jag lider med honom, eftersom jag tror han hade haft ett riktigt bra avslut annars. I semifinalen gjorde jag ett misstag som Williams spotter och tog in honom lite för sent i jokern, tyvärr. Det är något vi får ta lärdom av.”

Robin Larsson, ERX:
”Egentligen är inte det här en bana som passar min körstil, så det känns väldigt skönt att få åka härifrån med en seger. Det är ett rent nöje att köra den här bilen. Jag kan verkligen attackera och köra på gränsen. Det känns som vi har mycket mer att lära om både bilen och min körning, så det är kul. Under helgen fick vi bra starter i nästan alla heat och finaler. Jag var lite orolig när det kom regn i semifinalen, för jag har inte gjort några riktiga starter på blött underlag. Men det fungerade bra. Körningen kändes riktigt bra i semifinalen, men i finalen var det svårare att hitta rätt linje. Det var första gången under helgen som jag blev riktigt jagad av Bryntesson – när jag tittade i backspegeln såg jag ut att ligga illa till. Dessutom är det så lätt att göra misstag på den här banan, men jag tog det väldigt lugnt och hade bra kommunikation med spottern.”

Ben-Philip Gundersen, RX2:
”Tävlingen har gått lite upp och ner för mig. Under den första starten i finalen var jag med bra, men sedan rödflaggades heatet. I omstarten var jag snabb iväg och höll mitt spår, men i första svängen puttades jag in i en däcktrave och bilen blev okörbar. Sånt är väldigt tråkigt eftersom vi hade goda chanser på ett bra resultat. Generellt är vi med i toppen bland de snabbaste, men har ändå ett steg upp till Oliver Eriksson som just nu är en klass för sig. Så vi har testat lite nya inställningar på bilen och gjort lite ändringar under helgen. Just nu ligger vi sexa i mästerskapet, vilket såklart inte är var vi vill vara. Så nu gäller det att plocka poäng i varje tävling. Nästa deltävling blir i Hell, och det blir kul att konkurrera lite på norsk mark med många norrmän på plats som stöttar. Jag har haft lite oflyt hittills i år, så det är bara att hoppas det vänder nu.”

William Nilsson, RX2:
”Som team har vi tagit ytterligare ett steg framåt, men det där sista lilla fattas. Jag fick hyfsade resultat genom kvalificeringarna trots några tuffa startspår. Bra fart finns och jag tog ett par heatsegrar. Innan semifinalen regnade det och när det blev uppehåll, precis innan vi skulle köra ut på banan, var det svårt att veta hur snabbt det skulle torka upp. Så vi valde att köra med full regn-setup. Väl i semifinalen fick jag en kanonstart och kom ut som tvåa från andra led, men tyvärr torkade banan snabbare än vi trott och jag tappade till fjärdeplats. Inför Hell kommer vi snacka ihop oss, analysera allt och sen jobba på att utveckla bilen ännu mer.”

19-06-26 Farten fanns men inte flytet
Farten fanns där, men det blev ändå tufft för Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS och Sondre Evjen, när rallycross-EM för Supercar inleddes på Silverstone i England.
- En helg med många utmaningar. Det hände något hela tiden och vi fick inte möjlighet att visa vår fulla kapacitet, kommenterar stallchefen Tommy Kristoffersson.

Evjen fick se semifinalerna från sidan efter att ha missat i kvalificeringen med minsta möjliga marginal.
- Det var som sista droppen på bägaren efter en sån där helg som man inte vill ha, men som man ändå råkar ut för ibland, säger Kristoffersson.

EM-premiären började annars bra. Unge Evjen har inte hunnit testa särskilt mycket, men levererade redan i första kontakten med banan.
- Trea på första träningen, det kändes bra, säger norrmannen.

I första kvalomgången blev det sedan en niondeplats, men tyvärr också en brand i kabelsystemet. Det gav följdverkningar under resten av helgen, även om andra kvalheatet fungerade utan större problem, med Evjen som fin femma.
- Där fungerade det ändå bra, men sedan blev det större problem, berättar Sondre.

Att en tävlingsfunktionär dessutom tömde en hel brandsläckare i bilen, helt utan anledning, gjorde inte saken lättare.
- Det tar död på elektroniken. Våra killar jobbade hela natten, med att byta ut sensorer och annat, men eftersom vi står i depån så går det inte att testa om vi har hittat rätt. Allt blir gissningar, säger Tommy Kristoffersson, som fick se sin adept notera två trettondeplatser i Q3 respektive Q4.

Därmed försvann också chansen till semifinal. Med minsta marginal hamnade Evjen på första reservplats. Bittert, men ändå med ett stänk av framtidsoptimism.
- När bilen fungerar har vi bra fart, så det lovar ändå gott, tycker Evjen.

Tommy Kristoffersson är inne på samma spår.
- Vi tar med oss det positiva härifrån. När det har fungerat så har vi haft farten och Sondre har kört bra. Potentialen finns.

EM-serien fortsätter om tre veckor på hemmamark för Sondre Evjen, i norska Hell.

19-06-26 Tidemand sexa i EM-premiären
Pontus Tidemand presterade bra i sitt gästinhopp i årets första deltävling i rallycross-EM i Storbritannien. Sittandes i Per Eklunds Volkswagen Beetle gjorde han en riktigt fin insats i kvalen och tog sig vidare för att slutligen ta hem sjätteplatsen i finalen.
- Det här har varit en riktigt kul helg. Jag är hur nöjd som helst med att vi kunde matcha fabriksbilarna såpass bra och faktiskt ta oss ända till final, med tanke på den hårda konkurrensen räknade jag inte helt med det , säger Pontus med ett leende direkt efter målgång.

Det var en välkommen chans att få upp tävlingspulsen när Per Eklund erbjöd Pontus att få starta i EM-premiären i rallycross på Silverstone. Med sitt huvudsakliga fokus på rally och nästa VM-start, reste han till Storbritannien utan någon press på sig och riktade in sig på att främst njuta av tiden bakom ratten. Men trots att han tampades med duktiga förare som är specialiserade på just rallycross stod han sig bra i konkurrensen. Efter de fyra kvalheaten låg han på femte plats och kvalificerade sig därmed för semifinal. Via en tredjeplats tog han sig till finalen, där han tillslut fick en sjätteplats.
- Det har verkligen flutit på bra de här dagarna, säger Pontus. Vi har byggt oss in i tävlingen, ändrat inställningar allteftersom och hittat rätt så vi kunde nagga på storfräsarna. Särskilt nöjd är jag med att sätta andratiden totalt i den andra kvalheatet och få känna att jag var med i spelet på riktigt. Dessutom är det alltid roligt och lärorikt att jobba med legender som Per Eklund och Tommy Kristoffersson, så det är jag tacksam för.

Resultat EM-finalen Silverstone RX 2019
1. Robin Larsson
2. Thomas Bryntesson
3. Jean-Baptiste Dubourg
4. René Münnich
5. Andréa Dubourg
6. Pontus Tidemand

19-05-24 Tidemand gästspelar i EM-premiären i rallycross
I väntan på nästa rallystart passar Pontus Tidemand på att få lite extra tid bakom ratten. I helgen deltar han i EM-premiären i rallycross på Silverstone i Storbritannien och är taggad för att få adrenalinet att pumpa igen.

Senaste tävlingen för den värmländske rallystjärnan Pontus Tidemand var ett gästspel i RallyX on Ice i Åre i mars, och innan dess var det Rally Sweden, men trots färre tävlingar har han knappast legat på latsidan.
- Vi jobbar stenhårt på nästa VM-start, berättar Pontus. Det är många tidskrävande bitar som ska på plats för att allt ska klaffa men läget känns positivt. Däremot måste vi också tänka taktiskt för att få bästa möjliga utgångsläge inför säsongen 2020 och både välja rätt tävlingar som passar mig och ligger rätt tidsmässigt. Därför satsar vi på att dyka upp i VM igen efter sommaren. Rally är min förstaprioritering och mitt huvudfokus men jag missar aldrig en chans att få upp tävlingspulsen så det blir riktigt kul att få tampas på en rallycrossbana igen.

Det var legendaren Per Eklund som ringde och erbjöd ett inhopp i EM-premiären i rallycross och Pontus var inte sen att tacka ja. Han får ratta en Volkswagen Beetle och hoppas kunna vara med från början och fighta.
- Det finns många väldigt duktiga förare i rallycross och nivån är hög så det är bara att försöka vara på det ordentligt från start. Lite flyt också så kan det bli en rolig helg och eftersom jag kommer hit utan någon direkt press på mig kan jag bara njuta och ha kul. Jag har varit och testat en hel del för både Skoda och Volkswagen så jag känner mig inte ringrostig bakom ratten, men det är fem år sen jag körde rallycross så det blir en spännande utmaning att komma in i det igen även om jag inte känner någon direkt press.

Tävlingen drar igång på lördag med de två första kvalheaten medans de resterande två väntar på söndagen med efterföljande semifinaler och slutligen final.

19-05-24 RX2 title fight races into 'Home of British Motorsport' at Silverstone
British GP venue Silverstone to stage round three of 2019 campaign
Oliver Eriksson leads the way – but the chasing pack is closing in
All of the action available via Facebook livestream and TV broadcast

Silverstone awaits the third instalment of the 2019 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires campaign this weekend (25/26 May), with all indications suggesting SpeedMachine fans are in for a feast of high-octane entertainment.

Building upon the success of its inaugural event in 2018, SpeedMachine – a fusion of some of the fastest and most spectacular cars on the planet with award-winning street food and live music from the likes of Sean Paul and Jax Jones – is back for a second consecutive year, and RX2 is set to star as a major part of the show.

The official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series has already raced at two iconic Formula 1 venues this season, with both Barcelona and Spa-Francorchamps delivering lap after lap of breathtaking sideways slides, doorhandle-to-doorhandle action and awe-inspiring overtakes. Expectations are high that Silverstone will serve up more of the same – with a whole host of potential winners amongst the high-calibre entry.

Defending title-holder Oliver Eriksson arrives in the UK as the championship leader, and the 20-year-old has form at the ‘Home of British Motorsport’, having won there last year – indeed, he took maximum points by topping the intermediate standings and dominating his semi-final. Twelve months on, he is firmly focussed on a repeat performance.

Rapid rookies
The Swede’s closest rivals in the chase for the coveted crown are his own Olsbergs MSE team-mates Jesse Kallio and Fraser McConnell. ‘Flying Finn’ Kallio looked to have the better of Eriksson in Belgium just under a fortnight ago, setting the pace throughout the qualifying stages and only missing out on his maiden RX2 victory in his second appearance in the series due to a slightly more hesitant start in the final.

McConnell, meanwhile, left his own calling card in the Spanish curtain-raiser, with a crowd-pleasing round-the-outside move to secure a superb second place on his RX2 debut. Rarely short on bravery, the 20-year-old Jamaican is sure to continue wowing fans this weekend.

SET Promotion’s Sami-Matti Trogen – the youngest driver on the grid at just 17 – sits fourth in the points table, and after falling narrowly short of the podium in each of the opening two rounds, the Finnish teenager will be particularly fired-up to ascend the rostrum at Silverstone.

Much the same can be said for Vasiliy Gryazin (Sports Racing Technologies), who has been one of RX2’s most consistent contenders since joining the fray two years ago. The rapid Latvian has reached the final nine times out of 16, but the podium only twice – a statistic he will be looking to redress this weekend.

Ben-Philip Gundersen was the OMSE trio’s fiercest competitor in both Spain and Belgium, but disqualification from one of the qualifying races in Barcelona – resulting in the Norwegian not making the semi-final cut – dealt an early blow to his title chances. The 24-year-old bounced back last time out with third place in the final – and he will be eager to continue that form as he seeks to re-ignite his championship challenge.

Swedes shuffling the pack
Gundersen’s JC Raceteknik team-mate William Nilsson was another to shine at Spa, the Swedish teenager producing a feisty performance to progress through to the final despite still nursing the after-effects of an accident in Spain that had left him battered and bruised. That will give him encouragement for Silverstone, as the 19-year-old aims to return to the rostrum for the first time in almost two years.

Simon Olofsson’s speed was not rewarded in Belgium, but there is no question that the Swede is capable of fighting for a top finish in Britain – and with his trademark all-out style, he can always be counted upon to give 100 per cent.

Countryman Anders Michalak, meanwhile, has taken another noticeable step forward in his third campaign in RX2 and achieved his finest result in the series to-date at Silverstone last year with fourth place in the final. The Swede is targeting a similarly strong showing 12 months on.

“I really enjoyed racing at Silverstone last season,” he acknowledged. “I ‘clicked’ with the track straightaway, and it’s obviously quite humbling to compete somewhere with so much motorsport history behind it. Throw in all the extra entertainment, and it’s a real festival atmosphere.

“I feel I’ve made great progress recently, and it’s fantastic to be able to measure myself against all these quick young drivers making their way up the rallycross ladder. Hopefully we can take the fight to them again this weekend...”

The entry list is completed by reigning EuroRX TouringCar champion Steve Volders – who delighted his home supporters by reaching the semi-final stage at Spa – and record-breaking former Olympian Albert Llovera. The Andorran – paralysed from the waist down by a serious skiing accident in 1985 – is visibly benefitting from his partnership with OMSE in his second full season in Supercar Lites machinery and moving forward with every race weekend.

The Silverstone RX2 action will begin with free practice and the opening three qualifying races on Saturday (25 May), followed by the remaining qualifier, two semi-finals and the final on Sunday (26 May). Fans will be able to watch all of the qualifying races live via the FIA World RX and RX2 Series Facebook pages, with the semi-finals and all-important final featuring as part of the live World RX television broadcast.

2019 RX2 Silverstone Entry List
2 Ben-Philip Gundersen NOR JC Raceteknik
6 William Nilsson SWE JC Raceteknik
12 Anders Michalak SWE Anders Michalak
16 Oliver Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE
22 Sami-Matti Trogen FIN SET Promotion
35 Fraser McConnell JAM Olsbergs MSE
47 Jesse Kallio FIN Olsbergs MSE
52 Simon Olofsson SWE Simon Olofsson
55 Vasiliy Gryazin LVA Sports Racing Technologies
66 Albert Llovera AND Albert Llovera
77 Steve Volders BEL Nationale Renstal Trommelke

Championship Standings
1. Oliver Eriksson (SWE) 59 points
2. Jesse Kallio (FIN) 50 points
3. Fraser McConnell (JAM) 46 points
4. Sami-Matti Trogen (FIN) 36 points
5. Vasiliy Gryazin (LVA) 34 points
6. Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR) 27 points
7. Simon Olofsson (SWE) 25 points
8. Damien Meunier (FRA) 25 points
9. William Nilsson (SWE) 23 points
10. Anders Michalak (SWE) 22 points

19-05-23 Hansen going for World RX gold at Silverstone GBR World RX of Great Britain
The fourth stop on the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship tour takes Team Hansen MJP to Silverstone, where it will defend the lead in both the drivers' and teams' championships. Kevin Hansen leads elder brother Timmy by 11 points heading to Britain, while the team has a single point in hand over its nearest team rival.

Last year's event at Silverstone, the first since Great Britain's slot was switched from Lydden Hill, resulted in mixed feelings for Team Hansen MJP. All of the team's cars had the speed to make the Final in 2018, with Timmy setting the fastest lap of the weekend, although unfortunately a car problem forced him to retire from the Semi-Final.

Kevin made it through to the Final on that occasion, however, so the team is confident that another successful weekend with a strong points haul may be on the cards.

The track: Silverstone
Silverstone's World RX track made its series debut last season to much fanfare, acting as the centrepiece of the SpeedMachine festival.

This track is a rarity on the calendar due to being more gravel than sealed surface. But it's flat and quite smooth, with more than one straight, so it's still quite a quick circuit.

It gets slower as the lap goes on, with the final section containing the joker section. Not that the 'fast' route is particularly fast, with drivers threading their cars through the final chicane before blasting back towards the start/finish line.

The big numbers
60
The percentage of Silverstone's RX track that is gravel, making it a rare event on the World RX calendar that isn't primarily on sealed surfaces.

37.872
Timmy Hansen's course record time in seconds around the Silverstone RX circuit, set last year in the Peugeot 208 WRX.

100
The percentage of the 2019 World RX season to date in which Kevin Hansen has been leading the Drivers' Championship.

What to look out for
The joker lap at Silverstone is tricky thanks to two surface changes in quick succession. Gravel becomes asphalt as drivers barrel towards the braking zone for the joker's hairpin, only to switch back to gravel again on exit.

Ideal set-up: Silverstone
Silverstone is one of the few World RX circuits that's more gravel than asphalt. It's also low-grip with lots of slow, technical bends, so a softer set-up will help. But go too soft and problems arise when landing after the big jump between turns four and five. It's a tricky balance to find.
The fastest set-up for Q1 probably won't be so quick come the Semi-Finals and Final. The forecast is for rain on Friday but none on Saturday or Sunday, so expect the track to dry out as the first day of action progresses and set-ups becoming a little firmer.

All eyes are likely to be on the massive man-made jump between turns four and five, given the stratospheric heights the cars hit. Thankfully, the Öhlins dampers fitted to the Peugeot 208 WRX are more than up to the challenge of absorbing the landing impact.

Kevin Hansen had already taken World RX by storm on his debut in 2015, making it to the Final and finishing fifth during a prize drive at the season finale for winning the RX Lites title that year. In 2016, Kevin was also making selected appearances in World RX, this time with the family team.

The World RX of Great Britain that year was only his fourth outing at the top level. It was a great weekend all-round for Team Peugeot Hansen: elder brother Timmy had set top four times in three of the four qualifying sessions. Meanwhile, Kevin's pace was extremely consistent, making him the seventh-quickest qualifier and drawing the brothers together in the second Semi-Final.

Timmy led Kevin to the finish in that semi, with the duo finishing second and third respectively. This meant Kevin would start on the back row, although that didn't stop him from taking fourth place: a career-best result at the time. Timmy was one place ahead, picking up another podium finish to add to his extensive trophy collection.

Event Timetable
All times BST (CEST -1)
Saturday, May 25th
Free Practice 09:00
Qualifying 1 11:55
Qualifying 2 14:45
Autograph session 17:00
Sunday, May 26th
Warm-up 09:15
Qualifying 3 10:00
Qualifying 4 10:55
Semi-Final
Final 15:00

19-05-23 Evjen i rutinerat sällskap
Jakten på EM-guldet i rallycross för Supercar börjar kommande helg på klassiska Silverstone i England. Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS finns på plats med unge norrmannen Sondre Evjen i förarsätet.
- Jag hoppas att ta mig till final och kämpa om en plats på pallen, säger Evjen.

21-åringen från Åls kommun medger att det är spänt inför EM-premiären.
- Men det är bara bra att vara lite nervös. Då blir man fokuserad.
Evjen har under senaste månaden fått testa sin Volkswagen Polo GTI RX, men det har varit på blött underlag.
- Dessvärre inget test på torrt, men jag tror att det ska gå bra att komma in i det också.

Norrmannen körde RX2 på Silverstone förra året och slutade trea.
- Banan passar mig och min körstil.

Evjen fick dessutom ett bra genrep när han gångna helgen körde in som trea respektive etta i RallyX Nordic i Lites-klassen vid tävlingarna i Höljes.
- Självförtroendet är på topp, lovar Sondre.

Stallchefen i Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS, Tommy Kristoffersson, vill inte trissa upp förväntningarna alltför mycket på den unge norrmannen, men ser samtidigt en avsevärd potential.
- Jag tror att han har kapacitet för att bli mästare så småningom, men man får se det lite mer på sikt. Det är inte bara att gå in och dominera mot rutinerade herrar som Jean Baptiste Dubourg, Robin Larsson och Pontus Tidemand.
- Han kan absolut köra bil, intygar också Per Eklund, huvudansvarig för Evjens ekipage under säsongen.

Sondre kommer alltså att bli uppbackad av det nya partnerskapet mellan tidigare rivalerna Kristoffersson Motorsport och Eklund Motorsport. Eklunds gäng har preparerat bilen, men också satts ordentligt på prov senaste veckan. Ett motorhaveri kortade av nattvilan rejält för verkstadsfolket.
- Vi har fått plocka isär det mesta men har lyckats få ihop det igen, berättar Eklund, som fick ta igen lite av nattsömnen på Tysklands-båten på väg söderut.

Stallchefen Kristoffersson kan inte annat än låta sig imponeras.
- Jag visste ju redan när vi anlitade Eklunds team att vi fick tillgång till stor kompetens. När jag nu har sett hur dedikerat de har jobbat för att lösa det här problemet kan jag bara konstatera att vi har en back up i världsklass.

Kristoffersson skickar med några ur sin egen personal till England och kommer dessutom själv att finnas på plats på Silverstone.
- Inspirerande och väldigt roligt att vara tillbaka i rallycross igen, tycker Tommy.

Sondre Evjen kan lugnt notera att han har en mycket rutinerad och kompetent omgivning vid EM-premiären ingående i Speed Machine Festival.
- Verkligen! Jag tror det här blir väldigt bra.

19-05-22 William Nilsson revanschsugen inför helgens rallycross på Silverstone
Till helgen körs RX2 International Series i Storbritannien. Skånske William Nilsson har siktet inställt på en bra placering samt kunna avancera i mästerskapet.
– Under helgen vill jag på att vara ännu mer i framkant och höja tempot ytterligare. Jag vet att kapaciteten finns för att fightas i toppen, säger Nilsson.

Det är dags för den tredje deltävlingen av rallycrossmästerskapet RX2 International Series. Helgens deltävlingen körs på den välkända F1-banan Silverstone, och det är en laddad William Nilsson som reser till Storbritannien.
– I helgen är det bara att trycka på. Eftersom jag kört där tidigare så hittar jag runt på banan, om man säger så. Under Silverstone förra året hade vi elproblem med bilen, så det ska bli kul att komma dit och kunna få lite revansch. Nu är bilen dessutom hundra procent återställd efter kraschen i Barcelona, så jag är riktigt taggad, säger 19-åringen.

För Nilssons del inleddes årets säsong med en rejäl krasch i Barcelona, som skadade både förare och bil. Under tävlingen i Belgien gick det bättre och han kvalificerade sig till final. Men Nilsson har ännu högre mål inför helgen.
– Säsongen har inte direkt börjat som jag hoppats, och även om det verkar gå åt rätt håll så vill jag såklart nå högre resultat. Under helgen siktar jag på att vara ännu mer i framkant och höja tempot ytterligare. Konkurrensen i mästerskapet höjs hela tiden och alla förbättrar sig konstant, så det är helt klart tuffare än i fjol. Men jag vet att min kapacitet finns för att fightas i toppen.

Silverstone är en av de som tillfälligt byggts om för rallycrossen och är nästan en kilometer lång. För JC Raceteknik-föraren blir det andra gången på banan.
– Banan är fräck. Det blir den fjärde F1-banan för i år och den har säsongen absolut största hopp. Ett gigantiskt hopp faktiskt, så jag ser fram emot det.

Mästerskapstabell: RX2 International Series
1. Oliver Eriksson (SWE) 59 p
2. Jesse Kallio (FIN) 50 p
3. Fraser McConnel (JAM) 46 p
4. Sami-Matti Trogen (FIN) 36 p
5. Vasiliy Gryazin (LVA) 34 p
6. Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR) 27 p
7. Simon Olofsson (SWE) 25 p
7. Damien Meunier (FRA) 25 p
9. William NIlsson (SWE) 23 p
10. Anders Michalak ((SWE) 22 p
11. Jimmie Walfridson(SWE) 17 (SWE)
12. Steven Volders (BEL) 16 p
13. Alberg Llovera (AND) 10 p

19-05-20 Eriksson brothers keep it in the family as RallyX Nordic returns
Fans lap up wheel-to-wheel racing as Höljes delivers double dose of high-octane action
Brothers Kevin and Oliver Eriksson take a victory apiece for Olsbergs MSE on home soil
‘Comeback kid’ Thomas Holmen stuns Supercar Lites rivals on eye-catching return

The 2019 RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires campaign stormed into life at Höljes last weekend (18/19 May), with the stars of the show putting on a scintillating spectacle of wheel-to-wheel racing at the iconic Swedish circuit – and brothers Kevin and Oliver Eriksson ultimately emerging on top as they shared the coveted Supercar spoils.

For the first time in RallyX Nordic history, the season began with a double-header, meaning double the opportunity to win – and double the entertainment for fans. The on-track action was first-class from the outset, from the headlining, flame-spitting 600bhp Supercar monsters to the supporting Supercar Lites, RX Academy and CrossCar categories.

Supercar
It was a good weekend to be an Eriksson at Höljes. Kevin Eriksson survived a coming-together with Peter Hedström during the qualifying stages on Saturday and then artfully avoided a spinning Robin Larsson in the semi-final to secure a front row starting spot for the all-important final behind the wheel of his Olsbergs MSE-prepared Ford Fiesta.

When Hedström subsequently made a poor getaway from pole position, his fellow Swede needed no second invitation and Eriksson duly led the final from lights-out to chequered flag.

“It’s always fun to win, but honestly, from the first corner, I didn’t expect it because I was down quite a lot on horsepower,” reflected the former FIA World Rallycross Championship race-winner. “Right from the start I could feel I was missing the push from the engine, but thankfully I had enough to stay ahead. We are developing this car for World RX, so we came here firstly to learn and secondly to win – and we achieved both!”

Hedström recovered from his tardy launch to place second, ahead of Jere Kalliokoski, who produced a strong performance in his Ford Fiesta as he determinedly kept last year’s championship runner-up Oliver Eriksson at bay to secure a rostrum finish on his full-time RallyX Nordic debut. The Swede, by contrast, endured a difficult day, characterised by a brace of punctures and a wild spin going down the hill.

Philip Gehrman scored solid points for fifth, with Crister Dalmans piloting his Hedströms Motorsport Volkswagen Polo to sixth – an impressive result given the Swede’s qualifying race struggles.

Elsewhere, others were less fortunate, with two of the pre-season favourites – Larsson and Ulrik Linnemann – failing to make the final. On his maiden appearance in JC Raceteknik’s Audi S1, Larsson dominated the qualifying races with two fastest times out of three, and he was leading his semi-final when gearbox issues sent the Swede into a dramatic second corner spin and tumbling out of contention. Linnemann similarly showed his hand in terms of raw pace, topping the timesheets in Q2 but falling foul of a puncture in the second semi-final.

Sunday’s action was every bit as exhilarating – and whilst an Eriksson double always appeared a strong possibility, the smart money looked to be on pace-setter Sebastian, not Oliver, who again suffered a torrid run of ill-fortune in the qualifiers. Twice tagged from behind entering the first corner, the current RX2 International Series leader spun as he endeavoured to regain ground in Q2 and beached his OMSE Honda Civic in the gravel.

Languishing all the way down in 11th spot in the overall classification, Eriksson needed to pull something out of the bag – and in Q3 he did just that, storming to the fastest time to haul himself up the order and secure a second row starting position for the semi-final, in which he took the chequered flag behind namesake and team-mate Sebastian Eriksson.

Oliver seemed set to finish third in the final – never quite showing the same outright pace as Sebastian Eriksson and Larsson ahead – but a collision between the top two as they disputed the lead at the exit of the joker on the last lap sent the JC Raceteknik man into a spin and earned his assailant a five-second post-race penalty. That elevated the younger Eriksson to the highest step on the podium – and the summit of the standings.

“What a weekend!” the 20-year-old reflected. “What can I say, pretty much everything went wrong up until Sunday’s semi-final, but after that, things just seemed to bounce our way.

“After Q2, I really wouldn’t have expected this – I was so upset then, I almost started crying in the bus. It's been so tough, but this team always fights back. I’m just so proud of everyone at OMSE and all the work they do, and as for this Honda Civic, it might be the first full season for the car in Europe but it's a beast and it definitely showed its colours this weekend!

“To not just win the race but take the championship lead as well feels great. I didn’t even make the final here last year, but now we’re coming away from Höljes at the top of the table. I’m so happy – I love rallycross!”

While Sebastian Eriksson crossed the line first on the road, he was relegated to fifth in the final reckoning, behind Larsson and Mikko Ikonen, who unexpectedly found himself climbing onto the third step of the rostrum to cap a strong weekend in his Ford Fiesta. Stene Johansen wound up fourth in a similar car, with Andreas Carlson completing the top six.

Notably, that made for 11 different drivers occupying the 12 available final slots over the course of the two days – underscoring just how ultra-competitive and unpredictable this season’s RallyX Nordic Supercar field is.

Big names not to reach the final on Sunday included Saturday runner-up Hedström, whose bid ended following a coming-together with Larsson in the semi-final, Kalliokoski – who fell barely a third-of-a-second shy of making the cut – and the luckless Linnemann, who was again amongst the front-runners until a slow start in the semi-final curtailed his challenge and sent Philip Gehrman into a spin.

Support Series
The Supercar Lites class was very much a Norwegian benefit at Höljes, with Thomas Holmen winning on Saturday – in his first competitive outing in more than a year-and-a-half – and Sondre Evjen upholding honours on Sunday.

Holmen’s triumph was an emotional one, the teenager topping the intermediate standings, staving off team-mate Simon Olofsson in the semi-final and surviving first corner contact with Evjen and Ben-Philip Gundersen in the final to go on to seal a tremendously popular success ahead of Olofsson and Evjen.

Twenty-four hours later, it was Evjen’s turn to shine, as the JC Raceteknik ace – who is dovetailing his RallyX Nordic Supercar Lites title tilt with a Supercar drive in the FIA European Rallycross Championship this year – led home team-mate Gundersen and local hero Linus Östlund, whose Saturday charge had been undone by gear linkage issues.

The one-make RX Academy – featuring a grid of identical Renault Clio RS RX cars – witnessed a lights-to-flag victory for Finland’s Tommi Hallman on Saturday, ahead of Jimi Kalliomäki and Marko Muru. Estonia’s Muru turned the tables on Sunday, with an assured performance to stave off the threat posed by Rasmus Tuominen, as Kalliomäki returned to the rostrum in third.

In the newly-renamed CrossCar category – formerly the SRX Series – defending champion Nils Andersson doubled up with an impressive effort. The protégé of two-time FIA World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson defeated Ole Henry Steinsholt on Saturday and Jimmie Österberg 24 hours later. Yellow Squad by Hansen’s Julle Ljungdahl produced a superb last corner pass to snatch third on Saturday, but spun out of podium contention on Sunday. Isac Egonsson put a disappointing first day behind him to secure the remaining rostrum spot.

The 2019 RallyX Nordic season will resume for round three on Danish soil at Nysum in a fortnight’s time (1/2 June).

Results and Championship Standings
Supercar Final Result – Saturday
1. Kevin ERIKSSON (SWE) Olsbergs MSE 5 laps
2. Peter HEDSTRÖM (SWE) Hedstöms Motorsport +0.662s
3. Jere KALLIOKOSKI (FIN) Kalliokoski Motorsport +2.038s

Supercar Final Result – Sunday
1. Oliver ERIKSSON (SWE) Olsbergs MSE 5 laps
2. Robin LARSSON (SWE) JC Raceteknik +1.222s
3. Mikko IKONEN (FIN) Mikko Ikonen +3.115s

Supercar Lites Final Result – Saturday
1. Thomas HOLMEN (NOR) Thomas Holmen 5 laps
2. Simon OLOFSSON (SWE) Simon Olofsson +1.361s
3. Sondre EVJEN (NOR) JC Raceteknik +1.620s

Supercar Lites Final Result – Sunday
1. Sondre EVJEN (NOR) JC Raceteknik 5 laps
2. Ben-Philip GUNDERSEN (NOR) JC Raceteknik +0.812s
3. Linus ÖSTLUND (SWE) Olsbergs MSE +1.155s

RX Academy Final Result – Saturday
1. Tommi HALLMAN (FIN) RX Academy 5 laps
2. Jimi KALLIOMÄKI (FIN) RX Academy +4.136s
3. Marko MURU (EST) RX Academy +4.921s

RX Academy Final Result – Sunday
1. Marko MURU (EST) RX Academy 5 laps
2. Rasmus TUOMINEN (FIN) RX Academy +1.021s
3. Jimi KALLIOMÄKI (FIN) RX Academy +2.502s

CrossCar Final Result – Saturday
1. Nils ANDERSSON (SWE) NA Motorsport 5 laps
2. Ole Henry STEINSHOLT (NOR) OHS RX +1.099s
3. Julle LJUNGDAHL (SWE) Yellow Squad by Hansen +2.288s

CrossCar Final Result – Sunday
1. Nils ANDERSSON (SWE) NA Motorsport 5 laps
2. Jimmie ÖSTERBERG (SWE) Österberg Motorsport +1.083s
3. Isac EGONSSON (SWE) Car Control +1.335s

Supercar – Championship Standings
1. Oliver Eriksson (SWE) 42 points
2. Jere Kalliokoski (FIN) 41 points
3. Robin Larsson (SWE) 40 points
4. Peter Hedström (SWE) 39 points
5. Ulrik Linnemann (DNK) 34 points
6. Mikko Ikonen (FIN) 27 points

Supercar Lites – Championship Standings
1. Thomas Holmen (NOR) 50 points
2. Sondre Evjen (NOR) 49 points
3. Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR) 45 points
4. Linus Östlund (SWE) 40 points
5. Simon Olofsson (SWE) 39 points
6. Marcus Höglund (SWE) 32 points

RX Academy – Championship Standings
1. Marko Muru (EST) 54 points
2. Tommi Hallman (FIN) 50 points
3. Jimi Kalliomäki (FIN) 48 points
4. Rasmus Tuominen (FIN) 44 points
5. Jonne Ollikainen (FIN) 35 points
6. Luka Nurmi (FIN) 35 points

CrossCar – Championship Standings
1. Nils Andersson (SWE) 59 points
2. Ole Henry Steinsholt (NOR) 45 points
3. Jimmie Österberg (SWE) 44 points
4. Julle Ljungdahl (SWE) 37 points
5. Isac Egonsson (SWE) 28 points
6. Jonas Ericsson (SWE) 26 points

19-05-19 Lyckat gästspel för Peter - Ett knäckt styrstag från topplacering i RallyX Nordic även på söndagen
Med fyra bilar på startlinjen kan det vara svårt att hålla fokus på sitt egna tävlande. Men Peter Hedström visade att det funkar och satte respekt i sina motståndare redan på Lördagens första deltävling i RallyX Nordic.

Hedströms Motorsport kan blicka tillbaka på en helg full av action, där Peter Hedström fick utprovat en mängd inställningar på bilen inför EM-premiären nu till helgen.
- Det här var ett bra kvitto på vårt jobb under vintern, bilen kändes riktigt fin och jag fick möjlighet att sortera ut inställningar även för blött och halvtorrt underlag, berättar Peter Hedström.

Hedström inledde helgen med tre raka fjärdetider i kvalet och tog i sin semifinal segern före teamkamraten Christer Dalmans.
- Det var en strålande insats av Dalmans under lördagen, det var synd att motorn började krångla för honom, annars har han säkert kunna kört bra även på söndagen, berömmer Peter.

Peter själv däremot, klämde till med en andraplats direkt i premiären. Söndagens andra deltävling i RallyX Nordic inledde Peter identiskt med första. Kvalade som fyra, men i semifinalen tog det sedan brutalt stopp efter en hård landning och brustet länkage i framvagnen.
- Jag var helt plötsligt passagerare i bilen i målsvängen och körde ihop med Robin Larsson, berättar Hedström.

Peter slutar trots debaclet i semin, på en fjärdeplats i sammandraget efter två deltävlingar i RallyX Nordic-serien.
- Jag är jättenöjd, är ju med toppen av serien som är minst lika stark som EM, det blev ett lyckat gästspel, konstaterade Peter efter racet.

Daniel Thoréns bil hade tyvärr drabbats av styrproblem i motorn. Daniel kämpade dock på och i tredje omgången gick bilen bra igen. Tappet efter motorkrånglet var dock för stort. Thorén slutade femma i sin semifinal och fick åtta RallyX Nordic-poäng med sig från den andra deltävlingen.

Teamets rookie i Lites, Natha Petersson, fick en mardrömsstart i sitt första kval, rullade brutalt och skadade skyddsburen i bilen så svårt, att fortsatt körning var utesluten av säkerhetsskäl under lördagen. Men Hedströmsgänget gav inte upp. En ny burdel hämtades från Nynäshamn och monterades under natten i bilen.
- De är sjukt grymma i teamet, kommenterar Natha.
Tyvärr fick Petersson sämsta förutsättningar med blött underlag i Q1 på söndagen, något hon tidigare aldrig provat med en Lites-bil. Dessutom, en brusten drivaxel satte stopp i Q1 och ödelade tyvärr hennes möjligheter till semifinalkörning.

19-05-19 Fyra pallplatser för JC Raceteknik under rallycrossen i Höljes: Robin Larsson tvåa i premiären medan Sondre Evjen segrade
Supercar Lites-föraren Sondre Evjen tog en tredjeplats i den första deltävlingen av RallyX Nordic, medan han segrade före teamkollegan Ben-Philip Gundersen under söndagens tävling. I Supercar knep Robin Larsson en andraplats.
– Vi är jättenöjda med dagens resultat och plockar med oss många mästerskapspoäng härifrån, säger teamchef Joel Christoffersson.

Det blev en lyckad inledning på RallyX Nordic-säsongen för JC Raceteknik. Under helgen kördes de två inledande deltävlingarna i Höljes och där knep Värmlandsteamet inte mindre än fyra pallplatser.

För den tidigare VM-föraren Robin Larsson var det första tävlingen tillsammans med JC Raceteknik, och även premiär i teamet nya Audi S1 Supercar. Redan under första träningen hade han tempot och inför finalen fanns tre bästatider och två andraplatser i bagaget. Men i semifinalen rasade växellådan, vilket satte stopp för hans guldjakt. Även under söndagens tävling kvalificerade han sig till semifinal. Denna gången gick det bättre och han vann. Väl i final såg han ut att gå mot seger, men en påkörning från en annan förare gjorde att han snurrade och fick istället nöja sig med andraplatsen.

Under lördagen visade Sondre Evjen ett högt tempo och tog en tredjeplats – idag hade han ännu mer fart. Med en andraplacering efter de tre omgångarna startade han från bästa startspår i semifinalen. Han tog starten och behöll ledningen in i mål, ett drag vi fick se i repris under finalen och han tog därmed årets första seger för teamet. Evjen klättrar efter segern upp till en andraplats i RallyX Nordic.

Fjolårstvåan i RallyX Nordic, Ben-Philip Gundersen, hade två tävlingar med blandade resultat. Efter topplaceringar i både grundomgången och semifinal såg han ut att kunna utmana om segern i finalen. Men där satte en hård närkontakt stopp för framgången och bilen skadades så pass att han inte kunde komma imål. Trots det ligger han efter helgen trea i mästerskapet. Jimmie Walfridson hade två tävlingar med många närkontakter, vilket gjorde att det inte räckte till final.

15-årige Isak Reiersen, som debuterar i crosskartklassen Xtreme, har haft en tuff start på säsongen eftersom det varit problem med drivknutarna på den nytillverkade crosskarten. Under träningen samt den första omgången gick drivknutarna ännu en gång sönder och han tvingades bryta tävlingen. Ydrefalk Motorsport, som har byggt crosskarten, löste problemet under eftermiddagen och Reiersen kunde komma till start i den andra deltävlingen. Där fungerade crosskarten bra, vilken syntes på resultaten och det höga tempot. Han segrade i semifinalen, men trafik och några mindre missar gjorde att han slutade på femteplats i tävlingen.

Joel Christoffersson, Teamchef:
”Vi är jättenöjda med dagens resultat, att få tre förare på pallen är en skön känsla. Vi plockar med oss många poäng härifrån och det är tätt i tabellen. Helgen började på topp för oss redan igår. I Supercar gick det jättebra fram tills semifinalen där vi fick växellådsproblem, vilket såklart är frustrerande med tanke på de tidigare resultaten. Även idag hade Robin bra fart, så det var synd att han inte fick vinna i finalen. Det var han värd efter allt slit.

I Supercar Lites hade vi bra fart med alla förare. Igår tog Sondre en tredjeplats och idag visade han ännu högre tempo vilket gav resultat. Det var också skönt för Ben-Philip att få ta en andraplats idag. Han har gjort två bra tävlingar, men bröt igår efter en smäll. Så det blev lite revansch.

Det har varit en jobbig situation för Isak i Xtreme och jag led med honom att han inte kunde köra klart tävlingen igår. Idag var crosskarten fixad och han fick chansen att visa sin kapacitet. Semifinalen var kanon, men i final fanns inte riktigt farten.”

Robin Larsson, Supercar:
”Det blev både en klockren och motig tävling för mig. Det här var mina första tävlingar med JC Raceteknik och vi har visat att vi är med i toppskiktet. Men jag vet att vi kommer kunna få ut mer av både mig och den nya bilen framöver. Bitvis har det varit lite struligt, men tidsmässigt har det gått väldigt bra. Igår var jag snabbast genom nästan hela dagen och gjorde klockrena starter. Tyvärr var det stolpe ut i semifinalen när växellådan rasade. Idag blev det vinst i semin och i finalen gick det fort, men en ”liten dutt” från en annan förare gjorde att jag snurrade. Efter det har jag fått ännu mer blodad tand. Vi plockar med oss bra poäng härifrån, nu ska vi analysera allt och få upp farten ytterligare.”

Sondre Evjen, Supercar Lites:
”Att börja säsongen med två podium under samma helg känns väldigt, väldigt bra. Dessutom ligger jag bara en poäng bakom ledaren i mästerskapet. Nu har vi börjat i topp, och jag hoppas verkligen att vi kan köra vidare på det här spåret. Idag har vi kämpat lite med bilens inställningar och svåra startspår, vi var inte uppe på de där bästa tiderna. Men när jag startade från främre raden i både semifinalen och finalen klarade jag att hålla ledningarna hela vägen in i mål. Mekaniker och teamet har gjort ett bra jobb trots all stress med två tävlingar på två dagar. Nästa deltävling blir Danmark och jag har fina minnen därifrån med tanke på min seger i fjol. Vi kommer dit med ett bra självförtroende och högt tempo.”

Ben-Philip Gundersen, Supercar Lites:
”Helgen har gått mycket upp och ner för mig, så andraplatsen idag blev absolut en revansch. Den första tävlingen började bra på träningen med snabbaste tid, sen fick jag väldigt blandade resultat. I finalen blev det en smäll från en annan förare så min bil blev okörbar, det var tufft. Idag har jag slitit lite med farten och inte haft de bästa varvtiderna. Men i finalen satt det och jag körde upp mig från fjärde startspår till en andraplats. I mästerskapet har vi plockat med oss bra poäng, och kommer jobba för ännu mer fart i Danmark. Dessutom, stort grattis till Sondres vinst – det är helt klart fint för både honom och teamet.”

Jimmie Walfridson, Supercar Lites:
”Det är jäkligt kul att RallyX Nordic-säsongen är igång, även om det blev en medioker inledning för min del. Idag föll jag nog på eget grepp när jag överladdade och körde bort mig i första heatet. Även om det finns en hel del att finslipa har jag känt att farten finns där idag. Nu får jag analysera vad jag kan göra bättre och ta nya tag till Danmark. Det är en rolig bana som jag gillar – både snabb och teknisk.”

Isak Reiersen, Xtreme:
”Under de två första tävlingarna den här säsongen har crosskarten strulat och drivknutar gått sönder. Igår gick det sönder i Q1 och jag fick bryta hela tävlingen. Vad mer kan man säga än att man blir helt uppgiven? Idag hade vi helt nya grejer och nu verkar allt vara i ordning. Jag vet att jag har kapaciteten att vinna och nu fick jag visa det. Vinsten i semifinalen gjorde bra för självförtroendet. Finalen var tyvärr väldigt rörig med mycket närkontakt som gjorde att jag tappade tid och inte kunde utmana om segern. Nu ska vi jobba vidare på crosskartens inställningar och komma till Danmark för att kämpa om topplaceringar."

19-05-17 Albatec NCME and Mark Higgins kick off 2019 at home World RX event
Albatec Racing NCME and British Rallycross Champion Mark Higgins launch their 2019 season at Dayinsure World RX of Great Britain at Silverstone next weekend. They return to the scene of their BRX title-sealing victory, when the triple British Rally Champion pilots the Eddie Stobart NCME-supported Peugeot 208 RX Supercar on 25/26 May.

With the continued support of long-term partners Motis, Rock Oil and Teng Tools, the Dumfries based team and Mark will tackle Silverstone’s purpose-built 0.972km long rallycross track in round four of the Dayinsure FIA World Rallycross Championship.

For Mark the weekend signifies his second outing in World RX following his debut appearance last year, where he hinted at his intentions with a consistent pace in three of the heats. Sadly, he suffered broken suspension in the second, following a heavy landing on the jump, which despite winning his next two races subsequently ended his hopes of reaching the semi-finals. Showing his form amongst a quality entry however, Mark left the event as top British driver.

The Speedmachine Festival features not only exhilarating on-track racing, but once again presents live music from the likes of Sean Paul, track demonstrations and displays, and includes an abundance of street food and supercar displays. Further event information and tickets are available from www.speedmachine.com

Andy Scott, Team Principal, Albatec Racing:
“We’re delighted to be competing once again at our home World RX event and to continue our collaboration with the National Centre for Motorsport Engineering at the University of Bolton. Silverstone is a track on which Mark has had considerable success at National level, securing the British Rallycross Championship there last year. With the welcome continued support of Eddie Stobart, Motis, Rock Oil and Teng Tools, we look forward to returning to the track on which he made his World RX debut in 2018. I am sure he’ll put on another strong performance and I’m confident a semi-final appearance is easily achievable.”

Mark Higgins, Driver #134, Albatec Racing:
“I’m really excited to be getting back behind the wheel of the Albatec Peugeot 208 and taking on the World RX regulars at Silverstone. Last year’s event was a bit of an eye-opener, it was only my fourth rallycross outing, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and we achieved significant results against the factory teams and drivers. During my first season in rallycross I learnt a lot, so I’m looking forward to putting that into practice later this month. Thank you to Eddie Stobart for their continued support of myself and the collaboration between Albatec and the University of Bolton and to all our sponsors and partners.”

Dr Mark Busfield, Director, National Centre for Motorsport Engineering at University of Bolton:
“Last year’s collaboration with Albatec Racing signalled the start of a hugely successful enterprise which resulted in us winning the British Rallycross Championship. Now, we are delighted to be continuing that partnership with our first event of 2019, and what better place to do it than Silverstone. Our students will once again play a major part of the team operations over the weekend, working alongside the permanent personnel, and we are all looking forward to what will hopefully produce a successful result.”

19-05-17 RallyX Nordic ready to bring the magic as stars of the show rev up for Höljes curtain-raiser
World RX race-winners headline stellar entry list for this weekend’s action
Legendary Swedish circuit hosts double-header to kick-start season in style
Semi-finals and finals to be broadcast live and worldwide via Facebook

The 2019 RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires campaign is preparing for blast-off at Höljes tomorrow – and not only will the season rev into life at one of the world’s most iconic rallycross tracks, but fans are set for a double dose of high-octane entertainment at the ‘Mini Magic Weekend’ (18/19 May).

Kicking things off in style, for the first time in RallyX Nordic history, the season-opener will take the form of a double-header – with racing from dawn to dusk on both Saturday and Sunday.

Nestled deep in the forests in Sweden’s beautiful Värmland region, Höljes has firmly established itself as one of the most legendary circuits in the sport, with upwards of 50,000 fans regularly making the pilgrimage to the track for the mid-summer World Championship round.

This weekend, spectators will get a sneak preview of what they can expect later in the year, as more than 50 drivers do battle across four classes – Supercars, Supercar Lites, RX Academy and CrossCar.

The headlining Supercar grid – flame-spitting, 600bhp beasts capable of out-accelerating a Formula 1 car to 100km/h – will feature a host of big names from the discipline, including a couple of FIA World Rallycross Championship event winners.

JC Raceteknik’s Robin Larsson triumphed in Argentina in 2015, while fellow Swede Kevin Eriksson (Olsbergs MSE) was the man who pulled off that round-the-outside first corner overtake to reach the top step of the podium in Germany in 2016. The Swede’s younger brother Oliver – currently leading the RX2 International Series – will take to the track in an OMSE Honda Civic, alongside team-mate Ulrik Linnemann, who stunned with victory on his RallyX Nordic debut on home soil in Denmark last season.

Sebastian Eriksson – winner of RallyX on Ice earlier this year – adds to the list of leading protagonists, while Philip Gerhman is undoubtedly a rallycross star of the future, having tallied three rostrum finishes from four events in 2018. The Swede’s car is none-too-shabby, either – an ex-World RX Volkswagen Polo GTi.

Picking a winner in Supercar Lites is a similarly unpredictable affair. Last season’s runner-up Ben-Philip Gundersen is the highest-placed returnee, but the Norwegian is sure to face stiff opposition from within the JC Raceteknik camp, with Sondre Evjen and Jimmie Walfridson both well-established contenders in the class.

Swedish stars Marcus Höglund (Team Färén) and Simon Olofsson are both determined to shine on home soil, and Petter Leirhol shares more than just a first name with fellow Norwegian Petter Solberg – he has fast genes, too. Thomas Holmen returns to the fray following a year’s sabbatical from competition, while Nathalie Petersson (Hedströms Motorsport) is the class’ sole female entrant and will be keen to show the boys how it’s done. Record-breaking former Olympian Albert Llovera will also hope to be in the mix as he joins RallyX Nordic for the first time.

All of them, however, will be keeping a close eye on local lad Linus Östlund (OMSE), who practically grew up at Höljes and knows the track better than anyone. Look out for his rivals following Linus’ lines in free practice to try to gain some ‘insider secrets’.

The one-make RX Academy brings together some of the finest up-and-coming young talent in its field of identical Renault Clio RS RX cars, while the renamed CrossCar category has attracted a large grid, with Yellow Squad by Hansen’s Julle Ljungdahl arguably the driver to beat following his RallyX on Ice heroics.

“After what has seemed like a long winter break since we last all came together at Tierp seven months ago, RallyX Nordic is back and – judging by the entry lists and calibre of drivers in the field – bigger and better than ever before,” enthused Series Chief Operating Officer, Ian Davies. “As one of rallycross’ most iconic tracks, Höljes is a fitting stage for our 2019 curtain-raiser, and its famously challenging layout will provide a true test of commitment and ability.

“I am excited to see how the action unfolds, and even more excited that our many thousands of fans all around the world can watch it as it happens, thanks to the combination of live coverage on Facebook, RallyX TV and via a number of high-profile national broadcasters. The racing in RallyX Nordic is never less than first-rate, so whether you are following trackside, on your mobile phone or on television, buckle up, settle down – and enjoy the ride!”

The racing will run from 09h00 – 17h00 on both Saturday and Sunday, complemented by a bar and live music on Saturday evening, making for a family-friendly festival atmosphere. All off-track entertainment – as well as on-site camping – is free of charge to attending race-goers, with entry tickets available at just 200 SEK (c.€19) for Sunday or 300 SEK (c.€28) for the whole weekend. Accompanied children aged 15 and under get in free.

Full VIP experience packages – including hospitality and grandstand seating – cost 500 SEK (c.€48) for Sunday or 700 SEK (c.€67) for the whole weekend.

More information can be found here: https://bit.ly/2Ljw5E1

For those unable to get to the track, every RallyX Nordic event in 2019 will be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/rallyxnordic and www.rallyx.se/rallyx-tv, with live coverage of the semi-finals and finals also set to be broadcast throughout the Baltic nations on TV6 Latvia. Further television agreements will be announced in due course.

Entry Lists
Supercars
4 Robin Larsson SWE JC Raceteknik
8 Peter Hedström SWE Hedströms Motorsport
9 Christer Dalmans SWE Hedströms Motorsport
10 Mikko Ikonen FIN Mikko Ikonen
11 Jere Kalliokoski FIN Kalliokoski Motorsport
16 Oliver Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE
50 Svein Roger Andersen NOR Andersen Motorsport
61 Andreas Carlsson SWE Andreas Carlsson Rallycross
66 Kenneth Kristiansen NOR TM Racing
72 Ulrik Linnemann DNK Olsbergs MSE
77 Stene Johansen NOR Johansen Motorsport
88 Daniel Thorén SWE Hedströms Motorsport
95 Philip Gehrman SWE Gehrman Motorsport AB
93 Sebastian Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE
96 Kevin Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE

Supercar Lites
2 Ben Philip Gundersen NOR JC Raceteknik
10 Martin Jönsson SWE Alfta Racing Team
11 Mats Oskarsson SWE Oskarsson Motorsport
12 Anders Michalak SWE Michalak Motorsport
18 Linus Östlund SWE Olsbergs MSE
20 Nathalie Petersson SWE Hedströms Motorsport
21 Marcus Höglund SWE Team Färén
27 Petter Leirhol NOR Leirhol Motorsport
33 Lars Erik Haug NOR Haug Rallycross Team
52 Simon Olofsson SWE Simon Olofsson
54 Petter Nårsa SWE Öhman Motorsport
56 Thomas Holmen NOR Thomas Holmen
66 Albert Llovera AND Albert Llovera
69 Sondre Evjen NOR JC Raceteknik
90 Jimmie Walfridson SWE JC Raceteknik
91 Niklas Aneklev SWE Olsbergs MSE
99 Hans-Ola Frøshaug NOR JC Raceteknik

RX Academy
3 Joni Heikkinen FIN RX Academy
22 Rasmus Tuominen FIN RX Academy
27 Marko Muru EST RX Academy
44 Jonne Ollikainen FIN RX Academy
66 Luka Nurmi FIN RX Academy
72 Clémentine Lhoste FRA RX Academy
87 Tommi Hallman FIN RX Academy
95 Jimi Kalliomäki FIN RX Academy

CrossCar
6 Martin Enlund SWE Enlunds Motorsport
8 Jonas Ericsson SWE SSD Swespeed
11 Jimmie Österberg SWE Österberg Motorsport
12 Fredrik Arnesson SWE Fredrik Arnesson
14 Nils Andersson SWE NA Motorsport
20 Julius Ljungdahl SWE Yellow Squad by Hansen
21 Lars Söderström SWE SSD Swespeed
46 Thomas Eek Murstad NOR Murstad Motorsport
67 Isac Egonsson SWE Carcontrol
76 Erik Wassberg SWE Erik Wassberg
85 Petter Hane SWE Petter Hane
88 Ole Henry Steinsholt NOR OHS RX
96 Hans Carlzon SWE Hans Carlzon
106 Kjell Andre Knabenes NOR Knabenes Motorsport
170 Isak Reiersen SWE JC Raceteknik Junior Team
175 Timmy Enlund SWE Enlunds Motorsport

19-05-14 Fyra bilar till säsongsöppning i Höljes
- Thorén, Hedström, Petersson och Dalmans är Hedströms Motorsports laguppställning i premiären på hemmabanan.
Säsongen snurrar nu igång på allvar för Hedströms Motorsport. Europamästerskapet i rallycross står för dörren, men först är det RallyX Nordic och säsongsdebut på hemmabanan som väntar. Förutom Peter i Supercar, blir det även Daniel Thorén i en likadan och i stort sett nybyggd VW Polo. Med i teamet också 22-åriga Natha Petersson i teamets Supercar Lite-kärra. Sist men inte minst Christer Dalmans, rutinerad räv i Hedströmsgänget som blev åksugen i elfte timmen.

Redan nu till helgen avgörs årets första och andra deltävling i den heta nordiska serien RallyX Nordic på Höljesbanan. En dubbeltävling som ger fina träningsmöjligheter för EM-satsande Peter Hedström.
- Det är viktigt att vi får en bra inställning på bilen med oss till EM, hemmaplan i Höljes med alla våra lokala fans gör det extra speciellt, mitt huvudfokus i år blir EM så det här blir kanonbra uppvärmning som ger perfekt förberedelse inför EM-premiären, säger Peter Hedström.
Daniel Thorén som ifjol var teamets ”rookie”, gick då orädd rakt in i hetluften mot rutinerade förare. Han toppade fjolårssäsongen med en tredjeplats i Norge. Trots en brutal finalkrasch lyckades han till slut bli åtta i serien. Men kraschen blev startskottet på något bra, då bilen visade sig reparerbar.
- Bilen har totalrenoverats in i minsta detalj, den är skräddarsydd för mig och det känns mycket väl, menar Daniel Thorén.
Efter ett sista test på premiärbanan i Höljes, ser Daniel nu med spänning fram mot sin andra säsong och starten i RallyX Nordic.
- Det ska bli riktigt kul, i år vet jag vad jag ger mig in på och jag fick till sex riktigt bra varv i Höljes, bilen kändes riktigt tight å bra, nu ska vi ha riktigt kul den här säsongen.
I värstingklassen Supercar gör Peter Hedström sällskap med Daniel Thorén på startgridden i Höljes. Med en likadan VW Polo Supercar ser han med tillförsikt fram mot årets säsong. Revansch-sugen efter fjolårets småstruliga säsong i RallyX Nordic.
- Det känns riktigt kul att vara igång igen, vi har gått igenom bilarna grundligt och känslan är bra inför premiären, säger Peter Hedström.

RallyX Nordic innehåller också klassen Supercar Lites. Där heter teamets First Lady Nathalie Petersson. Tjugotvå år ung, orädd och målmedveten, slänger sig Natha in i Supercar Lites tillsammans med Hedströms Motorsport. Nathalie har några säsonger i rallycross 2150, men nu väntar hetluften som Supercar Lites-klassen ger i RallyX Nordic. Räkna med att det kommer slå gnistor om denna tjejen i Lites-klassen, när hon blir varm i kläderna. Eller som hon själv beskriver känslan inför premiären…
- Finns väl bara en känsla och förväntning och det är att få stå högst upp på pallen igen, ler 22-åringen från Helsingborg.

I sista stund blir det fyrbilsteam i Höljes för Hedströms Motorsport. Christer Dalmans har gjort flera säsonger i teamet VW Polo Supercars, men höll i år in i det längsta med att anmäla sig. Men nu är det alltså klart att även Malungs-sonen Dalmans kommer till start i RallyX-premiären.

Nu till helgen dundrar det alltså igång på Hedströms Motorsports hemmabana i Höljes, där det redan på fredagskvällen den 17:e maj med start 18:00 körs fria träningspass. Deltävling nummer ett rullar sedan igång efter warmup vid 08:15 på på lördagsmorgonen och man räknar med att vara klara klockan 17:00. Samma tider gäller även för söndagen.
Varmt välkomna!

19-05-14 RallyX Nordic drar igång på fredag i Höljes
Kommande helg arrangerar Finnskoga MK årets första tävling. Vi kör då två deltävlingar i serien RX Nordic. Det känns härligt att vi äntligen är igång. Finnskoga MK är taggade liksom förare som Sebastian Eriksson, Robin Larsson, Kevin och Oliver Eriksson.

På torsdag och fredag kommer teamen att ställa iordning sina ekipage och på fredag kväll kl 18.00 kör vi träning och sedan är vi igång.

Ingen magic weekend utan underhållning och det kommer att finnas ett serveringstält med levande musik, en liten pub och en enkel meny på lördagkväll, där man kan prata, umgås och kanske ta en svängom. Till och med vädret verkar inse allvaret och värmen ser ut att återvända till helgen – den är lika välkommen som ni. Ta gärna en till på www.rallyx.se för startlista och ytterligare information.

TIDSPLAN
Fredag 17/5:
18:00 -20:00 Träning

Lördag 18/5:
08:30 Warm up
09:00 Start Q1, Q2, Q3
14:30 Semifinaler och Finaler
17:00 Prisutdelning

Söndag 19/5:
08:30 Warm up
09:00 Start Q1, Q2, Q3
14:30 Semifinaler och Finaler
17:00 Prisutdelnin

19-05-13 Eriksson doubles up as he saves his best ‘til last in Belgium
Two from two for defending champ, but he’s made to work for it at Spa-Francorchamps
‘Flying Finn’ Jesse Kallio proves he will be a force to be reckoned with this season
JC Raceteknik’s Ben-Philip Gundersen banishes Barcelona disappointment with podium

Early-season championship leader Oliver Eriksson battled back from a difficult opening day in Belgium to seal his second success from as many starts in the 2019 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires – with a hard-fought victory at legendary Formula 1 venue Spa-Francorchamps.

Eriksson sat only sixth in the standings at the end of Saturday’s first two qualifying races, having fallen foul of a malfunctioning windscreen wiper in free practice, made a rare mistake in the joker lap in Q1 and picked up not one but two punctures in Q2.

That handed the initiative firmly to Olsbergs MSE stablemate Jesse Kallio, but Eriksson wasn’t done yet, and with both drivers winning their respective semi-finals, they lined up side-by-side on the front row of the grid for the all-important final.

Boldly keeping his foot planted on the accelerator, Eriksson swept around the outside of Kallio into Turn One and thereafter never looked back. Keeping the pressure on throughout, his team-mate flashed across the finish line less than four-tenths-of-a-second behind, with JC Raceteknik's Ben-Philip Gundersen belatedly kick-starting his title challenge as he rounded out the rostrum in third.

Qualifying Races
Having already announced his arrival in RX2 with a podium finish on his debut in last month’s Barcelona curtain-raiser, Kallio confirmed his status as one of the series’ fastest-rising young stars with a commanding performance to top the intermediate rankings.

The Finn set the pace come rain and shine during the qualifying stages in the iconic Ardennes forest, pushed hardest by Eriksson and Gundersen. After losing ground on Saturday, the Swede bounced back by dominating Q3, but he and Gundersen made light contact at the start of Q4, sending the Norwegian wide and dropping him from second to third in the overall classification.

Like in Spain, Fraser McConnell in the third OMSE car impressed with both his speed and consistency, as the Jamaican secured fourth place – and with it a front row semi-final grid slot – ahead of Vasiliy Gryazin (Sports Racing Technologies) and Simon Olofsson, who vaulted up the order courtesy of a rapid run in Q4.

Sami-Matti Trogen (SET Promotion) recovered from a slow start on Saturday to salvage seventh in the table, with fellow teenager William Nilsson eighth for JC Raceteknik, the Swede producing a gutsy performance as he continues to recover from his impact with the Barcelona barriers a fortnight ago. Anders Michalak, Jimmie Walfridson (JC Raceteknik), Damien Meunier (Team Färén) and local hero Steve Volders completed the semi-finalists, with Albert Llovera narrowly missing out.

Semi-Finals
Kallio converted pole position into the lead when the lights went out in semi-final one, pursued by fellow front row starter Gundersen, and the order would remain that way to the chequered flag, the pair untroubled by the drama unfolding behind.

A three-way tussle for third on the opening lap predictably ended in tears, as a squeeze resulted in Michalak being turned around by Gryazin on the run up Eau Rouge, allowing the opportunistic Meunier to sneak through into third. The Frenchman, however, could not quite withstand the threat of a charging Trogen, who snatched the last final spot.

In the second semi-final, Eriksson led McConnell away from the line in an OMSE one-two, with Nilsson intelligently taking a wide approach into Turn One to get the undercut on countryman Olofsson on the exit for third. The latter tried to regain the position going into the hairpin at the top of Eau Rouge, but rather than paying off, his ambitious overtaking attempt actually ended up delaying the Swede and allowing the top three to break away.

Eriksson’s win was never really in doubt, but McConnell had to keep an eye in his mirrors for Nilsson, who continued to chase hard and crossed the finish line barely a second in his wake. Behind them, Olofsson was on the fightback, muscling his way past Walfridson with a gutsy move for fourth – if not quite into the final.

Final
In a battle of the late-brakers, Eriksson proved to be the braver into Turn One for the first time, sweeping around the outside of his pole-sitting team-mate to grab the lead. Notwithstanding a slight scare when he sideswiped the wall on lap two, the reigning champion was thereafter able to fend Kallio off all the way to the chequered flag.

Gundersen followed the pair home a little way back in third to banish the memories of a difficult season curtain-raiser in Barcelona, while Trogen passed McConnell into the first corner for fourth place and maintained the position throughout – even eyeing an assault on the podium at one point. Although a late puncture put paid to any hopes of that, the Finnish teenager – the youngest driver in the field – defended well to keep McConnell and Nilsson at bay, with both crawling all over the back of the SET Promotion car in the closing stages.

Next up is another famous Formula 1 venue – Silverstone (25/26 May) – where Eriksson will arrive with an extended margin at the top of the title standings, but with a whole host of hungry rivals all eager to unseat him at the celebrated ‘Home of British Motor Sport’.

Quote, Unquote
Oliver Eriksson (1st): “There were times over the weekend when it really didn’t feel like it was going to end this way! As a team, we had great pace but until the final, Jesse seemed to always be one step ahead of me, so when we lined up alongside each other on the front row, I knew I needed to beat him off the line because the joker was so short that it was difficult to make a difference there. I just hooked it up, sent it and hoped for the best – and it paid off! After that, it was a pretty spotless race, to be honest, although there was a ‘moment’ when I clipped the concrete wall at the end of the second lap and the car momentarily switched direction. It was a decent hit and I thought that was game over, but thankfully, these Supercar Lites cars are built to withstand a lot of abuse! Jesse was briefly able to get up my inside, but I managed to shut the door just in time. That was a lucky escape, but I guess we had our fair share of bad luck on Saturday. It’s been a near-perfect start to the season overall – two from two. We’re learning all the time and are definitely the team to beat right now – and that feels great.”

Jesse Kallio (2nd): “Almost the perfect weekend! I’m obviously a little bit disappointed because I always want to win and we came so close, but I have to be happy overall. At the end of the day, I need to remind myself it was only my second event in RX2 and to have taken two podiums from the first two weekends and be sitting second in the championship is a great start to the season. Spa was definitely a step forward from Barcelona in terms of competitiveness, and it was great to see how similar my lap times were to Oliver’s. It was also a real confidence boost to be top qualifier for the first time in RX2. Once Oli got past me at the start of the final, I knew it was going to be tough to get back ahead because we’d been so close on pace all weekend. It’s difficult here with such a tight inside line into Turn One – you don’t want to run too close to the wall, and whoever is on your outside can carry more speed through the corner. Still, we know we are capable of fighting for victory now when we put all the pieces of the puzzle together, so I need to make sure I learn as much as I can from Oli’s data and come back even stronger at Silverstone. After finishing third in Spain and second here, there can only really be one goal going there...”

Ben-Philip Gundersen (3rd): “I’m happy with third place – I really needed a good weekend after Barcelona, because we lost a lot of points there and two bad results at the start of the season would have been pretty disastrous championship-wise. I enjoyed the circuit at Spa – they’ve done a great job with it – and the qualifying races went well, with the exception of Q4, when Oliver and I touched slightly at the start, which sent me out wide. That was just racing, though – I would probably have done the same in his shoes. We weren’t quite as quick in the dry on Sunday as we had been in the wet on Saturday and we didn’t really have the pace to rival the two Olsbergs boys ahead in the final, but congratulations to them on the one-two finish. Like in Spain, we were amongst the three fastest drivers on the track most of the time, which is encouraging – now we need to figure out how to find that little bit extra to properly take the fight to them next time...”

Andreas Eriksson, RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires CEO: “What a show Spa put on for us on our debut here, and I think we gave the spectators a similarly exciting show in return! As a race circuit, Spa has established a legendary reputation in the sport, and I see no reason why the rallycross track should not go on to do the same – all the ingredients are there. Its design truly brought out the best in the RX2 drivers, with some of the wheel-to-wheel battles through the iconic Eau Rouge corner pulling everybody to their feet. The racing was first-class, and it was another superb demonstration of just why these guys are very much the future of our sport – a future that, as I have said before, is in extremely safe hands.”

Final Result
1. Oliver ERIKSSON (SWE) Olsbergs MSE 6 laps
2. Jesse KALLIO (FIN) Olsbergs MSE +0.399s
3. Ben-Philip GUNDERSEN (NOR) JC Raceteknik +3.417s
4. Sami-Matti TROGEN (FIN) SET Promotion +6.215s
5. Fraser MCCONNELL (JAM) Olsbergs MSE +6.278s
6. William NILSSON (SWE) JC Raceteknik +6.795s

Championship Standings
1. Oliver Eriksson (SWE) 59 points
2. Jesse Kallio (FIN) 50 points
3. Fraser McConnell (JAM) 46 points
4. Sami-Matti Trogen (FIN) 36 points
5. Vasiliy Gryazin (LVA) 34 points
6. Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR) 27 points
7. Simon Olofsson (SWE) 25 points
8. Damien Meunier (FRA) 25 points
9. William Nilsson (SWE) 23 points
10. Anders Michalak (SWE) 22 points

19-05-12 Solid points haul puts Hansen 1-2 in World RX Drivers' Championship
A challenging first visit to Spa-Francorchamps for the World RX of Belgium gave mixed emotions for Team Hansen MJP. While Kevin Hansen missed out on a berth in the Final by less than a tenth of a second - colliding with Liam Doran mid-air while crossing the finish line - Timmy turned in a brillaint recovery drive in his Semi Final to make the Final and finish fourth overall.

A repeat of Barcelona, where a Hansen car topped every session on the way to a one-two finish in the Final, was always unlikely to be reproduced, though Timmy and Kevin's pace was still very much on show. Timmy won his heat in Q1 but ultimately was only sixth quickest, while Kevin bogged down off the line and finished 10th. It was then 8th and 10th for Kevin and Timmy respectively in Q2, as trademark Ardennes rainfall made conditions very tricky.

Both Kevin and Timmy ended up in the same heat for Q3, with Kevin showing some great speed after a slow launch to go second fastest, even passing Timmy at the end of the second lap. Meanwhile, Timmy had spent the early part of Q3 in an intense battle with eventual Final winner Timur Timerzyanov, falling to fifth place after taking his Joker and going 10th fastest.

A brillaint Q4 performance from Timmy helped him rebound, going fastest to jump to fourth in the combined qualifying standings, while Kevin earned a second row slot for the first Semi Final by placing seventh in the aggregate qualifying standings.

Kevin started fourth in his Semi Final and was immediately battling Liam Doran, who took an early joker lap. Kevin's strategy was the opposite, pulling off on the very last lap and coming out of the joker side-by-side with the Audi. With the two on different lines they collided in mid-air, Doran beating Kevin to third place by the narrowest of margins and pitching Kevin into the wall.

Timmy had started his Semi Final from second but was pushed wide into the wall at turn one by Janis Baumanis, dropping to fifth and forcing Timmy to do what he does best: mount an epic comeback. He passed Anton Marklund and Cyril Raymond when they took their jokers on consecutive laps, followed later by Baumanis, then turned in the fastest lap of the race to ensure he came out ahead of the Renaults and book a place in the Final.

Fourth place was Timmy's reward in the Final, passing Doran after he crashed at the Raidillon hairpin and then taking Baumanis for fourth down the inside of the long final left hander on the penultimate lap. Though not able to finish on the podium, Timmy jumped from third to second in the World RX drivers' championship, nine points behind Kevin who still leads. And while Team Hansen MJP was outscored by its main rival, it still leads the teams' championship by one point, keeping them atop both championships after three rounds.

4th
Timmy Hansen
Qualifying 1 6th
Qualifying 2 10th
Qualifying 3 10th
Qualifying 4 1st
Semi-Final 2 3rd
Final 4th

7th
Kevin Hansen
Qualifying 1 10th
Qualifying 2 8th
Qualifying 3 2nd
Qualifying 4 8th
Semi-Final 1 4th
Final

Team Hansen MJP might not have got the result it wanted at Spa-Francorchamps but the brand new RX track has become an instant favourite for drivers and fans alike.

Though a podium in the Final eluded both Kevin and Timmy, they're now one-two in the drivers' championship after Spa-Francorchamps!
While the team's closest rival scored a 1-3 finish in Belgium, thanks to strong performances in Abu Dhabi and Barcelona Team Hansen MJP is still atop the teams' standings.

The big number
2.039
The margin of victory for Timmy Hansen in his dominant Qualifying 4 performance, with his 2m14.772s also the fastest qualifying time of the entire weekend.

Timmy Hansen
“It was a tough race in Belgium, but I think we’ve caught up now after my accident on the first round of the season, as we’re up to second in the drivers’ championship. Our potential was really good all weekend – as we saw in Q4, which was the only opportunity I had to drive in clear air – but we didn’t completely maximise on it. But that can happen in rallycross sometimes; after the high of Spain, where we had a perfect weekend, it’s back to the real world now! The overall feeling is still great: we know that we’ve got the pace and a really quick car so we just need to make sure we take every opportunity. Finally, I’d like to congratulate Timur for his first win: it’s really deserved and I’m very happy for him.”

Kevin Hansen
“The highlight of my weekend was definitely Q3, which was our strongest session. We had two really fast laps at the end, which I’m going to take away as a fantastic experience. Apart from that it wasn’t an especially good round for us: we didn’t quite have the performance and we made some small mistakes as well, especially with the tyre choice on Saturday. There were times perhaps where we should have been a bit braver, but it’s very easy to be wise after the event. In the end, I’ve kept the lead of the drivers’ championship so it was a good damage limitation exercise. We just need to learn from this now and try to make sure that we don’t create more situations where we are running in the pack and a bit vulnerable. Like they say, you make your own luck!”

Kenneth Hansen
"On a weekend that wasn’t especially strong for us, we still took away some good points and that’s the most positive thing about this weekend. We made some wrong decisions with tyre choice on Saturday, which meant that we had a lot of catching up to do on Sunday, and we also had a couple of bits of bad luck. But if you think that we were 10th and 11th on Saturday night, to end up where we did is quite good. And of course Kevin and Timmy are first and second in the drivers’ championship now, which is great. The track was a proper rallycross course: very challenging, and the organisers have a really positive attitude; there are already some things that they are learning for next year. I think that Spa is here to stay!”

19-05-12 Förarna bjöd den stora publiken på spännande motorsport-underhållning under Rallycross-SM i Rallycross på Högstabanan
Lördagen den 11 maj arrangerade Haninge Motorklubb första deltävlingen i Rallycross-SM 2019. Förarna bjöd den stora publiken på spännande motorsport-underhållning och spikade de första resultaten i årets SM-serie. I tävlingen deltog fyra klasser: Supernationell, 2400, Junior-SM och RM 2150.

Här kommer tävlingsresultaten:
Supernationell – 5 startande
1 Janne Eriksson Finnskoga MK BMW E46
2 Simon Tiger Kalix Motorklubb BMW E30
3 Micke Nilsson Finnskoga MK Ford Escort

2400 – 20 startande
1 Per Berglund Finnskoga MK Volvo S40
2 Martin Ekspjuth Piteå MS Subaru Impreza
3 Rasmus Olsson Karlskrona AK BMW E87

Förra årets topptrio i SM var Rasmus Olsson, Karlskrona AK, Matthias Ohlsson, Bollnäs MK, och Simon Claesson, Skene MS. I dagens tävling deltog inte Matthias Ohlsson. Rasmus Olsson blev trea i finalen, Simon Claesson hamnade på en fjärdeplats.
Haninge MKs hemmaförare, Emil Appelkvist, tog sig till semifinal, men kom inte vidare till finalen.

Junior-SM – 13 startande
1 Jens Högbom Vännäs MK BMW E36
2 Tobias Trejile Skene MS Saab 99
3 Oskar Rosén Gestrike RT Opel Astra

Förra året vann Emil Hultenius, Jönköpings MK, SM-serien. Han tävlade i dag men drabbades av samma öde som Emil Appelkvist. Han kom till semifinal, men gick inte vidare.

Tävlingens enda tjejförare, Klara Andersson, SMK Hörby, hade en bra dag med första- och andraplaceringar i kvalomgångarna. I finalen blev starten tuff och tät, Klara hamnade dessvärre utanför banan och hamnade därmed på en total sjätteplats.

RM 2150 – 23 startande
1 Christian Karlsson Vimmerby MS VW 1303
2 Niklas Eriksson SMK Örebro BMW E36
3 Magnus Abrahamsson Vännäs MK BMW E46

Förra året var Johan Uhr, AMF Årsunda, Björn Alvarsson, Vadstena RRC och Magnus Abrahamsson, Vännäs MK, de tre bästa i SM. Johan Uhr kom inte vidare från semifinalen, Niklas Eriksson och Magnus Abrahamsson lyckades bättre.

Officiell resultatlista
Listan finns nu på http://tavlingsconsult.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/offreshmk.pdf

Allt om SM i Rallycross finns på www.datapolen.se och http://svenskrallycross.se/

19-05-12 William Nilsson till final på legendariske Spa-banan
Det var en revanschsugen William Nilsson som reste till Belgien för den andra deltävlingen i rallycrossmästerskapet RX2 International Series.
– Tävlingen har gått lite upp och ner för mig, men jag är nöjd med resultatet, säger 19-åringen.

Den inledande deltävlingen av RX2 International Series slutade med en hård krasch i semifinalen för William Nilsson. Mästerskapets andra deltävling, som tog plats i Belgien, bjöd på betydligt bättre resultat för skåningen.
– Inför helgen var jag riktigt revanschsugen, och på flera plan har jag lyckats bättre än under förra tävlingen. Det känns skönt och jag är absolut positiv inställd efter helgen. Men såklart, jag vill vara ännu mer i framkant under tävlingen i Silverstone och få upp tempot ytterligare, säger Nilsson.
Det var första gången någonsin som rallycross kördes på den välkände F1-banan Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps och under helgen satt 17 500 personer i publiken.
– Spa är som alla säger en ikonisk bana, så det har varit häftigt att tävla på den. Jag gillade layouten de fått till, det blev en jäkligt fräck rallycrossbana.

Helgen inleddes med en femtetid och en sjundetid för Nilsson på träningarna. Därefter bjöds det på en blandad kompott av allt från en heatseger och snabba varvtider till tidskostande startsmällar.
– Tävlingen har gått lite upp och ner för mig. Jag har haft lite otur med dåliga startspår. Här på Spa är den första svängen väldigt tight, och så länge ingen släpper sitt spår är det väldigt svårt att avancera i starten. Men jag fightades och tog mig till final.
I finalen startade Nilsson från sista led.
– Jag ökade farten hela tiden, men hamnade i trafik och en del sådana grejer. Men vad ska man göra? Jag är nöjd med helgen och resultatet. Nu har jag en helg ledigt innan det är dags för den tredje deltävlingen i Silverstone och jag är riktigt laddad inför den.

19-05-12 Timerzyanov takes maiden World RX win at spectacular Spa-Francorchamps
Timur Timerzyanov claimed an emotional maiden world championship victory to crown a spectacular World RX of Benelux at Spa-Francorchamps, the third round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy.

Andreas Bakkerud, the Monster Energy RX Cartel pole-sitter, was second, while Timerzyanov’s GRX Taneco team-mate Joni Wiman, was third.

Timerzyanov’s victory came after 64 race starts in World RX. He provided plenty of drama in pulling off two stunning airborne passes over the jump in a pulsating performance en route to the final.

The emotional Russian struggled to find the words to accurately sum up his feelings after his World RX breakthrough.

“I still can’t believe that I have practised for this moment 64 times, it feels unbelievable,” the Hyundai i20 driver said. “This is my life. Every day I wake up in the morning and I only think about rallycross. It’s in my blood.

“I have been asked to go to circuit racing and I said ‘no’ because rallycross is the only thing I want to do. I love this sport. There’s so much action, so much adrenalin.

“In the final, I was planning to just hold the guys behind and then at the first corner everything opened up for me. I saw a gap and I thought ‘this is my chance’ and I took it.

“I really didn’t know what to do when I was leading. It’s the first time I have been there in a final. I just tried to concentrate on my race and control my driving.

“I had so much fun this weekend, The circuit is really something special and it suits my driving style. You can really fly on the gravel section and going up Eau Rouge is awesome.

“Now I am looking forward to the SpeedMachine Festival at Silverstone in less than two weeks.”

It was also the first World RX victory for GRX, the team overseen by former WRC icon Marcus Gronholm.

Bakkerud followed up his third place in Barcelona with another strong weekend in the Audi S1. He had his chances in the final but was delighted that it was Timerzyanov who took the spoils.

“Argentina 2016 was my last win and I had one little finger on the trophy but if there was one guy who I would want to win this weekend if it wasn’t me, it’s my good friend Timur,” he said. “Of course I would have loved the win but he really deserved it. He is a true character of the sport.

“My race was OK but I overshot the first turn with Joni (Wiman) and went wide, then I saw Timur’s yellow rocket coming through and that was the end of the story.

“After a bad start in Abu Dhabi, two podiums in a row feels good. We are finally winning some qualifying heats. We need to take it step by step. We started late getting the RX Cartel together but now we’ve found a much more organised way of working and I’m sure things will continue to improve for us.”

Wiman, entered in the event as a wildcard, was drafted in as a late replacement to score teams’ points for GRX in place of Niclas Gronholm, who was recovering from illness.

He was the revelation of the weekend in only his second World RX event, his last being four years ago.

In the final, the Finn was caught up in the first-corner melee and dropped to last position but recovered with a clever tactical drive.

“This is my second ever world championship event and to get to the podium is a great feeling,” he said.

“I started the weekend quite slowly but went flat out today. After the semi-final win I was quite confident that I could be competitive in the final.

“I tried to go for the win in the first corner but I got stuck in the wall for a while and I was lucky to recover. A first and third for the team is really nice.”

Timmy Hansen, so dominant in Barcelona, at the wheel of the Team Hansen MJP Peugeot 208, was fourth in the Spa-Francorchamps final ahead of Latvia’s Janis Baumanis in the Team STARD Ford Fiesta.

Bakkerud’s Monster Energy RX team-mate Liam Doran, despite setting the pace on Saturday, had contact exiting Eau Rouge in the final, came to grief at the Raidillon hairpin and finished sixth.

Kevin Hansen bumped door panels with Doran over the jump on the final lap of the first semi-final and was denied a spot in the final by a tenth of a second. The clash resulted in his Peugeot grinding to a halt after nudging the wall at the finish line.

Mattias Ekstrom, the 2016 world rallycross champion battled his way to the semi-final in the JC Raceteknik-prepared Audi S1. However, a coming together with Timmy Hansen at turn one in the second semi-final relegated the 40-year-old Swede to the rear of the field.

GC Kompetition team boss Guerlain Chicherit was another to engage in aerial combat over the jump – with EKS Sport’s Krisztian Szabo in Q4 – meaning the Frenchman missed the semi-final cut. Fellow GCK team members, Anton Marklund and Cyril Raymond did make it through as did Szabo.

Timo Scheider in the ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Seat Ibiza finished fourth in the first semi-final, just ahead of Szabo.
Xite Racing’s Oliver Bennett took his Mini Cooper to a race win in Q4 but narrowly missed a semi-final spot as did GCK Academy's local hero Guillaume De Ridder, who was hampered by mechanical trouble in the Renault Clio RS.

The trio of Belgian newcomers to World RX at Spa recorded mixed results despite being cheered on by their raucous compatriots.

Enzo Ide in his maiden World RX outing at the wheel of the JC Raceteknik Audi S1 and Gregoire Demoustier in a Peugeot 208 were off the pace most of the weekend.

WRC veteran Francois Duval, replacing Rokas Baciuska in the ESmotorsport – Labas Gas Skodia Fabia, had contact with Raymond in Q4 resulting in a DNF and ending his slim hopes of advancing to the semi-finals.

Pal Try in the Team STARD Ford Fiesta found the going tough on his return to action after sitting out the Barcelona round but the Norwegian did manage to record a race win in Q3. Frenchman Herve Knapick was at the tail of the weekend race standings in the Citroen DS3.

Despite missing the final, Kevin Hansen maintained his championship lead. He is on 69 points with a nine-point buffer to his older brother Timmy. Timerzyanov’s win moves him to third place on 53 points.

In the team’s standings, GRX have closed the gap to one point to Team Hansen MJP with Monster Energy RX Cartel third with 94.

After a typically wet and wild day Spa-Francorchamps Saturday, the sun shone on the famed circuit for Sunday’s final.

A crowd of over 17,500 turned out during the course of the weekend and a packed grandstand created a gladiatorial atmosphere on final day.

Nathalie Maillet, the CEO of Spa-Francorchamps, was delighted with the celebrated circuit’s inaugural world rallycross event. “At Spa-Francorchamps we want to do thinks the right way,” she said.

“We took a risk in building the whole rallycross infrastructure and with the investment we have made, but you can see from the big crowds that have come here this weekend and the spectacular racing, that we made the right decision.

“We have developed a festival atmosphere here. SpeedMachine in the UK was something that seduced me when I first spoke to IMG about bringing world rallycross to Spa-Francorchamps and we are replicating the SpeedMachine atmosphere here.

“We started the track build only in January so with more time to perfect what we have the potential for next year is huge. I am very pleased to have IMG as a partner so we can grow this world championship event together.”

19-05-12 JC Racetekniks Gundersen på pallen i Belgien – Ekström missade finalen i Spa
Det blev en tredjeplats i RX2 International Series för JC Raceteknik. Dessutom kom teamet för första gången någonsin till start med två bilar i Supercar-VM, då de bland annat skötte servicen för Mattias Ekströms bil under hans comeback i rallycrossen.

Under helgen gjorde en minst sagt legendarisk bana entré i rallycrosskalendern och det är första gången någonsin som rallycross körs på F1-banan Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Efter den tuffa inledningen i Barcelona kom JC Raceteknik till start med tre revanschsugna förare i klassen RX2 International Series: Ben-Philip Gundersen, William Nilsson och Jimmie Walfridson. Nytt för i helgen var att teamet även hade två bilar i FIA World Rallycross Championship. Bakom ratten på Supercar-bilarna fanns Mattias Ekström och Enzo Ide.

Ben-Philip Gundersen var en av förarna som fick revansch i helgen, då han knep en efterlängtad tredjeplats. Det var under premiären i Barcelona för två helger sedan som norrmannen, trots fyra bra omgångar, missade semifinalen efter en uteslutning. Men den här helgen plockade han poäng redan från start och klättrar därmed upp till sjätteplats i mästerskapet.

Före detta världsmästaren Mattias Ekström lade rallycrosshjälmen på hyllan efter fjolårets säsong och i samband med det köpte JC Raceteknik teamets två Audi S1 Supercars från 2016. Den här helgen återvände Ekström till sin världsmästarbil under ett tillfälligt inhopp. Det bjöds på blandade resultat med många tighta starter. I semifinalens start hamnade han i en däcktrave, och slutade på grund av det på tionde plats i tävlingen. För Enzo Ide var det hans absolut första rallycrosstävling någonsin. Han och teamet gick in med inställningen att det skulle bli en lärotävling för belgaren i Supercar, och Ide slutade på en artonde plats.

Den senaste deltävlingen i Barcelona slutade i en betongmur för William Nilsson – i helgen fungerade det bättre och han kvalificerade sig till final. Där blev det en tight start och han slutade på sjätteplats i tävlingen. Jimmie Walfridson, som enbart kör några enskilda tävlingar i RX2, höll ett jämnt tempo under helgen. Men kamper om placeringar på banan kostade för mycket tid. Värmlänningen missade därmed final och slutade på delad niondeplats.

Nästa tävling för JC Raceteknik blir redan till helgen när premiären av RallyX Nordic körs i Höljes. Till start i Supercar kommer Robin Larsson och Mats Öhman, medan Ben-Philip Gundersen, Jimmie Walfridsson och Sondre Evjen tävlar i Supercar Lites.

Joel Christoffersson, teamchef JC Raceteknik:
”Att få göra det här inhoppet i World RX tillsammans med Mattias, som är en så erfaren och duktig förare, har varit väldigt roligt. Det var synd att vi inte nådde finalen, men det är rallycross. Trots tuffa starter och kurvor visade vi att vi hade farten. Jag tycker att vi blivit väldigt bra förberedda för RallyX Nordic nu och bilen som Mattias körde är ännu mer redo inför nästa helg. För Enzo var det hans första rallycrosstävling någonsin och jag är riktigt imponerad. Han verkade verkligen gilla rallycross och det vore roligt att ha honom tillbaka framöver.

I RX2 hade vi en ganska tuff start på helgen, men Ben-Philip höll ett starkt tempo och vi är glada att ha honom på pallen. William har tagit ett steg framåt och det var skönt för honom att nå final, dessvärre gjorde kraschen i Barcelona att han inte hade en perfekt bil genom den här tävlingen. För Jimmies del har vi använt de två första RX2-tävlingarna till att förbereda honom så mycket som möjligt inför RallyX Nordic, vilket han känner sig för redo nu.”

Mattias Ekström, WRX:
”Det kändes som en återförening med bilen och killarna och vi hade otroligt kul. Självklart vill man ha ett bra resultat, men jag tycker den här banan var väldigt svår, så det var inte lätt. Men vi hade ändå väldigt roligt. Jag tycker att Joel har haft en bra shakedown för sitt team innan säsongsstart. Jag hade väldigt roligt. Vi testade lite, hade några bra starter och jag gjorde några misstag. Jag var lite i mitten och slogs, vilket var ganska trevligt eftersom jag lärde mig saker du inte märker när du ligger i täten. När du ligger mitt i klungan, kör alla som om det inte finns någon morgondag. Det är rätt coolt.”

Enzo Ide, WRX:
”Jag hade verkligen kul i helgen. Jag lärde mig också mycket, vilket är anledningen till att jag är här. Innan helgen hade jag bara sett en rallycrosstävling live, men Joel och Mattias har lärt mig väldigt mycket. Åtminstone vet jag att allt handlar om starten och att vara klar i huvudet – det är allt du behöver. Första gången jag startade var jag skakig som tusan, men njöt väldigt mycket och nu är jag mer självsäker. Jag ser med spänning fram emot vad jag kan göra i framtiden. Nu ska vi jobba på farten och jag tror jag kommer köra någon mer tävling i år.”

Ben-Philip Gundersen, RX2:
”Jag är väldigt nöjd med den här tredjeplatsen, det var en fin revansch efter tävlingen i Barcelona. Hela helgen började bra med en snabbaste tid för mig på träningen. I de två första omgångarna gick det lite upp och ner för mig på det varierande underlaget på banan, men jag tog ändå med mig en snabbaste tid och en tredjeplats. Väl i finalen kämpade jag lite med tempot jämfört med de allra snabbaste, men det räckte till en pallplats här i Belgien. Spa är en kul upplevelse, det är en historiskt känd bana och bra atmosfär.”

William Nilsson, RX2:
”Inför helgen var jag revanschsugen, och på flera plan har jag lyckats bättre än under förra tävlingen. Så jag är absolut positiv och nöjd, men vill såklart vara ännu mer i framkant under tävlingen i Silverstone och få upp tempot ytterligare. Spa är som alla säger en ikonisk bana, så det var häftigt att tävla här. Jag gillade layouten de fått till, det blev en jäkligt fräck rallycrossbana.”

Jimmie Walfridson, RX2:
”Jag får det inte riktigt att hålla ihop hela vägen. Det känns som om den där sista lilla pusselbiten saknas – både för mig och bilen. Men helgen har ändå varit lärorik med flera ljusglimtar. Det tar vi med oss och laddar om inför Höljes. Banan är väldigt rolig, även om den lätt blev sönderkörd i gruset.”

19-05-10 RallyX Nordic's 'First Lady' ready to start living her dream
Nathalie Petersson to join the grid with Hedströms Motorsport
Swede caught the rallycross bug at Supercar Lites test day
22-year-old has long-term goal of World Championship glory

Nathalie Petersson is the first female competitor signed up to RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires in 2019, and the single-minded Swede is excited to begin what she describes as the realisation of a dream.

From a background in the Scandinavian discipline of folkrace, Petersson made her rallycross debut in 2017 – participating in the Supercar Lites ‘sampler’ day at Strängnäs Motorstadion later the same year.

She was immediately hooked – and having contested the Swedish Junior Rallycross Championship last season, now she is ready to step up another level after teaming up with front-running outfit Hedströms Motorsport in RallyX Nordic, which will begin on her home soil of Höljes next weekend (18/19 May).

“When I told my parents I wanted to have a go at rallycross after the test at Strängnäs, my dad said, ‘if you want to try it, you need to do it on your own – I will only help you in the garage, not on the financial side’,” explained the 22-year-old, who lives in southern Sweden. “So I worked hard with sponsors and Swedish companies to buy my first rallycross car, before we began competing in the Swedish Junior Rallycross Championship in 2017 – and now here we are!

“I have a dream to win the World Championship in rallycross one day, and this year is hopefully the start of that journey. I’m so glad that we have come this far, but at the moment we’re only confirmed for Höljes and Nysum. That means we are working harder than ever to find the budget to complete the full championship – but we’re one step closer every day...

“I’m taking it one race at a time, but when the helmet goes on, there is only one thing on my mind – to drive fast and win!”

19-05-09 Per Eklund och Tommy Kristoffersson i samarbete
Det fanns en tid när det slog gnistor om drabbningarna mellan Per Eklund och Tommy Kristoffersson på rallycrossbanorna. Nu har motorsportslegendarerna lagt gräl och gruff åt sidan för ett samarbete som ska ge norrmannen Sondre Evjen bästa möjliga förutsättningar i Euro RX med en Volkswagen Polo GTI RX.
- Bråkat har vi gjort nog mycket. Nu är det bättre att östra och västra Arvika jobbar ihop istället, säger Per Eklund, 72-åring med mer rallycrosserfarenhet än de flesta i världen.

Tommy Kristoffersson, nybliven 60-åring och även han en gigant inom sporten, förklarar hur samarbetet mellan Kristoffersson Motorsport och Eklund Motorsport har kommit till.
- Vi har egentligen fullt upp med vår rallysatsning, men när Sondre ringde och frågade om en EM-styrning hörde jag mig själv säga att ”det ordnar vi”.

Tiden var, för att uttrycka det milt, begränsad och hur det skulle gå till hade Tommy i det läget ingen aning om, men han visste att Eklund låg lågt med sina egna rallycrossbilar och slog därför en signal till sin gamla förebild.
- Jag har alltid haft en stor beundran för Eklund. Det var där mitt motorsportintresse väcktes. Senare blev det hårda duster mellan oss, men en sorts hatkärlek med ömsesidig respekt vill jag påstå. Och nu på senare år har Per följt Johans karriär med genuint intresse. Därför var det kanske inte så konstigt att tanken växte fram.

Kristoffersson hyser stort förtroende för Eklund-teamet med Per och hans son Per-Anders i spetsen.
- Mycket kompetenta och även om vi också kommer att tillföra personal så blir de ytterst ansvariga för bilen och en integrerad del i Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS.
- Tommy har fullt upp med rally just nu så vi går in och avlastar. Ska man sköta en rallycrossbil på riktigt så finns det alltid att göra, bekräftar Eklund.

Den förare som ska få nyttan av all den samlade erfarenheten är blott 21-årige Sondre Evjen, från Åls kommun i norska fjälltrakter. Han gjorde ett tillfälligt inhopp med Polon i Lettland förra året.
- En ambitiös pojke som gjorde ett bra intryck i Riga. Vi ska putsa på honom och jobba med det mentala fokuset, säger Tommy Kristoffersson.

Evjen debuterade i folkrace som 15-åring och har de senaste åren kört Lites i Nordic och RX2.
- Jag trodde inte det här var en möjlig lösning, men Tommy var positiv och hela paketet är proffsigt. De vet till 100 procent vad de håller på med, konstaterar Evjen, som har höga mål.
- Jag vill kämpa om segrar i deltävlingarna och om en medalj i totalmästerskapet.

Norrmannen kommer även i år att köra Lites i Nordic-serien, men det största uppdraget blir hela EM-serien i Supercar med en Volkswagen Polo GTI RX, en bil som byggdes för några år sedan av Kristoffersson Motorsport.
- En av våra egna bilar, från tiden då Johans rallycrosskarriär tog fart på allvar, säger Kristoffersson, som förstås också kommer att engagera sig i tävlingshelgerna med Sondre Evjen.
- Personligen har jag en stor kärlek till rallycross så det här känns mycket inspirerande.

19-05-08 Team Hansen MJP taking a Spa break with a difference
Team Hansen MJP pulled off a maximum points score from the previous round in Spain and left leading both championships. While it's mathematically impossible for the team to improve on their last outing, it won't stop them from trying to repeat the same feat again this weekend in Belgium. Timmy and Kevin Hansen will be looking to do their very best and maximise the score for their team, pushing hard to try and repeat the heroics of their 1-2 finish at Barcelona, but this time on a brand new track for the FIA World RX Championship.

For many years, the Belgian round of the series was held at Mettet, but now it comes to the country’s most famous motorsport venue: Spa-Francorchamps. Not only that, but the best-known part of this epic circuit – the breath-taking Eau Rouge complex – forms the centrepiece of a brand new rallycross track. With everyone starting on a level playing field, it’s another totally new challenge for Team Hansen MJP.

The track: Circuit de SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS
Belgium has a long and esteemed history in Rallycross but this year, it's all change. Spa-Francorchamps, one of the most revered racing circuits in the world, is hosting an FIA World Rallycross round for the first time.

As the drivers start the lap of the new track, they cross Eau Rouge, head up the hill at Raidillon, take a hairpin turn and fly back down the incline, then turn right into a brand new, purpose built gravel section containing a wide, sweeping, banked gravel turn.

There's one last blast of glory as drivers take a jump just before crossing the start/finish line and approaching Eau Rouge anew.

The big numbers
15
The percentage gradient of Raidillon, which the drivers will ascend on the new Spa-Francorchamps RX track.

913
Length of the new Spa-Francorchamps RX circuit in metres.

2
The number of Hansen 208 WRX machines on the World RX of Benelux podium last year, with Sebastien Loeb victorious and Timmy Hansen in third place.

What to look out for
Everyone will have one eye in the sky, keeping tabs on Spa-Francorchamps notoriously changeable weather conditions. World RX rounds run in the wet are pretty rare but here of all places it's quite likely; the last occurence was at the Belgian round last year, when it was held at Mettet.

There's also a huge banked turn to finish the lap, though drivers taking a joker lap will take a narrower, flat lane on the inside. No one's really sure what the fastest way around it will be, so watch out for drivers experimenting with different lines in search of crucial tenths of a second.

Ideal set-up: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

With Spa being a new track, nobody really knows what to expect. However, it’s going to be fast with gravel that’s quite compact; so a car that’s suited to a high top speed and rapid direction changes is needed.
Teams are going to have to find a wet set-up quickly if it rains, which is normally the case at some point during the Spa weekend, given the circuit is located in the Ardennes hills. That means making the car softer to provide better traction in slippery conditions.

Rallycross Rewind 2018: Timmy's terrific comeback
Timmy Hansen scored a podium finish in the final of last year's World RX of Benelux at Mettet. But his path to the podium was nearly derailed in the semi-final, with Timmy needing to put in a blinding comeback drive to make the final grid at all.

Heading to turn one four abreast with Andreas Bakkerud, Timur Timerzyanov and Janis Baumanis, Timmy was tipped into a spin approaching turn one and fell to fifth. Initially it went from bad to worse, with Timmy getting stuck behind Baumanis when taking his joker, which ruined his overcut on Guerlain Chicherit and dropped him to sixth.

But Timmy was taking no prisoners: he squeezed his way past Baumanis two turns later, then out-dragged Chicheret exiting the hairpin on the same lap to take fourth. By lap five he'd passed Timerzyanov, pulling the same move exiting the hairpin as he had on Chicheret to take third. He completed the comeback drive of the year on the bootlid of second-placed Andreas Bakkerud, giving him a hard-fought spot on the grid for the final, where he'd finish third.
Where to watch World RX

FIA World Rallycross (WRX) has a variety of ways to keep up to date with live event coverage with comprehensive worldwide TV coverage on channels such as VIA SAT, TV 10 (Sweden), LTV (Latvia) and ORF (Austria). WRX’s full TV listing can be found here.

Subject to where you are tuning in from, you can also keep up to date with live coverage of all WRX action on the championship’s YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Event Timetable
All times CEST
Saturday, May 11th
Free Practice 09:15
Qualifying 1 11:45
Qualifying 2 14:45
Autograph session 17:15
Sunday, May 12th
Warm-up 09:00
Qualifying 3 10:15
Qualifying 4 11:10
Autograph session 13:05
Semi-Final
Final

19-05-08 The challenge of Eau Roge lies in wait for World
The FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy breaks new ground when it visits Belgium for the World RX of Benelux this weekend with a daunting challenge in the shape of the famed Eau Rouge lying in wait.

Like the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi, venue for round one, the iconic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, nestling in the Ardennes mountain range, makes its debut on the World RX calendar.

A daunting, 913m purpose-built rallycross layout with a banked final corner and an intimidating sequence through Eau Rouge – confronts the 20 drivers entered for the event.

And, if we thought we had seen the last of Mattias Ekstrom in the world championship, we were wrong. The 2016 world champion, returns to take on the class of 2019 for the third round. He is reunited with his title-winning Audi S1 from the JC Raceteknik stable.

The 40-year-old Swede admits that watching the first two World RX rounds on television got his competitive juices flowing again. “Being on the sofa at home watching Abu Dhabi, I started to imagine racing again and going through Eau Rouge at 200km sideways. It started to become very tempting,” he explains.

In a glittering five-year world rallycross career, Ekstrom has recorded 10 event wins and stood on the podium on 22 occasions. He is also a two-time DTM champion.

Ekstrom will be partnered in JC Raceteknik’s two-car team by Belgium’s Enzo Ide, a GT endurance specialist who won the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup in 2016. He knows every inch of the Formula One circuit well having competed in the 24 Hours of Spa in 2012. But the World RX track is an altogether different matter.

Like the rest of the field, he has yet to turn a wheel on the new rallycross circuit which means they all start from a blank sheet of paper and an empty data store.

Spa-Francorchamps will be a leveller – and provide the chance for Team Hansen MJP’s dominance to be broken.

Timmy Hansen was unstoppable at the previous round in Catalunya two weeks' ago, recording a clean sweep of victories to close the gap to his younger brother Kevin at the head of the drivers’ standings.

Though even the elder Hansen admits that the visit to Belgium presents unique challenges. “We are racing on the most iconic place in motorsport,” he said. “From what I’ve seen of photos, it looks like a very interesting circuit especially going up through Eau Rouge and the hairpin.

“It’s always a big test going to a brand new circuit but it’s a new circuit for everybody. It’s going to be difficult to learn the layout quickly, so we have to be on our toes,” he added.

Asked how many laps of the track he would walk in preparation, “about 100”, he said.

Besides Ekstrom, there are other additions to the entry list. Ide’s compatriot Gregoire Demoustier will run a Peugeot 208. Demoustier competed at world rallycross level in 2017-18 combined with world touring car and sports car duty.

Finland’s Joni Wiman also returns after last appearing in World RX four years ago. Wiman joins GRX Set in a Hyundai i20. “It’s a big thing to be back in the World RX and I am grateful to the team and sponsors, who made this happen,” Wiman said.

“I have raced many of these World RX drivers in various situations and I know there won’t be any giveaways, but I am confident, that combined with the experience of GRX, I will be up to pace.”

Wiman was set to join a three-car GRX line-up alongside Niclas Gronholm and Timur Timerzyanov. However, Gronholm, who lies second to Kevin Hansen in the drivers’ standings, was a late withdrawal with illness.

Timerzyanov is relishing competing at Spa. “I’m pretty excited about World RX heading to the famous Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, and the fact the we will go flat out through the legendary Eau Rouge, gives me goose bumps already,” the Russian, sixth in the early title chase, said.

“But putting the emotional thrill aside – it’s a new venue for everyone and it all will come down to being able to figure out the right set-up in the few Free Practice laps.”

A late addition to the entry list is Francois Duval. The Belgian replaces Rokas Baciuska in the ESmotorsport – Labas Gas Skodia Fabia. The ex-Ford works World Rally Championship driver has made previous appearances in World RX at Belgium, France and Latvia from 2014-2018 as well as several European races.

He has four times been Belgian Driver of The Year from 2004-2008. Last weekend he recorded a win in the French Rallycross Championship at Chateauroux.

"I am very happy to finally be present for this first world rallycross event on the Spa-Francorchamps track," he said. "All was done at the last minute. I know it will not be easy to be competitive against top teams and top cars but I will drive without pressure, essentially for fun and for my fans."

Andrea Bakkerud recovered from a torrid opening round at the Yas Marina Circuit to grab a podium behind the Hansen brothers in Barcelona and will challenge strongly along with his Monster Energy RX Cartel team-mate Liam Doran in their Audi S1s.

Oliver Bennett, who had an eventful outing in Catalunya in the Xite Racing Mini Cooper S1, is seeking a change of fortune.

ECU issues and a roll in Abu Dhabi was followed by front suspension problems in Spain. "There was a large pot hole on the entrance to the gravel after the start-finish line that was high speed and directly under a braking point,” Bennet explained.

“We had a new design arm on for Barcelona, and every time it hit that hole it would bend. It was only a matter of corners before it snapped in Q2 and Q4.

“We knew what the issue was in Barcelona, we just had no way of fixing it there, but it’s been sorted for Spa.”

The entire GCK squad showed impressive pace in Barcelona with Cyril Raymond finishing fifth in his first World RX final in the Renault Clio. His GCK Academy team-mate Guillaume De Ridder will be on home ground.

Hungary's Krisztian Szabo will look to build on the 10 points he collected in Barcelona in the EKS Sport Audi while ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport’s Timo Scheider hopes to have put car troubles behind him.

Team STARD’s Jani Baumanis, consistent to date, lies fourth in the standings and will be looking to consolidate in his Ford Fiesta. Pal Try, part of the driver rotation at STARD, having debuted in Abu Dhabi and sat out Barcelona, reappears as does Frenchman Herve Knapick in the Citroen DS3.

19-05-08 Legendary Spa-Francorchamps ready to stage seconds-out, round two
Famous Belgian Formula 1 venue to welcome RX2 championship battle
EuroRX TouringCar champ aiming to maximise home advantage
All of the action available via Facebook livestream and TV broadcast

The RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires is Belgium-bound this weekend (11/12 May), as legendary Formula 1 venue Spa Francorchamps plays host to the second round of what is already shaping up to be a thrilling campaign of high-octane action.

The 2019 RX2 season revved into life at Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya last month, with defending champion Oliver Eriksson leading home an Olsbergs MSE top three lockout, ahead of team-mates and series new boys Fraser McConnell and Jesse Kallio.

The trio arrive in Belgium as unquestionably the men to beat, but Spa is nothing if not unpredictable, and its location – nestled deep in the picturesque Ardennes forest – means the weather is capable of changing dramatically from one moment to the next.

A brand new rallycross track has been constructed for the race weekend, incorporating a section of the iconic Eau Rouge sweeper – arguably the most famous corner in international motorsport. The Formula 1 circuit is renowned for putting man and machine to the very sternest of tests – and all signs are that the rallycross track will do the same.

Chasing the champion
Eriksson is the driver with the target on his back, but his two new team-mates impressed in Barcelona with their turn-of-speed and racecraft straight off the bat. With more experience in the Supercar Lites machinery used in the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series, they are only going to get stronger as the year progresses.

They will be pushed hard by JC Raceteknik’s stable of Scandinavian stars. Ben-Philip Gundersen was every bit a match for the OMSE boys in Spain, but the Norwegian uncharacteristically missed out on making it through to the semi-finals after being disqualified from Q3 for first corner contact with Eriksson and Kallio. He will be fired-up to fight back in Belgium, as will highly-rated teenager William Nilsson – whose challenge ended in the barriers following a coming-together with Anders Michalak – and fellow Swede Jimmie Walfridson.

SET Promotion’s Sami-Matti Trogen and Sports Racing Technologies ace Vasiliy Gryazin waged a fierce duel for ‘best-of-the-rest’ in Barcelona, with the Finn narrowly getting the verdict over the Latvian following a crowd-pleasing wheel-to-wheel scrap. Both are keen to go one better this weekend and have the podium firmly in their sights.

One of the biggest talking-points of the Catalan curtain-raiser was the head-turning debut of Frenchman Damien Meunier – the former French Championship Supercar star having to learn the track, car and series all at once and still progressing through to the all-important final with support from crack Swedish outfit Team Färén. The 18-year-old certainly cannot be discounted from the fight for glory at Spa.

Local hero primed to shine
Fast Swedes Anders Michalak and Simon Olofsson both unleashed eye-catching pace on occasion in Barcelona – form they will be eager to turn into solid results in round two – while fans’ favourite Albert Llovera delighted the partisan crowds by reaching the semi-finals for the first time in his RX2 career.

The Andorran – a record-breaking former Olympic skier – is likely to have some competition in the popularity stakes this weekend, however, with local hero Steve Volders sure to receive the lion’s share of spectators’ support. The reigning EuroRX TouringCar champion came away from his series debut in Spain a little battle-scarred, but he is determined to put on a spectacular show in front of family and friends on home soil.

“It will be a rare opportunity to drive on such a legendary circuit as Spa, especially with the famous Raidillon incorporated as part of the track,” Volders enthused. “I’m really looking forward to that. In Barcelona, I discovered that the RX2 drivers fight for every centimetre, but I never give up and I always push right to the end to achieve the best result possible.

“A lot of my fans are not able to travel to races abroad, but they are always nervously following the livestream. This weekend, they will have the chance to see me up close and experience the unique ambiance you only get at the circuit. That feels special.”

The Spa-Francorchamps RX2 action will begin with free practice and the opening two qualifying races on Saturday (11 May), followed by the remaining two qualifiers, semi-finals and final on Sunday (12 May). Fans will be able to watch all of the qualifying races live via the FIA World RX and RX2 Series Facebook pages, with the semi-finals and all-important final featuring as part of the live World RX television broadcast.

2019 RX2 Spa-Francorchamps Entry List
2 Ben-Philip Gundersen NOR JC Raceteknik
6 William Nilsson SWE JC Raceteknik
12 Anders Michalak SWE Anders Michalak
16 Oliver Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE
21 Damien Meunier FRA Damien Meunier
22 Sami-Matti Trogen FIN SET Promotion
35 Fraser McConnell JAM Olsbergs MSE
47 Jesse Kallio FIN Olsbergs MSE
52 Simon Olofsson SWE Simon Olofsson
55 Vasiliy Gryazin LVA Sports Racing Technologies
66 Albert Llovera AND Albert Llovera
77 Steve Volders BEL Nationale Renstal Trommelke
90 Jimmie Walfridson SWE JC Raceteknik

Championship Standings
1. Oliver Eriksson (SWE) 30 points
2. Fraser McConnell (JAM) 26 points
3. Jesse Kallio (FIN) 23 points
4. Vasiliy Gryazin (LVA) 20 points
5. Sami-Matti Trogen (FIN) 19 points
6. Damien Meunier (FRA) 16 points
7. Anders Michalak (SWE) 13 points
8. Simon Olofsson (SWE) 11 points
9. Steve Volders (BEL) 10 points
10. William Nilsson (SWE) 9 points

19-05-07 William Nilsson laddad inför rallycross i Belgien – med rykande färsk sjätteplats i V8 Thunder Cars
Det är en hektisk vecka för William Nilsson, som under helgen debuterade i V8 Thunder Cars och redan på fredag ska vidare till Spabanan för att tävla i rallycross.
– Jag är astaggad på att få komma ner till Belgien och ge full attack, plocka poäng och förhoppningsvis få fira på pallen, säger Nilsson.

Till helgen är det dags för den andra deltävlingen av RX2 International Series och det är på den välkända F1-banan Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps som tävlingen körs. Den inledande deltävlingen i Barcelona slutade med en krasch i semifinalen för William Nilsson, och han fördes till sjukhus med skador på nacke och rygg. Hans tillfrisknande går åt rätt håll och det är med en stor revanschlust han åker till Belgien i helgen.
– Jag har absolut blodad tand och vill göra ett bra resultat. Under premiären fick jag inte riktigt till det, och fick kämpa för att försöka komma upp i topptiderna. Så nu är jag astaggad på att få komma ner till Belgien och ge full attack, plocka poäng och förhoppningsvis få fira på pallen. Spa är en helt ny bana för rallycrossen, så det kommer bli en spännande helg, säger 19-åringen.

Nilsson tävlar för det värmländska teamet JC Raceteknik, som haft många framgångar i både Supercar och Supercar Lites. Under helgens tävling kommer han få en ny tillfällig teamkompis. JC Raceteknik kommer under helgen göra ett inhopp i VM, där de sköter den före detta rallycross-världsmästaren och DTM-föraren Mattias Ekströms bil.
– Mattias är en seriös förare som jämfört med mig har många fler mil bakom ratten, så jag ska ta tillfället i akt och be om lite tips. Hans styrka är att han är konsekvent i körning och kan ligga i samma spår varv efter varv med exakt samma fokus. Jag tror att mycket av det kommer från att han kört racing, och det är faktiskt det som gett mig lite inspiration till att köra racing vid sidan av rallycrossen i år.

I helgen kördes årets första deltävling av V8 Thunder Cars på Ring Knutstorp. För Nilsson blev det hans debuttävling i klassen, där han tävlar för det Åhusbaserade teamet Memphis Racing. Av totalt 20 startande slutade Nilsson på sjätteplats i race 1, efter att kört upp sig från sjuttonde startspår. I race 2 tvingades han bryta efter en stor startkrasch med sju bilar inblandade.
– Jag är jättenöjd med helgen. Med tanke på att jag är en absolut nybörjare och yngst i klassen känner jag ingen press, utan kör för att samla erfarenheter. Jämfört mer rallycross som är mer explosivt i fyra till sex varv så är det här lite mer som ett maraton där du måste ha fokus och jämnheten i tjugo varv. Det är ett annorlunda körsätt för mig, men verkligen skutkul.

19-05-06 SM i Rallycross på Högstabanan
Lördagen den 11 maj arrangerar Haninge Motorklubb första deltävlingen i Rallycross-SM 2019. Tävlingen körs på Högstabanan strax utanför Handen. Tävlingen startar redan på fredagen med besiktning. På lördagen startar första kvalomgången klockan 10.00. I slutet av eftermiddagen kommer de lyckliga pristagarna att få kliva upp på prispallen.

Om tävlingen
I tävlingen deltar fyra klasser: Supernationell, 2400, Junior-SM och RM 2150.

Supernationell – 5 startande
Så här såg SM-resultatet ut förra året:
1 Linus Westman Piteå MS 127 poäng
2 Fredrik Avelin MSK Hammaren 105 poäng
3 Pontus Bjuhr Lycksele MK 91 poäng

2400 – 21 startande
Så här såg SM-resultatet ut förra året:
1 Rasmus Olsson Karlskrona AK 102 poäng
2 Matthias Ohlsson Bollnäs MK 100 poäng
3 Simon C Claesson Skene MS 99 poäng
13 Emil Appelkvist Haninge MK 40 poäng
Rasmus Olsson, Simon C Claesson och Emil Appelkvist är anmälda till tävlingen

Junior-SM – 14 startande
Så här såg SM-resultatet ut förra året:
1 Emil Hultenius Jönköpings MK 111 poäng
2 Viktor Fahlgren Lycksele MK 103 poäng
3 Anton Carlsson Lycksele MK 93 poäng
Emil Hultenius kommer att delta i tävlingen.

RM 2150 – 18 startande
Så här såg SM-resultatet ut förra året:
1 Johan Uhr AMF Årsunda 117 poäng
2 Björn Alvarsson Vadstena RRC 112 poäng
3 Magnus Abrahamsson Vännäs MK 93 poäng
Alla tre startar den 11 maj.

Under tävlingsdagen kommer alla resultat att fortlöpande publiceras på Internet via www.tavlingsconsult.com/

Emil Appelkvist
Vi har pratat med Emil, rallycrossförare i Haninge MK. Han har länge varit aktiv inom bilsport med början i folkrace 2012–2013. Bästa placering var en förstaplats i Stockholmsmästaren 2013.

Meriter inom rallycrossen är bland annat SM-sillver i backe 2017 och en fjärdeplats i Svealandscupen 2018.
I rallycross tävlade Emil först i klass 2150 men har nu bytt till 2400 där man får göra mycket större förbättringar av motor, växellåda och däck. Han kör nu en Skoda Fabia som under vintern har förbättrats på många punkter.

I SM 2018 kom han på trettonde plats. Han är inte nöjd med det resultatet, men hade tekniska problem med bilen i två av deltävlingarna. I år siktar han naturligtvis på medalj, men det är ett tufft gäng som kör i klassen så han är nöjd med en top-sex-placering.
Högstabanan är ju Emils hemmabana. Han tycker att den är speciell eftersom den är så kuperad. Det finns flera backkrön där man inte ser vad som finns bakom. Däremot trivs han med att det är en högfartsbana där man kan hålla jämn fart och slipper hårnålskurvor och accelerationer men som kräver bra spårval. Om han får välja sin favoritbana så blir det delad förstaplats mellan Högstabanan och rallycrossbanan i Höljes.

Allt om SM i Rallycross finns på www.datapolen.se och http://svenskrallycross.se/
Så här hittar du till banan: Kör väg 73 (Nynäshamnsvägen) till avfart Dalarö. Kör några kilometer mot Dalarö så visar en skylt vänster till Högstabanan. Du hittar vägvisning på www.haningemotorklubb.se

19-05-03 RallyX Nordic announces entries for Höljes curtain-raiser
Supercar class populated by World Championship stars
Niclas Grönholm joins the fray for opening rounds
Wide open competition in Supercar Lites category
Late entries still available for Swedish double-header

The entry list for the 2019 RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires season-opener at Höljes in just over two weeks’ time (18/19 May) has been officially released, with a host of big names featuring across the board.

The headlining, 16-strong Supercar class welcomes FIA World Rallycross Championship event-winners Robin Larsson (JC Raceteknik) and Kevin Eriksson (Olsbergs MSE), as well as reigning RX2 International Series Champion Oliver Eriksson (OMSE), recent RallyX on Ice Champion Sebastian Eriksson (OMSE) and Niclas Grönholm (GRX TANECO), who currently sits second in the World Championship standings.

In the supporting Supercar Lites category, Scandinavian stars Ben-Philip-Gundersen (JC Raceteknik), Simon Olofsson, Sondre Evjen (JC Raceteknik), Marcus Höglund (RAMUDDEN.SE) and hometown hero Linus Östlund (OMSE) are joined by popular returnee Thomas Holmen, RallyX Nordic’s ‘First Lady’ of 2019, Nathalie Petersson (Hedströms Motorsport) and record-breaking former Olympic athlete Albert Llovera amongst the 17 high-calibre entrants.

The CrossCar field is headed up RallyX on Ice standout Julle Ljungdahl (Yellow Squad by Hansen), while the RX Academy entry will be announced at a later date.

Late entries for the curtain-raising Höljes double-header can still be placed at www.rallyx.se/application-2019

Entry Lists
Supercars
4 Robin Larsson SWE JC Raceteknik
8 Peter Hedström SWE Hedströms Motorsport
11 Jere Kalliokoski FIN Kalliokoski Motorsport
16 Oliver Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE
17 Mats Öhman SWE JC Raceteknik
50 Svein Roger Andersen NOR Andersen Motorsport
61 Andreas Carlsson SWE Andreas Carlsson Rallycross
68 Niclas Grönholm FIN GRX TANECO
72 Ulrik Linnemann DNK Olsbergs MSE
77 Stene Johansen NOR Johansen Motorsport
86 Mario Hansen NOR Olsbergs MSE
88 Daniel Thorén SWE Hedströms Motorsport
95 Philip Gehrman SWE Gehrman Motorsport AB
96 Kevin Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE
93 Sebastian Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE
99 Mikko Ikonen FIN Mikko Ikonen

Supercar Lites
2 Ben Philip Gundersen NOR JC Raceteknik
10 Martin Jönsson SWE Alfta Racing Team
11 Mats Oskarsson SWE Oskarsson Motorsport
12 Anders Michalak SWE Michalak Motorsport
18 Linus Östlund SWE Olsbergs MSE
20 Nathalie Petersson SWE Hedströms Motorsport
21 Marcus Höglund SWE RAMUDDEN.SE
27 Petter Leirhol NOR Leirhol Motorsport
33 Lars Erik Haug NOR Haug Rallycross Team
52 Simon Olofsson SWE Simon Olofsson
54 Petter Nårsa SWE Öhman Motorsport
56 Thomas Holmen NOR Thomas Holmen
66 Albert Llovera AND Albert Llovera
69 Sondre Evjen NOR JC Raceteknik
90 Jimmie Walfridson SWE JC Raceteknik
91 Niklas Aneklev SWE Olsbergs MSE
99 Hans-Ola Frøshaug NOR JC Raceteknik

CrossCar
6 Martin Enlund SWE Enlunds Motorsport
8 Jonas Ericsson SWE SSD Swespeed
11 Jimmie Österberg SWE Österberg Motorsport
14 Nils Andersson SWE NA Motorsport
20 Julius Ljungdahl SWE Yellow Squad by Hansen
21 Lars Söderström SWE SSD Swespeed
46 Thomas Eek Murstad NOR Murstad Motorsport
65 Isac Egonsson SWE Carcontrol
76 Erik Wassberg SWE Erik Wassberg
85 Petter Hane SWE Petter Hane
96 Hans Carlzon SWE Hans Carlzon
170 Isak Reiersen SWE JC Raceteknik Junior Team
175 Timmy Enlund SWE Enlunds Motorsport

19-04-29 Disappointing weekend for JC Raceteknik in Barcelona
JC Raceteknik left the opening round of the RX2 International Series at Barcelona in Spain wondering what might have been, as the end result from the event was not what had been promised by the performance shown in qualifying.

Former FIA European Rallycross Champion Ben-Philip Gundersen, the driver that won the first round of the RX2 series last year, was again among the pace-setters in Spain, with third fastest time in Q1 and Q2 on Saturday.

But, the Norwegian was disqualified from Q3 for a first corner incident and even with another third fastest time in Q4, was unable to climb back enough positions in the ultracompetitive single-make category and missed out on a place in the semi-finals.

Swede William Nilsson set consistent pace through qualifying but crashed out of the event heavily in the semi-finals after being hit by another car following the joker lap section. Making his international rallycross debut, Jimmie Walfridson, improved his pace throughout the weekend but had his chances of making the final ended by a puncture in the semi-finals.

JC Raceteknik will return to action for the second round RX2 International Series and its FIA World Rallycross Championship debut with 2016 FIA World RX Champion Mattias Ekstrom at Spa in Belgium in two weeks’ time (May 11 – 12).

Joel Christoffersson, Team Principal :
“It was a terrible weekend for the team. We had good speed with Ben-Philip but the black flag destroyed the whole weekend with having zero points in that session, unfortunately we couldn’t go to the semi-finals with him. Jimmie struggled a lot to find the rhythm and speed on the track on Saturday, we made some progress on Sunday but it was still not good enough, then the puncture in the semi-final didn’t make it better. William also didn’t find a good rhythm, after the test in France that was surprising. He struggled during the weekend, then he had a big crash in the semi-finals. We are there, we have good speed with Ben-Philip and we will work hard to help all of our drivers to improve for the next race in Belgium.”

RX2: Ben-Philip Gundersen (NOR) :
“I felt comfortable in the car from the start and already had good pace in the first practice. The race went really well and it looked like we could get good revenge after last time we were in Barcelona racing in TouringCar. We had third after Q2, then in Q3 I felt I had a good start and that I was faster than both Kallio and Eriksson, so when I was close to turn one I started to turn a bit to the left. I was first after turn one and didn’t see there was a crash behind, so I just focused on my race and got a good time. The judges took it badly and chose to disqualify me from Q3. I was very frustrated, I feel the penalty was way too hard. I had to be really lucky to get a place in the semi-final – I had to be at least P2 in Q4 to make the semi, but I was only P3, so it was over. It’s a really bad start to the season, but we are good enough to be at the top so we just need to fight even harder to reach that.”

RX2: William Nilsson (SWE) :
“It was a really tough weekend for the whole team. I struggled to find the last tenths in the pace to the fastest guys. Then it ended with a big crash for me with another guy, which was just really sad. I have a circuit racing series in Sweden that I need to drive in next weekend, and this is not the way I wanted to start my season. It was a disappointing finish, we need to work as a team to get the pace to the guys at the front, I don’t know why at the moment but we will work on that.”

RX2: Jimmie Walfridson (SWE) :
“The main goal this year is to focus on RallyX Nordic and the Swedish Championship, and we were thinking to warm up before the season in Belgium, but I got the opportunity to race in Spain as well and of course its more fun to drive yourself than watch the race on TV, so I jumped at the chance. It was a very educational weekend for me. The track was very good and I found more and more speed as the event went on. Unfortunately, I made too many mistakes but I got a lot of experience and I’ll try and put that together to do better at the next racing in Belgium.”

19-04-28 Eriksson leads Olsbergs clean sweep under the Spanish sun
Defending champion remains the man to beat as RX2 races back into life
Fraser McConnell channels his inner Usain Bolt with speedy display on debut
Jesse Kallio proves his ‘Flying Finn’ credentials with third-place finish

Reigning RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires Champion Oliver Eriksson kick-started the defence of his title in impressive fashion at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya this weekend (27/28 April), leading home a commanding Olsbergs MSE one-two-three ahead of RX2 new boys Fraser McConnell and Jesse Kallio.

The OMSE trio were on fine form throughout at the iconic Spanish Grand Prix venue, and not even a first corner clash with JC Raceteknik’s Ben-Philip Gundersen in Q3 could derail their charge. Eriksson had to draw upon all of his experience to keep his two rapid team-mates at bay, as both McConnell and Kallio – who waged a fierce duel for second in the final – demonstrated that the Swede will have things far from his own way this season.

SET Promotion young gun Sami-Matti Trogen fought back well from a spectacular Q1 roll to place fourth overall, ahead of Sports Racing Technologies ace Vasiliy Gryazin and series debutant Damien Meunier, who shone with sixth position for Team Färén after just a single test day in Supercar Lites machinery.

Qualifying Races
Eriksson won three of the four qualifying contests in Spain, only missing out in Q3 when a first corner squeeze initiated by Gundersen sent him into the tyre barriers and left Kallio with race-ending damage. The coming-together had serious repercussions for the Norwegian – a pre-season title favourite in his second full campaign in the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series – as disqualification for his part in the incident meant he missed out on making it through to the semi-finals.

McConnell recovered from a spin into the barriers in Q1 to fight his way to second in the intermediate classification, turning heads with the fastest time in Q3 and second-best time in Q4 on his European racing debut. Kallio was just behind in third after rivalling Eriksson for pace throughout the qualifying stages.

Gryazin (Sports Racing Technologies) was a consistent contender in fourth, with Trogen responding well to his Q1 retirement by vaulting back up the order into fifth courtesy of a string of quick times. That placed the Finn ahead of French Rallycross Championship Supercar star Meunier, who impressed more with every race, belying the fact that he had only had one test in Supercar Lites machinery prior to the weekend.

Similarly making the semi-finals were Swedish trio Anders Michalak, Simon Olofsson and William Nilsson, the latter despite losing time to damaged steering and brake issues on Saturday. Reigning EuroRX TouringCar Champion Steve Volders rounded out the top ten on his series bow, ahead of Jimmie Walfridson (JC Raceteknik) and ‘home’ hero Albert Llovera, reaching the semi-finals for the first time in his RX2 career to the evident delight of the partisan crowds filling the Barcelona grandstands.

Semi-Finals
Eriksson withstood the threat posed by Kallio in the first semi-final, with the Finn shadowing his OMSE stablemate from lights-to-flag. Trogen ran third throughout to safely progress to the final, but behind, the action was somewhat livelier.

Walfridson missed his braking point into the first corner, clipping JC Raceteknik team-mate Nilsson who was in-turn pushed into Michalak. The latter pair would come together later in the race, too, with light contact at the exit of the joker pitching Nilsson into the gravel and out of contention. Michalak went on to finish fourth, with Walfridson nursing a puncture on his way to fifth.

Rivalling his famous countryman Usain Bolt for out-and-out speed, McConnell commanded the second semi-final as Gryazin gave chase, but the battle for third – and the last available final spot – was fierce. Olofsson challenged Meunier around the outside of Turn One on the opening lap, but the Frenchman held his ground before the pair came together again moments later, along with Volders.

The contact sent Meunier wide and Volders briefly airborne, and whilst Olofsson took the chequered flag third, the Swede was subsequently penalised for the collision, promoting his hard-charging Team Färén rival into the final. Volders placed fifth ahead of Llovera, for whom the result capped his most competitive RX2 weekend to-date.

Final
Eriksson converted pole position into the race lead at the start and thereafter never looked back, inching away from McConnell to ultimately cross the line just over three seconds clear. He was aided by a sensational duel between the Jamaican and Kallio for the runner-up spoils. The Finn opted to take an early joker, and when McConnell did likewise later in the race, he rejoined practically alongside his OMSE team-mate.

What followed was a drag race along the back straight, before McConnell boldly drove all the way around the outside of Kallio with a scarcely believable pass that brought the appreciative crowd to their feet. The battle for fourth was settled in similar fashion, as Gryazin attempted the same move on Trogen but narrowly failed to pull it off, instead producing a spectacular save when his SRT car got briefly out-of-shape. Meunier completed the finishers in an excellent sixth place.

The action heads next to renowned Belgian Formula 1 venue Spa-Francorchamps in a fortnight’s time (11/12 May), with Eriksson leading the way on 30 points – and the rest of the field firmly focussed on turning the tables.

Quote, Unquote
Oliver Eriksson (1st): “That was pretty close to the perfect weekend – certainly a much better start than last year! The level of competition in RX2 this season is very high – you only have to look at the timesheets to see that and I’ve got two very quick new team-mates, who I was helping out a bit. Fraser [McConnell] and Jesse [Kallio] both did a great job, so all credit to them. Maybe I’ll have to stop giving them quite so much advice considering how close they were! Seriously, though, we’re a very open team at OMSE and we always share data, and as a driver, you always want to be pushed by your team-mates because it makes you raise your own game. That’s what RX2 is all about – developing skills and extracting every last tenth-of-a-second. We had the speed all weekend, and it was important to bounce back quickly after Q3 – it’s all about how you recover in rallycross, and that’s exactly what we did. I drove angry in Q4, and knowing how important pole is in Barcelona given the nature of the first corner, I worked very hard to keep it for every race. Maximum points – I’ll definitely take that!”

Fraser McConnell (2nd): “That was a bit of a rollercoaster to begin with! I guess that’s how this sport goes – the lows are very low but the highs are very high, and we experienced both this weekend. I felt good arriving here, but then I spun on the first lap in practice which knocked my confidence a bit. I was slightly nervous after that and went a touch too aggressive at the start of Q1, which put me in the tyres. I had a few choice words with myself and from there, it was all about building from ground zero again and we just climbed and climbed and climbed. The final was a lot of fun, and I’m sure everybody watching enjoyed the last couple of corners! It was essentially a drag race down the back straight with Jesse [Kallio], and while conscious of obviously not wanting to take each other out, equally, we both wanted that second position. I thought, ‘this guy is as crazy as I am’, so I braked at the apex of the corner, threw the car in sideways and then just planted my foot on the throttle. Hopefully I left a good impression... For my first event in Europe – first time in Europe even – I really couldn’t ask for very much more.”

Jesse Kallio (3rd): “I’m really happy with third place – my goal coming to Barcelona was to reach the podium, and here we are! Big thanks to OMSE for doing such a brilliant job for all three of us – it’s a great team result. I only had two days of testing before the weekend and it was my first time competing with 4WD, but I’ve already established a good feeling in the Supercar Lites car – it’s very easy to drive, which in turn inspires confidence. I proved I’ve got the speed to race right at the front, which is very encouraging, especially given how tight the competition is in RX2. Everybody has the same equipment, which means it comes down to the driver to make the difference and there were some very tough battles out there. I had some really hard but fair and enjoyable fights with my two team-mates over the weekend – it doesn’t get much closer than it did with Fraser [McConnell] in the final and we still managed not to touch at all. We were both trying to brake as late as possible and I just left it a bit too late. He got me this time, but next time I’ll try to pay him back...”

Andreas Eriksson, RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires CEO: “What a great start to the new RX2 season here in Barcelona! The racing has been superb – a real masterclass for the Spanish fans from the rallycross stars of the future – and we witnessed some fantastic fights between the experienced RX2 contenders and the series newcomers. To see two rookies on the podium at the end of the weekend was proof of just how competitive it is going to be this year, and the wheel-to-wheel action in the final in particular really had the fans on the edge of their seats. Next, we go to another new venue for RX2 and another classic Formula 1 circuit – Spa – which has always been renowned as somewhere that truly rewards the brave. It’s going to be spectacular!”

Final Result
1. Oliver ERIKSSON (SWE) Olsbergs MSE 6 laps
2. Fraser MCCONNELL (JAM) Olsbergs MSE +3.040s
3. Jesse KALLIO (FIN) Olsbergs MSE +3.397s
4. Sami-Matti TROGEN (FIN) SET Promotion +4.055s
5. Vasiliy GRYAZIN (LVA) Sports Racing Technologies +5.124s
6. Damien MEUNIER (FRA) Team Färén +6.494s

Championship Standings
1. Oliver Eriksson (SWE) 30 points
2. Fraser McConnell (JAM) 26 points
3. Jesse Kallio (FIN) 23 points
4. Vasiliy Gryazin (LVA) 20 points
5. Sami-Matti Trogen (FIN) 19 points
6. Damien Meunier (FRA) 16 points
7. Anders Michalak (SWE) 13 points
8. Simon Olofsson (SWE) 11 points
9. Steve Volders (BEL) 10 points
10. William Nilsson (SWE) 9 points

19-04-28 Historic one-two for Hansen brothers in Barcelona
Team Hansen MJP recorded a sensational FIA World Rallycross Championship result, with Timmy Hansen winning every single qualifying session, his semi-final and the final, while championship leader Kevin Hansen made it a Hansen family 1-2 in the final for a unprecedented result in FIA World Rallycross history.

Timmy Hansen claimed his first 2019 WRX victory – the sixth of his career – with younger brother and Abu Dhabi winner Kevin Hansen finishing second. The Hansen name topped every session from the start of qualifying as they dominated in Barcelona. The incredible performances from Timmy and Kevin are reflected in the championship standings, with Team Hansen MJP leading the 2019 WRX Team Standings by 18 points, while Kevin remains on top of the 2019 WRX Driver Standings and Timmy climbs to third with his victory.

After a devastating first round in Abu Dhabi for Timmy, which required a complete rebuild of his Peugeot 208 WRX after a collision with Andreas Bakkerud, he proved himself as the driver to beat from the start of Q1 in Barcelona. Timmy won the opening qualifying session and every one after that, seizing a maximum allocation of qualifying points, while Kevin emerged second after the qualifying heats with impressive and consistent speed.

Their qualifying performances meant that the brothers were seeded separately for the semi-finals, as Timmy and Kevin lined up for semi-final 1 and semi-final 2 respectively. Both drivers took dominant victories in their semi-finals, with healthy leads of 2.148s and 2.525s for Timmy and Kevin respectively.

Timmy produced a faultless performance in the final to claim an untroubled victory, taking his mandatory joker visit on the last lap. Rounding off the Hansen one-two finish, Kevin put on a brilliant display of driving while employing some fine race craft to hold off his rivals. Kevin took his joker while running second on the fifth lap, passing Niclas Gronholm afterwards to take third with one lap remaining. On the final lap, Andreas Bakkerud took his joker, handing Kevin the opportunity to close in and pounce, claiming second in the closing stages of a nail-biting final.

1st
Timmy Hansen
Qualifying 1 1st
Qualifying 2 1st
Qualifying 3 1st
Qualifying 4 1st
Semi-Final 1st
Final 1st

2nd
Kevin Hansen
Qualifying 1 2nd
Qualifying 2 2nd
Qualifying 3 5th
Qualifying 4 4th
Semi-Final 1st
Final 2 nd

Talking points Talking
Points
Timmy bounced back from a disappointing Abu Dhabi to deliver a dominant and unbeatable weekend in Barcelona, becoming the third driver in WRX history to deliver a clean sweep.
The Hansen name will go down in history as the first siblings to claim a one-two finish on an FIA World Rallycross Championship event.
Timmy and Kevin also ensured that the Hansen name joins an elite club of families to have scored a sibling one-two in an FIA World Championship event: the other two are Michael and Ralf Schumacher in Formula 1, as well as Colin and Alister McRae in the European Rally Championship.
An enormous effort to simply be on the WRX grid at all this year has blossomed into incredible success, with Hansen leading both the drivers’ and teams’ championships after Barcelona.

Timmy Hansen
I think this has been the best weekend of my career so far. We got off to the best possible start on Saturday, winning the qualifying heats, and then we won the semi-final too. For the final I lined up against Kevin, and we played a good team game as we agreed that we would give each other plenty of room. The final was perfect as well, and when I saw in my mirror that Kevin was behind me to finish second, that was a really special moment as well. I was actually feeling very emotional: this was the perfect revenge after everything that happened in Abu Dhabi. Now I’m just going to enjoy the moment and head to Spa with even more confidence.”

Kevin Hansen
“We had a really good Q1 and Q2; then I had to get my elbows out a bit more in Q3 and Q4, but I really enjoyed it. I got the fastest lap of the weekend too, which made me really happy, as the ultimate pace compared to Timmy is perhaps the area where I’ve been lacking before, but now we’re getting there. Timmy did an amazing job this weekend; he really deserved to win. I wouldn’t say that he was completely uncatchable as there were times that I was close to him, but we drive each other on, which is perfect as it’s all about the team. Now I’ve extended my championship lead but this is not something that I’ve been thinking about much: we’re only on round two out of 10.

Kenneth Hansen
"I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of success in my career as a driver, winning many races and championships, but actually I think this feeling right now is even better. I can’t actually believe that it’s happened, so it’s going to take a while to sink in. There’s no way that we could have done better – so the expectation is even higher now, as the very best we could do from now on is equal what we have achieved now. And I think that will be very difficult to do, but of course we will try.

"I feel so happy and most of all so proud, both of what we have created with the Hansen MJP team but also as a dad. It’s hard to describe what it’s like seeing your boys finishing first and second, fighting so hard but so fairly. They think of the team first and they’re great friends. I think Timmy had something extra this weekend, while Kevin had to fight a bit harder, but they learn from each other all the time and that’s the biggest strength of our family team."

19-04-28 Clean sweep for Timmy Hansen in World RX of Catalunya
Timmy Hansen rounded out an imperious weekend in Barcelona with victory in the final of the Cooper Tires World RX of Catalunya, round two of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy.

The Swedish driver rebounded from an event-ending qualifying crash in the season-opener in Abu Dhabi three weeks’ ago to top both days of qualifying, winning his semi-final and then stamping his authority on the final.

He kept a perfect score to emerge with a clean sweep of wins. It was also his first World RX victory since taking the honours at the Canadian round in 2016.

Hansen was delighted to turn his fortunes around after the disappointment of Abu Dhabi. “We had to work incredibly hard and put all our resources in to re-building my car from Abu Dhabi. The mechanics worked day and night and got the car here in good condition,” he said.

“Honestly, I just wanted a good, clean weekend but I started with a win in Q1 and Q2 and won all four qualifying races. I think it’s only the fourth time that’s been done and only the third time anybody has the perfect weekend so I’m really happy to be in the history books.

“I really worked hard on my starts this weekend. You have to be super focussed to get a good launch with a rallycross car but we did it all the way through. And I’m really looking forward to building on this result.”

Timmy’s younger brother Kevin finished second in the final after holding off a hard-charging Andreas Bakkerud in the Monster Energy RX Cartel Audi S1. The Norwegian opted for a last-lap joker lap but still emerged behind Kevin at the run to the flag.

The siblings, in a pair of Team Hansen MJP Peugeot 208s, had laid down a marker with back-to-back one-twos in Q1 and Q2 – Timmy pulling rank over Kevin.

Second place in Spain enabled Kevin to retain his overall leadership of the championship after he was promoted from second to first place in the UAE following a penalty for Niclas Gronholm.

“I am really pleased with this result. To get second place is very satisfying. I tried my best against Timmy but he was just too fast in the final," he said.

“I don’t think about the championship too much. It’s nice to be leading and to know that I’ve been competitive so far. I am really enjoying the car and the whole feeling at the moment and I hope to keep this momentum going and keep a smile on my face.”

Bakkerud, who was disqualified after being at fault for the crash with Timmy Hansen in Abu Dhabi, was relieved to be on the podium.

“It’s been hard to play catch-up. We are still struggling from the crash in Abu Dhabi,” he said. “We are still working on the car step-by-step but we are getting there.

“Three times in a row I have been on the podium in Barcelona so obviously I Iike it here. But I have to say the Hansens have been the dominant team this weekend – especially Timmy, he has been superb, so congrats to him.”

Gronholm finished fourth in the final to maintain his second place in the championship on 48 points, eight points behind Kevin and 10 ahead of Timmy.

Cyril Raymond was impressive all weekend in the GCK Academy Renault Clio and his fifth place in his first World RX final, was just reward. The Frenchmen finished ahead of the Team STARD Ford Fiesta driver Janis Baumanis.

The GC Kompetition squad had an improved performance from Abu Dhabi by getting Guillaume De Ridder and Guerlain Chicherit to the semi-finals along with Raymond.

Liam Doran, third place last time out in Abu Dhabi, had a mixed weekend in his Monster Energy RX Cartel Audi S1 but made it to the semi-final as did Timur Timerzyanov in the GRX Taneco Hyundai i20.

Hungary's Krisztian Szabo had a last-corner spin in the EKS Sport Audi in the second semi-final but scored 10 points in another solid weekend for the World RX newcomer. ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport’s Timo Scheider had a troublesome semi-final in the Seat Ibiza in finishing fifth ahead of Szabo.

British driver and former Olympic champion Sir Christopher Hoy thoroughly enjoyed his first taste of World RX – picking up world championships in the process.

“I’ve had the best experience of my motorsport career so far,” he said. “I’ve done the Le Mans 24 Hour, I’ve raced GT cars, historics and Caterhams, but honestly nothing compares to the sheer exhilaration of a world rallycross car.

“I take my hat off to the guys competing in this series, it really is cut and thrust competition. I’m so honoured to be given the chance to compete in an FIA world championship – and to come away with points.”

Hoy’s Xite Racing stablemate Oliver Bennett showed flashes of pace in the Mini Cooper as did ESmotorsport - Labas GAS's rookie Rokas Baciuska in the Skoda Fabia.

The championship now moves to Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium for the World RX of Benelux on May 11-12.

19-04-28 William Nilsson till sjukhus efter rallycrosspremiären – kraschade under semifinalen i Barcelona
Årets säsong i RX2 International Series hade minst sagt kunnat börja bättre än den gjorde för William Nilsson, som efter en påkörning på banan slungades in i en betongbarriärer.
– Barriären är stenhård, så det tog tvärstopp. Det kändes direkt att smällen tagit illa över nacke och rygg, säger Nilsson.

Det var i Spanien på banan Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, som den första deltävlingen av RX2 International Series kördes. För skånske William Nilsson blev det en tuff inledning av rallycrossäsongen.
Tempot fanns inte riktigt för att vara med i toppen denna gång. I semifinalen blev det en stökig start med många smällar där han kom ut som fjärde förare. Under andra varvet blev Nilsson påkörd av en förare som kom ut ur jokerspåret. Han slungades av banan och in i betongbarriären.
– Barriären är stenhård, så det tog tvärstopp. Eftersom jag krockade in i muren med bakänden av bilen tog smällen värre, och jag kunde inte riktigt förbereda mig på kollisionen. Det kändes direkt att smällen tagit illa över nacke och rygg, säger Nilsson.

19-åringen fördes till sjukhus med ambulans för observation. Efter röntgen och noggrann undersökning kunde läkarna konstatera att ingenting var brutet. Däremot har skelettet fått sig en rejäl smäll och muskler skadats – värst i nacke och rygg.
– Jag har fått en nackkrage och ett skydd för ryggen som ska hålla mig rak. Sen är det smärtstillande och vila som gäller för att återhämta sig så snabbt som möjligt. Att det blev skador på både bilen och mig känns såklart pissigt som fan. Det är inte den starten som någon vill ha på en säsong.

Läkaren ordinerade fem dagars vila med nackkrage och ryggskydd, men det finns ett problem: Nilsson ska tävla redan på fredag. Till helgen drar nämligen V8 Thunder Cars igång och det är på Ring Knutstorp som premiären körs.
– Det blir min första tävling någonsin i en V8-bil. Hittills har jag bara hunnit med två kortare test, så det i kombination med skadan kanske inte ger mig de bästa förutsättningarna.
Nilsson skrattar och fortsätter:
– Jag är inställd på att kunna köra tävlingen, och mår jag bara bra så lovar jag att göra mitt bästa. Jag är laddad inför säsongen i V8 Thunder Cars och ser fram emot första tävlingen i bilen. Det är en väldigt speciell bil. Jag har faktiskt aldrig kört något liknande så det är utanför min comfort zone. Men det kommer bli en jäkligt kul upplevelse och bra erfarenhet.

19-04-28 Punktering stoppade Walfridsons framfart under semifinalen i RX2 debuten i Barcelona!
I helgen gjorde Jimmie Walfridson utlandsdebut i RX2 när serien RX2 International Series hade premiär under Rallycross-VM i Barcelona.
- Huvudmålet i år är fullt fokus på RallyX Nordic och rallycross-SM. Meningen var att jag skulle värma upp inför grussäsongen först under deltävlingen i Belgien den 10-11 maj. Men strax innan tävlingsstart här i Spanien fick jag erbjudande av mitt team JC Raceteknik att köra även den här tävlingen.Och det är ju betydligt roligare att få köra själv än att följa tävlingen från TV-soffan. Så självklart hoppade jag på erbjudandet, säger Jimmie med ett skratt.

Helgen bjöd på blandad kompott för hans del och han inledde lite trevande med åttonde respektive tolfte tid i de första två omgångarna under lördagen.
- Det är en väldigt frän bana, men jag fick det inte riktigt att stämma i andra omgången. Vi får klura ut hur vi ska ställa in bilen inför söndagen och höja upp tempot då, sa han efter gårdagens race.

Idag fungerade det betydligt bättre och han fick sjätte bästa tid under dagens inledande warm-up. Han höll upp samma höga tempo även i den tredje omgången och blev sexa. Därmed klättrade han upp från elfte till nionde plats totalt.

I fjärde och avgörande omgången tog han starten i sitt heat, men tappade tyvärr ledningen efter jokern. Det blev en tredjeplats i heatet vilket gav tionde plats i omgången. Det innebar att han kvalade in som sista bil i den första semifinalen.

I semifinalen blev det dessvärre en startsmäll där Jimmie råkade få en punktering. I och med punkteringen var chanserna att kvala vidare till final bortblåsta.

En femteplats i semifinalen gav en elfteplats i Barcelona.
- Det här har varit en mycket lärorik helg. Banan var väldigt frän och jag fick upp farten mer och mer allteftersom. Tyvärr gjorde jag för många misstag, och då blir det inga tider. Men jag tar med mig en massa erfarenhet, biter ihop och ska försöka göra bättre ifrån mig i Belgien, avslutar han.

På www.walfridson.com hittar du mer info. Där har vi följt rallycrossen, heat för heat.

Resultat Barcelona
1. Oliver Eriksson (Swe) 30 p
2. Fraser Mc Conell (Jam) 26 p
3. Jesse Kallio (Fin) 23 p
4. Sami Matti Trogen (Fin) 19 p
5. Vasiliy Gryazin (Lva) 20 p
6. Damien Meunier (Fra) 16 p
7. Anders Michalak (Swe) 13 p
8. Simon Olofsson (Swe) 11 p
9. Steven Volders (Bel) 10 p
10. William Nilsson (Swe) 9 p
11. Jimmie Walfridson (Swe) 8 p
12. Albert Llovera (And) 6p
13. Ben-Philip Gundersen (Nor) 4 p

19-04-25 Team Hansen MJP at full strength for Spanish adventure
After a winning start to the season in Abu Dhabi, Team Hansen MJP now returns to Europe for FIA World Rallycross Championship round two in Barcelona, with Kevin Hansen leading the drivers’ standings. Abu Dhabi was an emotional rollercoaster for the family-run Hansen team, as Kevin took his debut win while elder brother Timmy Hansen was sidelined after a perfect start by a big accident that wasn’t his fault. But in Barcelona everything starts again, and with Timmy’s Peugeot 208 WRX now back in perfect condition, he can’t wait to open his points score for the season – while the whole squad is also within touching distance of the teams’ championship lead. Unlike last year, conditions should be warm and sunny in Barcelona, so get ready for a fast Spanish fiesta!

The track: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
Barcelona is a fast and flowing track in the modern style of rallycross circuit, that uses part of a Formula 1 track with a specially created infield.

For the first time, Team Hansen arrives with its own trucks and infrastructure set-up: all material that was previously used in 2017 as a semi-factory squad. Now, with two cars instead of three, it certainly looks the part!

The big numbers
12
The number of people who make up the Hansen team on-event: five mechanics, three engineers, two drivers, plus Kenneth and Susann Hansen to run the team!.

600
Peak horsepower of the Peugeot 208 WRX's four-cylinder, two-litre turbocharged engine.

2.0
The number of seconds it takes for Timmy and Kevin to reach 60mph from a standstill in the 208 WRX. That's quicker than an F1 car starts a grand prix!
What to look out for
The joker lap section is particularly interesting and complex, with the cars carrying plenty of speed through it and providing an opportunity to overtake. It’s important to be defensive against cars re-emerging, but not too defensive – or too much time can be lost.

Turn 2 is crucial for a quick lap: it’s a long gravel off-camber right-hander with quite a narrow racing line, which sets the tone for the following section. Turn 1 is also tricky: there have been many incidents there in the past.

Ideal set-up:
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
Hansen mechanic
Photo: @World / Red Bull Content Pool

With bad weather characterising the race last year, a different set-up should be needed for the warm conditions expected this weekend.
The final corner, a long hairpin that is half gravel and half asphalt, is particularly technically demanding, effectively requiring two different driving styles for each surface in quick succession.

19-04-25 Multinational grid set to battle for honours as new season revs into life in Spain
Eight nationalities make up cosmopolitan field for 2019 curtain-raiser
Talented newcomers ready to take the fight to established RX2 stars
All of the action available via Facebook livestream and TV broadcast

The 2019 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires will race into life in Barcelona this weekend (27/28 April), with no fewer than eight different nationalities represented in a high-quality field of title hopefuls – underscoring the popular championship’s wide-ranging appeal.

2019 will mark the third season of the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series, in which all competitors take to the track in identical 310bhp, four wheel-drive Supercar Lites machinery.

Seven rounds await, beginning at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya before moving on to fellow Formula 1 venues Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and Silverstone in the UK as well as classic rallycross tracks Hell (Norway), Höljes (Sweden) and Lohéac (France). The high-octane, wheel-to-wheel action will conclude – for the third consecutive campaign – at Cape Town’s Killarney International Circuit in South Africa in November.

The King is Back
The high-calibre entry list is headlined by defending RX2 champion Oliver Eriksson (Olsbergs MSE), who has his focus firmly set on claiming back-to-back drivers’ trophies following a superb season in 2018. The 20-year-old Swede, however, is well aware that it will be no walk in the park.

“It’s often said that winning the title is tough, but defending it is even tougher – and when you look at the standard of competition in RX2 in 2019, I think that’s very true,” Eriksson reflected. “I’m going to have my work cut out, but I’ve prepared well over the winter and whilst the target might be on my back, I certainly don’t plan on surrendering my crown without a fight!”

Ben-Philip Gundersen (JC Raceteknik) and Vasiliy Gryazin (Sports Racing Technologies) concluded the 2018 campaign separated by just a single point in fourth and fifth positions in the standings respectively. Gundersen won twice – at the start and end of the season – but will be seeking to add greater consistency to his armoury as he targets a full-on title challenge, while Gryazin has established himself as a regular threat over the past two years but is still in search of his breakthrough victory.

William Nilsson (JC Raceteknik) was fast but all-too-often out of luck last year, but the Swedish teenager is more than capable of battling for the top step of the podium. The same can be said for SET Promotion ace Sami-Matti Trogen, the youngest driver in the field at just 16 but a fearless competitor who is rapidly climbing the rallycross ladder.

Sweden’s Anders Michalak achieved the best finish of his RX2 career so far with fourth place at Silverstone last May – a result he is aiming to build upon in 2019 – while countryman Simon Olofsson popularly reached the rostrum on home soil at Höljes and is unfailingly spectacular to watch with his trademark never-say-die approach.

The last returning driver – Albert Llovera – is a former record-breaking Olympic skier who was left paralysed from the waist down following a serious accident in the 1985 European Ski Cup. Having subsequently steered his career down the motorsport path, the Andorran made steady progress in RX2 last season and is confident of taking the fight to the series’ young guns.

New Faces
Five newcomers join the grid in 2019, and all five have good reason to be bullish about their prospects for success. Damien Meunier arrives with an impressive reputation from the French Rallycross Championship’s Supercar class, and the 18-year-old – who grew up just a couple of hours down the road from Lohéac – will compete in Barcelona with support from front-running Swedish outfit Team Färén.

Jamaica’s Fraser McConnell and Finnish hotshot Jesse Kallio partner Eriksson at reigning teams’ champions OMSE. McConnell only made his debut in rallycross last year but turned heads with four final appearances out of five in America’s ARX2 series, highlighted by a podium finish in the season finale. Kallio, meanwhile, has shone in every championship he has entered, from the RX Academy to FIA Euro RX’s Super1600 category and is widely regarded as one of the discipline’s brightest young talents.

Steve Volders – the last man ever to win the now-defunct EuroRX TouringCar Championship – is counting upon his years of experience in the sport to make his mark, while the Barcelona entry list is completed by 11th-hour addition Jimmie Walfridson (JC Raceteknik). The Swede starred in a one-off outing on home soil last summer, only narrowly missing out on making the final in the largest RX2 field to-date.

The Barcelona RX2 action will begin with free practice and the opening two qualifying races on Saturday (27 April), followed by the remaining two qualifiers, semi-finals and final on Sunday (28 April). Fans will be able to watch all of the qualifying races live via the FIA World RX and RX2 Series Facebook pages, with the semi-finals and all-important final featuring as part of the live World RX television broadcast.

“It’s hugely exciting to be at the start of the third season of RX2,” enthused series CEO Andreas Eriksson. “The fact that we have eight different nationalities in the field this year is testament to the championship’s impressive reach, and picking a winner at this stage is virtually impossible. There is so much strength-in-depth, from hungry young guns to more experienced contenders, which makes for a fascinating mix.

“I must say, the calibre of new names on the entry list is particularly striking. All of them have achieved success in other series, and they are sure to keep the RX2 regulars firmly on their toes. It all adds up to a thrillingly unpredictable picture, and I for one cannot wait for the racing to start this weekend to see how everything unfolds...”

2019 RX2 Barcelona Entry List
2 Ben-Philip Gundersen NOR JC Raceteknik
6 William Nilsson SWE JC Raceteknik
12 Anders Michalak SWE Anders Michalak
16 Oliver Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE
21 Damien Meunier FRA Damien Meunier
22 Sami-Matti Trogen FIN SET Promotion
35 Fraser McConnell JAM Olsbergs MSE
47 Jesse Kallio FIN Olsbergs MSE
52 Simon Olofsson SWE Simon Olofsson
55 Vasiliy Gryazin LVA Sports Racing Technologies
66 Albert Llovera AND Albert Llovera
77 Steve Volders BEL Nationale Renstal Trommelke
90 Jimmie Walfridson SWE JC Raceteknik

19-04-24 Full 2019 RallyX Nordic campaign to be livestreamed on Facebook
All seven rounds to benefit from comprehensive live coverage
Fans around the world to enjoy every moment of high-octane action
English commentary for feed, with more platforms to be announced

Every round of the fast-approaching 2019 RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires campaign will be broadcast LIVE on the series’ Facebook page for the first time.

In major news for the rapidly growing series, fans all around the world will be able to follow every moment of the high-speed, wheel-to-wheel action between some of the most exciting and talented drivers in the sport.

Every event – from Höljes to Nysum, Riga to Finnskogbanen and Kouvola to Tierp Arena – will be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/rallyxnordic and on further yet-to-be-announced platforms.

All competing classes in RallyX Nordic will benefit from this significantly enhanced coverage, with the racing to be voiced by a well-known, English-speaking motorsport commentator.

“We’re thrilled to be able to confirm the Facebook livestream for RallyX Nordic this season,” enthused Series Manager Ian Davies. “RallyX Nordic invariably produces spectacular entertainment across the board, from the flame-spitting Supercars to the nifty and nimble CrossCars – and the short, sharp format of one race swiftly followed by another makes it ideal for livestreaming.

“We also have many fans outside the Nordic area, and this live coverage will help them to follow us more closely. We encourage all of our thousands of followers on the Facebook page and their friends and families to tune in – the racing looks set to be better than ever this year, with big-name drivers, a blend of classic and exciting new rallycross tracks and some of the coolest cars you will ever see in one paddock. You won’t want to miss a moment!”

Television deals in multiple markets will be announced in due course.

19-04-22 Walfridson completes RX2 grid with 11th-hour JC Raceteknik deal
Swedish star completes high-calibre 2019 RX2 line-up
28-year-old to contest four of the opening five rounds
JC Raceteknik ace shone in one-off outing last year

Jimmie Walfridson is a late addition to the entry list for the 2019 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires curtain-raiser in Barcelona this weekend (27/28 April), after agreeing an 11th-hour deal with Swedish squad JC Raceteknik.

Born into a rallycross family, Walfridson has prior experience in RX2 having contested the Swedish round at Höljes last summer. In the largest field in the series’ history, the 28-year-old placed an impressive sixth in the intermediate standings, ultimately missing out on a spot in the final by just over two seconds. He also competed in RallyX on Ice in 2018, reaching the rostrum in the last round at Gol.

As he prepares to return to the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series – with his participation currently confirmed for four of the five opening rounds – Walfridson is fired-up to show what he can do against the best young drivers in the discipline.

“I can’t wait to join the RX2 grid in Barcelona!” the Swede enthused. “It was a bit of a last-minute deal – I was all-set to watch the racing online this weekend – so I’m really excited to actually be taking part.

“I haven’t had much chance yet to assess the opposition, but I’ve raced against a number of the other drivers in various series before so I’m well aware it will be a tough battle. That said, I’m always up for a fight – so bring it on!”

19-04-20 Euro RX TouringCar Champ Volders counting on experience and grit as he joins RX2 grid
Experienced Belgian adds his name to the frame for RX2 success in 2019
Reigning EuroRX TouringCar Champion says priority is having fun
44-year-old has been able to draw on the advice of compatriot De Ridder

Steve Volders – the last man ever to win the now-defunct FIA European Rallycross TouringCar Championship – will join the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires in 2019, hoping to draw upon his experience in the sport and promising to ‘never give up’.

Volders lifted the EuroRX TouringCar laurels in the series’ swansong last year, at the end of a thrilling campaign in which the top three drivers in the standings wound up blanketed by just two points.

Prior to that, he had claimed a number of Belgian and Dutch rallycross titles and – proving that he is just as skilled beneath the bonnet as behind the wheel – Volders and his Hefo Racing team built and developed a Ford Escort MK1 that he piloted to his first national championship crown.

Now, the 44-year-old Belgian is preparing to make his debut in the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series – and he has sought advice from a former multiple RX2 race-winner ahead of the opening round in Barcelona next weekend (27/28 April).

“Honestly, I have no idea what to expect,” confessed Volders. “I have tested the Supercar Lites car a couple of times in Belgium and Holland to get an initial feel for it and I received some tips from [2018 RX2 championship runner-up and current World RX driver] Guillaume De Ridder, but it’s difficult to know where I stand until I go up against the others.

“I’m remaining realistic. My first goal is to reach the semi-final, and after that we will see what happens. The most important thing for me is to enjoy it and have fun – and then hopefully, good results will follow. I’m counting on my experience and one thing I will say is that these young chargers should watch out for the little old Belgian guy, because he never gives up!”

19-04-18 Michalak 'hungry' to maintain progress as he closes in on RX2 rostrum
Swede aiming to build upon best result to-date in World RX feeder series
New colours for 41-year-old as he targets RX2 podium
Strength of opposition ‘extra motivation’ for former hillclimb champ

Anders Michalak is back for a third consecutive campaign in the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires in 2019, as the Swede bids to build upon his best result to-date in the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series.

A successful hillclimbing, Supermoto and Crosskart competitor before switching to rallycross, Michalak came within three seconds of reaching the podium at Silverstone last May, with an excellent fourth place at the chequered flag marking his finest finish yet in the fiercely-contested single-make series.

Although unable to replicate that performance elsewhere – ultimately placing 13th in the driver standings – the 41-year-old’s gritty determination did not go unnoticed, earning him the coveted P1 Racewear ‘Hard-Charger’ accolade at the end-of-season RX2 awards ceremony.

Since then, Michalak has kept himself sharp with go-kart practice over the winter, leaving him hopeful of making further improvements when the forthcoming campaign gets underway at Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on 27/28 April.

“2019 will be my third season in RX2, and I want to maintain the progress I’ve made over the past two years,” he asserted. “I might not be quite as young as some of the other guys, but I’m every bit as hungry and I’m focussing hard on reaching the final as many times as possible. The level of competition is clearly extremely high again, but that just serves as extra motivation for me and if you can make it into the final in rallycross, after that, anything is possible...”

19-04-16 Champion returns to defend his crown
Oliver Eriksson bidding for back-to-back RX2 titles in 2019
Swedish sensation rejoins the fray with Olsbergs MSE
20-year-old promises a stern fight in defence of his crown

The king is back in the building. Just when it looked like the competition for the crown in this year’s RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires couldn’t possibly get any hotter, reigning champion Oliver Eriksson has confirmed his return. All bets are officially off.

Last year, Eriksson – a former GRC Lites and RallyX on Ice champion – came, saw and conquered in RX2. With three victories and four podium finishes from seven starts, the Swede ultimately prevailed at the end of a thrilling season-long duel with Olsbergs MSE team-mate Guillaume De Ridder to lift the laurels in the South African finale.

Fresh from another title bid in the 2019 RallyX on Ice contest, Eriksson has announced that he will be back to defend his hard-earned RX2 trophy – joining forces with OMSE newcomers Jesse Kallio and Fraser McConnell. And he has a warning for all those contemplating trying to take it away from him...

“It’s brilliant to be coming back to RX2,” the 20-year-old enthused. “I had a blast last year and it was a great battle for the championship – now the aim is obviously to repeat that success. It is often said that winning the title is tough, but defending it is even tougher – and when you look at the calibre of the competition in RX2 in 2019, I think that’s very true.

“I’m going to have my work cut out, but I’ve prepared well over the winter and competing in RallyX on Ice last month enabled me to blow away the cobwebs before the start of the new RX2 season. The target might be on my back, but I certainly don’t plan on surrendering my crown without a fight!”

19-04-16 Olsbergs MSE unveils dynamic 2019 driver line-up
Eight-strong line-up for Swedish rallycross powerhouse in 2019
Oliver Eriksson and Ulrik Linnemann spearhead RallyX Nordic assault
Jesse Kallio and Fraser McConnell to partner Eriksson in RX2

Swedish rallycross powerhouse Olsbergs MSE has today (16 April) officially revealed its complement of drivers for the 2019 rallycross season, with an eight-strong line-up of exciting young talent and experienced hands set to represent the team in RallyX Nordic and RX2.

In RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires, Oliver Eriksson and Ulrik Linnemann will lead the headlining Supercar class charge, supported by Linus Östlund and Niklas Aneklev in the Supercar Lites category. One more Supercar driver will be announced at a later date.

Supercar Lites forms the basis for the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires, in which Eriksson is set to return to defend his hard-fought 2018 drivers’ crown. The Swede will be partnered there by fast-rising Finnish hotshot Jesse Kallio and Jamaica’s Fraser McConnell.

Kevin Eriksson and namesake Sebastian Eriksson, meanwhile, are due to contest selected races with OMSE in 2019, with further information to follow in due course.

Here’s a little bit more about OMSE’s ‘Super 8’...
Oliver Eriksson
One of the hottest young prospects on the current rallycross scene, 20-year-old Oliver won RX2 at his first attempt in 2018, and also has GRC Lites and RallyX on Ice titles on his fast-growing career CV. Championship runner-up in RallyX Nordic last year, he has his sights set firmly on the main prize in 2019 and is similarly fired-up to retain his RX2 crown as he prepares for another busy dual campaign.

“I’m ready for revenge! We didn’t get off to a great start in RallyX Nordic last season, which left us playing catch-up. When you’re on the back foot like that, you have to take more risks and whilst we almost made it, close isn’t close enough. This year I want to be the hunted rather than the hunter. It’s obviously a challenge to switch between two different cars, but in my opinion they’re the best two rallycross cars around so I can hardly complain...”

Ulrik Linnemann
The architect of a spectacular RallyX Nordic debut midway through 2018 – beating all the championship protagonists to win on home soil at Nysum – Ulrik is stepping into the series full-time this season after trying out OMSE’s Honda Civic at Tierp in October. He also impressed in FIA Euro RX last year, finishing sixth overall and reaching the final in the opening two rounds.

“Last year was quite a rollercoaster ride for me, so it’s exciting to have a full season in RallyX Nordic to look forward to. I’ve already spent a week at the OMSE workshop and am getting on well with everybody and feel confident inside the team. The competition is clearly going to be tough – and it’s getting tougher all the time in RallyX Nordic – but my aim is to finish inside the championship top three. We know the speed is there – now I just need to add consistency.”

Linus Östlund
Rising Swedish star Linus is six times a crosskart champion in his homeland, and made his Supercar Lites debut in RX2 in 2017, only just missing out on the final in an impressive performance. After sporadic outings in RallyX Nordic last year – allied to a fourth-place overall finish in the Swedish Championship – the 19-year-old is back for a full campaign in 2019 and aiming to make a fast start on home soil in next month’s Höljes double-header.

“It’s exciting to be contesting a full season in Supercar Lites. I had a great start in RallyX Nordic last year with second place at Höljes, but I knew it would be more of a challenge at the other tracks I didn’t know so well. Still, working alongside my OMSE team-mates, I learnt a lot and found some good pace. Hopefully that will enable me to be more consistent this year, and I can’t think of anywhere better to start the season, with the home crowd behind me and my family and friends cheering me on!”

Niklas Aneklev
A competitor in motorcycle enduro racing from a young age, Niklas is set to make his four-wheeled racing debut this year with OMSE in RallyX Nordic’s Supercar Lites class.

“I decided to make the switch because I was breaking too many bones on bikes, so I thought I should try to find something safer! I’ve always been attracted by the excitement of rallycross. I was in the crowd at Höljes last year and knew then that I wanted to race, but I never thought it would happen so quickly. It just goes to show what’s possible in rallycross. It’s going to be a learning year for me for sure, but I plan on learning quickly...”

Jesse Kallio
Jesse has achieved success in every series he has entered, with consecutive titles in recent years in the RX Academy and RX Academy on Ice and a hard-fought victory in the Norwegian round of Euro RX’s Super1600 class last year. In 2019, the Finnish teenager will continue his apprenticeship in RX2 with reigning drivers’ and teams’ champions OMSE.

“I’m really excited – I can’t wait to hit the track in Barcelona! Today was my first time in the Supercar Lites car, and it’s a lot of fun to drive. The feeling is already good – I just need more laps to be fully confident. It’s clearly going to be a learning curve for me this year, but I want to be pushing for the podium – that has to be the goal. We’ll see where we are in Spain. If I can make it through to the final, anything is possible...”

Fraser McConnell
A two-time ‘Jamaican Driver of the Year’, Fraser made his rallycross debut in 2018 after discovering the discipline on YouTube. Entering the inaugural ARX2 series in the United States, the 20-year-old reached the final four times out of five – highlighted by a podium finish in the season finale – en route to fourth in the overall standings. He will make his debut in RX2 alongside Eriksson and Kallio this year.

“Not only will it be my first time competing in RX2, but it will also be my first time going to Europe, which is very exciting! I know the competition is going to be tough, but I am up for the challenge and looking forward to working with such a great team as OMSE as I aim to hone my skills. I am already familiar with the Supercar Lites machinery from ARX2, and my goal is very clear – to give it my all and stand on the top step of the podium.”

Kevin Eriksson
A World RX race-winner – following that extraordinary round-the-outside overtake in Germany in 2016 – Kevin has three full seasons of top-level World Championship competition under his belt, as well as titles in both RallyX on Ice and RX Lites, the predecessor to RX2. An accomplished racer, the 22-year-old’s 2019 programme with OMSE will be announced in due course.

“We’re all working flat-out behind-the-scenes at OMSE to bounce back at the highest level. Last season in World RX was not what we had hoped for, so we decided to take a year out in 2019 – sometimes you have to take a step back to take a step forwards. We will re-evaluate and come back stronger. Of course I would rather be driving full-time as I’m hungry to compete, but I will still take part in some events and will prepare hard and stay in shape so that when the next opportunity comes up, I will be ready.”

Sebastian Eriksson
Recently-crowned 2019 RallyX on Ice Champion, Sebastian is known in the sport as the ‘silent assassin’, underscoring the age-old saying that it is always the quiet ones you need to watch. He might not say much outside of the car, but inside the cockpit, he is as ruthless as they come – as his recent winter triumph goes to show. He also reached the final on his World RX debut on home turf in Sweden in 2016.

“I’m not sure exactly what I’ll be racing yet, but what is certain is that when I do race, I want to fight for victory! RallyX on Ice proved that I still know how to win, and putting in the hours at the workshop keeps me sharp technically, which is important. We have kept our heads down over the winter focussing on bringing updates to the cars, and when the opportunity comes, I plan to be ready to jump back into the car and be straight on the pace.”

19-04-16 JC Raceteknik till rallycross-VM i Belgien med två bilar: Mattias Ekströms och Enzo Ides
Svenska teamet JC Raceteknik kommer göra ett inhopp i rallycross-VM. Det är under deltävlingen i Belgien som de kommer driva bilen åt före detta världsmästaren Mattias Ekström. Samtidigt gör belgiske Enzo Ide rallycrossdebut tillsammans teamet.
– Målet med JC Raceteknik har alltid varit att ha bilar i VM, så det här blir ett perfekt tillfälle för oss att göra det nu, säger teamchefen Joel Christoffersson.

Under vintern blev det offentligt att JC Raceteknik köpt två Audi S1 Supercars, som tidigare ingått i Mattias Ekströms team. Bilarna kommer under 2019 köras av Robin Larsson i RallyX Nordic och FIA European Rallycross Championship, samt Mats Öhman i RallyX Nordic. Men nu är det även klart att en av bilarna även kommer göra ett inhopp i FIA World Rallycross Championship – tillsammans med ingen mindre än Mattias Ekström.

Det var under 2016 som Ekström gasade hem ett VM-guld i bilen, och under rallycrossens deltävling i Belgien kommer svensken återigen sätta sig bakom ratten. Sällskap får han av 27-årige Enzo Ide. Belgaren har tidigare tävlat i racing och kommer under VM-deltävlingen på hemmaplan göra rallycrossdebut – även han i en av Ekströms äldre Audi S1. Tävlingen körs 11-12 maj på banan Circuit de SPA-Francorchamps.

Joel Christoffersson:
”Det här blir väldigt roligt för hela teamet. Målet med JC Raceteknik har alltid varit att ha bilar i VM, så det här blir ett perfekt tillfälle för oss att göra det nu. Dessutom med två bilar, det blir spännande. Att samarbeta med Mattias är en ära för oss. Det kommer bli en boost för teamet att få jobba med honom under en VM-deltävling och jag är säker på att vi kommer lära oss mycket av honom och vara ännu mer redo när våran EM-säsong startar.

Jag har snackat med Mattias och vet att han hunnit sakna rallycrossen lite grann, så från hans sida blir det här en rolig grej för att komma bakom ratten igen på bilen som han vann VM i 2016. Från JC Racetekniks sida kommer vi göra allt vi kan för att nå ett toppresultat.

Den andre föraren som vi kommer driva bilen åt är Enzo Ide. Han har kört väldigt mycket bil tidigare, framförallt racing. Däremot har han aldrig kört en rallycrosstävling, så det här blir debuten för honom. Därför kommer vi inte lägga några förväntningar på honom, utan ser det mer som ett sätt för honom att komma igång med rallycrossen. Vi ser verkligen fram emot det.”

Mattias Ekström:
”Efter att ha tittat på den första deltävlingen av FIA World Rallycross Championship hemifrån soffan känner jag att jag verkligen vill köra en deltävling igen. Jag började visualisera hur jag kör på banan i Spa och tar kurvan Eau Rouge sidles i 200 kilometer i timmen. Eftersom alla 2019-bilarna är upptagna tänkte jag att jag kunde göra comeback i min 2016-års världsmästarbil som JC Raceteknik har köpt. Vi kom överens – så jag får köra bilen och de tar hand om servicen. Som alla säkert förstår kommer det bli en mycket rolig helg för mig och förhoppningsvis kan det bli många fler.”

19-04-16 French Supercar star Meunier joins RX2 grid
Highly-rated Frenchman signs up to World RX feeder series
18-year-old to benefit from Team Färén support on debut
Former Supercar star excited for full season in Supercar Lites

French drivers have a habit of doing rather well in the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires – just ask 2017 Champion Cyril Raymond, now competing in the World Championship with the GCK Academy – and there are high hopes indeed for the series’ latest Gallic recruit, Damien Meunier.

Meunier – who grew up just a couple of hours from legendary French rallycross venue Lohéac – will join Swedish outfit Team Färén for his RX2 debut later this month in Barcelona (27/28 April). The 18-year-old only began competing four years ago in crosskart, but his progression has been rapid.

Stepping up to rallycross in the Super1600 category at the age of 16, he finished fifth in the French Championship in 2017 – reaching the final five times in six starts and ascending the podium at Kerlabo – and made a one-off appearance in the FIA World Rallycross Championship on home soil. He then graduated to the domestic Supercar class last year, where he had to dig deep against rivals in more modern machinery en route to a top ten overall placing.

Now, Meunier is set to join the international stage full-time, as he prepares to measure himself against the crème de la crème of future rallycross stars in the official World RX feeder series.

“After just two seasons in rallycross, I’m thrilled to be joining RX2 this year,” he enthused. “I’ve been looking at RX2 for a while now – ever since the extremely positive test we had at Strängnäs in Sweden during the Supercar Lites sampler day in 2017 – and now we are here!

“I’m really looking forward to racing this fantastic car, and having Eric Färén as a team manager is a huge bonus – I can’t wait to work with him and everybody in the team. There are a lot of very quick drivers on the entry list this year, so I’ll need to be on top form if I want to take the fight to them but it’s a challenge I’m relishing!

“It will be exciting to have Damien in one of our cars and to support him in his new adventure,” echoed Färén, a successful former rallycross driver himself. “I remember seeing him at the Supercar Lites sampler day in 2017, where he was the one that impressed me the most. We will have a test day before to be well-prepared, and then try to help him as much as we can to ensure he makes a strong debut in RX2.”

19-04-15 Gryazin aiming to 'pick up where he left off' as he returns to RX2
Two-time podium-finisher targeting the top step in 2019
SRT ace one of the series’ most consistent contenders
Latvian hopes to continue climbing championship table

Vasiliy Gryazin is aiming to ‘pick up where he left off’ when he returns to the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires in 2019, as the Latvian bids to turn all the experience he has gained over the past two years into a concerted title challenge.

From a rallying background, Gryazin switched to rallycross towards the end of 2016 and has been a consistent front-runner in RX2 from the start. Reaching the final in each of the last three rounds in 2017 – highlighted by a maiden podium finish in France – earned the Sports Racing Technologies (SRT) ace seventh place in that season’s standings, which he improved upon to fifth last year, just three points shy of a top three spot.

That was achieved courtesy of five final appearances from seven starts, with Gryazin returning to the rostrum in South Africa last November – and the 25-year-old is firmly focussed on maintaining that positive momentum when the new campaign revs into life in Barcelona in just under a fortnight’s time (27/28 April).

“This will be my third season in RX2, and my aim is clearly to build upon the progress and everything I’ve learned over the past two years and continue climbing the championship table,” he asserted.

“Coming from rallying, I had to get to grips with a new discipline, but now I feel I have earned the respect of my rivals and proven myself as one of the quickest drivers out there – in fact, the only thing I haven’t done yet is win a race, so that has to be the very first goal in 2019!

“Last year wasn’t always plain sailing – I seemed to attract a lot of bad luck that kept me off the podium early on – but we finally made it up there in South Africa and with the support of an excellent team behind me in SRT, the aim is definitely to pick up in Barcelona where we left off in Cape Town.”

19-04-12 Jamaican ace McConnell eager to make his mark in Europe as he revs up for RX2
Former karter and rally driver fast proving himself in rallycross
Jamaican racer earned his spurs in ARX2 last year
RX2 new boy targeting ‘top step of the podium’ in 2019

Fraser McConnell will make his debut in the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires in 2019, as he bids to establish himself in Europe following a successful formative career in his Jamaican homeland.

McConnell’s early success in motocross, karting and rallying on the Caribbean island twice earned him the ‘Jamaican Driver of the Year’ accolade – in 2015 and 2016. After discovering rallycross on YouTube, he first competed in the discipline last year, entering the inaugural ARX2 series in the United States.

Belying his rookie status, the 20-year-old was one of the standout performers in the field. Immediately proving his pace, he went fastest out-of-the-box on his debut at Circuit of The Americas and reached the final an impressive four times out of five, highlighted by a podium finish in the season finale.

After concluding the campaign a commendable fourth in the overall standings, McConnell now has his sights set on further enhancing his career CV in RX2 this season, as he prepares to take to the track for the first time with reigning team champions Olsbergs MSE in the Barcelona curtain-raiser on 27/28 April.

“Not only will it be my first time competing in RX2, but it will also be my first time going to Europe, which is very exciting!” he enthused. “I know the competition is going to be tough, but I am up for the challenge and looking forward to working with such a great team as OMSE as I aim to hone my skills. I am already familiar with the Supercar Lites machinery from ARX2, and my goal is very clear – to give it my all and stand on the top step of the podium.”

The 2019 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires will comprise seven rounds in support of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, visiting Spain, Belgium, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, France and South Africa.

19-04-11 Sir Chris Hoy to race in the Spanish round of World RX
Sir Chris Hoy, the six-time Olympic cycling gold medallist, will compete in the World RX of Catalunya in Spain, the second round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy.

The 43-year-old will be at the wheel of the Xite Racing-prepared Ford Fiesta on April 27-28. Hoy will head to Pembrey Circuit next week for testing alongside Oliver Bennett and the Xite Racing team in preparation for his debut in World RX.

"I am really looking forward to competing in the FIA World Rallycross Championship in Barcelona. Driving a rallycross car has always been on my bucket list, but to actually race against the world's best will really be something special – and a huge challenge,” he said.

“I will be testing next week with Oliver Bennett and his Xite Racing team, and learning all I can ahead of my World RX debut in Spain.”

Torben Olsen, the Managing Director of World RX for IMG, the series promoter, said he was delighted that Hoy was joining the World RX ranks for Barcelona.

“To have a world class sportsman of the calibre of Sir Chris entering the FIA World Rallycross Championship is quite a coup for the series,” he said.

“I have admired his commitment and professionalism as a multiple Olympic champion. I am sure we can expect he will bring the same level of dedication and competitive spirit to World RX as he did in becoming one of the greatest cyclists of all time.”

The Scotsman’s cycling roll of honour includes six Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver and 11 world championship titles as well as gold medals in Commonwealth Games competition.

He was awarded an MBE in 2005 and received a knighthood in 2009 for his services to sport.

Since his retirement from competitive cycling in 2013, Hoy has taken on a number of motorsport challenges – most notably the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016 in the LMP2 class. He has also competed in European Le Mans and the British GT Championship.

Hoy has support from Dayinsure, the title sponsor of the World RX of Great Britain, and Cooper Tires for his debut in World RX.

Also joining the 19-car grid for Barcelona will be Finland’s Jani Paasonen in the Team STARD Ford Fiesta. Paasonen has previously competed in European Rallycross Championship events.

Hungary’s Tamas Karai joins the field in the Karai Motorsport Egyesulet Audi A1 while Frenchman Herve Knapick’s Citroen DS3 brings the total of automotive brands to nine for Catalunya.

19-04-11 Olofsson 'better-prepared than ever' heading into 2019
Seasoned RX2 competitor ready to go after busy winter’s preparation
Swede spurred on by prospect of replicating previous successes
24-year-old aiming to banish memories of luckless 2018 campaign

Simon Olofsson is returning to the grid this year in the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires, fully focussed on righting the wrongs that persistently plagued his 2018 challenge in the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series – and promising that he is ‘better-prepared than ever’.

After winning in Sweden in RX2’s predecessor RX Lites in 2016 – en route to a top three championship finish – and dominating the 2017 RX2 curtain-raiser in Belgium until picking up a puncture, 2018 proved to be a rather more troubled campaign for Olofsson, with a popular podium finish on home turf at Höljes in mid-summer the sole real highlight.

For one of the most naturally talented young rallycross drivers around, that was a bitter pill to swallow, but over the winter months, the 24-year-old has picked himself up and dusted himself down – and now he is ready to convert his undoubted skill into consistent results.

“I’m excited to be back in RX2 this season,” the Swede enthused. “It’s no secret that last year was a difficult one for us, with a lot of bad luck and some weekends where pretty much everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Saying that, it was obviously a very special moment for me to stand on the podium in front of my family and friends at Höljes – we had to fight hard for that one, and just the thought of being up there again is all the inspiration I need going into the new season.

“I genuinely feel like we are better-prepared than ever this year, and it’s a great calendar of events in 2019 with some awesome new tracks combined with classic rallycross venues. The competition is clearly going to be very tough, but I’m ready for a battle and can’t wait to see how we measure up in Barcelona in a couple of weeks’ time.”

19-04-09 Thorén back for more in 2019 as he admits: I've caught the bug...
Last year’s Supercar surprise package returns to RallyX Nordic
Hedströms Motorsport ace admits ‘rallycross is like a drug’
42-year-old keen to build upon progress of rookie campaign

Daniel Thorén – one of the undisputed revelations of the 2018 RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires campaign – has confirmed he will return to the growing series in 2019 as the born-again racer focusses on having ‘as much fun as possible’.

Unlike many of his Supercar class rivals, Thorén followed a rather less conventional route into the sport, only stepping into a rallycross car for the first time towards the end of 2017 – but even then, he explains, the intention was never to actually compete...

“I’ve always had a big interest in cars and rallycross, but until last year, I had never so much as sat in a racing car – I’d never even raced a go-kart competitively,” the 42-year-old reveals.

“I had been on the sidelines of the sport for many years as a sponsor – initially to Peter Hedström and Ramona Karlsson – but it’s not easy for me to just watch, because I always want to be directly involved. When RallyX Nordic was revamped, Peter offered me the opportunity to try out his Volkswagen Polo Supercar, so I drove it for 20 laps at Höljes in late 2017 and – I have to admit – it scared me half to death. But at the same time, it was so much fun...

“I drove it again the following week, after which, Peter asked if I wanted to have a go at racing. I said I’d never competed before and had no licence, but he kept on pushing me and a couple of months later he asked if I would do just the RallyX Nordic round at Höljes. I agreed purely to get him off my back, and then two days afterwards, he announced on Facebook that he had signed a driver for the full 2018 Nordic campaign. I called him to ask who the driver was, and he told me it was me...”

Behind the wheel of his Hedströms Motorsport VW Polo, Thorén won one of his qualifying races first time out and in round three – at Grenland in Norway – he finished on the podium following a race-long battle with countryman Andreas Carlsson.

Despite a heavy crash at the semi-final stage of the last round at Tierp, the Swede concluded the season a commendable eighth in the Supercar class standings – and now, he is back for more, dovetailing his RallyX Nordic commitments with a parallel campaign in FIA Euro RX.

“I have to be honest, I had a great year in 2018,” he reflected. “To finish eighth in the championship having never driven competitively before was a fantastic outcome! It’s safe to say the results far exceeded my expectations, and whilst I required a significant slice of luck to reach the podium in Norway, that definitely spurred me on.

“Rallycross is like a drug – once you try it, you want more, and I always knew I wanted to come back again this year. It’s been a big job to prepare the car over the winter – we dismantled it into a thousand pieces and have refreshed it in every area – and I haven’t been able to test as much as I’d have liked due to work commitments, but still, I can’t wait for the season to start!

“I also can’t think of anywhere better to do that than Höljes. I feel a little bit at home there, and beginning with a double-header event will make for an amazing weekend. I’m going to take the season one race at a time and make sure I have as much fun as possible – after all, isn’t that the most important thing?!”

19-04-08 Kevin Hansen takes unforgettable maiden World RX win in Abu Dhabi
Team Hansen MJP experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in Abu Dhabi during an emotional opening round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Kevin Hansen scored his first ever WRX victory in spectacular style, with victory in qualifying and his semi-final in addition to his final win, while Timmy Hansen’s weekend was cruelly curtailed early on by an enormous shunt which destroyed his car’s rollcage.

Both Timmy and Kevin had started the World RX of Abu Dhabi in brilliant fashion, finishing 1-2 in Q1. Timmy took the top spot once again in Q2 but his weekend ended shortly afterwards, being on the receiving end of a heavy shunt with Andreas Bakkerud. Crossing the start/finish line to begin the final lap, Timmy had just rejoined the track from taking his joker lap and was hit side-on by Bakkerud, who was disqualified for his part in the collision. A heroic effort from Timmy meant he nursed the car to seventh place in Q3 but rollcage damage to his Peugeot 208 WRX was too extensive to compete in Q4 or the semi-finals.

The whole team was understandably shaken by Timmy’s huge accident but regrouped around Kevin, who showed incredible resilience to press on and win both Q3 and Q4. With Timmy looking on from the spotters’ position in the Abu Dhabi grandstands, Kevin then scored a semi-final victory put him on pole for the final.

Kevin led most of the final, until being spun out at the hairpin by Niclas Grönholm in the latter half of the fourth lap. Grönholm was then given a three second penalty post-race for pushing and overtaking, restoring the lead which Kevin had held for much of the final to seal his first ever WRX win, and provide Team Hansen MJP a happy ending for a rollercoaster first weekend as a privateer team.

19-04-08 William Nilsson klar för säsong i både rallycross och V8 Thunder Cars
19-årige William Nilsson tar nya krafttag inom motorsporten. Det är nu klart att han kommer bredda sina vyer och tävla i RX2 International Series, samt V8 Thunder Cars under säsongen 2019.
– Jag är spänd och exalterad inför säsongen. Sammanfattningsvis kommer jag göra mitt allra bästa i V8, men inom rallycrossen kör jag för en mästerskapstitel, säger Nilsson.

Siktar högt i RX2 International Series
Efter ett långt vinteruppehåll är det snart dags för säsongspremiär för både rallycrossen och racingen. Inom rallycrossen fortsätter William Nilsson köra den internationella serien RX2 International Series (inofficiellt VM i klassen Supercar Lites) för det framgångsrika svenska teamet JC Raceteknik.
– Jag har kört rallycross i många år nu, så målet med RX2 International Series är att vinna tävlingar och i slutet av året stå med en mästerskapstitel. Sen är det såklart stenhård konkurrens och många delar som måste klicka, men efter det långa säsongsuppehållet är jag sjukt taggad på året.
Mästerskapet körs under sju deltävlingar runt om i världen. Just nu fattas det resurser för att kunna köra de sista två deltävlingarna i mästerskapet – något Nilsson arbetar för fullt med.
– Jag jobbar stenhårt nu för att få ihop sponsorer så jag kan köra alla tävlingar, självklart är planen att kunna genomföra hela mästerskapet.

Förra säsongen var ingen toppensäsong för Nilsson, där bilproblem och annat strul satte många käppar i hjulen. Trots det gick han ur säsongen med ett SM-silver. Säsongen 2017 var en större framgångssaga. Han utsågs till Årets Junior och Årets Rallycrossjunior i Bilsport Award och stod som vinnare i både RallyX Nordic (den nordiska serien i Supercar Lites), samt som SM-vinnare. Men i år finns inte RallyX Nordic med i hans tävlingskalender.
– Jag har redan vunnit både RallyX Nordic och SM i Supercar Lites. I år känner jag att jag vill fokusera fullt ut på rallycrossen internationellt, samtidigt som jag är redo för lite nya utmaningar på svensk mark. Det är där V8 Thunder Cars kommer in i bilden.

Racingdebuterar i V8 Thunder Cars
Nytt för i år är att William Nilsson laddar upp inför ännu mer asfalt, och kommer under säsongen köra V8 Thunder Cars för det Åhusbaserade teamet Memphis Racing.
– Det kommer bli jättespännande. Jag har aldrig kört något liknande tidigare och har hittills bara varit på ett test i bilen, så det kommer bli en utmaning. Även om mitt största fokus kommer ligga på RX2 så kommer jag självklart göra mitt bästa i V8 Thunder Cars.
Han fortsätter:
– Memphis Racing har kört V8 länge, och tävlar även i NASCAR Euroseries, så de är rutinerade och kan sin grej. Det är alltid spännande med nya samarbeten, och jag ser fram emot att lära känna det här teamet och se hur vi kan jobba tillsammans.

Nilsson har innan han inledde sin rallycrosskarriär tävlat i karting, och även om grunderna mellan karting och V8 Thunder Cars är snarlika så kommer den stora bilen innebära andra utmaningar.
– Det blir en oerhört rolig och bra erfarenhet. Även om det skiljer sig helt från rallycross är all bilkörning bra bilkörning. Det kommer vara svårt att sätta upp konkreta mål inför säsongen, innan jag kommit in i bilen eller fått koll på startfältet. Först och främst siktar jag på att ta mig i mål, och det borde ju inte vara omöjligt. Sen tar vi det därifrån, säger Nilsson och skrattar.

19-04-06 Kevin Hansen takes maiden victory in Abu Dhabi
Kevin Hansen recorded a maiden World RX victory in Abu Dhabi – in a dramatic opening round of the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy – under the bright lights of Yas Marina Circuit.

In a weekend largely dominated by the Team Hansen MJP Peugeot 208s – for a variety of reasons – Kevin took the honours after original race victor Niclas Gronholm was handed a three-second penalty for a coming together with Hansen in his GRX Taneco Hyundai i20.

Over two days of action in daytime temperatures which touched 40 degrees C, the purpose-built 1.2-km Yas Marina Rallycross Circuit, provided plenty of close combat.

Earlier in the day Kevin Hansen had topped the order after an eventful qualifying round. His elder brother Timmy, who had dominated day one in the sister Team Hansen MJP car had a big impact with the Monster Energy RX Cartel Audi S1 of Andreas Bakkerud in Q3 at the entry to turn one.

Bakkerud was disqualified after being deemed at fault following a stewards’ enquiry meaning both he and Timmy Hansen, whose car suffered extensive damage to the left-hand side, did not progress to the semi-finals.

For the younger Hansen, the victory was bitter-sweet given the incident involving Timmy. “It feels completely crazy,” Kevin said. “I took the start in the final and led about five laps and then after turn 10, Niclas gave me a tap and I nearly spun and lost the lead.

“A win in the stewards’ room is not the perfect way. It has been a great job by all the guys in the team to get the cars here and prepared. But this one is for Timmy as he should have been on the podium.”

Gronholm was disappointed not to have taken the spoils. “It was not an intentional hit but sometimes the stewards look at things differently to us so I have to accept it, move on and fight back in Barcelona,” he said.

Liam Doran in the Monster Energy RX Cartel Audi S1 claimed his first podium by taking third. The Briton said: “This result is from pure determination and nothing else. I started off poor to be completely honest, struggling with the setup of the car a bit.

“I just got my head down. I got into the semis by the skin of my teeth but you never give up until you get to the end.”

Janis Baumanis in the Team STARD Ford Fiesta also caught the attention of the stewards and was demoted from fourth to fifth just behind the World RX debutant Krisztian Szabo in the EKS Sport Audi.

Former DTM champion Timo Scheider, in the ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport Seat Ibiza, despite running strongly over the two days, finished sixth after a difficult final for the German.

The World RX final rounded out a three-day urban festival of world-class motorsport and off-track entertainment that included A-list musical artists and plenty of fan activity.

ESmotorsport - Labas GAS's Rokas Baciuska, the reigning FIA European Super1600 champion, reached the semi-finals on his World RX debut.

The GC Kompetition squad had an eventful two days with Guerlain Chicherit and Anton Marklund just missing out on a place in the final.

Oliver Bennett made a dramatic exit in Q3 when he rolled his Xite Mini Cooper.

Commenting on World RX’s debut in the Middle East, Torben Olsen, the Managing Director of the FIA World Rallycross Championship for IMG, the series promoter, said: “Our first visit to the UAE has been a resounding success.

“The people of Abu Dhabi have embraced World RX and we have been delighted to bring world-class rallycross to a region which already has a strong motorsport following.

“The Yas Marina Circuit was a spectacular venue to stage our first-ever World RX round under lights. The on-track action also illustrated that we can expect extremely close racing for the remainder of the 2019 season.”

The championship now moves to Barcelona, Spain for the World RX of Catalunya on April 27-28.

19-04-05 Fans’ favourite Llovera back for more in 2019
Former Olympic record-breaker returns for second season of RX2
Popular Andorran won new fans all around the world in 2018
‘Old man’ of the paddock eager to continue rallycross apprenticeship

Record-breaking former Olympian Albert Llovera will return to the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires this year, as the popular Andorran seeks to build upon the progress he made last season.

The youngest athlete ever to compete in the Winter Olympics – aged just 17 in 1984 – Llovera looked set for a successful skiing career until a serious accident in the 1985 European Ski Cup left him paralysed from the waist down.

Subsequently turning his attentions to motorsport – a similarly high-octane sphere in which he could satisfy his thirst for competition with the assistance of specially-adapted hand controls – Llovera tackled both the FIA World Rally Championship and notoriously challenging Dakar Rally before settling on the fast-growing discipline of rallycross.

Following exploratory appearances in Norway, Sweden and Spain in RX2’s predecessor RX Lites in 2016, the 52-year-old made his full-time debut in the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series in 2018. Scoring points in both Britain and Canada as he edged ever-closer to the leading pace, he earned himself a legion of new followers with his infectious nature and ever-enthusiastic approach.

Having thoroughly enjoyed that experience, Llovera is eager to continue his rallycross apprenticeship over the coming months behind the wheel of his No. 66 Supercar Lites entry, with the 2019 RX2 campaign due to rev into life at his ‘home’ track – Spain’s Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya – on 27/28 April.

“I’m so happy to be returning to RX2,” he revealed. “I had so much fun last season, going up against some of the quickest young drivers in the world on some of the best rallycross tracks around – and I’d like to think I didn’t do too badly for the ‘old man’ of the paddock!

“Joking aside, though, it was a great year and we made progress all the way through – with everybody driving identical cars in RX2, it’s easy to see where you are gaining and where you are losing, and for someone like me looking to refine my skills, that level playing field is invaluable.

“Along with my partners, I worked incredibly hard over the winter to come back this year – it wasn’t easy, but we have made it happen and now I can’t wait to get out on-track in Barcelona. Coming from just ‘up the road’ in Andorra, I can’t think of anywhere better to get the season underway.”

The 2019 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires will comprise seven rounds in support of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, visiting Spain, Belgium, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, France and South Africa.

19-04-05 Rallycross-VM sänds på Net Groups kanaler
Nordic Entertainment Group har säkrat rättigheterna till FIA World Rallycross Championship 2019.

Tre svenskar står på startlinjen när premiären av rallycross-VM körs i Abu Dhabi lördagen den 6 april, och som direktsänds på Viasat Motor och Viaplay.
– Sverige har 42 pallplatser i följd, så rallycross-VM stärker verkligen vårt motorpaket med svenska förare i absolut världsklass, säger Per Nunstedt, sportchef NENT Group Sverige.

Timmy och Kevin Hansen är söner till den mest framgångsrika rallycrossföraren genom tiderna, 14-faldige europamästaren Kenneth Hansen.
Storebror Timmy, 26, inledde sin karriär med banracing, innan han 2012 växlade in på samma hjulspår som pappa Kenneth och debuterade i rallycross-EM. 2013 slutade han trea i mästerskapet för att 2014 gå över till VM-serien. Där har det sammanlagt blivit fem segrar och 24 pallplatser.

Lillebror Kevin, 20, blev vid 17 års ålder den yngste föraren någonsin att köra rallycross-VM och slutade åtta i mästerskapet 2018. Bröderna Hansen kör Peugeot medan den tredje svensken, 2017 års europamästare i rallycross, Anton Marklund rattar en Renault.
Och säsongen har börjat lovande, då det var dubbelt Sverige och Hansen i fredagens första kval på Yas Marina Circuit i Abu Dhabi.
– Det var en perfekt start för mig och min bror, att bli etta och tvåa. Vi har jobbat så hårt för att bara vara här. Det är bara Q1 men jag är verkligen glad, sa Timmy Hansen efter första kvalet.

Tio deltävlingar väntar i ett mästerskap som på förhand känns ovisst då fabriksstallen är borta.
Viasat Motor och Viaplay direktsänder årets första race från Yas Marina Circuit i Abu Dhabi.

Sändningstider
Lördag 6 april:
16.00, Viasat Motor/Viaplay: Rallycross-VM – World RX, Abu Dhabi
Kommentator: Robin Nilsson.

19-04-04 Jax Jones joins Sean Paul in Speedmachine Line-Up
The list of famous artists keeps on growing with the announcement that Jax Jones will join Sean Paul as the headline acts for the Dayinsure World RX of Great Britain, the UK leg of the FIA World Rallycross Championship, presented by Monster Energy.

The British event, round four of the 2019 World RX championship, is the racing focal point of the SpeedMachine Festival at Silverstone from May 25-26. SpeedMachine brings together a feast of motorsport activity, street food, fan interaction and world-class entertainment.

This is the second year of SpeedMachine following its successful debut on the FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar last year.

Jax Jones, the London-based producer-song writer, is best known for You Don’t Know Me which reached No.3 in the UK singles chart. He is also noted for collaborations with a range of talent, including the likes of Jess Glynne, Ellie Goulding, Selena Gomez and George Ezra.

He will top the bill on Sunday evening and will be joined by the British rockers and music festival favourites Reef and UK garage duo Artful Dodger.

Meanwhile, Jamaican rapper and producer Paul, headlines on Saturday evening with support from the electro-dance sound of Faithless and the beatboxing of Duke.

DJ BBQ will be serve up his unique brand of bass-heavy beats as host on both nights.

SpeedMachine has something for everyone – from world-class rallycross, on-track demonstrations, radio control car racing, go-karting, the Monster drift show, supercar exhibits and DiRT 2.0 eSports simulators and much more.

19-04-03 World RX of Abu Dhabi - A floodlit duel in the desert
Now that the talking and the testing is done, the focus for the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy switches to the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi for the opening round of the 2019 season.

Since its inception in 2014, World RX has visited Europe, Asia, North and South America. We can now add the Middle East to that list as the championship prepares for a duel in the desert in the United Arab Emirates.

The World RX of Abu Dhabi will also be the first time a round has been held at night with the semi-finals and final on Saturday evening run under floodlights.

As a debutant track, the Yas Marina Rallycross Circuit, presents a level playing field for the 2019 combatants.

There are plenty of challenges in the purpose-built 1.2 kilometre rallycross layout featuring 63 per cent asphalt and 37 per cent gravel, a series of wide tarmac areas, tight turns including a hairpin and a formidable jump, all within the circuit’s famous Formula One circuit stadium section.

The quality, depth and multi-national mix of the competitors suggests a fierce battle from the moment the lights go green at Yas Marina.

The 2019 entry lists features 16 permanent drivers in six teams and four individual entries representing eight automotive brands with drivers from 11 countries.

Facing the starter in Abu Dhabi are names synonymous with rallycross and a posse of rookies, some first-year graduates from Euro RX, eager to make their presence felt on the world stage.

None of the permanent drivers in World RX 2019 have won an FIA World Championship title, meaning we will crown a new FIA World RX drivers’ champion this year.

Monster Energy RX Cartel’s Andreas Bakkerud looms as a championship favourite. Third in the overall standings in 2018, Bakkerud starts as the highest-placed finisher from last season. Alongside the Norwegian in the Audi S1 will be Britain’s Liam Doran.

The Hansen brothers, Timmy and Kevin, run a pair of Peugeot 208 WRXs for Team Hansen MJP, the first time the Swedish brothers have competed in equal machinery. Timmy, 26 and 20-year-old Kevin, may be one of the youngest line-ups on the grid, but they have both been competing in high-level rallycross for the last six years, and Timmy has started in every World RX race ever – all 61 of them.

Austria’s Team STARD will campaign the all-new Ford Fiesta RXS for Latvia’s Janis Baumanis. He will be partnered by Norwegian Pal Try, who will feature in at least three rounds during 2019. The team also recently announced a new title sponsor in Ferratum Group, the digital banking service.

GC Kompetition’s Anton Marklund makes a full-time return to World RX after focussing on European racing for the past two years. The Swede will partner team owner Guerlain Chicherit in Renault Meganes.

In the build up to the opening round, Marklund has been helping with the development of the Megane and the Renault Clios to be shared by GCK Academy young guns Cyril Raymond of France and Belgium’s Guillaume De Ridder.

Marcus Gronholm’s GRX Taneco squad comprises three Hyundai i20s for Russian Timur Timerzyanov and Niclas Gronholm. Abu Dhabi will be the first of a number of selected appearances for Latvia’s Reinis Nitiss of GRX Set. All three drivers completed final pre-season test in Germany recently.

Britain’s Oliver Bennett returns to build on 2018’s programme of selected World RX events. His Xite Racing Mini Cooper has been subject to a programme of development and testing over the winter.

Timo Scheider begins his full-season campaign in the ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport Seat Ibiza. The German squad has been quietly going about pre-season testing and could be one to watch in the opening round.

Hungarian Krisztian Szabo chose ice driving as his preparation for Abu Dhabi last week. The EKS Sport driver, twice the European Super1600 Rallycross Champion, joined Bakkerud and the 2016 World RX Champion Mattias Ekstrom on the frozen wastelands of Scandinavia.

Lithuania’s Rokas Baciuska is the least experienced of this season’s rookies. The reigning FIA European Rallycross Champion for Super1600, Baciuska will be at the wheel of ESmotorsport’s Skoda Fabia, which has completed well over 1,000 kilometres of testing this winter. It will be seen in public for the first time in Abu Dhabi.

Along with the World RX track action, Yas Marina Circuit will be transformed into a three-day festival featuring an Adrenaline Zone, food trucks and international artists performing at an after-race concert. American hip hop group Migos are the headline act – off-track at least.

19-04-02 IMG announces projekt E - A pioneering electric intiative for World RX Weekend
IMG Motorsports today launches a ground-breaking initiative with the planned introduction of a dynamic electric racing element to the FIA World Rallycross Championship weekend.

The concept, titled Projekt E, will see electric-powered cars compete on the same weekend as traditional Supercars.

This new-look race weekend format will allow rallycross fans to enjoy the traditional internal combustion engines – and be given a glimpse of the future for production-based cars.

IMG is introducing electric racing to its event weekend as an acknowledgement of a future that embraces sustainability, responsibility and advanced technologies.

By taking this bold decision, Torben Olsen, the Managing Director of World RX for IMG, the series promoter, said IMG will become a pioneer in the introduction of EV technologies to a production-based motorsport series.

“IMG has pledged as far back as 2017 that electrification would be part of the World RX weekend. Today we can confirm our intention to deliver on that objective,” said Olsen.

“Our aim is to showcase, by 2021 at the latest, future mobility and relevant technologies in the tough, competitive environment of rallycross with production-based vehicles that consumers can relate to.

“In terms of the strategy for introduction of electrification to rallycross, we have been in discussions for nearly two years with a number of manufacturers. Ultimately it emerged that the manufacturers were not yet ready to commit in sufficient numbers to make a fully-electric World Championship a reality. However, we believe that Projekt E is a positive step forward to deliver on our 2017 pledge.”

Over the coming months, the FIA and IMG will be revealing more about the format for Projekt E and the electrified cars which will line up on the grid in the future.

Olsen added: “Projekt E enables us to embrace emerging technologies, remain relevant, and show that electric cars are fast and fun.”

19-03-23 Eriksson takes the title as history is made at RallyX on Ice
Two victories out of three secure Sebastian Eriksson second title in as many months
• Final day heroics vault Ben-Philip Gundersen into championship top three
• International appeal with three nationalities on Saturday’s Supercar Lites podium
• CrossCar ace Linda Johansson becomes first female winner in RallyX on Ice history

Sebastian Eriksson is the 2019 RallyX on Ice presented by Cooper Tires Champion after dominating the final day of competition today (23 March), but it was arguably CrossCar driver Linda Johansson who drew the biggest plaudits as she made history in becoming the first female winner in the series’ history.

All three rounds of RallyX on Ice – the ultimate winter motorsport festival – were won by a driver bearing the surname Eriksson, with Sebastian triumphing on Monday (18 March) before Oliver hit back on Wednesday (20 March), defeating older brother Kevin by less than five hundredths-of-a-second in a breathtaking photo-finish.

That left the trio – all competing for Swedish rallycross powerhouse Olsbergs MSE – separated by just two points heading into today’s final day decider, setting the scene for a spectacular scrap for supremacy on Sweden’s frozen Lake Åre. When they were all drawn in the same race for Q2 – quite literally side-by-side – it was clear it was going to be a no-holds-barred battle.

Reigning RX2 International Series Champion Oliver Eriksson was the first to falter. Hung out to dry on the outside line at the start of Q1 and carrying damage, the 20-year-old then did well to hold onto a tank-slapper slide later on. With both of his title rivals comfortably winning their respective races, the youngest Eriksson found himself facing an uphill battle – doubly so when Q3 was cancelled due to deteriorating conditions. His challenge was ultimately curtailed when he went off during a bruising semi-final.

Kevin Eriksson kept pace-setting namesake Sebastian Eriksson honest throughout the qualifiers, placing third in the intermediate rankings to join his countryman on the front row of the grid for the first semi-final. There, however, his bid for glory ended, coming off second-best in a duel with fellow FIA World Rallycross Championship race-winner Andreas Bakkerud as the pair disputed the last final spot.

Nonetheless, his results over the course of the week – third on Monday and second on Wednesday – were sufficient to secure Kevin the runner-up laurels in the overall standings, behind Sebastian Eriksson and ahead of Ben-Philip Gundersen.

The Norwegian got stronger with every passing race for JC Raceteknik, displaying sensational form today to win both of his qualifiers and semi-final before grabbing the lead at the start of the final from second on the grid. Whilst ultimately forced to submit to Sebastian Eriksson’s irresistible attack, Gundersen was pleased to reach the rostrum and snatch third position in the points table from defending champion Oliver Eriksson right at the end.

Nobody, however, could ultimately hold a candle to Sebastian Eriksson, with the Swede’s disagreement with a snow bank in Wednesday’s final the only real blot on an almost impeccable copybook. The 26-year-old – RallyX on Ice Champion in 2015 – similarly won the SM Veckan Swedish Winter Championship last month, making him the indisputable king of the ice right now.

There were several other starring performances in Åre. New Monster Energy RX Cartel recruit Bakkerud quickly found his feet in Team Färén’s ‘guest’ entry. Thrilling fans with his trademark super-sideways approach, the World RX front-runner pipped Kevin Eriksson to make today’s final in the same car campaigned earlier in the week by Oliver Bennett (a semi-finalist on Monday) and multiple Swedish Rallycross Champion and current FIA European Rallycross contender Peter Hedström (a top three finisher on Wednesday).

OMSE’s Cole Keatts completed Saturday’s Supercar Lites podium with an excellent third-place finish. The American teenager had demonstrated his raw speed from the outset – confidently leading his semi-final on Monday until he struck a snow bank in the limited visibility – and he converted his stellar starts into a well-deserved rostrum result on the last day, despite driving most of the final with a bent rear wheel following first corner contact.

Gundersen’s JC Raceteknik team-mate and compatriot Sondre Evjen raced to the runner-up laurels on Monday, but struggled on Wednesday and a nightmare Saturday saw him uncharacteristically fail to reach the semi-final stage as he found himself unable to settle into a rhythm.

Fellow Norwegian Petter Leirhol faced similar disappointment, winning both of his qualifiers on Monday but not starting the final after a technical issue. He then helplessly ploughed into the side of a sliding Gundersen on Wednesday and ended up in a snow bank today.

Former Junior WRC and WRC2 Champion Pontus Tidemand – who contested a part-season in the FIA World Rallycross Championship in 2014 – was on fine form on Monday, setting a startling pace in Q2 to top the timesheets despite having to serve two joker laps for a jump-start. For every chequered flag, however, there also seemed to be a snow bank, as well as a notable wheel-banging clash with Oliver Eriksson on the run to the finish line on Wednesday. Fifth place would prove to be the Swede’s best result.

Martin Jonsson saved his best until last with a superb effort to reach the final for the first time in his fledgling rallycross career on Saturday, the inexperienced racer pressuring Gundersen and outperforming Bakkerud along the way. He ultimately wound up fourth – just three seconds shy of the podium – matching the result achieved by Ole Henry Steinsholt on Monday.

CrossCar: Three Races, Three Winners
Steinsholt uniquely contested both the headlining Supercar Lites category and supporting CrossCar class in Åre, taking two podiums in the latter, as did Linda Johansson, whose commanding victory on Wednesday was the first for a female competitor in RallyX on Ice history. The 29-year-old Swede continued to show her pursuers a clean pair of wheels today, only to hit a puddle in the semi-final and aquaplane off from the lead, ruling her out of the final – and title contention. Her breakthrough performance had nonetheless not gone unnoticed.

The other winners in the CrossCar category were Max Rundberg in round one and Julle Ljungdahl in round three. The latter – competing for the Hansen brothers’ new Yellow Squad – proved unbeatable in Monday’s qualifying races but could only manage fourth place in the final. He then found himself squeezed into a snow bank in Wednesday’s semi-final, but came out fighting on Saturday and – with a dominant display – duly won both the battle and the war.

Rundberg and Johansson ultimately wound up second and third in the outright classification, with others to shine including Isac Egonsson and former FIA World Rallycross Championship star Lukács ‘Csucsu’ Kornél, the Hungarian denied a rostrum result in round one by a last lap mechanical issue but making up for it by speeding to the runner-up spoils in round two.

Quote, Unquote
Sebastian Eriksson (Champion, Supercar Lites):
“It’s been a perfect day for me – to take a clean sweep from the first qualifying race through to the final is fantastic. After winning on Monday, Wednesday didn’t go so well; I lost too much ground in the semi-final, and you really need to start towards the front in the final in these conditions. Other than that, I really can’t complain. I’ve loved every moment of RallyX on Ice – I think every week should be like this! Two titles in as many months – this year really couldn’t have started any better.”

Kevin Eriksson (2nd, Supercar Lites):
“It’s been a great week of racing, despite the fact that it didn’t end the way I wanted it to today, and to go home with second place in the championship is of course a good result. I would have loved to have been able to push Seb all the way to the chequered flag, but on this occasion it wasn’t to be. Huge congratulations to him – he’s driven brilliantly all week – and big thanks to everybody involved for making sure we all had a great time despite the less-than-ideal weather!”

Ben-Philip Gundersen (3rd, Supercar Lites):
“It feels great! I really didn’t expect to finish third in the championship after our slow start to the week. It took me a while to settle into the groove on Monday, but things began to improve on Wednesday and then today, it all just clicked and I was properly ‘in the zone’. They were probably the craziest conditions I’ve ever raced in, and being out in front really helped. I led every race I started today, and the only one I didn’t win was the final – but Sebastian [Eriksson] was just too quick for any of us here. I could feel him pushing me and knew it would be extremely difficult to keep him behind. Still, I’m very happy with second place – and a top three championship finish is the icing on the cake.”

Julle Ljungdahl (Champion, CrossCar):
“What a week! It’s been amazing. I had a few problems over the course of the first two rounds, but today has just been perfect. I was playing catch-up in the championship coming into the day, but you always have to believe it’s possible and it’s not in my nature to give up. I actually struggled a little to find my rhythm during the warm-up, but from the moment the lights went out in Q1, everything just came together. This is the best possible way to start the year – now we need to carry on working hard to keep the momentum going into the summer season.”

Final Championship Standings
Supercar Lites
1. Sebastian Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE 91
2. Kevin Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE 71
3. Ben-Philip Gundersen NOR JC Raceteknik 69
4. Oliver Eriksson SWE Olsbergs MSE 64
5. Pontus Tidemand SWE JC Raceteknik 53
6. Petter Leirhol NOR Petter Leirhol 49
7. Cole Keatts USA Olsbergs MSE 46
8. Alexander Westlund SWE Alexander Westlund 43
9. Sondre Evjen NOR JC Raceteknik 41 points
10. Martin Jonsson SWE Martin Jonsson 35 points

CrossCar
1. Julle Ljungdahl SWE 84
2. Max Rundberg SWE 74
3. Linda Johansson SWE 71
4. Ole Henry Steinsholt NOR 64
5. Isac Egonsson SWE 52
6. Timmy Enlund SWE 44
7. ‘Csucsu’ HUN 42
8. Micke Göthesson SWE 39
9. Finn Erik Løberg NOR 38
10. Petter Hane SWE 32

For full results, click here https://mwraceconsulting.com/results/index.php?dir=07+results+2019%2F01+Rallycross%2F01+Rallycross+on+Ice%2F

19-03-23 JC Raceteknik tog bronsmedalj i RallyX on Ice – Ben-Philip Gundersen tvåa i Åre
För JC Racetekniks Ben-Philip Gundersen blev det en mästerskapsmedalj i RallyX on Ice. Samtidigt fick teamkollegan Sondre Evjen och gästföraren Pontus Tidemand ett tråkigare avslut på en inledningsvis bra tävlingsvecka.
– Idag gjorde Ben-Philip ett fantastiskt insats, med hög fart och smart körning som gav bra resultat både i tävlingen och mästerskapet, säger teamchef Joel Christoffersson.

Under veckan har vintermästerskapet RallyX on Ice körts på Åresjön på tre olika banor. Vädret visade sig inte från sin bästa sida, och Åre bjöd på både blåst och nederbörd, som gjorde att en omgång under både måndagen och lördagen fick strykas. För JC Racetekniks del slutade det med en tredjeplats i mästerskapet, samt två andraplatser i deltävlingarna.

För Ben-Philip Gundersen blev det ingen kanonstart på tävlingsveckan och måndagen avslutade han i en snövall under semifinalen. På onsdagen höjdes tempot och norrmannen knep en fjärdeplats i tävlingen, men det var först under lördagen som allt stämde fullt ut. Han segrade i samtliga omgångar och även i semifinalen. Väl i final resulterade det i en andraplats, och tack vare de bra poängen som plockades kunde han klättra från sjunde till tredje plats i mästerskapet.

Sondre Evjen har under hela veckan haft stora problem med ögonen och ljuskänslighet. Trots det inledde han helgen riktigt starkt, och knep en andraplats under den första deltävlingen. Men under onsdagen blev det kämpigare och trots en heatseger slutade det med en femteplats i semifinalen för norrmannens del. Lördagen gav två femteplatser i omgångarna, och eftersom den tredje omgången ströks missade han finalen.

Rallytalangen Pontus Tidemand imponerade stort under sin Supercar Lites-debut. Redan från första start visade han ett högt tempo, och 28-åringen lyckades bland annat vinna en omgång trots dubbla jokervarv. Dessvärre ödelades måndagens pallchans efter att han fått stora problem med imma på vindrutan, och på onsdagen blev han förste förare utanför final. Under lördagens tävling slutade Tidemand femma i semifinalen, efter att en raceincident gjort att han fastnat i en snövall.

Joel Christoffersson, teamchef:
”Det blev verkligen ett bra avslut på mästerskapet för vår och Ben-Philips del. Han hade en tung start på tävlingen, men förbättrade körningen under onsdagen. Idag gjorde han en fantastiskt insats, med hög fart och smart körning som gav bra resultat både i tävlingen och mästerskapet. Sondre gjorde en kanonmåndag. Tyvärr har han slitit väldigt under veckan med sjukdom och synen, så han har gjort ett bra jobb utefter sina förutsättningar den här veckan.

Under veckan har vi haft Pontus Tidemand som gästförare och han visade vilken bra förare han är. Redan på måndagen tog han sig till final, och hade vi inte haft problem med vindrutan hade han tagit en pallplats. Det har varit jättekul att ha med Pontus i teamet. Överlag är jag positiv efter RallyX on Ice-veckan. Det är verkligen rätt koncept att köra rallycross även på vintern och om vi bortser från vädret, som ingen kan göra någonting åt, så är det ett bra arrangemang.”

Ben-Philip Gundersen:
”Det här känns jättebra. Jag hade aldrig någonsin kunnat tro att det skulle räcka till en tredjeplats i mästerskapet, inte efter hur mörkt det såg ut i måndags. Det säger lite om hur veckan varit för alla förare. Inför tävlingen idag låg jag sjua, så att kunna klättra till en tredjeplats visar att man ska fortsätta kämpa in i det sista och aldrig ge upp. Överlag har det varit en lite vansklig vecka för mig. Måndagen var värst och jag hade inget flyt, under onsdag blev körningen lite bättre. Sen fick jag avsluta så här, med bästa resultatet. Så tack till JC Racetekniks duktiga mekaniker som gör att allt fungerar, Jag vill också passa på att tacka alla som stöttar och hejar fram oss, det betyder mycket.”

Pontus Tidemand:
”Min målsättning i RallyX on Ice var att ha roligt, och det har jag haft. Bilen har fungerat perfekt och med tanke på att jag gjort både snabbaste och näst snabbaste tiderna på träningarna så har farten funnits. Under måndag tog jag mig till final, men framrutan immade igen och jag såg ingenting. I onsdags var det lite tuffare tag med några incidenter och idag fastnade jag i en snövall under semifinalen, men så kan det gå i rallycross. Jag är jätteglad över att JC Raceteknik och Helmia gjorde den här körningen möjlig för mig. Joel har ett fantastiskt team, med bra ordning på bil och grejerna. Så jag hoppas verkligen att jag kan få chansen att vara med nästa år, det vore kul.”

Sondre Evjen:
”Veckan började bra för mig. Jag hade högt tempo och tog en andraplats. Men sen gick det inte lika bra. Under den andra dagen räckte det till semifinal, men inte längre. Efter det kändes det som att mästerskapet ödelades för min del, och jag fick motivationsbrist. Så idag var det tyvärr inte heller min dag, jag hade inte det som krävdes på den här banan helt enkelt. Jag brukar vara en stark förare under vintern, så det känns såklart tråkigt att det inte blev ett bättre resultat i mästerskapet. Jag tar med mig en andraplats i första deltävlingen, lär av misstagen jag gjorde och kommer tillbaka starkare nästa vintersäsong.

Men nu lägger vi fokus på sommarsäsongen. Stort tack till hela JC Raceteknik och mina mekaniker Johan och Henrik som gjort ett bra jobb med bilen hela veckan. Också tack till alla sponsorer som gör det här möjligt."

RallyX on Ice (topp tio)
1. Sebastian Eriksson 91 p
2. Kevin Eriksson 71 p
3. Ben-Philip Gundersen 69 p
4. Oliver Eriksson 64 p
5. Pontus Tidemand 53 p
6. Petter Leirhol 49 p
7. Cole Keatts 46 p
8. Alexander Westlund 43 p
9. Sondre Evjen 41 p
10. Martin Johnsson 35 p

19-03-21 VOLVO följer SWECON till Höljes
Swecon Anläggningsmaskiner AB fortsätter samarbetet med Höljes Rallycross och World Rallycross of Sweden som titelsponsor även 2019. Swecon gick in som sponsor redan 2017 och väljer nu att förnya avtalet med Höljes Rallycross som huvudsponsor.
Nu har dessutom Volvo visat intresse för Höljes och ansluter som sponsorpartner till Rallycrossen i Norra Värmland.

"Swecon med alla sina maskiner är en mycket viktig pusselbit för oss i Höljes. Vi har ständigt markarbeten att göra på området och även Rallycrossbanan behöver underhållas. Att nu också få Volvo med oss också är såklart jättekul, två viktiga partners säger tävlingsgeneralen Morgan Östlund.

"Swecon ser samarbetet med World RX of Sweden i Höljes som ett mycket bra sätt att nå ut till vår målgrupp. Som återförsäljare för Volvo anläggningsmaskiner finns det dessutom en naturlig koppling till rallycrossen genom det behov som finns av våra maskiner för drift och byggnation under ett motorevent. Det är tredje året vi är på plats som partner i Höljes och vi ser återigen fram mot att träffa besökare, kunder och anställda i en miljö som vi alla trivs i", -säger Fredrik Rigö chef för Swecons marknadskommunikation.

"Volvo Lastvagnar är mycket glada för vårt samarbete kring Magic Weekend och Höljes Rallycross. Det är en fantastisk folkfest som utgör en mycket bra plattform för att träffa våra kunder och motorentusiaster, säger Christina Eriksson, ansvarig för marknadskommunikation på Volvo Lastvagnar Sverige.

VM deltävlingen i Höljes behåller namnet, "Swecon World Rallycross of Sweden". Tävlingen i Höljes genomförs den 5-7 juli och är den sjätte deltävlingen i Rallycross VM som inleds i Abu Dabi 5-6 april

19-03-17 Final day action to be live-streamed on Motorsport.com and SBF Play
Fans able to follow RallyX on Ice finale live on Motorsport.tv and SBF Play
•‘Impossible to call a winner at this stage’, says commentator Toby Moody
•Andreas Bakkerud, Timmy Hansen and Kevin Eriksson amongst star names

The final day of this week’s RallyX on Ice presented by Cooper Tires festival (18-23 March) will be broadcast live and free-to-view on Motorsport.com’s online channel Motorsport.tv and SBF Play in Sweden – with both feeds to be voiced by popular commentator Toby Moody.

Building upon the success of last year’s coverage, RallyX on Ice – the ultimate winter motorsport challenge, pitting some of the world’s very best rallycross drivers against one another on Sweden’s frozen Lake Åre – will once again enjoy high-profile exposure on two major sporting platforms.

All of Saturday’s action – which will decide the destiny of the titles in the headlining Supercar Lites and supporting CrossCar categories – will be livestreamed on both Motorsport.tv and SBF Play, complemented by highlights from Monday and Wednesday’s racing.

The Supercar Lites entry is led by reigning RallyX on Ice and RX2 International Series Champion Oliver Eriksson, but the young Swede is likely to face stiff competition from a number of fronts – not least his older brother Kevin Eriksson, a race-winner in the fiercely-contested FIA World Rallycross Championship and the 2016 RallyX on Ice Champion.

Another World RX superstar entering the fray is Andreas Bakkerud, who is sure to enjoy plenty of support, with Åre situated just over the border from his native Norway. The new Monster Energy RX Cartel recruit will take to the track on the final day, in a Team Färén-run car that will be driven on Monday by fellow World RX full-timer Oliver Bennett, who contested RallyX on Ice in the supporting RX Academy last year.

Sebastian Eriksson – winner of last month’s SM Veckan Swedish Winter Championship – and RX2 front-runners Ben-Philip Gundersen and Sondre Evjen are other leading candidates for glory with impressive career CVs. Former Junior WRC Champion and WRC2 title-winner Pontus Tidemand, meanwhile, has a similarly strong record in rallycross, with three final appearances from seven starts in World RX and third place in the 2014 Euro RX standings.

Alexander Westlund fought for the RallyX on Ice title at Åre three years ago and came close to winning the final round in 2018, while American teenager Cole Keatts, highly-rated young gun Ole Henry Steinsholt and Norway’s Petter Leirhol are all capable of springing a surprise.

In CrossCar, 2014 World Rallycross Championship runner-up Timmy Hansen and fan favourite Lukács ‘Csucsu’ Kornél will be amongst the key contenders, and Moody – widely renowned as one of the world’s finest motorsport commentators – predicts a feast of sensational sideways entertainment across both classes.

“I’m really looking forward to heading back out to Sweden for RallyX on Ice,” he enthused. “As a concept – with some of the sport’s most spectacular cars in some of the most extreme conditions imaginable – it works brilliantly, and it never fails to deliver sensational racing.

“This year, we have a fantastic base in Åre, three new purpose-built tracks on a frozen lake – making it a level playing field for all involved – and some great names on the high-quality entry list. It really is a bit of a ‘who’s who’ of the rallycross world, with front-runners from virtually every major championship you can think of. Calling a winner at this stage is pretty much impossible – I can’t wait to see how all the action unfolds.”

The 2019 RallyX on Ice presented by Cooper Tires festival will comprise three events held over six days. Each round will feature a different track layout – including a high-speed oval – with fans encouraged to enjoy the high-quality racing amongst the excellent local facilities on offer.

Key Timings
Monday, 18 March
13:45 – 15:40 Qualifying Rounds 1, 2 & 3
16:00 – 17:30 Semi-Finals & Final

Wednesday, 20 March
11:00 – 12:30 Qualifying Rounds 1 & 2
14:00 – 16:00 Qualifying Round 3, Semi-Finals & Final

Saturday, 23 March
10:25 – 12:30 Qualifying Rounds 1, 2 & 3
13:30 – 15:00 Semi-Finals & Final

Entry Lists
Supercar Lites
Car No. Driver Nationality Race day(s)
2 Ben-Philip GUNDERSEN NOR Mon, Weds, Sat
6 Martin ENLUND SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
7 Pontus TIDEMAND SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
10 Martin JONSSON SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
13 Andreas BAKKERUD NOR Sat
16 Oliver ERIKSSON SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
27 Petter LEIRHOL NOR Mon, Weds, Sat
33 Lars Erik HAUG NOR Mon, Weds, Sat
42 Oliver BENNETT GBR Mon
50 Fredrik Damm LARSEN NOR Mon, Weds, Sat
53 Cole KEATTS USA Mon, Weds, Sat
55 Alexander WESTLUND SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
69 Sondre EVJEN NOR Mon, Weds, Sat
88 Ole Henry STEINSHOLT NOR Mon, Weds, Sat
93 Sebastian ERIKSSON SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
96 Kevin ERIKSSON SWE Mon, Weds, Sat

CrossCar
Car No. Driver Nationality Race day(s)
10 ‘CSUCSU’ HUN Mon, Weds, Sat
20 Julie LJUNGDAHL SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
21 Timmy HANSEN SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
22 Isac EGONSSON SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
51 Linda JOHANSSON SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
66 Max RUNDBERG SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
85 Petter HANE SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
88 Ole Henry STEINSHOLT NOR Mon, Weds, Sat
135 Finn Erik LØBERG NOR Mon, Weds, Sat
175 Timmy ENLUND SWE Mon, Weds, Sat
934 Micke GÖTHESSON SWE Mon, Weds, Sat

19-03-15 Guess who’s Bakk...
World Championship superstar joins Supercar Lites entry for RallyX on Ice
Norwegian hero to do battle on Lake Åre for Team Färén
27-year-old hoping his legion of fans will come along to support
Fellow World RX ace Oliver Bennett similarly set to take to the wheel

Rallycross superstar Andreas Bakkerud will compete in the final round of next week’s RallyX on Ice presented by Cooper Tires festival on Sweden’s frozen Lake Åre (18-23 March), and the FIA World Rallycross Championship hero is encouraging his loyal band of fans to come and watch.

Bakkerud has earned cult status in rallycross circles, with a legion of supporters – the #BakkerudBlue army – routinely following him around the world. The 27-year-old regularly rewards them with spectacular performances and first-rate results – yielding six race wins and 24 podium finishes in World RX over the past five years – and he will contest the 2019 campaign with the newly-formed Monster Energy RX Cartel team.

Before that, however, Bakkerud is set to return to the ice next Saturday (23 March) with crack Swedish outfit Team Färén. The Norwegian has form on frozen surfaces, having previously participated in RallyX on Ice in 2015 and more recently teamed up with circuit racing ace Nicolas Prost in France’s Andros Trophy.

“First and foremost, I love racing!” he enthused. “There hasn’t been much driving for me since the final round of the 2018 World Championship in Cape Town last November, so I see this as a chance to get some good practice in ahead of the upcoming season!

“Also, Lake Åre is very close to the Norwegian boarder with Trondheim, Stjørdal and the Norwegian RX track in Hell – so hopefully I’ll get to meet up with some Norwegian fans at the same time.

“Racing on ice isn’t that different to normal rallycross – you have to perfect your reaction times, sliding and rotations, all of which are crucial in a long RX season. Finally, it will be fun to race against the new generation of young talents, so I’m sure I will have a hard time if I want to end up on top – but I will do my very best and of course, I will enjoy it.”

Before Bakkerud’s arrival, the Team Färén entry will be piloted by fellow World RX full-timer Oliver Bennett in Monday’s curtain-raiser, with Wednesday’s driver still to be announced. Bennett competed in the Östersund and Höljes rounds of RallyX on Ice in the RX Academy class last year, reaching the final on both occasions, and the 26-year-old Briton is now eager to test his mettle in the headlining Supercar Lites category.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” XITE Racing ace Bennett enthused. “I’ve never driven the Supercar Lites car before, so that will be a good experience and it’ll be interesting to see what it’s like on the ice with four wheel-drive.

“It looks pretty comparable to a Supercar in those conditions from what I’ve seen, and it will be great to get some seat time before World RX kicks off next month. The atmosphere in Åre looks set to be brilliant, so hopefully we can go out there and have some fun – and I’ll try not to break anything before Andreas gets in the car…”

The 2019 RallyX on Ice presented by Cooper Tires festival will comprise three events held over six days. Each round will feature a different track layout – including a high-speed oval – with fans encouraged to enjoy the high-quality racing amongst the excellent local facilities on offer.

19-03-08 Chicherit: RX2 'a great stepping-stone' to the highest level
GCK founder full of praise for official World RX feeder series
Raymond and De Ridder first RX2 graduates to step up to highest level
Frenchman and Belgian will join forces at GCK Academy in 2019

GC Kompetition founder Guerlain Chicherit has hailed the role played by the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires in training drivers for the highest level, after recruiting Cyril Raymond and Guillaume De Ridder to drive for the new GCK Academy in the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship.

It was announced earlier this week that 2017 RX2 champion Raymond and 2018 championship runner-up De Ridder would graduate to the pinnacle of the sport behind the wheel of a brace of Renault Clio R.S. RX Supercars, prepared by French engineering specialist FORS Performance.

Having witnessed the growth of the FIA World Rallycross Championship, Chicherit has created the GCK Academy team as part of the GCK family with the aim of providing an opportunity for junior drivers to develop at Supercar level.

The French athlete – four times a world champion in freeriding and a multiple stage-winner on the Dakar Rally prior to making the switch to rallycross – has personal experience of the RX2 car from competitive outings in Canada and South Africa in 2017. He explains that he has always maintained a keen interest in the official World RX feeder series.

“I’ve been following Cyril and Guillaume closely over the last couple of years,” Chicherit acknowledged. “I met Guillaume when I raced in RX2, which was an incredible eye-opener for me and a great stepping-stone on the road to World Rallycross, and I’m really impressed with his continued improvement and development.

“Cyril’s path has been just as impressive. He absolutely dominated a strong RX2 field in 2017 and showed everyone that he was ready for the jump into Supercars then, so I’m really excited to see him take the GCK Clio R.S. RX to the start-line this season.

“2019 is a really big year for GCK. To enter the World Championship with four cars is a big step, and it allows me to support two super-talented junior drivers to develop on the biggest stage. I can’t wait to see what the season will bring!”

From a rallying background, De Ridder immediately stood out in RX2 when he made his debut two years ago. After finishing third and top rookie in the 2017 standings, the 26-year-old Belgian went on to challenge eventual champion Oliver Eriksson all the way in 2018, ultimately winding up second in the Drivers’ classification. From 14 career starts, he achieved two victories and seven podium finishes.

“This is like a dream!” enthused De Ridder, who has been closely monitored by Chicherit since the pair raced against each other in 2017. “It’s been my goal for the past 16 years to compete at the highest level in motorsport, so to now be offered such a fantastic opportunity to graduate to the pinnacle of international rallycross is simply incredible. Being selected as one of the two junior drivers representing the team is an awesome recognition.

“I want to thank Guerlain and the entire GCK crew from the bottom of my heart. What they are doing to help promote young drivers in the discipline is unique and serves as an excellent example. Yes, investing in youth can sometimes be a risk, but I strongly believe it is the right strategy for the sport long-term.

“There’s no question that I would not be where I am today if it hadn’t been for RX2, which has played such a major role in my journey to World RX. The series organisers have worked tirelessly to raise the profile of the championship and all of the drivers in it, and my two years there gave me a thorough schooling in the discipline of rallycross. As a single-make series, it offers the perfect opportunity to learn and hone your ability on a completely level playing field.

“RX2 has rapidly established itself as the natural proving ground for the World Championship and in my opinion, is a vital step on the ladder up to the highest level. The visibility that the series enjoys both within and beyond the rallycross sphere is a major asset when it comes to showcasing your skills to the World RX teams – not to mention potential sponsors. In other words, it’s a fantastic launch pad for anybody targeting a career in World RX.”

Following his dominant title-winning campaign in RX2 in 2017, Raymond continued to turn heads last year. Contesting four rounds of the FIA European Rallycross Championship, he topped the intermediate rankings on his debut at Mettet, popularly won on home soil at Lohéac and went on to finish third in the overall points table.

“Honestly, it’s a dream come true for me to be able to participate in a full FIA World Rallycross Championship season,” the 25-year-old Frenchman enthused. “I owe special thanks to Guerlain for his visionary approach and initiative in creating this ‘Junior’ team. This is a really important moment in my career, and one I’ll never forget.

“For me, RX2 is the best school in international rallycross, and the Supercar Lites machinery is ideal for preparing drivers for Supercar graduation. It’s a lot of fun to drive – a bit like a four-wheel-drive version of a go-kart – and very easy to get to grips with and fine-tune. In a single-make series in which everybody has the same car at their disposal, the driver and set-up really make the difference.

“The calibre of the competition is extremely high, and I loved the two-and-a-half seasons I spent in the category. As an official support series to World RX, RX2 puts drivers right in the shop window and is an ideal opportunity to learn the discipline’s major tracks. For me, there’s no question that it’s the best series around for young drivers looking to step up to Supercar level.”

19-03-06 Quality 2019 Entry list underlines strength of World RX
The list of permanent competitors for the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy released today, suggests intense competition across the 10 rounds for series honours.

The quality, depth and multicultural mix of the competitors underlines the strength of World RX now in its fifth year.

A total of 16 permanent drivers in six teams and four individual entries representing eight automotive brands will battle for World RX bragging rights. Drivers from 11 countries bring a multi-national flavour to the series.

The list features some familiar names among teams and drivers and offers the chance for a number of young guns to make their mark in a championship that will be the most closely fought for some time.

Likely to have strong claims on the title, is the eye-catching pairing of flamboyant Briton Liam Doran and World RX front-runner Andreas Bakkerud of Norway who join forces in Audi S1s for the newly-formed Monster Energy RX Cartel team.

The Hansen brothers, Timmy and Kevin, sons of Kenneth, the most successful rallycross driver to date with 14 FIA European Rallycross titles, will campaign a pair of Peugeot 208s under the Team Hansen MJP banner.

In 2018, Timmy, 26, finished a solid sixth in the 2018 world championship, while Kevin, six years younger than his Swedish brother, was highly impressive en route to eighth place last year.

Marcus Gronholm’s GRX Taneco team will field a pair of Hyundai i20s for the highly-experienced Russian Timur Timerzyanov who is joined on the regular team roster by Niclas Gronholm, son of two-time World Rally Champion Marcus.

At 22, Niclas, a former Finnish Rallycross Champion, will seek to build on his impressive 2018 season in which he made the final four times and was clearly best of the non-factory drivers.

Latvia’s Reinis Nitiss will combine development driver duties for GRX Taneco with appearances at selected rounds – the first of which is likely to be the World RX of Abu Dhabi next month.

Building on their successful debut season in 2018, the French outfit GC Kompetition will field four permanent drivers in 2019.

Team owner Guerlain Chicherit, a professional skier and the first man in history to complete an unassisted backflip in a car, is joined by former European Rallycross Champion Anton Marklund of Sweden in Renault Meganes.

As part of an initiative to create a pathway for promising junior rallycross talent, in the sister GCK Academy team - RX2 graduates Cyril Raymond of France and Belgium’s Guillaume De Ridder - will be at the wheel of Renault Clios.

As first revealed in January, Latvia’s Janis Baumanis will represent Austrian team STARD in a Ford Fiesta, supported by Ford Performance. He will be joined in a second STARD car with a driver yet to be named.

The four individual entries will compete for the drivers’ title but do not claim team points.

Britain’s Oliver Bennett, who competed in selected World RX and ARX events in 2018, will pilot the Xite Racing Mini Cooper in his first full world championship season.

Former DTM champion Timo Scheider, who made a series of World RX outings in 2018 for ALL-INKL.COM Munnich Motorsport, carries the German team’s hopes for the entire season in an all-new Seat Ibiza. He will be joined by team owner Rene Munnich at selected events.

Krisztian Szabo competes for Mattias Ekstrom’s EKS Sport team, winners of both the drivers’ and teams’ titles in 2016. The Hungarian will run an Audi S1.

Flying the flag for younger generation, 19-year-old Lithuanian Rokas Bacisuka, the current FIA European Rallycross Champion in Super 1600, campaigns the Skoda Fabia for ESmotorsport – Labas Gas.

According to Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President of IMG Motorsports, the series promoter, the strength of the entry list is testament to the healthy state of the championship.

“What we have put together is a high quality entry list which features names synonymous with world rallycross, and a number of young guns aiming for the world championship crown. This underlines the robust nature of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

“The entry list illustrates the lure of World RX for both teams and drivers. We have all the ingredients for a fierce battle among privateer teams seeking the kudos of a world championship in one of motorsports’ most demanding environments.

“To have 11 nationalities of drivers and eight automotive brands going head-to-head adds further spice and intrigue.”

The 2019 season will also see increased connectivity with fans. “We will continue to innovate in 2019 by extending our live streaming offer as we seek to broaden our fan appeal,” Bellamy added.

“Last season we attracted over 400,000 views per race weekend on live streaming and our social media presence continues to grow. The nature of World RX, short, all-action races, the longest of which is just over five minutes, is very enticing for younger fans in this time-poor world we live in.”

The FIA World Rallycross Championship, launched in 2014, continues its expansion in 2019 with visits to Abu Dhabi for the season opener at Yas Marina Circuit on April 5-6 and the tantalising prospect of World Rallycross Supercars taking on the famed Eau Rouge at Spa-Francorchamps.

The festival nature of a World RX weekend will be brought to life at a number of venues none more so than the SpeedMachine weekend at Silverstone on May 25-26.

19-03-06 Hansen family beats the clock to return to World RX as Team HANSEN MJP
Swedish superteam cements emotional return to World RX grid
Dynamic driver line-up behind the wheel of potent Peugeot 208 WRX
Team’s toughest winter makes way for exciting new chapter

Hansen Motorsport is happy and proud to finally present the new Team HANSEN MJP which will participate in the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship, following what Team Principal Kenneth Hansen has described as ‘the most challenging period ever’ in the Scandinavian squad’s history.

Team HANSEN MJP will field a brace of potent Peugeot 208 WRX Supercars for the Hansen brothers, Timmy and Kevin. The joy and excitement on their faces cannot be mistaken, as they now will contest full programmes in both World RX and GRC Europe.

This confirmation comes just over four months on from arguably Hansen Motorsport’s darkest day, when the team’s future appeared very uncertain following Peugeot Sport’s World RX withdrawal. For an organisation that many people might consider synonymous with rallycross success – with a record 14 FIA European Rallycross Championship titles to his credit, founder Kenneth Hansen is one of the most crowned drivers in the history of the discipline – these have been bleak times indeed. But finally, the team has emerged on the other side.

When Hansen Motorsport sealed a deal to enter the new GRC Europe series in December, it gave the energy boost needed to continue the daily strive to similarly secure a place in World RX. An ever-present force in the World Championship since its inception in 2014, Hansen Motorsport has clinched multiple wins and the 2015 Teams’ crown over the past five seasons. Now, the next chapter is set to begin.

Widely regarded as a champion in waiting, Timmy Hansen has concluded every season inside the top six in the World RX standings, racing to five victories and 24 podium finishes as well as the 2015 World Championship runner-up laurels. As he looks ahead to the forthcoming campaign, the 26-year-old is fired-up to fight for the biggest prize in international rallycross.

Despite his age, younger brother Kevin Hansen already has a long career in rallycross under his belt, going all the way back to 2013 and yielding titles in the RX Lites Cup and FIA European Rallycross Championship for Supercars – the latter earning him the most coveted award of all for newcomers, the FIA Rookie of the Year Award in 2016. Since then, the 20-year-old has consistently impressed on the World Championship stage as he cements his status as one of the sport’s fastest-rising stars.

The 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship will fire into life at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit on 4/5 April, going on to visit Canada and some of the most iconic rallycross venues in Europe before concluding in South Africa on 9/10 November.

Quotes
Kenneth Hansen – Team Principal
“The months following Peugeot Sport’s decision to close their RX activity – which saw the Hansen family stranded without a team and programme – have been some of our toughest ever. Since then, with a commitment deeply rooted in our love for rallycross, Hansen Motorsport has used almost every single waking hour to find ways and possibilities to get a team and budget together to be able to return to World RX.”

“It was a real last-minute agreement, but we are here and ready to race with a small yet efficient team. To be able to contest not just one but two major international rallycross series this year is a dream come true. You really can’t wipe the smiles off our faces at the moment!”

“Rallycross has been a big part of our lives for as long as I can remember. After a turbulent winter for the sport, it would be wonderful for me to see both World RX and GRC Europe bloom side-by-side, bringing the best RX races the fans have seen in a long time.”

Timmy Hansen – Driver
“It feels like it’s been a long winter since our last rallycross race in South Africa in November, so it’s brilliant to confirm that we’ll be back in the World Championship. For a long time, we genuinely weren’t sure if we were going to make it or not so it’s a huge relief to know we will be there and I couldn’t be more excited right now.

“Looking at the drivers and teams confirmed so far, it’s shaping up to be a competitive season with a very level playing field. The addition of a couple of new tracks only adds to the unpredictability, but I have a fantastic team of people around me, the 208 WRX is a great car that I feel very comfortable in. We have an incredibly busy year ahead, but I can’t wait to get out to Abu Dhabi and see how we shape up!

“To everybody that has believed in Hansen Motorsport, believed in rallycross as an amazing sport and believed that together, we have more to give, we cannot thank you all enough. Now we have new goals to focus on, new challenges, new races and – hopefully – new victories to conquer.”

Kevin Hansen – Driver
“It feels amazing to return to World RX as a proper family team! We have worked so hard to make this happen, and to finally be able to say I’m a driver for Team HANSEN MJP is crazy. Wow – what a journey we’ve been on!

“After two full seasons in World RX, I really feel that I’ve found my feet in the series and that I’m capable of taking on the very best drivers in the discipline. The next step is to begin pushing for podium finishes. That’s clearly going to be no easy task with so many quick drivers, teams and cars signed up, but it’s what I need to be aiming for and if I can achieve podiums, why not target a first win..?”

Susann Hansen – Team Manager
“We were mentally and emotionally at rock-bottom for a while, but now, finally, we are back! It’s a big relief. During the hard times, we have been overwhelmed by the support we have received from our partners, suppliers and fans, and despite what initially looked like an almost impossible task, step-by-step, we chipped away and now here we are.

“We have some amazing partners who have made this announcement possible, and we look forward to rewarding them throughout the year with strong on-track performances and a committed title challenge.”

Max J. Pucher – Owner, MJP Racing
“It was a great moment when Kenneth and I decided to do more together in 2019, as we have an almost similar vision for the future of rallycross. Kenneth worked really hard on this, and I am very glad that Team HANSEN MJP is now a part of World RX. I look forward to more rallycross than ever in 2019.”

19-03-06 Esmotorsport-Labas gas confirm young gun Baciuska
The Lithuanian team ESmotorsport-Labas GAS today announced 19-year-old Rokas Baciuska as their driver for the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship, presented by Monster Energy.

Baciuska, the current European Rallycross Champion in Super1600 class, will campaign a Skoda Fabia in the 10 rounds of the new season starting in Abu Dhabi on April 5-6.

ESmotorsport-Labas GAS may be new to World RX but according to team founder and former rallycross driver, Ernestas Staponkus the team has covered over 1,000km of kilometres in testing in 2018 and has prepared well for the challenges ahead.

Staponkus also has confidence that Baciuska can meet the demands of a rookie season in World RX. He said: “We developed our car with the help of many different drivers from different categories, not only rallycross. But at the end we decided to start with young talent from our country.

“Last year, Rokas Baciuska won European Rallycross Championship in the Super1600 class. We are sure that he will be able to fight with the fastest drivers in the world this season.”

Baciuska is looking forward the upcoming season. “From the very first full season in Super1600 class I won the European rallycross championship straight away. Of course, I don’t expect to do the same this season in World RX, but we will fight for the highest places. Not from the very first race maybe but during the season we believe we can go to fight for the podium.”

Staponkus also confirmed that ESmotorsport-Labas GAS team is working on a second car and that Kevin Abbring would fill the seat. He said: “The second car is on the way. We want to introduce it in World RX during the season and to be able to fight for the team championship from the next season.

“To my mind Kevin Abbring is one of the fastest drivers in World Rallycross. He can win World Championship and we are happy that he will try to do it with us.”

19-03-05 GCK launches foir-car assault on 2019 World RX Series
GC KOMPETITION (GCK), founded by French athlete Guerlain Chicherit, will compete in the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship with two permanent teams.

GCK entered their debut season in 2018 before expanding the team to three cars at the US and German events. GCK will now grow the operation to include four permanent drivers in 2019.

Chicherit will be partnered in the GCK Megane R.S. RX by European Rallycross Champion Anton Marklund of Sweden.

Joining the GCK squad for 2019 as part of the all new GCK Academy team are RX2 Champion Cyril Raymond and RX2 Vice-Champion Guillaume de Ridder who will campaign a 2019 evolution of the successful GCK Renault Clio R.S. RX.

GCK has appointed French engineering company FORS Performance to facilitate all World RX race operations from 2019 for both teams.

Chicherit said he has created the "GCK Academy" team with a vision to provide an opportunity for junior drivers to compete on the world championship stage. Having witnessed the growth of the FIA World Rallycross Championship and with the aim of helping junior drivers develop in World Championship cars, Chicherit has launched the GCK Academy as part of the GCK family.

Chicherit said: “2019 is a really big year for GCK. We debuted the team in the FIA World Rallycross Championship in 2018 and have been working really hard to further develop the GCK Megane R.S. RX, the first car to have been designed and built from scratch to compete in rallycross.

“To now enter the Championship with four cars is a big step. It allows me to compete in the GCK Megane R.S. RX alongside Anton who I’ve been working with closely over the last few months but also to support two super talented junior drivers in Cyril and Guillaume to develop in a World Championship driving the GCK Clio R.S. RX. I’m really excited to see what the season will bring.”

Returning to the GCK Megane RS RX for 2019 Anton Marklund said: “I’ve been in contact with GCK since July 2018 meaning that we have had a lot of time to work together towards the upcoming season.

“I raced the GCK Megane in the last three races of the 2018 season and worked with Guerlain to further put together a development list for the car. Then FORS Performance offered me to help them develop the GCK Clio during the winter which means I got to spend a lot of time and work closely with the team operating the cars this year.

“With all those opportunities ahead of this season, I already feel very much at home in the team. I’m sure that with the development and preparations we all have done during the winter, we have a good chance to race for top spots in the 2019 season. I want to thank Guerlain and Bilstein for their trust and support and can’t wait to get the season started.”

Following a successful 2018 rookie season in the FIA European Rallycross Championship, Frenchman Raymond is aiming to consistently compete for top six positions and work closely with his new team-mate to bring success to the GCK Academy programme.

“My vision for 2019 is to improve my driving in Supercars and to be a good teammate,” he said. “I would like to show my potential behind the wheel but also in the paddock at work. My target is to be in the final of the every race. Joining GCK Academy is a really important moment of my career. I have finally become a race driver of the FIA World Rallycross Championship. It’s a dream come true. I’ll never forget this moment.”

Completing the GCK Academy roster, Belgium’s Guillaume de Ridder was identified by Guerlain Chicherit as a future World Rallycross star from when they both raced in RX2 during 2017. Throughout 2018 competitions the GCK owner monitored De Ridder closely with the intention of presenting a Supercar opportunity to the Belgian.

Excited by the opportunity, de Ridder said: “Joining the GCK Academy is an incredible opportunity for me. Being selected as one of the two junior drivers representing the team is an awesome recognition. It has been many years now that I have been working so hard and have given everything I had (sometimes even more than that!) in order to reach the highest level in motorsport, so it is finally a dream come true.

“I would like to thank Guerlain Chicherit and all the GCK team for the opportunity they are giving me and I will work even harder to show them they have made the right choice. I am extremely excited and I can’t wait to start working with such a professional and ambitious team.”

19-03-03 Eks Sport signs Krisztian Axabo for full World RX Season
EKS Sport have today announced that Hungarian Krisztian Szabo will compete as a permanent driver in the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy.

Former World Champions EKS Sport finished second in the 2018 Teams’ World Championship standings and will continue with their signature Audi S1 EKS RX Quattro.

After making his European debut at the end of the 2014 season in Italy, Szabo finished a strong third in the 2015 FIA European Rallycross Championship for Super1600 before sealing the European title twice consecutively in 2016 and 2017.

The Hungarian made an impressive debut for EKS Sport at the Euro RX of France in the Supercar category, racing to second place and subsequently reaching the Final on his second outing with the team in Latvia.

Szabo views 2019 as a “now or never” opportunity. He said: “Since the beginning of my career, I have been dreaming about racing in the World Championship. Mattias Ekstrom announced last year that he will stop racing in 2019, which means he has more time to focus on managing the EKS Sport team.

“It is going to be different in 2019 with a much more balanced championship. Everyone has a bigger chance, including me. I have one of the best teams and cars behind me. I have the right background – a world championship-winning team, the professional support of Mattias and I feel well-prepared.

“I know most of the tracks but Abu Dhabi and Spa are unknown for me too. I can’t wait to take on the legendary Eau Rouge. I am also excited to travel to Canada and South Africa, because I have not raced outside of Europe in the past couple of years. It is a now or never for me in 2019 and I start my first World Championship season with title hopes.”

Mattias Ekstrom added: “I wanted to work together with Krisz this season because his results were quite promising last year and I predict a bright future for him. The World RX field has changed for 2019 and I think Krisz has a big chance to be one of the best and win many races.

“This is why I suggested that he races in the World Championship instead of the European Championship. I will help him as the team leader, I still have vivid memories from last year and I believe it will be useful for the team. I think that Krisztian will surprise many people because they still don’t know what he can do.”

19-03-02 Åre you ready for action? Fun on and off-track at RallyX on Ice
Pristine SkiStar slopes provide picture-perfect backdrop to RallyX on Ice
Snowmobile rides and zipline thrill add to the adrenaline at Camp Åre
Arctic Driving courses offer opportunity to showcase skills behind the wheel

With less than 20 days to go until the 2019 edition of RallyX on Ice presented by Cooper Tires – the ultimate winter motorsport spectacle – roars into life at Åre in Sweden (18-23 March), excitement is building for a week of unrivalled entertainment both on and off-track.

In addition to three days of flat-out racing – which will see some of the sport’s quickest drivers go doorhandle-to-doorhandle across a frozen lake in identical 310bhp Supercar Lites machinery – Scandinavia’s premier winter sports venue has a wide variety of activities to keep fans, guests and competitors at full-throttle whether at the circuit or on the piste.

The resort of Åre is owned and operated by SkiStar – the number one Scandinavian ski operator – whose extensive network of unspoilt, pristine slopes offers the very best in Alpine skiing and snowboarding, complemented by a welcoming village atmosphere, family-friendly restaurants, shopping and après-ski. Named Sweden’s best ski resort for the past six years by the World Ski Awards, Åre successfully staged the 2019 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships last month.

Camp Åre adds to the adrenaline rush with a range of customised experiences and adventures in the unique Åre valley, including snowmobile safaris and a high-flying zipline for aerial thrills.

For more fun on four wheels, meanwhile, Arctic Driving offers dynamic ice-driving opportunities with the rear wheel-drive Toyota GT86 sportscar, with expert tuition in the areas of braking, steering and – unquestionably the best part – drifting. Concluding with a timed run against the clock, the activity invariably brings out the competitive side in all participants.

From husky dog sledding to ice-carving sculptures and a rare chance to glimpse the dazzling Northern Lights, RallyX on Ice visitors will truly be spoilt for choice, and with regular flights into nearby airports, Åre’s status as a true destination resort is simple to understand.

RallyX on Ice Chief Operating Officer, Ian Davies, said: “Motorsport and winter sports have a lot in common, and will complement each other perfectly at our RallyX on Ice festival in Sweden later this month. Both are exhilarating, fast-paced and adrenaline-fuelled, and after spending a day either on-track or seeing the drivers demonstrate their skills, there is an impressive array of activities to extend the high-octane theme on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday’s non-race days. It promises to be a fun-filled week from start to finish!”

19-02-25 Norway’s Finnskogbanen completes 2019 RallyX Nordic schedule
Finnskogbanen in Norway to make its debut on the RallyX Nordic schedule
Final piece of the 2019 calendar jigsaw confirms 7 rounds, 6 events and 5 nations
Season begins with Holjes double-header and includes inaugural round in Latvia

The 2019 RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires calendar has been finalised with confirmation it will for the first time visit Finnskogbanen for the series’ annual Norwegian round.

Founded in 1990 and located 160km north of Oslo, while Finnskogbanen is a well-established Norwegian rallycross venue this is the first time it will feature on the RallyX Nordic schedule. At 833m, the Finnskogbanen track is compact, fast and renowned for its technical challenge.

Taking place on July 27-28 as part of a back-to-back with Riga, Finnskogbanen’s confirmation officially finalises the 2019 schedule, which for the first time will comprise seven rounds across six venues and five countries.

The season kicks off on May 17-19 with the series’ first-ever double-header event at iconic Holjes, before travelling to Nysum in Denmark for round two, followed by Riga, Finnskogbanen and Kouvola in Finland. The teams will then return to Sweden in September for the Tierp Arena final round showdown.

Ian Davies, RallyX Nordic Chief Operating Officer, commented: “With the confirmation of Finnskogbanen, we have completed a fantastic schedule for 2019, one that serves to emphasise the growth and significance of RallyX Nordic. With two brilliant new venues in Finnskogbanen and Bikernieki, a double-header opener in Holjes and a grandstand finale lined up in Tierp, plus what will no doubt be well-attended rounds in Nysum and Kouvola, we could not have asked for more. Coupled to an itinerary bursting with action from 5 different race classes and a number of high profile teams and drivers committing to RallyX Nordic already, we can’t wait to kick off the new season in May."

Ahead of the RallyX Nordic season, RallyX on Ice presented by Cooper Tires slides into action in March as part of an exciting, new-look festival format with three rounds run over six days at the Åre ski resort in Sweden.

Held across 18 – 23 March, close to the Holiday Club SPA Hotel where a raft of off-track activities will accompany the spectacular racing action, the festival will use a different layout with each round to keep the racing challenging before this year's rallycross snow star is crowned.

2019 RallyX Nordic calendar:
May 17 - 19 Round 1 / 2 Holjes, Sweden
June 1 - 2 Round 3 Nysum, Denmark
July 20 - 21 Round 4 Riga, Latvia
July 27 - 28 Round 5 Finnskogbanen, Norway
August 24 – 25 Round 6 Kouvola, Finland
September 21 - 22 Round 7 TIerp Arena, Swede

19-02-07 RallyX Nordic commits to future with new CrossCar class and refreshed points structure
RallyX Nordic adds CrossCar to official programme alongside Supercars, Supercar Lites, SuperTouring and RX Academy classes
All-new FIA XC Cross Car to form basis of championship alongside Xtreme CrossKart
Inclusive new Nations’ Cup and Teams’ Trophy added to prize count for 2019
Expanded race programme creates unified RallyX Nordic career path and points structure

RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires has affirmed its commitment to promoting rallycross talent across all disciplines this season with the introduction of the new RallyX Nordic CrossCar category, plus the formation of two inclusive new championships.

A firm favourite amongst fans, Crosskarts featured in a selection of rounds in 2018 but will for 2019 be officially brought into the RallyX Nordic fold and compete as part of the support package for all seven rounds

Moreover, by placing CrossCar directly alongside RX Academy, Super Touring, Supercar Lites and Supercars, it further emphasises RallyX Nordic’s pledge to establish a formal career path for aspiring rallycross talent, as well as encouraging teams to invest in their future.

Many of rallycross' leading competitors have progressed through the ranks via Crosskarts and RX Academy, with RallyX Nordic’s promise to promote tomorrow’s talent demonstrated by various initiatives, including a fully paid season in Supercar Lites for the RX Academy champion.

The RallyX Nordic CrossCar class will make use of the brand-new FIA-sanctioned XC Cross Car, though Extreme CrossKart machines are also eligible to compete.

The category is regarded as one of the most cost-effective entries into rallycross and has paved the way for several high-profile drivers starting out in the sport, including 2018 RallyX Nordic champion Oliver Solberg, with organisers committed to ensuring entry fees remain competitive.

Introduction of Nations’ Cup and Teams’ Trophy
To emphasise RallyX Nordic’s more inclusive approach between its racing categories, two new championships will be formed this season alongside the more traditional drivers’ and teams’ competitions.

Nations’ Cup
After attracting a number of drivers from outside the Nordic region to compete in RallyX Nordic last season, the series’ growing international appeal has formed the basis of the new Nations’ Cup and is available to Supercar and Supercar Lites categories.

Format: The scores of the leading two drivers representing each competing nation count towards a total at the end of the event. The nation which garners the strongest results over the course of season will come out on top.

This points structure covers Supercars and Supercar Lites classes, meaning if the highest placed Swedish driver at the end of event competes in Supercars with the second highest-placed in Supercar Lites, those drivers will count towards the score. Nationality is determined on the country of licence region.

Teams’ Trophy
The Teams’ Trophy encourages cross-team success by allowing two drivers to score as a unit, but not necessarily from the same class or team. The format encourages experienced drivers to motivate and inspire younger drivers for a collective reward.

Format: Two drivers form their own ‘team’ with their combined points totals going towards a championship table with points awarded to be equal to total points received at the end of the event. The pairing with the highest combined total at the end of the year are crowned champions. In the event of a tie-break the team with the most overall wins, then second places and so forth will decide the title.

Ian Davies, RallyX Nordic Chief Operating Officer, commented: "We feel it is crucial to invest in the future of rallycross as a sport, which is why we are focusing our efforts in ensuring there is a strong foundation from entry-level competition all the way up to Supercars.

"The Crosskarts category has been a fundamental part of rallycross culture for a long time so it is a pleasure to be welcoming it under the RallyX Nordic banner for the first time. As well as offering excellent exposure and live television coverage across five markets, we feel Crosskart and the new XC Cross Car are excellent value options for drivers to demonstrate their abilities in front of the right people, as well as adding even more entertainment value to the RallyX Nordic programme.

"The introduction of the Nations’ Cup and Teams’ Trophy unites the classes like never before and creates a genuine bond between teams and drivers intended to help them progress through the ranks for a collective reward.

"These initiatives are are all part of RallyX Nordic's commitment to establishing a clear career path for drivers and teams by ensuring we offer competitive racing for all at a competitive price."

2019 RallyX Nordic calendar:
May 17 - 19 Round 1 / 2 Holjes, Sweden
June 1 - 2 Round 3 Nysum, Denmark
July 20 - 21 Round 4 Riga, Latvia
July 27 - 28 Round 5 Norway *
August 24 – 25 Round 6 Kouvola, Finland
September 21 - 22 Round 7 TIerp Arena, Sweden
* Norway venue TBA

19-02-07 Robin Larsson och Mats Öhman klara för satsning med JC Raceteknik
Rallycrossteamet går in hårt och siktar på en seger i både FIA European Rallycross Championship och RallyX Nordic 2019.
– Det kommer bli ett spännande år för JC Raceteknik med både nya Audi-bilar och två starka förare, säger teamchef Joel Christoffersson.

JC Raceteknik har redan flera medaljer i både FIA European Rallycross Championship och RallyX Nordic. 2019 satsar det svenska teamet ännu en gång stort. Tidigare i år avslöjades det att JC Raceteknik köpt två stycken Supercar 2017 Audi S1 EKSRX Quattro från Mattias Ekströms team EKS. Nu är det klart vilka serier de startar i, och med vilka förare.

26-årige Robin Larsson kommer representera JC Raceteknik i både Euro RX (rallycross-EM) och RallyX Nordic, där han satsar på seger i båda mästerskapen. Larsson är redan en rutinerad förare. Han rallycrossdebuterade som 17-åring och har sedan dess samlat på sig flera medaljer, bland annat ett EM-guld i Supercar 2015. Totalt har Svenljungasonen gjort tre säsonger i FIA World Rallycross Championship, där han bland annat har med sig en seger under deltävlingen i Argentina 2015.

Mats Öhman är liksom Larsson ett välkänt namn inom rallycrossen. Öhman har flera år samarbetat med JC Raceteknik, men i år kommer han satsa fullt ut med teamet i RallyX Nordic. Norrbottningen har inte bara en gedigen medaljsamling i rallycross-SM, utan också flera SM- och EM-guld i skotercross. Det var under en skotercrosstävling 1998 som Öhman var med om en svår olycka. Han fick en ryggmärgsskada, förlamades till 95 procent och blev rullstolsburen. Sedan olyckan fungerar varken händer eller fingrar, halva armarna saknar känsel och han är helt lam från armhålorna och ner. Men Öhman lät sig inte stoppas och redan tre år senare började han tävla i en specialbyggd rallycrossbil. Det innebär att en av JC Racetekniks Audi-bilar kommer genomgå en rejäl förändring för att anpassas utefter Öhmans förutsättningar, och bilen kommer kunna köras med enbart armarna.

AD Butik & Bilverkstad är en av teamets huvudpartners även 2019. För JC Raceteknik blir årets Supercar-premiär 17 maj när RallyX Nordic inleds i svenska Höljes.

Joel Christoffersson, teamchef JC Raceteknik:
”Det kommer bli ett spännande år för JC Raceteknik med både nya Audi-bilar och två starka förare. Vi hade både med- och motgångar i fjol, men nu är hela teamet riktigt laddade för en stark säsong. Mats har vi samarbetat med i flera år, så det ska bli kul att kunna fokusera på ett bra resultat tillsammans med honom i RallyX Nordic. Robin är helt ny för teamet, även om han är ett välkänt ansikte i depån. Vi ser fram emot att börja jobba med honom och kommer helt klart kämpa för ett toppresultat i både Euro RX och RallyX Nordic.”

Robin Larsson:
”Det kommer bli jäkligt kul att tävla för JC Raceteknik i år. Jag har haft några tyngre år i VM som gjort att jag tappat lite av den där känslan och glädjen för rallycross. I år siktar jag på att få tillbaka gnistan. Målet kommer vara att slåss om segern i både Euro RX och RallyX Nordic, det tror jag vi har kapaciteten till trots tufft motstånd.

Att ha Mats som teamkompis och kunna dela information med honom kommer vara en motivation för mig. När man ser hur han kör på banan med sina förutsättningar… det är grymt imponerande och får nästan oss andra att se lite dåliga ut. Han är en väldigt bra förare och jag tror vi kommer bli ett starkt team. Dessutom är Joel en gammal polare till mig så att tävla i hans team, lite mer på hemmaplan, är såklart speciellt. JC Raceteknik är ett bra team med duktiga mekaniker och konkurrenskraftiga bilar.”

Mats Öhman:
”Det här kommer bli ett riktigt toppenteam. Planen är först och främst att komma in i bilen och se hur den fungerar innan jag sätter upp mål. Samtidigt är jag en tävlingsmänniska, så fungerar allt som det ska kommer jag sikta på att slåss längst upp. Redan nu har vi börjat anpassa bilen till mig, och vi jobbar också på att utveckla det ännu mer. Det är bra bilar vi har, så resultaten kommer inte sitta i materialet utan i det som finns mellan ratt och ryggstöd.

Jag har samarbetat med Joel och JC Raceteknik i flera år, och du behöver bara titta på framgångarna teamet haft så förstår man. De är seriösa på alla punkter, och har ordning och reda vilket passar mig. Att få köra i team med Robin kommer bli roligt. Han är verkligen en stor talang, och med en såhär bra bil kommer han bli stark under säsongen. Robin har mycket erfarenhet av rallycross i både EM och VM, samtidigt som jag också har flera års erfarenhet. Så jag tror vi kommer ha jäkligt bra nytta av varandra.”

19-02-07 Kallio joins reigning champions Olsbergs MSE for RX2 debut
Fast-climbing Finnish hotshot set to join RX2 grid in 2019
Flying Finn Academy member agrees two-year deal with OMSE
19-year-old fully focussed on preparing for sport’s electric era

Highly-rated young Finn Jesse Kallio is set to make his debut in the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires this season, after agreeing a two-year deal with reigning drivers’ and teams’ champions Olsbergs MSE.

Over the past five years, Kallio has increasingly made a name for himself in the rallycross world, progressing from domestic series’ to the RX Academy – in which he claimed the 2017 crown with SET Promotion, following that up with title glory in the 2018 RX Academy on Ice – and most recently the Super1600 class of the FIA European Rallycross Championship, as a prize for his RX Academy success.

Victory in Norway and a further podium finish in Germany secured the 19-year-old sixth place in the final Super1600 standings – results that brought him to the attention of Swedish powerhouse OMSE. Now, Kallio is ready to step up once again, as he prepares to join the grid in the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series.

“I think RX2 is the best option for the next two years to develop myself as a driver,” explained the man from Tuusula, who is also a member of the Flying Finn Academy, Finland’s national junior motorsport squad. “I know that I have the talent to compete at the very top, but at the same time I recognise that I’m not yet ready to go up against the best drivers in the world.

“My other target is to earn opportunities to test at Supercar level to prepare myself for the future. Rallycross’ forthcoming electric era looks really interesting, and my plan is that when the electric cars arrive, I will be ready to jump into the big class.”

The 2019 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires will comprise seven rounds in support of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, visiting Spain, Belgium, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, France and South Africa. Official entries are scheduled to open soon.

19-02-03 Finnskoga MK utsedd till bästa arrangör i Rallycross-VM
Under lördagkvällen utsågs Finnskoga Motorklubb till Årets arrangör i rallycross VM för 2018. Priset togs emot under FIA:s officiella prisutdelning i Budabest, Ungern. Representanter på plats var Morgan Östlund –General manager och Christer Jönsson – tävlingsledare.

Finnskoga vann med knappt 2% marginal till 2:an Riga som för övrigt tagit hem priset både 2016 och 2017. På tredje plats kom arrangörerna från Franska Loheac.
- Vi har nu ett 5-årigt VM avtal framför oss, där vi ska fortsätta att utveckla både banan och arrangemanget. Inför årets tävling kommer vi främst att arbeta med kringarrangemang, underhållning och faciliterer för publiken. Vi har även vissa punkter att förbättra på banan, så vi vet att vi har saker att pyssla med innan The magic weekend, säger Finnskoga MK.

19-02-02 Americas Rallycross unveils expanded 2019 Calendar
Americas Rallycross (ARX) announced today an expanded 2019 ARX and ARX2 schedule, including two new events in the Midwest at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Gateway Motorsports Park, marking the championship’s first visit to America’s heartland.

The calendar includes six ARX Supercar events and nine ARX2 events from June through October.

The season begins at the historic Mid-Ohio Sports Car course, June 8-9. The 10-turn, 0.7-mile circuit will be located in the legendary “keyhole” section of the circuit, providing fans with a view of the entire course.

The series will then travel southwest to Gateway Motorsports Park in July. The 1.25-mile oval, just outside of St. Louis, Missouri in nearby Madison, Illinois, will house the ARX of Gateway and will mark Gateway’s first-ever rallycross event.

In August, the streets of Trois-Rivieres in Canada will once again host the ARX and ARX2 series alongside the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy. After a dominating performance at the popular venue last season, DirtFish Motorsports driver and 2018 ARX2 Champion, Conner Martell is looking forward to returning to the street circuit.

ARX also returns to Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas on September 28 before concluding the season with a second trip to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the Cooper Tires ARX of Mid-Ohio, October 5-6.

“We are delighted to reveal our 2019 schedule which includes events in America’s heartland,” said Paul Bellamy, Senior Vice President of IMG Motorsports, the series promoter.

“Our new multi-year partners at Mid-Ohio and Gateway Motorsports Park are great additions to our ongoing partnerships with Circuit of The Americas in Austin and the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres in Canada as we expand our presence in North America.

“Cooper Tires has been an amazing partner to work with over the years and we are delighted to have them become a title sponsor of their ‘home’ event, the Cooper Tires ARX of Mid-Ohio.”

Scott Speed, the 2018 ARX Supercar Champion, viewed the expanded calendar for 2019 as a critical step in the growth of world-class rallycross in North America.
“It’s super important to get these tracks off the ground and to get grass roots rallycross racing off the ground and going,” he said. “I think it speaks well for the future of the sport and I feel like the timing is right for this sport to really take off in our country.”

19-02-01 JC Raceteknik på pallen under SM-veckan – Pelle Wilén tvåa i rallycrossprinten
Det blev blandad kompott för JC Raceteknik under SM-veckan i Sundsvall. Samtidigt som Pelle Wilén tog ett efterlängtat SM-silver blev det kämpigare för teamkollegorna Gundersen, Evjen och Walfridson.
– Det känns jättekul för hela teamet att Pelle fick ta ett silver i SM-sprinten. Han plockade verkligen fram farten i semifinalen, säger teamchef Joel Christoffersson.

Fredagen under SM-veckan gick i bilsportens tecken och det var på travbanan i Bergsåker som rallycrossförarna gjorde upp om SM-medaljerna i vinterns rallycrossprint. För teamet JC Raceteknik slutade det med en silvermedalj. Det var teamets isförare Pelle Wilén, Eskilstuna, som gasade hem andraplatsen. Wilén kämpade lite med starterna men hade överlag en jämn tävling. Det var först i semifinalen som han visade sig riktigt på hugget och kammade hem första heatsegern.

Sondre Evjen briljerade under de första omgångarna, där har gasade sig till dubbla heatsegrar. I semifinalen blev det stolpe ut, och norrmannen blev förste förare utanför final efter en punktering.

För Ben-Philip Gundersen och Jimmie Walfridson blev det en tung helg, med stolpe ut. Trots högt tempo gjorde dåliga starter och problem att de kom på en delad åttondeplats. Förarna särskildes utefter resultatet i kvalet och Gundersen knep därmed sista semifinalplatsen. Väl i semin gjorde norrmannen ytterligare en sämre start, och trängseln i första sväng gjorde att han gled ut i djupsnön och förlorade finalchansen.

För JC Raceteknik är inte vintersäsongen över än – 18, 20 och 23 mars körs nämligen serien RallyX on Ice i Åre.

Joel Christoffersson, teamchef JC Raceteknik:
”Det känns jättekul för hela teamet att Pelle fick ta ett silver i SM-sprinten. Han plockade verkligen fram farten i semifinalen, men i final hade han inte riktigt rätt fart för att nå hela vägen. Trots det är vi verkligen nöjda med resultatet. Sondre har haft ett högt tempo genom hela tävlingen, så att en punktering ödelade semifinalen för honom känns trist. Ben-Philip och Jimmie har också haft bra fart på banan, men gjorde båda dåliga starter som straffade sig i det stora hela. Vi åker hem från Sundsvall med inställningen att ladda upp till max inför RallyX on Ice i Åre. Vi vet vad vi behöver jobba på och siktar på ett toppresultat.”

Pelle Wilén:
”Det här var riktigt kul! Jag har haft en del oflyt förut, men äntligen stämde det. Det var lite sladdigt för mig i finalen och de andra åkte lite fortare, men jag är jättenöjd över att sluta tvåa. Sen är jag jäkligt stolt över segern i semifinalen. Grabbarna jag möter har kört på absolut högsta nivån internationellt i de här bilarna, samtidigt som jag bara har gjort sju tävlingar i Lites. Det är inget lätt motstånd, så ett SM-silver känns väldigt bra.”

Sondre Evjen:
”Helgen började fint för mig med segrar i Q1 och Q2. Det klaffade i alla starter och jag var snabb iväg, och hade överlag ett bra bra tempo på banan. Men i semifinalen var jag inte snabb nog, samtidigt som jag fick en punktering. Så jag slutade trea där och det känns oavsett tråkigt att inte fått köra final, men så är det ibland i rallycross.”

Ben-Philip Gundersen:
”För min del har det varit en bra helg om man ser till farten på banan. Däremot har jag haft det väldigt kämpigt med starterna. Eftersom banan varit snabb och tight var det svårt att kunna köra om, så starterna var extra viktiga. Men jag har fått mycket körning nu, och vet vad jag ska träna på till framtida vintertävlingar.”

Jimmie Walfridson:
”Min tävlingshelg skulle jag kunna sammanfatta som katastrofal. På banan har jag haft helt okej fart, men starterna har varit riktigt dåliga. Det är alltid viktigt att göra bra starter i rallycross, men så här under vintern är det extra viktigt med tanke på snörök och att omkörningar är svåra att göra. Så kort sagt var det inte min helg, helt enkelt. Men jag har haft en rolig tävling och kommer tillbaka med nya tag till RallyX Nordic.”

Resultat SM-sprinten 2019
1. Sebastian Eriksson (Hagfors MK)
2. Pelle Willén (Strängnäs AMS)
3. Oliver Eriksson (MK Speed)
4. Kevin Eriksson (MK Speed)
5. Adam Westlund (Gestrike RT)
6. Sondre Evjen (NMK Gol)
7. Kevin Hansen (Götene MK)
8. Ben-Philip Gundersen (NMK Solör)
9. Jimmie Walfridson (MK Ratten)
10. Martin Jonsson (Woxnadalens MK)

19-01-29 JC Raceteknik duo set for 2019 RX2 return
• Ben-Philip Gundersen and Sondre Evjen reveal their intentions for 2019
• Top three championship finish the target for Norwegian stars
• Both drivers expect ‘tough fight’ in official FIA World RX feeder series

JC Raceteknik’s Ben-Philip Gundersen and Sondre Evjen have announced their intention to return to the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires in 2019, with both drivers setting their sights on a top three championship finish.

Gundersen made his full-time debut in RX2 last year, immediately turning heads by winning the opening round of the campaign at Mettet in Belgium. A second victory in the Cape Town finale at the end of November was enough to secure the 24-year-old fourth place in the overall classification – a result he is determined to improve upon this season.

“We established an excellent relationship with JC Raceteknik in 2018, so I am pleased to be able to continue with them in 2019 and am really looking forward to the coming season,” enthused the 2016 European Rallycross TouringCar Champion. “Last year was a good one for me, but I know the level of competition will be as high if not higher again. My goal is definitely a top three championship finish.”

While Gundersen adapted quickly last year to the 310bhp Supercar Lites machinery used in RX2 – reaching at least the semi-final stage in every round – fellow Norwegian Evjen is something of an ‘old hand’ in the class.

Although still only 21, he has three full campaigns under his belt in the official FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series, during which time he has achieved five podium finishes – including victory in Latvia in 2016. Three of those rostrum results came last year, when a likely title bid was derailed by a run of mid-season misfortune that restricted Evjen to sixth in the final standings.

“I feel very comfortable with JC Raceteknik, and together we plan to push for victory in the RX2 International Series,” he asserted. “I had a couple of bad weekends in 2018, which unfortunately ruled us out of the championship battle so this year we are aiming higher. I am looking forward to some tough fights, and am really fired-up for the season ahead.”

“It’s great that Sondre and Ben-Philip are ready for a new year with us in RX2,” added JC Raceteknik Team Principal, Joel Christoffersson. “Sondre has been a member of the team for several years now, and it feels good to continue this co-operation, while last year was Ben-Philip’s debut season in Supercar Lites – it was a strong year and he showed a lot of potential.

“Our aim is to conclude the season on the top step of the podium. We know we have the drivers, resources and expertise to accomplish that, but at the same time, this championship is very tough, so we will work hard and see where we end up.”

The 2019 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires will comprise seven rounds in support of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, visiting Spain, Belgium, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, France and South Africa. Official entries are scheduled to open soon.

19-01-29 Evjen, Gundersen och Walfridson klara för full säsong med JC Raceteknik – teamet går även för guld under SM-veckan
JC Raceteknik siktar högt under 2019. Med tre förare klara för teamet är målsättningen seger i både RX2 International Series samt RallyX Nordic. Teamet kommer även till start i SM-veckan till helgen med fyra förare, och satsar även där på vinst.

Förra veckan släppte det svenska teamet JC Raceteknik nyheten att de köpt två stycken Supercars, 2017 Audi S1 EKSRX Quattro, från Mattias Ekströms team EKS. Vilka förare och serier som är aktuella är ännu inte offentligt. Nu släpper JC Raceteknik en annan nyhet, gällande tävlandet i Supercar Lites: Ben-Philip Gundersen, Sondre Evjen och Jimmie Walfridson är klara för ytterligare en säsong.

I RX2 International Series kommer Gundersen och Evjen tävla under teamets flagg. Gundersen slutade under sin debutsäsong i fjol på fjärdeplats medan Evjen, efter ett par motgångar, kom på sjätteplats. De båda norrmännen kommer även köra RallyX Nordic, där de även får sällskap av Walfridson. Under fjolårssäsongen hade JC Raceteknik stor framgång i den nordiska serien, där de slutade på andra, tredje, fjärde och femte plats. De tog även full pott i SM med guld, silver samt brons.

Redan på fredag smygstartar rallycrossäsongen. Det är under SM-veckan i Sundsvall som teamet gör årets första tävling. Dit kommer JC Raceteknik till start med fyra förare: Gundersen, Evjen, Walfridson samt Pelle Wilén. Wilén, som tidigare tävlat för teamet under vintersäsongen, är ett känt namn inom rally där har vunnit flera SM-guld. Han har även tävlat framgångsrikt i folkrace.

Joel Christoffersson, teamchef JC Raceteknik:
”Det är jättekul att Evjen, Gundersen och Walfridson är klara för ett nytt år med JC Raceteknik i båda mästerskapen. Evjen har vi haft i teamet under flera år och det känns bra att kunna fortsätta samarbetet där. För Gundersen var förra året hans debutsäsong i Supercar Lites, det blev ett bra år och han visade fruktansvärt stor potential. Walfridson, som kommer köra RallyX Nordic, hade egentligen ett läroår i fjol. Trots det slutade han trea i SM. Vi kommer fortsätta jobba vidare på det för att nå ett ännu bättre resultat 2019.

I RX2 International Series har vi som mål att stå högst upp på pallen efter säsongens slut. Vi har bra förare och materialet till det, det vet vi. Målet i RallyX Nordic är densamma. I fjol var vi tvåa och trea, så självklart hoppas vi kunna avsluta året med guld, silver och brons i mästerskapet. Båda är riktigt tuffa mästerskap, men vi kommer jobba hårt och se vart det landar.

SM-veckan kommer bli en spännande och rolig tävling. Det är en helt ny bana, så det kommer vara lika förutsättningar för alla. JC Raceteknik kommer dit för att försöka ta hem ett SM-guld och medaljer. Förutom Evjen, Gundersen och Walfridson kommer även Pelle Wilén köra för oss där. Pelle är vår isförare som har kört med oss i flera år, så det är kul att ha med honom i år igen. Han är en riktig glädjespridare, och vi siktar på att uppnå bra resultat.”

Ben-Philip Gundersen:
”Vi hade ett väldigt bra samarbete med JC Raceteknik under 2018, så att kunna köra med dem även under 2019 glädjer mig och jag ser verkligen fram emot den kommande säsongen. I fjol var en bra säsong för mig och jag vet att konkurrensen kommer vara minst lika hög som då. Mitt mål kommer vara pallplats i både RX2 och RallyX Nordic.

Inför SM-veckan har jag inte några jättestora förhoppningar, jag har nämligen inte kört på snö en enda gång den här vintern. Men det ska bli väldigt kul att få börja tävla igen efter uppehållet och iskörning är alltid roligt.”

Sondre Evjen:
”JC Raceteknik är ett team som jag känner mig trygg med och tillsammans ska vi ska kämpa om en seger i båda mästerskapen. Jag hade ett par tävlingar som gick dåligt under 2018, vilket tyvärr gjorde att vi inte kunde vara med och slåss i toppen av mästerskapstabellerna. Det blev en sjätteplats i RX2 i fjol, plus en tredjeplats i RallyX Nordic – i år siktar jag högre. Gällande SM-veckan åker jag dit mycket för att ha roligt, och få bra träning inför resten av säsongen. Jag ser fram emot några hårda fighter, men hoppas såklart på ett bra resultat.”

Jimmie Walfridson:
”Det känns bra att kunna göra för en ny säsong för JC Raceteknik. Förra året var min debutsäsong, den skulle jag sammanfatta som helt okej. Jag hade några ups and downs, där bilen gick sönder samt några raceincidenter, men överlag var det en lärorik säsong som slutade med en tredjeplats i SM. I år är mitt mål för RallyX Nordic att avancera jämfört med i fjol och komma på pallen. Då kommer också ett bra SM-resultat på köpet.

Med SM-veckan ska det bli riktigt roligt att komma igång, även om det bara är för en tävling. Att sätta upp ett mål är alltid svårt, och jag vet att när hjälmen väl är på finns det bara en sak som gäller: seger. Förhoppningsvis går det bättre än ifjol och jag siktar på en pallplats.”

Pelle Wilén:
”Just vinterns SM-vecka har jag goda minnen från. I fjol körde jag för första gången rallycross under SM-veckan och det gick ju över förväntan. Tyvärr gick hjulupphängningen bak sönder efter en startsmäll i finalen. Men bortsett från det var ju allt så jäkla kul, så jag måste prova i år igen. Att sätta upp ett mål är svårt, för det är rallycross och allt kan hända. Att möta förare från världseliten är något jag gör med respekt och är jag i final är jag nöjd. Men... samtidigt så finns det ingen i det här startfältet som vill bli tvåa. Oavsett kommer det bli riktigt kul."

19-01-15 RallyX Nordic confirms venue for 2019 season finale
The countdown to the 2019 RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires season is underway with official confirmation the Tierp Arena in Sweden will once more play host to the final round of the year.

To be held on 21 - 22 September, the Tierp Arena is scheduled to conclude the biggest and most international RallyX Nordic season in its history.

The venue, located 120km outside Stockholm, made its debut on the RallyX Nordic schedule in 2018 where 7,700 spectators watched Oliver Solberg crowned champion in a dramatic three-way title showdown.

Characterised by its unique ‘drag strip’ style straights hinged by a tight and tricky hairpin, Tierp Arena is upgrading its purpose-built gravel rallycross track to improve the consistency and quality of the surface without compromising its challenging nature.

Ian Davies, RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires Series Manager, said: “Designing and building an entirely new rallycross track from scratch brings its challenges and indeed we encountered issues that needed to be addressed for this year. However, there is a lot to be said for the way problems are tackled and the response from Tierp Arena has been professional and thorough. Together with its excellent facilities, unique viewing points and convenient location, then the Tierp Arena is the ideal venue to conclude what is shaping up to be a standout season.”

Urban Axelsson, Tierp Arena CEO, added: “It was an honour to host such a thrilling finale on our RallyX Nordic debut and we are doubly as excited to be doing so again this year. We have taken the feedback from teams and drivers into account and we are putting it to action to ensure the track is better quality and much more suitable for the drivers. In addition, new fences and other decorative elements will be placed along the track in order to give it a sharper silhouette, we’ll introduce a VIP facility and the popularity of the camping area means we’ll open it up for the Friday as well. We’re also looking into providing seating closer to the starting area to ensure the event is as spectator friendly as it can possibly be.”

The 2019 RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires season will comprise seven rounds held over six events across five countries, including for the first time Latvia and a visit to the Bikernieki circuit in central Riga.

The season kicks off on May 17-19 with the series’ first-ever double-header event at iconic Holjes, before travelling to Nysum in Denmark for round two, followed by Riga, Norway (venue TBC) and Kouvola in Finland. The teams will then return to Sweden in September for the Tierp Arena final round showdown.

Prior to that, the 2019 RallyX on Ice slides into action in March in an exciting, new-look festival format with three rounds run over six days at the Åre ski resort in Sweden.

Held across 18 – 23 March close to the Holiday Club SPA Hotel where a raft of off-track activities with accompany the spectacular racing action, the festival will use a different layout with each round to keep the racing challenging before this year's rallycross snow star is crowned.

19-01-02 Nyårslöfte - hjälpa Höljes RX till nytt publikrekord!
Ett av mina nyårslöften är att hjälpa Finnskoga MK och Höljes RX till nytt publikrekord.
Det har varit tublulent med avhopp inför årets rallycross-VM, men Höljes var en folkfest sedan 1967!

Ni kommer väl alla till folkfesten?
Biljetter hittar du här: http://www.holjesrx.com/blank-bus1k

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