RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLDRallycross RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLDWORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS#103 sep-oct WORLD 2012 RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSSFIA SIGNS WORLD PROMOTER RALLYCROSS FOR RALLYCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLDn EURO RALLYCROSS TITLES SETTLED WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLDn HANSEN WORLD MOTORSPORT RALLYCROSS AIMS HIGH WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSSn CLASS HOPPING WORLD CHALLENGE RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLDRALLYCROSS RALLYCROSSWORLD. WORLDCOM RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS Rallycross Briefing #103 sep-oct 2012 IMG deal is key to the WORLD future for FIA Rallycross

If I had a pound for every time I’d been told that Rallycross evidence enough that it cannot do that without the kind of needed a promoter, or a “Bernie” as it was often phrased, I promotion and marketing skills that IMG will bring. would not be here writing this. Countless times drivers, organisers, sponsors, fans, RallycrossWorld.com How to get Rallycross World everybody and anybody with any interest in Rallycross has RallycrossWorld.com provides news from all major Rallycross Rallycross World is produced monthly and distributed as a pdf document comes to the same conclusion, Rallycross is unable to realise its events as well as rounding up National championships. Click You can subscribe directly or receive it as a subscription benefit at RallycrossWorld.com potential without professional help. Those professionals have here to go to RallycrossWorld.com We also now offer a method for you to buy a printed copy or iPad version via MagCloud now arrived. IMG is the original sports marketing company with a track record that is second to none. World wide print service and iPad magazine This is what makes the negative reaction, and the blatant The MagCloud print-on-demand service now delivers obstruction and disruption employed by those who want to anywhere in the world. You can order a printed magazine to be remain as a big fish in a small pond all the more remarkable. delivered to your door simply by clicking the link on the left or Get it free! Printed magazine iPad At Rallycross World we have been involved in this from the from the back page. MagCloud also makes Rallycross World RallycrossWorld. MagCloud is a print You can download start so we are, naturally, completely in favour. available for iPad. Just look for the free MagCloud app in the com is the essential on demand service Rallycross World to Rallycross can achieve everything you and I believe it iPad App Store and then select Rallycross World from the Rallycross news that means you can your iPad through the is capable of, but the current state of the sport should be MagCloud magazine store. website. As well order a printed copy free MagCloud app. as enjoying all the of the magazine that This gives you the feature of the site will be delivered Mag Cloud magazine you can download anywhere in the store, from where your own copy of the world. you can search for magazine for free Rallycross World within the app.

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Click it! Copyright Advertisements in the pdf Rallycross World is published monthly by Myriorama version of Rallycross Ltd. This publication may not be redistributed, copied or World are interactive – click reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the written on them to be taken to the consent of the copyright holder. advertiser’s website. Unless otherwise stated, all text and photographs are © copyright Check the whole advert as Tim Whittington 2012. some have multiple links – and [email protected] Contents you wouldn’t want to miss anything, would you? Contributors: 5 Top Story There are also links from Eddi Laumanns, Hal Ridge, Henk de Winter, Johan Dingenen some editorial items and we will This issue published : October 4 7 Diary Gallery 18 Hansen aims to keep winning always try to offer a live link Next issue published: November 1 wherever we quote a website www.myriorama.com 12 Diary August & September 26 Changing class is not easy address in editorial. [email protected] myriorama 2 | #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 ©RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 3 Top story

Promoter for FIA Rallycross World’s biggest sports marketing company chooses Rallycross

The September meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport will be introduced for an entry of up to 25 Supercars which Council confirmed that IMG will promote the FIA Rallycross will comprise a mix of permanent drivers, wildcard entries Championship for a period of at least ten years, starting from and national qualifiers. The format means that every driver 2013. will race against every other driver in the heats (with five cars The deal allows the series to grow to World championship on the grid), the best 12 progressing to semi-finals and the top and is IMG’s first the with FIA, Rallycross set to benefit from six to the final. As points scored in every race will count in the the full weight of the sports marketing giant’s expertise. IMG championship, drivers will no longer be able to sit-out a heat is the biggest and oldest company of its kind and combines its and race fans will get to see more racing and their favourites management with TV rights sales in which it is also the market on the track more often. leader. IMG’s success with the Speedway GP series can be Super1600 and TouringCar will have a similar system but the seen as an example of what the company can do for Rallycross; entry will remain more open with no requirement for drivers Speedway was broadcast in 24 countries but is now seen in to commit to race in every championship event. 160 territories around the world, live broadcasts of Speedway As well as offering more to drivers, IMG is contracting GP taken by more than 40 countries and the sport has become events into championship on long-term deals, providing so popular that in Poland last year it was officially a bigger circuits and clubs with the security to plan ahead and invest in spectator sport than football. their venues with the knowledge that they have a major event There are obvious synergies between Speedway and for a fixed period. Rallycross and the adoption of a race format based closely Change is often difficult to accept or understand but is on that used in Speedway for the new FIA Rallycross inevitable and necessary, specially in a market place that is championship is clearly aimed at making the events easier to as crowded and competitive as motor sport. Rallycross has understand for spectators and TV viewers, as well as offering changed in the past and it will, probably, change again in the more racing for drivers and fans. future. The real element of change that IMG will bring is the The FIA Rallycross Championship events will continue to new racing format, but if you look back into the history of be run over two days and will feature all three current classes, Rallycross you will be able to find examples of many different there will be racing for the Super1600, TouringCar and styles of racing being used – even knock-out finals in European Supercar drivers on both days of the events, TouringCar and events. Rallycross is short races on asphalt and gravel, and that Super1600 will also feature in TV coverage of the events. will not change. The Supercar class will be the feature of the Championship events. This is where the ‘round robin’ series of qualifying heats 4 | #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 5 Diary gallery Up and over The first corner at the Estering has always been a bit of squeeze and a place where there have been incidents. With eight cars to get in there this year there were lots of crashes, including this spectacular tangle between Peter Hedstrom and Pavel Koutny in which the Czech hit the fence and then went over Hedström’s skoda. Henk de Winter Henk RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 7 Diary gallery Anton makes his mark drove half the ERC season last year and shwoed great form. He opened his 2012 account with a win on his first visit to Lydden and completed his title campaign by sealing the TouringCar championship in Finland at the end of September. The Swede will move to Supercar with a new Polo in 2013. Henk de Winter Henk RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 9 Diary gallery Double top became the first driver to retain the Super1600 championship since Ron Snoeck won both 2004 and ’05 titles. Bakkerud switched from Set Promotion’s proven Renault Clio to the new Twingo for the 2012 season and raced in the A final at all ten events, winning three of them on his way to the title. Henk de Winter Henk

RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 11 Diary August – September Diary

August 5 Petteri Leppihalme. ’s spectacular first year John Karlsson and Jan Gabrielsen (RX8s) with Henning Nyberg takes his fourth event win of the European on the ERC stage continued with victory on his first visit to fourth in an RX7. Trond Martinsen topped the Super1600 Rallycross Championship season. A puncture in timed practice Maasmechelen, the youngster beating title race leader Anton field again, the Citrouen Saxo racer drawing further ahead of left Timerzyanov on the back foot, but in a gritty performance Marklund while Daniel Lundh made it an all Swedish podium Thommy Tesdal in the championship battle. the Junior class the Russian fought back into the event and ultimately led in a weekend when engine problems struck was won by Hanse Anders Brænden who beat Joachim Hvaal the A final from start to finish with his and left him in the B final. The JRX win was taken by French to victory. Citroën DS3. came through the event in second youngster Firmin Caddedu. place ahead of Davey Jeanney but having ceded another August 12 crucial victory to Timerzyanov who looked increasingly like » The fourth round of the Norwegian Rallycross Championship Carrying on where he left off in Belgium the previous weekend, Super1600: 1.6L @ 240 bhp TouringCar: 2.0L @ 296 bhp the champion in waiting. Jos Kuypers had a good run to place takes place at Skien. The championship’s fledgling Supercar Timur Timerzyanov moved to within touching distance of Duratec HE fourth on a track he knows well while French championship class attracts just two starters and is won by Camilla Antonsen the European Rallycross Championship title by taking his combatant Jerome Grosset-Janin was impressive in his first who keeps her Fiesta ahead of Tony Lund Tjelle’s Audi S2. Stian fifth win of the year in Valkenswaard, Holland. There were no appearance outside of France and placed fifth in his Chanoine Haugan moved closer to the Supernational title with another dramas for the Russian racer who looked completely at ease as Renault. Krzysztof Skorupski took his first win of the year in A final in his Citroën Xsara. Børre Håkelia (Volvo S40) placed he dominated the event and took a comfortable victory over Super1600, the class stirred up by the graduation from JRX of second ahead of Rune Engesvoll’s Lexus, Haugan’s title rival . Frode Holte’s return to racing had ended with a Joni Wiman and Teemu Suninen, the two young Finns taking Terje Morstad down in sixth place with his BMW. ERC refugee B final crash in Belgium but in Holland the Norwegian was in their Set Promotion Renault Clios into the A final, Wiman Lars Øivind Enerberg bagged another TouringCar win in his the groove and made to the last step of the podium, finishing www.zomermotorsport.com placing second ahead of more experienced team mate Jussi- Fiesta, this time beating a posse of Mazdas that was ledf by ahead of Michael De Keersmaecker, Mats Lysen and Tanner [email protected] Foust. For the latter this turned out to be virtually the last roll tel. 0031 (0)548 - 361385 of the dice and engine failure during practice left him with an a potential winner, from start to podium eight place penalty that dropped him into the B final after the heats. the B final was a controversial race that took several attempts to complete, the stoppages affording Foust a lucky extra chance to rejoin the race and make his way to the A final. Boxed-in at the start, the American was unable to progress Performance beyond sixth place and now has only a small mathematical chance of depriving Timerzyanov of the title. Andreas Bakkerud closed on the Super1600 title with a convincing win over Ulrik Linnemann and Vadim Makarov, although all three may count themselves a little lucky as the race would most probably have been won by Joni Wiman had the youngster not been pushed off the road… The TouringCar win was taken by Anton Marklund who beat Robin Larsson and Derek Tohill, the latter doing well to hang on to third place after the engine in his Fiesta went sick early in the A final. Firmin Caddedu claimed his second win in the JRX series.

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RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 13

AAOC Rallycross ad 3.indd 1 9/3/10 13:54:00 Diary August – September

» The fifth round of the CEZ series took place alongside the mecca of French Rallycross for the biggest event in the world. Czech and Austrian national championships at Sedlcany in Gaetan Serazin continues his way towards the French crown, the Czech Republic and was won by Austrian Alois Höller the Breton racer taking a convincing win on home ground who kept his Focus ahead of the thin Supercar class, Lukasz and stretching his lead over Jerome Grosset-Janin who places Kabacinski (Lancer Evo) and Tristan Ekker (VW Polo) third, behind Christophe Wilt’s Citroën C4. Fabien Pailler and finishing second and third. Vaclav Veverka Jnr. won the Emmanuel Pelhate (driving a “Knapick” Peugeot 207) place Super1600 A final with his Peugeot 206, Petr Bilek second in fourth and fifth, Andy Scott taking sixth place on his first his Skoda and Lithuanian Ernestas Staponkus third in a VW Lohéac appearance in a weekend when he also won hearts with Polo. The Supernational class was won (of course) by Roman some spirited demonstration laps in his Peugeot 306 Supercar. Castoral. Adeline Sangnier becomes the star of the event after gaining her first Super1600 win and becoming the first woman to win August 19 an event in the FRC. Sangnier wins in a strong drive that sees Norwegian Guttorm Lindefjell shows up at the Estering and her finish ahead of Julien Febreau and Fabien Chanoine. Marc wins the fifth round of the German Rallycross Championship, Morize remains king of Division Three while Jimmy Terpereau his Skoda outrunning the similar car of Bernd Schomaker with tops the Division Four order and Ayrton Boris gains his first Austrian Ignaz Schneider third in his Lancia Delta Integrale. victory in the Logan Cup. Andreas Steffen (Skoda Fabia II) maintains his lead in the championship by winning the Super1600 A final while Hans Kirchhof won the Supernational A final with his magnificent Porsche 911 GT3. August 25 The fifth round of the Finnish championship takes place at Honkajoki where Atro Määttä strengthens his lead in the series with his second victory of the year. Focus driver Määttä takes the A final win ahead of Martti Simonen’s Honda Civic and the Citroën C4 of Janne Kanerva. The Supernational class is won by Jari-Pekka Kokko (Escort VII) ahead of the similar car of Joni-Pekka Rajala. AFOR August 27 won the fourth round of the Monster Energy MSA » The PS Racing Center hosts the fourth round of the Austrian

SVERRE ISACHSEN British Rallycross Championship at Lydden, the Citroën DS3 championship, an event that also counts towards the Czech Cosworth YB – 543bhp, 920Nm torque driver returning home for a rare domestic outing in a busy and Hungarian National championships. The event is won European Rallycross Champion 2009 season of European and Global events. Doran dominated the by Zoltan Harsanyi (Lancer Evo) who beats Jürgen Weiß and European Rallycross Champion 2010 European Rallycross Champion 2011 event but won amid confusion after his car sustained a last lap Alois Höller. There is a home victory for Christian Petrakovits puncture and he passed the finishing line having already gone in Super1600, the VW Polo racer beating series regulars JULIAN GODFREY Duratec 1.6 – 225bhp, 181Nm torque off the track. Pat Doran placed second ahead of Julian Godfrey Vavlav Veverka Jnr and Werner Panhauser. There is another Winner, 2011 Super1600 ERC Belgium and Steve Mundy while the Supernational class was won Supernational win for Roman Castoral, the Czech winning by Ash Simpson (Lotus Exige) while champion Aidan Hills again with his Opel Astra and leading home the Mercedes C +44 (0)1435 865999 returned to the Junior series and took the win ahead of James class of Gerald Woldrich. Ross and Kevin Hansen. September 9 RACETUNERS.COM August 31 The Swedish Championship has been run for Supernational becomes the first circuit to go public cars this year, but in a showcase event at the Kinnekullering, on its agreement with IMG to join the 2013 FIA Rallycross Götene MK make great efforts to breath life into the idea of Championship. The ‘Home of Rallycross’ is expected to host a championship for international classes. The event draws a the first round of the revamped series on Easter weekend, respectable entry and is won by Peter Hedström who beats March 30 – April 1. Stig-Olov Walfridson and Kenneth Hansen who makes his first appearance of the year on home ground. Mats Öhman takes » GRC adds an event to its schedule. the extra round will run fourth place and Johan Larsson fifth in his first Supercar start, alongside the SEMA show in las Vegas on October 30. the former Super1600 racer having been on course for third

JULIAN GODFREY JOS KUYPERS KOEN PAUWELS until a puncture slowed his DS3. Thomas Rådström places Cosworth YB – 543bhp, 810Nm torque Cosworth YB – 543bhp, 920Nm torque Duratec 2.0 – 304.7bhp, 256.8Nm torque September 2 sixth in Hedströms Motorsports second Fabia. Eric Faren wins British Rallycross Champion 2011 Dutch Rallycross Champion 2011 Belgian Rallycross Champion, TouringCar 2011 The eighth round of the French Rallycross Championship the Super1600 A final and Robin Larsson takes the TouringCar takes place at Lohéac. a huge 120-car entry descends on the honours. The Supernational class is topped by Ulf Eriksson RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 15 Diary August – September

(BMW E30) who beats Fredrik Tiger and Linus Westman. The Michael De Keersmaecker dropped into the Supernational the clashing events: “Scott-Eklund Racing will not complete race FIA Rallycross Challenge in 2013. The single sheet of A4 2400 class is won by Fredrik Larsson (Hyundai Accent) and the class for a fun outing and won the A final. its 2012 Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) campaign as contains no contact or source information, appears to be the Junior championship by Sebastian Eriksson. Andy Scott and have been unable to reach a mutual work of people who are not brave enough to put their names to » The German championship visits Belgium Andreas Steffen agreement to continue competition in the two remaining their actions and whose only interest is to maintain their own » The Finnish Rallycross Championship is won by Atro Määttä continues his march towards the title by taking second place to rounds. The team will refocus its efforts on cementing the positions by preventing Rallycross from growing and realising who takes victory in the final round at Hyvinkää where he Sergey Zagumennov in Super1600. There is no Supercar event solid foundations built during its debut GRC season for future its true potential. There will not be a FIA Rallycross Challenge leads home Harri Arola’s Mazda and Honda driver Martti for the series at Maasmechelen as there are not enough starters competition. Eklund Motorsport will run Samuel Hubinette in 2013. Simonen. The latter places third in the series, second place for the class to get points, so Steffen’s second place is valuable. in Las Vegas and SEMA, while Team Principal and lead driver taken by the Skoda of Aki Karttunen. The Supernational Roman Castoral tops the Supernational class, but second here Scott will continue his FIA European Rallycross Championship win and championship title is collected by Joni-Pekka Rajala is sufficient for Hans Kirchhof to win the class championship. endeavours in Germany…” (Escort). September 18 September 28 reveals that he will drive a Citroën DS3 The FIA World Motor Sport Council approves the proposal for Supercar in the Finnish round of the Europen Rallycross IMG to become the promoter of its Rallycross Championship. Champion at Kouvola. Hansen (20) withdrew from Formula IMG has a contract that will run for at least 10 years, giving Renault in the summer and is examining career options, the it control of all commercial aspects of the championship, arrival in Rallycross a championship promoter making the including the calendar of events. European championship one of those options. September 30 September 19 The final round of the European Rallycross Championship Stian Haugan wins the final round of the Norwegian is run at the Estering in Germany where Liam Doran ends Rallycross Championship at Gardermoen. Starting the event the year with a victory and grabs second place in the series, as champion-elect, Haugan beats Terje Morstad and Petter the runner-up position decided in a head-to-head with Davy Paulsen to end year in style. Mats Stenshøy (Saxo) wins Jeanney and Doran knocking Tanner Foust out of the top two. the Super1600 class, beating incoming champion Trond The finals are packed with incident and accident, fornt row Marthinsen and series runner-up Thommy Tesdal. Class Two qualifier Peter Hedström taking home a Skoda Fabia that had » The French championship moves onto Mayenne where is won by Henning Nyberg who keeps his Mazda RX7 ahead its roof mauled when Pavel Koutny drove his Fiesta over it. The Obituary victory for Philippe Tollemer is not enough to stop Gaetan of the RX8s of Jan Gabrielsen and John Karlsson. Camila Super1600 A final needed three starts because of first corner Serazin putting his name to the title with two events left to Antonsen is the only Supercar starter and Joachim Hvaal incidents, pole starter Teemu Suninen surviving them all to Tony Tomassi run. The Peugeot driver’s rival for the crown, Jerome Grosset- takes the Junior win but loses the championship to Lisa Marie take his first win while Robin Larsson took another TouringCar One of the organisational lynchpins in the formative days Janin had seen his chances slump at Lohéac and lost all hope Sandmo by a single point. win after avoiding the crashes that eliminated Lars Øivind of Rallycross Tony Tomassi died on August 29, he was of the crown with second place here, where Serazin took Enerberg, Anton Marklund, Derek Tohil and Koen Pauwels. 87-years-old. Along with Sid Offord and Ken Kaye, Tomassi a conservative fifth place to clinch the title. There was also September 21 was a founding member of the Thames Estuary Automobile title success at Mayenne for Laurent Chartrain who won Best Buy Racing announces that Andreas Eriksson will races Club (TEAC), the Southend-based organisation which ran the Super1600 title after placing fourth in the A final which its Ford Fiesta in the Las Vegas round of the Global Rallycross Rallycross events for BBC. TEAC was also instrumental in was won by Julien Febreau (Saxo). Jonathan Pailler wins the Championship. Eriksson replaces Marcus Grönholm who, running ‘club’ Rallycross events that were not televised and Division Three A final while Division Four is taken by Rudolf although recovering from the effects of his crash at Tomassi remained prominent in the organisation of these Schafer (Saxo). in July, has not yet been given medical clearance to compete events which, eventually led to the formation of national again. Grönholm visits the Finnish round of the European championships. Tomassi’s involvement in Rallycross was over September 12 championship and will be on hand to advise Eriksson in Las by the early 1980s and he last visited an event in 1992 when Dates for the 2012-13 Irish Rallycross Championship are Vegas. he was among a group invited to mark the 25th anniversary of released and reveal a nine-event series that will run through the first Rallycross event. until November of next year, at which point the plan is for September 23 the series to return to a more conventional schedule running Timur Timerzyanov takes his sixth event win of the year to seal within a calendar year. the European Rallycross Championship in style. The Russian October 7 Pembrey, October 21, November 25, February 3, had done enough to secure the title just by qualifying for the March 3, all Mondello Park. May 26 Nutts Corner, June 30, A final in the event at Kouvola which was struck by persistent October 20, November 17, all Mondello Park. rain. The event also decided the destiny of the Super1600 and » Tanner Foust wins the Las Vegas round of the Global TouringCar titles, Andreas Bakkerud retaining the former Rallycross Championship beating Brian Deegan and Subaru’s September 17 while Anton Marklund won the latter. Sverre Isachen, the latter having by far his best result since Patrick Van Mechelen wins the penultimate round of the switching to the American series. returns Belgian Rallycross Championship at Maasmechelen, beating September 26 to competition for the first time since his X Games crash and Jos Kuypers and Jochen Coox. denis Remans won the Having taken in the non-clashing Belgian, Dutch and Finnish places fourth. Super1600 class after a clash with Davy Van Den Branden that European championship events, Andy Scott opts to race in left the latter in the sand trap, while Koen Pauwels won the the series finale in Germany instead of the GRC event at Las » A mischievous piece of paper is left in the press tent during TouringCar final and put his name to the championship title. Vegas, the Scott-Eklund team issuing this statement ahead of the ERC finale at the Estering claiming there will be an eight- 16 | #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 17 Hansen ready to embrace change Ready for the future Team set to continue Hansen’s success in Rallycross

Kenneth Hansen has rarely been in a racecar over the last couple of years during which time he has settled into team ownership and management, recently guiding Timur Timerzyanov to Hansen Motorsport’s first title with a customer driver.

Kenneth Hansen has been there and done that. Perhaps more it’s the standard model; secure your funding, select a team that is confident to admit that he does not miss it. “It’s nice to drive can be at the top of the championship quite quickly. You can to the point, he has been here, in Rallycross, doing the business can offer what you want in the series of your choice and you the cars because they are very exciting, and I am aways pleased see with Alexander [Hvaal], and last year with Liam [Doran] for a quarter of a century and can, should, be considered as a can go racing. How the people operating those teams arrive in when I feel I can still do it, that the racing skill is still in me, but that they had some experience but we helped them to be stable weathervane for what is happening and what is good in and for that position varies, for some it’s the beginning and the end, I don’t need to do it now, I’m satisfied with running the team, and settle down very quickly,” says Hansen. the European championship. The on-track record speaks for others have come from the engineering side and progressed to working with the drivers, engineers and cars and getting the It’s not impossible for a driver to follow the more traditional itself and Hansen is the most successful driver the sport has own their own team and some are former competitors trading results this way.” route of buying a car and establishing their own team, but seen by almost any measure you care to use. From his first days now on their reputation and experience. Hansen’s own experience allied to the depth of knowledge things are clearly changing and there is no-one operating in the ERC Hansen has been among the pacesetters in terms of “I don’t know why drivers here and in some other sports in his team – it has been very good at retaining staff and now their own show these days in the way that drivers like Martin off-track presentation, things have always been neat and tidy, don’t stay and become a team owner, sometimes I think it can has an engineering strength with an unrivalled track record Schanche did up to the turn of the century. Those who do go calm and ordered around his team. Now Hansen Motorsport be that you have put so much in that you just don’t want to see – means that of those pursuing the commercial team model, their own way do so only with backup and assistance from is at the forefront of the sport, leading the development of it anymore, but when you have put so much in during all that he is in pole position. “It will be different for drivers entering specialist suppliers and engineers. commercial operations offering drivers the opportunity to take time, it’s a pity just to leave it and not use that knowledge, it’s the sport now with teams like us. I have made nearly all the “If you start by yourself and buy a good car you will get some part at the highest level of Rallycross without having to first a time to make use of the investment,” says Hansen who has mistakes that you can make so I know the things that you good results in the first year but the second and third years establish their own team. Go anywhere else in motor sport and competed just a handful of times in the last couple of years and should not do and we can get drivers up to the level where they will probably be lower and then by the fourth year you will 18 | #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 19 Hansen ready to embrace change

Hansen’s first and last ERC events as a driver: Austria 1987 with a Volvo 240 Turb, the Czech Republic in 2011 with a Citroën DS3.

probably have got a stable level and can come back up. I say to do things and sometimes you think ‘Shit!, why didn’t I think championship I had worked for a long time to get there, but a result of having IMG involved. We have had contacts with that it is minimum three years to learn this championship that of that?’ So sometimes that can give us the impetus to work when you win not much changes, the sun still comes up in the many companies in the past and we have tried very hard for way, at least three years. Is it really worth that? Isn’t it better to in another way and gives the engineers a boost and makes morning… If you are totally focused on the goal you can easily many years to get big companies involved, but now it just get all that knowledge and experience behind you right from them think that there might be new ways to work and different forget to enjoy the journey, travelling to that place is really started; now they want to talk to us, that change is already the start? things to try because the young drivers always want to try new the dream and you must enjoy that. It can be tricky because happening,” says Hansen who relates his own career and that of “When you are new you have to build a relationship with things and will question why things are as they are.” it’s become very serious and we need the drivers to be serious Speedway megastar Tony Rickardsson as an illustration of how suppliers and that takes a long time to get trust on both sides. At which point we switch back to Hansen’s own formative about this, but no-one should forget that this should also be a promoter can make a difference. We have worked with Oreca now for ten years and when we days and the revelation that the boy who would be king had no fun. If you go to circuit racing you really don’t see that, there “A long time ago Tony Rickardsson and I had one sponsor ask for something from the engine they trust our decision and master plan and, having raced karts as a kid, had progressed are very few smiling faces in those championships. that we shared and we sat down together after one sponsor understand what we are saying. You can’t just buy that, it takes into Rallycross without any real end goal. “I never believed that “When I started it was very difficult to get the money in to event and he said to me ‘How the hell can we get Speedway time,” says Hansen whose point of view is obviously going to be I would be European champion. I was just happy that I could do this, you had to work very hard, use the family to connect to the same level as Rallycross?’ Rallycross at that time was in favour of the team model, but whose argument makes sense race, it took me four years to win the Swedish championship everything and we never really had good budgets. It took a perhaps at a better level, or more well known in Sweden at and, looking around the paddock, appears to be borne out by [1986] and even then it was a shock to me that I won it. long time before I was able to get the budgets I needed to do least, so we discussed a little and so on. And a couple of years current experience. Then I had a television interview and I said something about it properly. With a promoter here everything will change, the later Speedway got a promoter and it took off and they are big Working with young drivers in any role can be a rewarding European championship and suddenly Volvo, where I was level of media attention will increase and sponsors will look at stars there, a lot of people know about it. Rallycross just stayed experience and while Hansen is clear that he and the rest of his working, came with a car and so it just happened, suddenly I Rallycross differently; they will want to be connected to young the same, we got left behind. If you ask those guys, and ask the team are there to mentor their drivers, he says there is value in was in the European championship. drivers. My feeling is that it will become easier to find the right clubs that have been involved with it they are very happy, there a two-way flow of ideas and that having young drivers in the “Drivers now when they start are very determined to reach budgets. We have already had interest from companies that is no question from them: we should take this route and go team can even lead to a fresh approach in the way it prepares a certain point and that of course is very good but it’s also have never looked at Rallycross before but now they have the with IMG. for an event. “The new guys that are coming now want so bad that they can often forget what it’s about and when they feeling that this will be something that is interesting for them “I’m ready to jump on the train, and see where it goes, no- much and put in new ideas and ask questions about the way reach that point it’s like: ‘What now?’ When I won my first to be involved with. This has never happened before and it is one knows but we trust a lot in IMG and I think it will be 20 | #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 21 Hansen ready to embrace change

Susann Hansen, a European championship winning driver in her own right, plays a full and active role in running Hansen Motorsport. Timur Timerzyanov (left) won the 2012 ERC withe the Swedish team. a very interesting trip. I feel that as a driver I should not be implement them in his own team. For Rallycross to achieve FIA Academy and was a very good formula car driver, Jussi say it, but you know that they think it’s not good. Now, even there but Susann and I want to be on the train to see if this is the kind of level where it becomes a real career option for Pinomäki too was good in formula cars, so it’s not usual but to be talking to manufacturers and big sponsors, it has already going where we have wanted Rallycross to go for such a long young drivers is something Hansen believes will happen very there are others who have done that. People start to think changed, already there is respect. When we went to X Games time because we have a wonderful sport and it deserves so soon, and the relatively low cost of taking part compared to about a different route for their career. It’s the same with with Sebastien [Loeb] that changed some things, it helped the much more. We have seen what can happen, we have followed chasing the F1 dream and climbing the single-seater ladder will Kevin too, he was quite well known in karting in Sweden respect for Rallycross, I could already see that with people Speedway so we have seen what can be done.” says Hansen, help to make it attractive. and suddenly he stopped that completely and changed to do who did not know so much about Rallycross.” who has believed enough in Rallycross to stay after his driving “The lower categories in formula cars will cost about the Rallycross in the Suzuki and JRX, and you could see other Change is perhaps the thing that many people fear most, but career and who has led the development of commercial teams. same as it costs here to drive in Supercar, if you want to do people thinking and saying; ‘what the hell is that?’. Everyone change is the only things that is constant in life and Hansen The Hansens, for the business is very much a partnership British F3 it will cost at least twice what you need to do drive has the blinkers on and thinks only about F1 but karting is so, Motorsport is among those embracing the change that is between Kenneth and Susann, are ambitious for their team to in the European Rallycross Championship. It’s so much money so difficult, and now very expensive and the amount of pushing coming to Rallycross. “There are so many new things that can grow and develop further. to do formula cars and so few of them will ever get back the that goes on there means that it’s not enjoyable for all drivers. come with IMG that we are very curious. In one way I would “I would love to have the team with say three cars and to be money that it takes to get to the top because so few will ever Kevin wanted to change to Rallycross and he really enjoys this, love to be 20-years-old and driving with all this coming, but finding team sponsors so that we could select drivers. At the get to F1. There are other options for drivers, TouringCars and I hope we can show other young drivers that this is a different on the other hand I am involved now in a different way and moment it’s difficult to find the budget so we need drivers who GTs, but Rallycross can also be an option.” possibility and somewhere that you can enjoy racing,” says running our team, it’s a new challenge, just outside of the car.” can bring the budget, even if we are able to help a little with With one son having already decided that he wants a future Hansen who also relishes the prospect of Rallycross taking its It’s two years since Hansen stopped driving on a regular some team sponsors. It could another route, for us to have a in Rallycross not the circuits, it now seems likely that the older place among top flight racing championships. basis and this year Hansen Motorsport has won its first team sponsor and provide the car and the running budget, the of the two Hansen boys will also change direction and race in “I hate when I’m at races and talk about Rallycross and title with another driver, guiding Timur Timerzyanov to the drivers would just need to find their own living money,” says Rallycross. people think that it’s dirty and pushing and it’s somehow a European championship with six event wins along the way. It’s Hansen who has been exposed to karting and circuit racing “It may look a little strange from the outside if Timmy second class sport, I would love top show them that it’s first the kind of performance that Hansen might have delivered as through the activities of his sons, Timmy and Kevin, and is changes his direction and comes here, but Joni Wiman has class, that would be such a good thing. I hate when people look a driver, and the sort of stuff that is going to help keep Hansen now able to cherry pick the best ideas he has seen there and already done that, he was a candidate [not selected] for the at Rallycross in that bad way, and you know they don’t have to Motorsport at the top of this sport for a while to come. 22 | #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 23 Hansen ready to embrace change

people still see me as a good driver in the formula car world and in touring cars. I got the chance to do a test in the TTA from the Royal Automobile Club in Sweden. They picked a few young drivers and then we sat on the phone for half-an-hour while I was travelling to Finland and they asked some really tricky questions but I won the test in the end,” says Timmy Hansen (left) made a good impression in his first ERC Hansen who acknowledges that his career is at a event and may now follow younger brother Kevin (centre) into turning point. Rallycross. “It’s time to think about my career now because I don’t want to continue at that level (Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup) anymore, or in the rookie categories in general, I was hoping to be able to win the championship this year but unfortunately we are not even close so I said we will stop and think about what to do next year, I definitely want to take a step up, no matter what I do, it has to be A kind of homecoming something more serious and some bigger cars. I The sceptics will look at Timmy Hansen’s don’t know what it will be, formula cars, touring appearance in a Rallycross car in Finland as a young cars or Rallycross.” driver whose career is in trouble striking out in any A Rallycross Supercar certainly fits his direction that may offer him a drive in future. It’s requirement for a step up in machinery and Hansen true that the 21-year-old abandoned his Formula loved driving the DS3. “The cars are more driveable, Renault season in the summer because things were kinder to you as a driver. The [crossply] Avon tyre not shaping up, but that was more a case of not makes it different from what I’m used too, it’s not as throwing good money after bad and taking time to reactive and you don’t have to balance on that very look at the options for 2013. fine edge, you slide and the tyre allows you a few The oldest son of Kenneth and Susann Hansen, mistakes which is important. In general it’s a great, Timmy has tried his hand at Rallycross before, great car; it does whatever I ask it to do, it doesn’t racing a Suzuki Swift in the British championship feel heavy or lazy and when I want it accelerate it at Pembrey in 2010 and Mtechnologies Citroën really does it both in terms of the engine and the Xsara Supercar at Dreux in 2011. In both events differentials and chassis that give it the traction, he was quick and raced well again the regulars. So that’s what impresses me most.” Rallycross is an obvious step and one that he was If he chooses Rallycross there will be some sure to make sooner or later? pressure to succeed. “Coming to Rallycross is some “As Rallycross is today I don’t think I would be bad things and some good things; both my parents that interested to come in, it is a great sport but have been European champions so it’s quite a tough it feels like it doesn’t go anywhere but with IMG act to follow but I try not to think too much about coming in it’s the start of something very big so what they have done. It’s different to drive here in that case it is interesting to do Rallycross,” says because the the whole team feels like my family, Hansen who placed fifth in the Finnish ERC round they are always around at home and I’ve grown up with a Citroën DS3. with them, so it’s a really special thing to drive here “At the moment it’s a one off. I have plenty of and it’s the first time I’ve raced in our team, it very options for next year, even if I’ve had a bad season different from anything I’ve done before.” 24 | #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 25 The trial of changing classes

on the same track in each of the last two years, winning in 2011 and coming close to the win the previous year. Not as easy as it looks In Britain’s Holiday weekend BRC round at the end of August Godfrey was back in his Supercar and among his rivals was Belgian Koen Pauwels who left his regular TouringCar mount Why changing class can take time at home in order to try out the new Focus III Supercar his own company had recently completed. Entering the Lydden event as a method of testing the new car in race conditions, Pauwels was also limbering up for the last couple of events in the Belgian championship in which he planned to race both cars. By the end of the first day the Belgian had already seen the flaw in that plan. “It was my intention to race the Supercar and the TouringCar in the last two Belgian events. I’d like to race the Supercar but I’ve tried very hard to win the championship in TouringCar and I’m leading now so I don’t want to give that up,” explained Pauwels, “But now I think it will be almost impossible to do that. Of course, I can drive both cars, but that is not the point, I want to be able to do my best in them both but the driving styles are so different that I don’t think it’s possible to be in a position to win in both cars. It’s just too much of a difference.” The Lydden entry list contained another example of a driver changing classes and finding the going pretty tough. David Binks left the British scene behind this year and moved to America to tackle the Global Rallycross Championship. A gap in the schedule there presented the chance to get home for a break and then there was the opportunity to race a Suzuki Swift at Lydden in the Swift Sport Championship. Make no mistake about the competitive level of the one-make series; with 16 starters in the field and even equipment throughout the order, the racing is always close. There’s little or nothing between the fastest guys and the first five rounds of the championship each produced a different winner. For Binks this was quite a brave move, not only was he going back to the kind Julian Godfrey (main pic and bottom left) of car he last drove as a teenager, but he was doing so having moved from Supercar to Super1600 and back. established himself as one of Britain’s best; he might just as well Koen Pauwels (top left) traded TouringCar for Supercar while David Binks tried a Suzuki Swift. have painted a target on his car… It didn’t take long for Binks too to find out that stepping back was quite a tall order. “It’s completely different from anything I’ve raced in years. The closest thing I’ve ever done would be Minicross and I was 16 when I started that so it’s a while ago When we see drivers who have proven themselves in one class some interesting examples of experienced drivers switching for the power to come-in, but it never did,” said Godfrey who even for me. You need to be smooth and clean, there’s no room take the step to a ‘higher’ category, we often expect them to classes in both directions, and finding that the transition is revealed that the lack of sheer brute force – a Super1600 for mistakes. The Swift is nice to drive, you feel that you can hit the ground running and to be able to take the fight to the more of a challenge than they had expected. has less than half the power of a Supercar – was only the go fast but trying to adjust your driving style and race against established front runners immediately. Effectively what we Before he bagged the 2011 British championship Julian most obvious difference to overcome. “The driving style is these guys who have been doing it all year and know all the are talking about here is the step up to Supercar, and more Godfrey had expected that his Supercar career would last completely different and it’s taking me a bit of time to get used tricks is not easy,” said Binks who was shown no mercy by often than not it takes full season for a driver to complete the just one season and had planned on 2012 containing a fairly to that again. A Supercar is so heavy that you have to slow it those gunning for championship points and whose day ended transition and to be fully competitive. It’s not unusual for the serious season with his Super1600 car in the ERC. Feeling an down before a bend but in Super1600 you are carrying much in the B final. first year in Supercar to have flashes of brilliance, perhaps on obligation to return to the BRC and defend the crown, Godfrey more into the corners; that’s where the lap times come There are, of course, exceptions to every rule; those drivers a track that the driver knows better than others, or just when put his S1600 plans on ice but ventured to the Benelux rounds from in Super1600. It takes long to get up to speed but then who can hop from one car to another, irrespective of class, he gets a lucky break, but it’s rare for a graduate to be totally of the ERC for a couple of events on tracks he knows well. On you are not slowing down so much for the corners, it’s all about turn-on the magic and be competitive immediately. They competitive everywhere, in all conditions in that first season. Saturday afternoon in Belgium, the first of the two events, maintaining the speed you have and at the moment I’m still are few and far between and for most, even the gifted, the So what about when you’ve got experience of a Supercar, Godfrey already knew he was facing a steep learning curve, or braking too hard and slowing down too much for the corners.” transition from class to class takes a little time. Next time you how easy is it to make a move in the other direction, to step rather that this refresher course in the art of racing a small car Godfrey managed to get back into the groove and ended his see a star make that move, no matter which direction it is in ‘down’ a class and mix it with those doing the business in was going to be harder work than he had imagined. Belgian event in the B final – he may well have made the A had have some respect for the mental workload that accompanies Super1600 or TouringCar? In recent weeks there have been “The first time I went off the grid this morning I was waiting he not been mugged – but he’d been straight into the A final the change. 26 | #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 RallycrossWorld.COM RallycrossWorld.COM #103 – Sep – Oct 2012 | 27 - WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLDWebsite RALLYCROSS- WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD- RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS- WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS- WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSSJ WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD- RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSSMagazine WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS- WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS- WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLDJ RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD- RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLYCROSSYearbook WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS- WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD- RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS- WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLDJ RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD- RALLYCROSSWORLD.COM WORLDRallycross RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLY CROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD RALLYCROSS WORLD