30 flame-spitting RX Supercars gunning for World RX gloryDefending champion Petter Solberg targets maiden UK winAndrew Jordan and Guy Wilks given ‘wild card’ entriesLocal heroes add patriotic dimension to international line-up
This month’s rip-roaring Motorsport News World RX of Great Britain (23-24 May) will boast a star-studded field featuring no fewer than 30 flame-spitting RX Supercars.
The entry list is headed by the 18 season-long competitors going for glory in motor sport’s newest – and arguably most exciting – official World Championship: the globe-trotting FIA World Rallycross Championship. For Britain’s only round, staged at the sport’s spiritual home at Lydden Hill, Kent, the grid is swelled by ten ‘wild cards’ all hoping to upstage the World RX stars.
Last year Andrew Jordan took the fight to the luminaries; the 2013 British Touring Car Champion wowed the record 10,000 crowd as he battled his way to a stirring podium finish. Now he’s back for another one-off appearance in 2015. Home fans will also be able to get behind Andy Scott who’s leading the 2015 British RX Championship, reigning British RX champion Julian Godfrey, double British Rally Champion Guy Wilks and World RX full-timer Liam Doran.
Doran’s team-mate is defending World RX Champion Petter Solberg – the man most tipped for victory at Lydden. He spun out of last year’s grand final but, more recently, won a special one-off race staged for the BBC Top Gear TV cameras at the venue.
“That was a real help,” admitted the charismatic Norwegian ace. “I feel like I have some unfinished business with Lydden. Last year the whole weekend wasn’t really perfect for me. This time, I know what I have to do!”
Others in contention for victory include last year’s winner Andreas Bakkerud, DTM champion Mattias Ekstrom, Top Gear USA presenter Tanner Foust and Johan Kristoffersson who won the opening round of this year’s championship staged in Portugal.
Audi, Citroen, Ford, MINI, Peugeot, Volvo and VW will all be represented on the grid with seriously souped-up, 600bhp versions of familiar showroom models, all capable of blasting to 60mph faster than an F1 car!
MOTORSPORT NEWS WORLD RX OF GREAT BRITAIN
1. Petter Solberg (NOR) Citroen DS32. Ollie O’Donovan (IRE) Ford Fiesta VII3. Johan Kristoffersson (SWE) VW Polo R WRX4. Robin Larsson (SWE) Audi A17. Manfred Stohl (AUT) Ford Fiesta VII10. Mattias Ekstrom (SWE) Audi S1 quattro13. Andreas Bakkerud (NOR) Ford Fiesta ST15. Reinis Nitiss (LVA) Ford Fiesta ST17. Davy Jeanney (FRA) Peugeot 208 WRX21. Timmy Hansen (SWE) Peugeot 208 WRX26. Andy Scott (GBR) Peugeot 208 RX31. Max Pucher (AUT) Ford Fiesta VII32. Ole-Kristian Nottveit (NOR) Volvo C3033. Liam Doran (GBR) Citroen DS335. Tanner Foust (USA) VW Polo RX37. Guy Wilks (GBR) MINI RX42. Timur Timerzyanov (RUS) Ford Fiesta ST45. PG Andersson (SWE) VW Polo RX50. Kevin Proctor (GBR) Ford Fiesta VII51. Julian Godfrey (GBR) Ford Fiesta VI55. Alx Danielsson (SWE) Audi S357. Toomas Heikkinen (FIN) VW Polo RX71. Marc Laboulle (FRA) Citroen C477. Rene Munnich (GER) Audi S381. David Binks (GBR) Peugeot 208 WRX91. Guttorm Lindefjell (NOR) Ford Focus II92. Anton Marklund (SWE) Audi S1 quattro99. Tord Linnerud (NOR) VW Polo R WRX177. Andrew Jordan (GBR) Peugeot 208 WRX199. Janis Baumanis (LVA) Peugeot 208 WRX
All 30 entries will contest two thrilling race heats on Saturday. Sunday’s schedule includes two more electrifying heats with the fastest 12 qualifying for a pair of knock-out semi-finals – the top three from each progressing to the no-holds-barred grand final. Fans will also be treated to a full supporting programme of races and other top class entertainment.
Advance tickets are priced from just £25 for Saturday and £30 for Sunday. These will rise to £30 and £35 for any remaining general admission tickets to be sold on the gate. Accompanied children aged 12 and under will be admitted free of charge, while VIP Hospitality and a limited number of grandstand tickets are also available in advance.
Those wishing to take full advantage of the advance ticket offer should visit the official www.lyddenhill.co.uk website for more information.
