Hansen World RX Team puts on a show for the fans at Mettet
Tight racing, fast pace, and putting on a show for the dedicated fans was the name of the game for the Hansen World RX Team in the Belgian round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship, and by racing in the RX2e category in classic rallycross conditions, the team delivered.
Unable to race its regular RX1e World RX machines while investigations continue into the fire that took place at Lydden Hill last month, 2019 World RX Champion Timmy Hansen and 2016 Euro RX Champion Kevin Hansen competed in the single-specification RX2e category, lining up against fellow World RX drivers and a host of super-quick regular RX2e competitors.
With limited preparation, Kevin Hansen jumped out of the blocks with the fastest time in Free Practice, Qualifying Practice and Heat One, but broken suspension hampered his cause in Heat Two. However, the #71 driver salvaged second in at the end of the Ranking stage, and despite a poor start in the Semi-Final was set to make it through to the Final, until a puncture and a cut corner resulted in a penalty that put him out.
For Timmy Hansen, a consistent run through the heats was followed by Semi-Final victory to start on the front row of the Final, but, having made brilliant starts all day on Sunday in incredibly difficult wet and slippery conditions, the #21 driver didn’t get off the line well in the Final. A fight back drive followed and the Swede was set to finish second, but retired with broken suspension in the closing stages.
Disappointed not to stand on the podium, but satisfied with a job well done to support the event and put a show on for the fans, the Hansen World RX Team leaves Belgium looking to the future.
Kenneth Hansen said: “It has been a fun weekend to be in another category. There was a lot to learn and understand and I think we can be quite satisfied. We hoped to be a little quicker, but in the Final Timmy was doing very well. We didn’t succeed because he broke the suspension and unfortunately Kevin got a penalty in the Semi-Final so he couldn’t progress. We did what we could and I hope we put on a good show for the spectators and helped the event.”
Kevin Hansen said: “It was a mixed weekend. In the dry it was fantastic. We were flying – the car felt great so that was nice, but we were really unfortunate in Q2 where we got broken suspension and from there it became a more tricky weekend. Still we started on the front row of the Semi-Final but had a really, really bad launch. We built from that and were in a great spot fighting for the win but I touched a kerb and got a puncture, missed the corner and got a penalty which put us out. It was great to be in RX2e, they are such fun cars to drive and it has been a good experience.”
Timmy Hansen said: “It was a lot of fun doing something different and still racing despite RX1e not being possible this weekend. I think we put on a good show for the fans with some overtaking and nice battles – it was a tough weekend though. No matter what cars we are in it is always a race, but I couldn’t quite pull it off in the Final. I had a front row start, but the mega launches we had all day went away for whatever reason and I fell to the back. I battled back but hit a kerb, damaged the front suspension and went out. But, coming out from being last to almost finishing second was almost a nice result and we had a lot of fun.”
Unable to race its regular RX1e World RX machines while investigations continue into the fire that took place at Lydden Hill last month, 2019 World RX Champion Timmy Hansen and 2016 Euro RX Champion Kevin Hansen competed in the single-specification RX2e category, lining up against fellow World RX drivers and a host of super-quick regular RX2e competitors.
With limited preparation, Kevin Hansen jumped out of the blocks with the fastest time in Free Practice, Qualifying Practice and Heat One, but broken suspension hampered his cause in Heat Two. However, the #71 driver salvaged second in at the end of the Ranking stage, and despite a poor start in the Semi-Final was set to make it through to the Final, until a puncture and a cut corner resulted in a penalty that put him out.
For Timmy Hansen, a consistent run through the heats was followed by Semi-Final victory to start on the front row of the Final, but, having made brilliant starts all day on Sunday in incredibly difficult wet and slippery conditions, the #21 driver didn’t get off the line well in the Final. A fight back drive followed and the Swede was set to finish second, but retired with broken suspension in the closing stages.
Disappointed not to stand on the podium, but satisfied with a job well done to support the event and put a show on for the fans, the Hansen World RX Team leaves Belgium looking to the future.
Kenneth Hansen said: “It has been a fun weekend to be in another category. There was a lot to learn and understand and I think we can be quite satisfied. We hoped to be a little quicker, but in the Final Timmy was doing very well. We didn’t succeed because he broke the suspension and unfortunately Kevin got a penalty in the Semi-Final so he couldn’t progress. We did what we could and I hope we put on a good show for the spectators and helped the event.”
Kevin Hansen said: “It was a mixed weekend. In the dry it was fantastic. We were flying – the car felt great so that was nice, but we were really unfortunate in Q2 where we got broken suspension and from there it became a more tricky weekend. Still we started on the front row of the Semi-Final but had a really, really bad launch. We built from that and were in a great spot fighting for the win but I touched a kerb and got a puncture, missed the corner and got a penalty which put us out. It was great to be in RX2e, they are such fun cars to drive and it has been a good experience.”
Timmy Hansen said: “It was a lot of fun doing something different and still racing despite RX1e not being possible this weekend. I think we put on a good show for the fans with some overtaking and nice battles – it was a tough weekend though. No matter what cars we are in it is always a race, but I couldn’t quite pull it off in the Final. I had a front row start, but the mega launches we had all day went away for whatever reason and I fell to the back. I battled back but hit a kerb, damaged the front suspension and went out. But, coming out from being last to almost finishing second was almost a nice result and we had a lot of fun.”
in World RX
