Timmy Hansen Maximizes Turn of Fate To Capture Canadian World RX Victory
Petter Solberg's Canadian World RX dominance was smashed by Timmy Hansen, who was only elevated into the main event minutes before of the race.
Sweden’s Timmy Hansen has won this weekend’s World RX of Canada, round seven of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy. Hansen – who drives for Team Peugeot-Hansen - took an unexpected victory after he was promoted to the final when Russia’s Timur Timerzyanov was black flagged after an incident in the semi-final.
Andreas Bakkerud (Hoonigan Racing Division) and Johan Kristoffersson (Volkswagen RX Sweden) finished second and third respectively.
In the overall driver standings, Petter Solberg regained the championship lead. The Norwegian driver was Top Qualifier at the end of the four qualifying sessions, and took the maximum 16 points available.
Solberg went on to win his semi-final but made a slow start to the final in which he chose to use dry weather tires despite a shower of rain that saw four of his rivals switch to wet tires.
EKS driver Mattias Ekstrom slipped back to second in the standings, four points behind Solberg. Ekstrom was fifth at the Intermediate Classification but retired from his semi-final due to a front-left puncture.
RX Lites
In the standalone RX Lites Intercontinental Cup, it was America’s Mitchel DeJong who triumphed in the one-make support category. The 18-year-old took two qualifying wins to sit as Top Qualifier.
A spin in his semi-final saw DeJong start on the back row of today’s final but he recovered in the last race to take a well-deserved victory.
UAE driver Saeed Bintouq finished runner-up after a strong performance in what is only his first season in an RX Lites car. Sweden’s Oliver Eriksson rounded out the top three.
Weekend Wrap Up
World RX Managing Director for IMG, Paul Bellamy, concluded, “This has been our third year in Canada and I’m delighted to announce that this weekend we’ve had our biggest crowd at this event to date. It’s always great to be part of a wider motorsport festival which attracts such passionate fans. We’ve had glorious weather all weekend and minutes before the final, the heavens opened and made for some nail-biting action out on track.
"Nobody could have predicted today’s winner but Timmy’s pace, clean driving, and Joker Lap strategy saw him finish the race on top. Congratulations also to Andreas and Johan for their podium results. I’d also like to say commiserations to both Petter and Timur – both drivers showed fantastic pace throughout the weekend.”
The FIA World Rallycross Championship will now return to European soil for the eighth round of the season which will take place in Loheac, France (3-4 September).
Canada Final Results
1. Timmy HANSEN 05:17.826
2. Andreas BAKKERUD 05:18.903
3. Johan KRISTOFFERSSON 05:19.383
4. Toomas HEIKKINEN 05:21.887
5. Petter SOLBERG 05:22.434
6. Anton MARKLUND 05:23.636
