European Rallycross

Contact Ends O’Donovan’s Euro RX Challenge at Loheac

1 Mins read
Ollie O'Donovan at the 2017 Euro RX of France. Credit: Team RX Racing

2007 British Rallycross Champion Ollie O’Donovan once again managed to qualify for the Semi-Finals in round four of the 2017 FIA European Rallycross Championship for Supercars, however his luck ended there.

The London based Irishman guided his Team RX Racing Ford Fiesta through changing conditions at Loheac in France, known as the Temple of Rallycross to many, to finish Qualifying in twelfth place and take the last of the Semi-Final places. His highest placing during Qualifying was tenth place in Q2.

Ollie O’Donovan in Qualifying for the 2017 Euro RX of France. Credit: Team RX Racing

As O’Donovan started Semi-Final One, contact into the first turn with Frenchman Jerome Grosset-Janin meant that the Tony Bardy Motorsport prepared Ford suffered suspension damage which also led to a spin into the wall. This ended the former British RX Champion’s weekend and he would be classified twelfth overall.

O’Donovan was happy to have seen an improvement in pace during the weekend.

“I’ve been to Loheac a few times in the last few years, but this weekend was much better in terms of our pace and our understanding of the track, which has very different characteristics to other rallycross circuits in UK and the rest of Europe,” explained the London based Irishman.

We had to work hard in the qualifying races, but with a good time in the wet in Q4, we made the semi-finals. We had a clear plan for the first corner of that race; we made a good start but it was disappointing to get hit, which eventually put us out.”

Contact in the Semi-Finals ended the Irish driver’s weekend at Loheac. Credit: Team RX Racing

However, with there being under eight days before the final round of the 2017 FIA European Rallycross Championship for Supercars at the Riga circuit in Latvia, there isn’t much time to get the Ford Fiesta repaired for the event.

“It’s a huge shame that the accident has meant the truck has had to go back to Tony (Bardy)’s workshops in Yorkshire to so the car can be repaired in time for the next European race in Latvia. That’s motorsport sometimes – we will fight hard to make the semi-finals and final again in Latvia.”

892 posts

About author
I have been a very passionate fan of Motorsport for over 30 years with Touring Cars as my favourite form of Motor Racing. I cover The TCR UK Series, The TCR Europe Series and The FIA World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) as well as following various TCR Series around the world.
Articles
Related posts
DakarEuropean Rallycross

Jan de Rooy, 1943–2024

2 Mins read
Jan de Rooy, Dutch and FIA European Rallycross star in the 1970s and winner of the 1987 Paris–Dakar Rally in the Truck category, died Tuesday at the age of 80.
European RallycrossFIA World Rallycross

PREVIEW: 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship - Höljes, Sweden

3 Mins read
The World Rallycross ‘Magic Weekend’ returns to Höljes with a bumper crop of drivers and spectators expected.
European RallycrossFIA World Rallycross

PREVIEW: 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship - Hell, Norway

4 Mins read
The FIA World Rallycross Championship celebrates its 100th event in Hell, Norway.