Fiesta progress at British World RX event for Team RX Racing
London-based Irishman Ollie O’Donovan raced his brand new Ford Fiesta Supercar at the fourth round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship last weekend at Lydden Hill in Kent.
In only the second event for the Tony Bardy Motorsport built Fiesta, O’Donovan challenged World Rallycross champion Petter Solberg into the first corner of his first heat race and would have set a top 15 race time had it not been for a stalled engine on the third lap, costing him time. O’Donovan then set 17th fastest overall time in heat two to end the first day in 21st position.
The Team RX Racing driver made another strong start in his heat three race, taking on double FIA European Rallycross Champion Timur Timerzyanov into the first corner, only for the Russian driver to spin in front of O’Donovan’s Fiesta, leaving him nowhere to go but stop in his tracks. The Irishman finished the event 22nd overall. Despite the hiccups, O’Donovan proved that both he and the new Fiesta have the pace to compete at the front in coming events in the European and British Rallycross Championships.
“We’re very happy with the progress we made with the car at Lydden. We made changes to the suspension before the event which were a real step forward,” said the Yokohama supported driver. “We’re very happy with our lap times, starts and general pace but we were just unlucky that we stopped in two races. In the first heat it was my own fault, I got too sideways and stalled. Then the second time I had nowhere to go when Timerzyanov spun in front of me and stopped again. There was nothing I could do. It was unlucky - I thought I’d try and tuck in behind him rather go around the outside as I knew Andy Scott was on the outside of me, but it proved to be the wrong decision and he blocked me on track,” he continued.
“Overall, it’s great that we’ve proved we are on the pace for our next events in Germany and Mondello Park. I’ve never raced in Germany before so that will be a new experience and Tony [Bardy] is making some more updates to the Fiesta too. I’m really up for it.”
World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg won the event in his Citroen DS3. Mattias Ekstrom and Johan Kristoffersson completed the podium. O’Donovan’s next event will be the second round of the FIA European Rallycross Championship at the Estering, Germany, before the fourth round of the MSA British Rallycross Championship at Mondello Park.
Lydden Hill World RX Result
1 Petter Solberg – Citroen DS3 (#1)
2 Mattias Ekstrom – Audi S1 (#10)
3 Johan Kristoffersson – VW Polo (#3???)
4 Andreas Bakkerd – Ford Fiesta (#13)
5 Reinis Nitiss – Ford Fiesta (#15)
6 Guy Wilks – Mini RX (#37)
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22 Ollie O’Donovan – Ford Focus (#2)
Full results from the FIA World Rallycross Championship event at Lydden can be found on the offical website: www.rallycrossrx.com
2015 calendar
MSA British Rallycross Championship
Mar 15 Croft
April 6 Lydden Hill
May 10 Pembrey
June 27 Mondello Park (Ireland)
June 28 Mondello Park (Ireland)
July 19 Pembrey
Aug 31 Lydden Hill
Oct 10 Croft
Oct 11 Croft
FIA World Rallycross Championship
April 24-26 Portugal (Montalegre)
May 15-17 Belgium (Mettet) *
May 22-24 Great Britain (Lydden Hill)
June 19-21 Germany (Estering) *
July 3-5 Sweden (Holjes)
Aug 7-8 Canada (Trois-Rivieres)
Aug 21-23 Norway (Hell) *
Sept 4-6 France (Loheac)
Sept 18-20 Spain (Barcelona) *
Oct 2-4 Turkey (Istanbul)
Oct 16-18 Italy (Franciacorta) *
Nov 27-29 Argentina (San Luis)
* = FIA European Rallycross Championship event
