The brand-new TitansRX Europe Rallycross Series debuted in Essay, France, on the weekend and experienced rallycross drivers “Topi” Heikkinen and Timmy Hansen won the two rounds across the two-day double-header.
On Saturday, 2013 GRC Champion Heikkinen led the final of round one from start to finish, crossing the line in front of Kevin Hansen. The Swede had passed local hero Jerome Grosset-Janin in scorchingly hot conditions for the runner up spot.
“It feels amazing. I started this project together with Max at the beginning of 2018. We did some nice races in the World Championship, but the full focus was on Titans and then to get the first-ever victory is amazing,” Heikkinen said. “Everything worked out, the car was brilliant, we didn’t have any failures and it was generally a good day for me.”
“It’s really been a fun weekend. I hadn’t driven the car much at all, so it took some time to understand how it reacts to my inputs. But I adapted quickly and could get my elbows out in time for the action. To finish the weekend with two podiums and very good points is great! I feel very proud of myself and the proper rallycross I showed during the weekend. Now we continue to push for greater racing then ever in rallycross”, Kevin Hansen was all smiles.
Also, homeboy Grosset-Janin was happy saying: “It’s been a super experience. I came here following a tough time and it was just fantastic. The track was great, the car was cool, and the fans were wonderful. Coming third in a highly competitive field and standing on the podium with two world championship level winners, is amazing.”
In slightly cooler conditions on Sunday, current World Rallycross Championship leader Timmy Hansen sprinted from pole to the flag first. His younger brother Kevin, who had started from the back row finished a surprise second. After cutting the second corner, he conceded a penalty lap but rejoined the field in the runner-up spot regardless. Third place went to Heikkinen, who edged out Craig Breen on the final lap.
“I’m so happy with this weekend! It was the first-ever Titans RX race, and we got a lot of good battles on track – both because we were allowed to be a bit harder on overtaking and also because the driver line-up was a mix of some of the world’s best racing, rally and rallycross drivers. To end the weekend with a win was amazing. I’m already looking forward to Lydden Hill now,” Timmy Hansen said.
“TitansRX is the stage on which the best drivers deliver the best in racing entertainment. Delivering a brand-new Rallycross series on world-class level is a challenge of a special kind. We went from zero to 99% delivery on the first event weekend. It was great to see the rallycross newcomers taking wins and posting top lap times with the PanteraRX6, and the wildcard drivers being extremely competitive first time out. The RX experience prevailed through consistency across all races, but I am pretty sure that will change. The on-track car-to-car battles were intense with the drivers taking advantage of the TitansRX rule interpretation. Adherence to the set limits will be a matter of well-placed penalties. Spectator and driver response was overwhelmingly positive. I want to thank everyone at MJP and Essay-Ducs for their great performance. We are reviving the essence of Rallycross and save it from a sterile death,”
TitansRX will return to action on the notorious Lydden Hill Circuit on July 27/28.
About Me: Adam has been a race fan since the first time he went through the tunnel under the Daytona International Speedway almost 30 years ago. He has had the privilege of travelling to races all across the state of Florida (as well as one race in Ohio), watching nearly everything with a motor compete for fame and glory, as well as participating in various racing schools to get the feel of what racecar drivers go through every week. Adam has spent the last three years covering motorsports for Examiner.com., where he had the opportunity to see the racing world from behind the scenes as well as the grandstands. He invites everyone to follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus, and looks forward to sharing his enthusiasm for all things racing with the readers of SpeedwayDigest.com.Be sure to tune in for his weekly sports talk program, Thursday Night Thunder, where he discusses the latest in motorsports news with drivers, crew members, and fans. The show takes place every Thursday at 8:00 pm EST on the Speedway Digest Radio Network.
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