After over two months of no world rallycross motion, the 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship lastly will get again underway 7/8 October on the Killarney Worldwide Raceway in South Africa with the primary double-header of the season. That is your full information to what to anticipate because the championship heads to the southern hemisphere.
Killarney Worldwide Raceway
The ever-popular Killarney Worldwide Raceway was first visited by World RX in 2017 however has been lacking from the calendar since 2019. With spectacular racing from the very first occasion, together with from the likes of legendary drivers Ken Block and Sebastian Loeb, the observe shortly cemented itself as a agency fan favorite. The sweeping opening nook, the bounce into the intricate gravel part, and the joker merge on the run right down to the quick, tight closing chicane all virtually assure spectacular motion in each race.
Probably the most dramatic occasion got here in 2019. The championship was in absolute impasse between Andreas Bakkerud and Timmy Hansen, with simply two factors separating them as they went into the ultimate. The 2 made contact on the primary lap, however each may keep on. Bakkerud made the higher restoration and completed second, however Hansen clung on to fourth place, guaranteeing that they have been tied on factors on the finish of the season. Having gained 4 occasions within the 2019 season, versus Bakkerud’s one, Hansen had achieved simply sufficient to safe a spectacular victory by the narrowest attainable margin.
Weekend Construction
The World RX of South Africa marks the primary double-header occasion of the 2023 season. Because of this each Saturday and Sunday will function a full championship spherical in its entirety, with three heats adopted by the semi-finals and the ultimate. With observe getting underway at 8:30am on each days, followers shall be handled to 2 full days of rallycross motion.
The Automobiles
For the primary time in World RX historical past, the competitors shall be between drivers in fully equal equipment. The title battle has been on maintain because the devastating fireplace that knocked Particular ONE Racing out of the championship again at Lydden Hill in July. Because the FIA investigation continues, it was determined that the groups would swap to the ZEROID X1 automobiles used within the help RX2e championship.
Whereas not as highly effective as their RX1e counterparts, these automobiles present spectacular racing at each occasion. The motive force and the batteries sit subsequent to one another for excellent 50/50 weight distribution, and the drivetrain howls at 12,000rpm, offering a special however very spectacular sound as they scream across the circuit.
Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS
Main the cost in Cape City would be the all-conquering Volkswagen Dealerteam BAUHAUS. Their drivers, Ole Christian Veiby and championship chief Johan Kristoffersson have had a style of the ZEROID X1 machines earlier than, having taken half within the Belgian spherical of the championship in Mettet. 5-time world champion Kristoffersson wasted no time in proving his phenomenal expertise, taking victory in his first ever RX2e occasion, beating the regulars in their very own machines.
The Swede continues to be the person to beat, bringing a 27 level benefit with him to South Africa in a sport the place the utmost factors haul achievable in a single occasion is 23. He has a 100% success charge at Killarney, having gained there at each of his earlier makes an attempt. Nonetheless, with 46 factors out there over the entire weekend, he nonetheless isn’t taking any probabilities. “We’ve bought lead in the meanwhile and it’s good to have that hole, however issues can change in a short time in rallycross, so it will likely be important to be on our ‘A sport’ the entire time” Kristoffersson stated. He added that “All it takes is one shocker and all of a sudden that margin can be considerably diminished, particularly throughout a double-header. When you have a significant drawback or accident on the primary day, it could actually have repercussions on the second day as effectively.“
A possible problem will come from inside his personal staff. Veiby, presently fourth within the championship, got here the closest to breaking Kristoffersson’s unbeaten SuperPole run in Sweden the place he was lower than a tenth of a second adrift from his teammate. Veiby is making no secret of his objective: “I must put him below stress and make him really feel a bit much less snug, and the primary objective is to knock him off the highest spot in SuperPole. That’s the important thing – to place him on the again foot firstly of the weekend.” If he can obtain that on day one, it’s going to arrange an attractive weekend of racing.
Hansen World RX Crew
Hansen World RX Crew shall be a pressure to be reckoned with. As they revealed to The Checkered Flag, they relish the problem of searching down the seemingly unstoppable Kristoffersson, and are ready to take action in South Africa. Kevin Hansen was extraordinarily quick in Mettet, topping the timesheets in observe and warmth one, and introduced the combat to Kristoffersson all the way in which to the ultimate. Because the supervisor of the RX2e staff #YellowSquad, he has an in-depth information of the automotive he shall be racing, which may translate to victory.
His brother Timmy Hansen fairly actually had a rougher time of it in Belgium. He by no means fairly bought to Kevin’s tempo on the extraordinarily bumpy circuit and finally needed to retire from the ultimate on account of suspension injury following an unlucky encounter with a kerb. He defined: “my driving type is way away from how that you must drive these automobiles, so it was an enormous problem for me. Kevin was actually quick – he is aware of that type of automotive effectively from his success in RX Lites.” Nonetheless, Timmy is assured he can flip issues round: “I’ve been working super-hard making an attempt to get my head round how I must drive the automotive in a different way and work out precisely find out how to get essentially the most out of it. I’m an enormous believer in observe making excellent, and I shall be a lot better-prepared for Cape City.” If he has pulled this off, it means Kristoffersson may have rivals throughout him from the outset.
CE Seller Crew
CE Seller Crew‘s Niclas Grönholm presently sits second within the championship. He has been persistently performing effectively this season, managing to keep away from the majority of the drama, permitting him to be in prime place to pounce if Kristoffersson has a problem. He gained the dramatic occasion in 2019 by following an identical tactic, and shall be hungry for extra.
After a disappointing outing in Estering, Germany, the place each Grönholm and his teammate Klara Andersson made the ultimate however have been unable to get on the rostrum, they are going to be itching to attain extra factors this time spherical. There are solely 12 factors separating second place Grönholm and seventh place Andersson within the championship, so their positions could possibly be radically totally different come the top of the double-header weekend.
ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport
Finishing the sector are ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport, fielding the duo of René Münnich and double DTM champion Timo Scheider. The levelling of the sector shall be one thing of a disappointment to the staff, who have been working wonders with their SEAT Ibiza and Scheider securing a podium in Norway. He’ll wish to replicate this efficiency in South Africa, having been on the podium on two out of three visits to date.
Scheider is already considering his strikes and the way finest to take advantage of the troublesome sweeping turns of Killarney Raceway. “You must place the automotive to sort out the nook means sooner than typical and begin to rotate it super-early,” he defined, “and in case your prediction is a bit of bit off, you may miss the apex and lose time. That creates lots of potential for making errors and due to this fact for overtaking.” Along with his technical abilities and the extent taking part in subject, don’t be shocked to see the German on the rostrum at the very least as soon as over the weekend.
Up Subsequent
The World RX of South Africa takes place on 7/8 October. Comply with The Checkered Flag for studies on every day’s motion.
