STARD Racing once again impressed with its form as the team took on the challenge of the 2017 World RX of Belgium at the Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet.
Both Janis Baumanis and Timur Timerzyanov had differing fortunes during the weekend as once again they both showed that they have the form to stay with the front runners.
Timerzyanov had the better weekend of the two STARD drivers as he made it to Semi-Final Two. Credit: STARD Racing
Timerzyanov had the better weekend of the two drivers as he guided his Ford Fiesta RXS Supercar to three top ten placings during Qualifying that left the Russian driver in in tenth place overall and placed in Semi-Final Two. The former Double European Rallycross Champion was in the hunt for a place in the Final, however he fell short as he came home in fourth place.
Baumanis suffered another difficult weekend in the sister Ford Fiesta RXS as he struggled through Qualifying. The Latvian driver had a difficult first day where contact during one of his races meant he would be outside the top twelve. Baumanis had a better second day of qualifying where he was tenth in Q3 and thirteenth in Q4 however this wasn’t enough for a Semi-Final spot with the Latvian finishing the weekend in sixteenth place overall.
Janis Baumanis had a difficult weekend at the World RX of Belgium. Credit: STARD Racing
STARD Team Principal Manfred Stohl was happy with Timerzyanov making it to the Semi-Finals but he was aware of the difficult task ahead.
“Timur made a good job, although it was not easy, as he never had really an optimal start position,” he explained. “Under these circumstances he anyhow got out the most of it, as he showed once more, that he has a super ground speed available. His start position in the third row, moreover at the outside, was on the narrow initial part not to his advantage”.
However he took the positives from from the performances of both drivers over the weekend of the fourth round of the 2017 FIA World Rallycross Championship.
“Janis had unfortunately bad luck, being knocked off course that early. We again collected points, this is absolutely OK. But we have also seen, that this is not sufficient for the top. To be able to keep up with the works teams, much more has to come – as well from the car, as also from the drivers”.
