Hansen World RX Team has won its third FIA World Rallycross Teams’ Championship title thanks to a podium finish each by 2019 world champion Timmy Hansen and his team-mate Kevin Hansen at the Nürburgring season finale. Timmy also finished the season tied on points with rival Johan Kristoffersson in the drivers’ championship but missed out on a second world title on count-back. Led by Team Principal Kenneth Hansen and Team Manager Susann Hansen, Hansen World RX Team clinched the teams’ championship in Germany after leading the championship from the first day of the season. They finished 49 points ahead of nearest rivals GRX-SET in the final standings. There were three victories and 10 further podium finishes in nine championship rounds during the 2021 season, with those consistent podium finishes key to clinching the title. A third teams’ championship adds to successes in 2015 and 2019, where the latter was also won by the same driver combination of Timmy and Kevin Hansen as in 2021.

Round 8 (Saturday)

Timmy resumed his quest for a second world title with a second place finish at the line in the first of two back-to-back rounds over two days, making a stunning drive through the field from fifth on the grid. Despite starting down in fifth place Timmy was up to third by the first turn, then used an early joker strategy to find some free air, put the hammer down and leap past Yury Belevskiy on the final lap to clinch the place. However, Timmy was later excluded from the final results along with Enzo Ide, as both drivers were judged to have made contact with Niclas Grönholm under braking. Kevin was unlucky with his grid positions in Q1 and Q2, comrpomising his ability to put in fast times as being stuck in traffic affected his visbility. He pushed hard throughout but was ultimately unable to make the final on Saturday.

Round 9 (Sunday)

All eyes were on the title fight between Timmy and Kristoffersson on Sunday morning. A thrilling battle ensued in Q2, with Timmy shooting into the lead at turn one and holding off Kristoffersson behind all race to take the race win. But one session later Kristoffersson would claw a crucial championship point back with a race win of his own. A strong 1-2 finish down in the semi-final meant Timmy and Kevin should have started start second and fourth in a thrilling final. But as had been the case on Saturday, there was unexpected intervention. A better start for Grönholm in the semi-final meant he tried to close the door on Timmy while the lead Peugeot 208 was on the inside line, leading to unavoidable contact that Timmy was surprisingly given a seven second penalty for. While he won the race on track, he would line up fifth on the grid in the last final of the year. Timmy’s penalty promoted Kevin to victory in the semifinal and a front-row start in the final, which he transformed into the race lead in the final with a brilliant launch to pass Kristoffersson. There was an equally good start for Timmy, as he flew up from fifth to third at the first turn to keep his title hopes alive. Kevin finished his 2021 campaign with second place but it was ahead of Kristoffersson, not Timmy, as dirt blocking Timmy’s windshield caused low visibility and hampered his pace. Kristoffersson finishing third and Timmy fourth in the final meant the drivers’ championship ended level on points. But with three wins for Kristoffersson versus two for Timmy, the drivers’ title went to the former on countback.

Timmy Hansen, #21 Peugeot 208 WRX

“This has been a fantastic season we’ve had with plenty of success and some great rallycross action. I gave it everything I had right until the very end but it feels a bit unfair with the size and number of penalties that were handed out this weekend. Opportunities to get the job done were taken away because of that and I don’t agree with the outcome of those judgements, of course. “Johan did a fantastic job this weekend. He knew he had to come here and win everything. He pulled off a great performance and if you are going to lose, I suppose that is the way for it to happen. It’s a great sporting achievement by him. “We were on the top of our game today, doing everything we could and should have, and were right where we had to be. In the end, we finished equal on points and that explains the story of the season really. Johan was unlucky when we were on form and winning three events back-to-back with one-two finishes; towards the end, we had our own fair share of bad luck. “It’s a hell of a story, one that’s great for the sport. I’m proud of this season and proud of my performance this weekend, my team, and my family. I’m looking forward to the future.”

Kevin Hansen, #9 Peugeot 208 WRX

“I’m disappointed to see Timmy lose the championship and myself losing third place, but I am very proud of our team’s domination of the team championship.”

Kenneth Hansen, Team Principal

“We have had a really successful year but the feeling today is still a little strange, given we have missed out on the drivers’ title so narrowly. But we have worked well as a team this year with great co-operation between everyone involved and I’m proud of every member of this team for giving us everything they had in 2021. “Even today we have grown stronger as a unit because of the setbacks we faced with penalties knocking us back. While some of them were deserved, some were less justifiable. But when something like that happens all you can do is accept it, move on and refocus, and we did that well as a team this weekend.” “Today is also the last time we will see our current Peugeot 208 in World RX. It has been a fantastic car all these years and it gets to retire with more World RX Teams’ Championship titles than any other car. It suits rallycross and we have continued to develop it over the years; it’s been a fast car but even more importantly, it has been extremely reliable. We know this car very well, so let’s see what the future can bring.” “This was also a promising introduction to World RX for the Nürburgring. It would be nice to have a little more gravel but this is an easy change to make for the future. If you look at the joker lap especially, this is an excellent corner thanks to how long and wide it is. If the track can be widened in some places and some work is done on the kerbing, this will be a great rallycross circuit in years to come.”