Team Peugeot-Hansen continued their positive start to the 2015 FIA World Rallycross Championship as Timmy Hansen took his second consecutive podium finish of the season.
After different fortunes for both Hansen and his new team-mate Davy Jeanney during the heat stages, both drivers found themselves inside the top twelve for the Semi-Finals, with Jeanney in sixth position and Hansen just making the cut in twelfth position. After an overnight set-up change, both drivers were confident of better performances on Sunday.
During Semi-Final two, both Peugeot 208 WRX Supercars found themselves at the back of the pack with a fightback on the cards. Hansen managed to get third place on the penultimate lap after passing Johan Kristoffersson while Jeanney finished in sixth, ending his running for the weekend. Hansen went on to secure third in the Final, giving him his second straight podium finish of 2015.
Timmy Hansen was grateful to the team for their hard work over the weekend and for his podium.
“What a day,” insisted Hansen. “It feels great to finish on the podium after qualifying in 12th position! I was really disappointed on Saturday but the team didn’t lose faith and we managed to turn the tables. We changed the suspension set-up and switched back to a package we knew was competitive. I also changed my mind-set. It’s an incredible sensation to have performed such a strong comeback!”
Davy Jeanney made the best of a difficult Semi-Final with strategy aiding his cause.
“After the warm-up, we decided to fit slicks,” revealed Jeanney. “It was the right choice. My start position for the semi-final was in lane two which was wet. I found myself back in sixth place and it was impossible to overtake.”
Team Principal Kenneth Hansen was happy with the reward of a podium finish after a difficult weekend in Hockenheim.
“It was a tough weekend which ended well,” said Hansen. “We learned a great deal. We expected better of a certain set-up but we changed it for the final day and that made a big difference to the car. It allowed Timmy to perform a superb comeback. He didn’t make any mistakes and was able to use 100% of his car’s potential. Davy was very strong, too, but a poor position for the start of his semi-final prevented him from obtaining a better result. I feel confident for the future.”
Team Peugeot-Hansen will be on the hunt for another podium finish at the third round of WorldRX at Mettet in Belgium next weekend.
