WITH BUMPER BRITISH LINE-UP

Round four of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy takes place over the Spring Bank Holiday in

Great Britain this weekend (23-24 May) as the Championship prepares for its fourth event in five weeks.  A total of 59 cars (29

Supercars, 18 Touring Cars and 12 RX Lites entries) will compete at the Lydden Hill race circuit in Kent with this year’s

line-up including a host of British stars such as X Games medallist Liam Doran, Touring Car ace Andrew Jordan, Albatec Racing's

Andy Scott and David Binks plus two-time British Rally Champion, Guy Wilks.

Lydden Hill – which is considered the sport’s spiritual home – shot to fame earlier this year when the track was used to film a

World RX feature that aired on BBC Top Gear.  The show, which saw James May learn to drive an RX Supercar against the

Championship’s greats, was broadcast to millions of people worldwide. Jeremy Clarkson declared the sport as “brilliant” and

James May stated rallycross was “pound for pound the most exciting sport in the world.” Now, two months after Lydden Hill

appeared on TV screens around the world, the World RX stars will return to Kent.

“I’m the sort of guy who likes to win the big events. I won the European Championship race with a huge crowd in 2013 and then

the event with the biggest field of drivers at Lydden Hill last year,” explained Bakkerud who won last year’s event with Ford

Olsbergs MSE. “I grew up watching my idols racing at this track – it was a great place then and it is now. When it’s such a

famous circuit, you really want to deliver. We have a good set-up for the Fiesta here, I think we can be strong.”

Another driver who is eager to deliver this weekend is BTCC driver Andrew Jordan who returns to Lydden Hill this year as a

wildcard entry with Team Peugeot-Hansen. The Englishman, who turns 26 this weekend, explained: “I’ve been working really hard

to put something together to do more events but Lydden Hill is obviously my number on priority being my home event.”

Jordan added: “To finish on the podium last year was one of the coolest thing I’ve done in motorsport… but now I know I have

the pace to be right up there with the top guys.  It’s going to be really hard and sometimes you need a bit of luck, but after

the podium last year, the aim has to be to win!”

Joining the plethora of British drivers competing on home turf is British Rally star Guy Wilks, who will pilot a JRM Racing

prepared MINI RX Supercar #37 – the same number that rally legend Paddy Hopkirk displayed on his Monte Carlo Rally winning MINI

back in 1964.  “Everything about rallycross is new to me – the cars, the tyres, the tracks – but I learned a lot at Pembrey in

some difficult conditions,” explained 34-year-old Wilks. “I’m determined to fight for every inch of the track and to do the

best job I can for JRM Racing in front of the British fans.”

Other notable entries include the reigning World RX Champion and current leader in the overall drivers’ standings after three

rounds, Petter Solberg.  American Top Gear presenter Tanner Foust will also be competing and will be tough to beat considering

he has won at Lydden twice before. Furthermore, Super1600 event winner Janis Baumanis will make a step up to the Supercar for

the first time weekend as the Latvian prepares to drive a Peugeot 208 WRX as part of the Hansen Talent Development Team.

As well as 29 flame-spitting Supercars, there will also be 18 Touring Cars and 12 RX Lites entries set to entertain the crowds.

Fredrik Magnussen won last week’s Touring Car season-opener in Belgium and will be joined by reigning Champion Daniel Lundh

plus a number of rapid drivers including David Nordgard, Anders Braten and Tom Daniel Tanevik.  The Touring Car line-up will

also include three female drivers: 16-year old Magda Andersson, Mandy Kasse and Camila Antonsen.

A record number of 12 RX Lites entries will also race over the weekend and include RX Lites round one winner and reigning

Champion Kevin Eriksson.  Eriksson will also be joined by rising star Kevin Hansen and new-for-2015 RX Lites drivers, Tobias

Brink and Thomas Bryntesson.

From a Cooper Tire point of view. 

Matthew Vincent, Development Chemist – Motorsport, Cooper Tire Europe, spoke of the challenges of Lydden Hill: “This track is

considered by many to be the birthplace of rallycross and much of the development of the dry and wet tyres was done here. The

quick changes from tarmac to gravel combined with high speeds provide some great action but can result in high wear and the

teams have to manage their tyres carefully. This track really shows you what rallycross is about but the drivers have to be

careful, if they hit the big kerb before the finish line too hard it can puncture a tyre or even roll the car.”

Lydden Hill RX Timetable

Saturday May 23

 1000: Open practice 1205: Drift demo 1230: RX Heat One 1440: Drift demo 1500: RX Heat Two

RX Lites & Touring Car Heat three

1800: Track closed

Sunday May 24

 1030: Warm-up 1130: RX Heat three Touring Car & RX Lites Heat 4 RX Heat Four Retro Rallycross final 1400: Touring Car semi-finals RX Lites semi-finals Touring Car Final Group B Parade 1500: RX Supercar semi-finals RX Lites final RX Supercar final and podium 1610: Supercar top three press conference