A determined fightback from Kevin Hansen extended Hansen World RX Team’s season-long run of podium finishes, climbing from fifth in qualifying to second in the final to keep both Hansens in the title fight. A fourth place finish for Timmy Hansen ensured the 2019 World Rallycross Champion kept top spot in the championship standings, though it was Kevin’s battle-scarred Peugeot 208 WRX that made it to the podium. Kevin had a tricky start to qualifying that left him well down the standings after Saturday’s two sessions, Undeterred, he pushed on to go third-fastest in Q3, right behind his brother Timmy, and banked a third placed grid slot for the first semi-final. Battling hard to defend third place from Timo Scheider, Kevin braked late at the Raidillon hairpin to try and defend his position. That resulted in contact with Timmy’s car directly ahead, which in turn left Timmy with nowhere to go except the rear quarter of race leader Kevin Abbring’s car. Timmy, who had been unlucky to miss out on the top qualifier spot by a single intermediate point and had lined up second behind top qualifier Abbring, raced on to take the win ahead of Kevin. He didn’t get to keep it though as a penalty would demote him to third and hand Kevin the win. It had been a hard-fought result for Kevin. He was lucky to continue unharmed after unavoidable contact with Abbring’s stricken car, which had allowed the chasing Scheider past. But Kevin, keen to make amends, pounced on a mistake by his rival at the final turn, getting up the inside of Scheider has he ran wide on the long gravel left-hander at the end of the lap. Starting in second place alongside fellow title rival Johan Kristoffersson, Kevin tried his best to contend for the lead but ultimately couldn’t quite get the start he needed to make it happen. A series of six quick laps ensured Kevin wrapped up second place well clear of the battling pack behind, in which Timmy was trying to fight his way through to the podium places from last place. Timmy wasted little time in picking his way through the field, starting off with an inspired pass on Anton Marklund at the Raidillon hairpin on lap one. Two cars stood between him and the podium – Krisztián Szabó and Enzo Ide. He quickly closed up on Szabó and took his joker lap for free air – but Szabó’s team responded by sending him to the joker one lap later to cover off Timmy’s attack. His strategy had worked to get past Ide but he ultimately had to settle for fourth place. Hansen World RX Team’s hopes for the teams’ championship title were strengthened by another strong weekend from both drivers, increasing the lead over GRX-SET to 56 points with three rounds remaining. Both Hansens remains in the thick of the title fight, with Timmy still atop the drivers’ standings. Kristoffersson is now second and 12 points behind Timmy, while Kevin is third and 15 points off the top. There’s no rest for the team yet as World RX moves on to Portugal next weekend, visiting the Montalegre circuit in the far north of the country.

Kevin Hansen, #9 Peugeot 208 WRX

“This weekend has been like the track – a rollercoaster! Whether it’s the run-up to Raidillon and back down the hill to Eau Rouge, or the weather being all over the place, everything is up and down here. And that is what it felt like results-wise too. “We had really good speed at the beginning of the weekend when the track was a bit more green. Our penalty in Q2 was unfortunate but starting on the outside, you have to take chances to move up. The initial contact from behind meant it was impossible to avoid Abbring which is a shame. “The first couple of laps in our semi-final were hectic and it’s really unfortunate that it turned out the way it did for a couple of guys. But this is rallycross – the luck can be both for and against you. We got through and were able to convert our front-row gridslot into a podium finish. That’s what matters most. “Our hope is the remaining circuits are a bit more in our favour. Montalegre is not the same style as here so we need to be on top of those changes and get the next week of preparation spot on. Points on the board are what matter now.

Timmy Hansen, #21 Peugeot 208 WRX

“I did my best to come from the back row in the final and aim to finish on the final step of the podium – and we nearly got there. I was so close to passing Szabo but his defensive driving was excellent and we just didn’t quite have enough to make it happen. “I feel sorry for Kevin Abbring and our contact in the semifinal. He did not deserve to have his race end like that. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do to avoid what happened, given all the contact going on between the cars behind me pushed me into him. “The end of the championship fight will be exciting. I’m looking forward to Portugal where the circuit should suit our car a bit better. And I don’t have to wait long either which is great!”

Kenneth Hansen, Team Principal

“This event didn’t quite pan out the way we had expected it to. But we had a feeling it might not go exactly as we had hoped before the weekend began, as the track characteristics were different from the last time we were here in 2019.” “The gravel surface had been changed as it was sealed underneath with concrete – so it was much more like the hard, compact gravel in France and Latvia than the deep, loose gravel that we had here previously. That meant that while our car was quite good, across the course of the weekend it suited some of the other cars on the grid a little better.” “What happened in the semifinal was really unfortunate. It’s a racing incident – Timmy braked very hard into this corner, was already committed, and then the cascade effect from behind meant our Kevin bumped him forward into Abbring. It can happen sometimes in first-corner racing. Abbring deserved to be in the final with the pace he showed and it’s a shame this race unfolded the way it did.” “In the end, we are pleased to come away from Belgium with another podium and our focus has already turned to our preparations for Portugal.”