Round 8

Last Sunday round 8 of the European Rallycross Championship was organised in the Netherlands, in Valkenswaard.  It was a very interesting round of the Champion which was won by Sverre Isachsen.  Michael Jernberg finished second and becomes the new leader in the European Rallycross Championship.  Kenneth Hansen dropped to second position in the Championship.  Kenneth Hansen was ”only” third in the Dutch round of the European Rall! ycross Cham.  Michael Jernberg leads with one point on Hansen. 

It was a close fight between the top-trio in the A-final, where Sverre Isachsen, who started on pole position also, was the one to finally take the victory. During the whole final both Jernberg and Hansen were right on the tail of Isachsen. Michael, who realized that second place would give him important points, was careful and did not make many moves on the leader, and concentrated mostly on closing the door for Hansen, eager to find a way to overtake.

” It was impossible to pass Jernberg ", Kenneth says. " And I didn’t want to attack harder as it might have ended with us both going off the circuit. " Hansen added.  “ Of course it is disappointing to loose the overall lead, but I do not give up easily “, Kenneth stresses firmly. “ There are two more rounds, Poland and Germany, and not until after that we can say what the outcome will be. I have been under pressure before and actually that inspire me even more. “

Lasse Larsson came in on fourth place in the A-final after a strong performance this weekend. Jos Kuypers finished fifth and Jean-Luc Pailler had to settle for sixth as he had technical problems.

Michael Jernberg leads the ERC on 119 points to Hansen’s 118. The winner last Sunday, Isachsen is in third place with 97 points.

Next round of the European Championship is in Poland on September 24-25 and the final round is in Germany the weekend after, October 1-2.

Division 1

1. Sverre Isachsen    (N)   Ford Focus T16 4x4           20 points2. Michael Jernberg   (S)   Ford Focus T16 4x4           17 points3. Kenneth Hansen     (S)   Citroën Xsara T16 4x4        15 points4. Lars Larsson       (S)   Škoda Fabia T16 4x4          13 points5. Jos Kuypers        (NL)  Ford Focus T16 4x4           12 points6. Jean-Luc Pailler   (F)   Peugeot 206 T16 4x4          11 points

Standings Division 1 after Round 8

1. Michael Jernberg   (S)   119 points2. Kenneth Hansen     (S)   118 points3. Sverre Isachsen    (N)   97 points

Current European Rallycross Champion in Division 2, Finnish driver Jussi Pinomäki won Divison 2.  In the final Pinomäki beated the leader in the current Championship, Belgian driver Michaël De Keersmaecker in his Honda.

Division 2

1. Jussi Pinomäki           (FIN)   Renault Clio RSR     20 points2. Michaël De Keersmaecker  (B)     Honda Civic Type-R   17 points3. Jimmy Farsbo             (S)     Honda Civic Type-R   15 points4. Roman Èastoral           (CZ)    Opel Astra OPC       13 points5. Marcel Snoeijers         (NL)    Renault Clio RS      12 points6. Marcus Nilsson           (S)     Peugeot 206 RC       11 points

Standings Division 2 after Round 8

1. Michaël De Keersmaecker  (B)     116 points2. Jussi Pinomäki           (FIN)   105 points3. Marcus Nilsson           (S)     101 points