After coming first and third respectively in Latvia last year, Sébastien Loeb and Timmy Hansen are determined to notch up another top result there when FIA World Rallycross Championship resumes with Round 10 on September 16-17.
To fine-tune its preparations for world rallycross’s second visit to Latvia, Team Peugeot Hansen carried out a private test there at the beginning of July. Only Timmy Hansen was on duty to work on the development of the 2017-spec PEUGEOT 208 WRX, however, since Sébastien Loeb was busy contesting cross-country rallying’s Silk Way Rally.
Peugeot Latvia has organised a busy programme of activities at the Riga venue which was voted best-organised event of the year in 2016. A long list of guests has been invited to attend the race and cheer on Team Peugeot Hansen which consolidated its hold on second place in the Teams’ championship at Lohéac at the beginning of the month.
Kenneth Hansen (Team Principal):
“We have excellent memories of our trip to Riga in 2016 and we’ll be looking to build on the momentum of our recent strong weekend at Lohéac. We feel we are edging closer to success and, after the test we did in Riga earlier in the summer, I think we will be able to enjoy a similar sort of weekend. I hope we will succeed in finishing on the top step of the podium this time.”
Sébastien Loeb (PEUGEOT 208 WRX #9):
“I’m really fired up, as usual. Riga is where I scored my first WorldRX victory, so I have good memories of that. I feel confident ahead of this year’s visit and I believe our car will be very competitive. The circuit looks more favourable to us. It went well there last season, so I’m hoping for more of the same this time round!”
Timmy Hansen (PEUGEOT 208 WRX #21):
“Riga is fairly similar to Lohéac inasmuch as the dirt part of the track gives good grip. Our set-up probably won’t be much different to what we ran in France, so that’s encouraging. I hope we manage to battle with the Volkswagens again. The circuit itself is in a park close to the city centre and I like the rhythm there. It has a nice mix of fast corners and more technical portions. It should be a good venue for us and I am looking forward to competing there again.”
Kevin Hansen (PEUGEOT 208 WRX #71):
“It’s a circuit I enjoy. I competed there last season and I have also been testing there, both in 2016 and this year. You can compare it in a way to Monaco because the track is lined either side with walls and any error you make can be quite costly. The layout is technically challenging, too. At the same time, it’s a nice city and we get a great welcome. Last year, when I was contesting the European Championship, I had a good run but I was a little down on luck because I was hit by another car early in the race. This time, I hope I can reach the final and do some jousting with the sport’s very best drivers!”
Asphalt/dirt: 60% / 40%
Lap record: 49.301s
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AFTER 9 ROUNDS - Drivers’ classification
Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen Polo GTI), 241 points
Petter Solberg (Volkswagen Polo GTI), 195 points
Mattias Ekström (Audi S1), 180 points
Sébastien Loeb (PEUGEOT 208 WRX), 169 points
Timmy Hansen (PEUGEOT 208 WRX), 155 points
Andreas Bakkerud (Ford Focus RS), 146 points
Ken Block (Ford Focus RS), 95 points
Toomas Heikkinen (Audi S1), 86 points
Timo Scheider (Ford Fiesta), 85 points
Kevin Eriksson (Ford Fiesta), 84 points
Teams’ classification
Volkswagen PSRX, 436 points
Team Peugeot Hansen, 324 points
EKS Audi, 266 points
Hoonigan Racing Division, 246 points
MJP Racing Team Austria, 180 points
STARD, 136 points
