Andreas Bakkerud enjoyed a positive finish to his first season as a Hoonigan Racing driver by taking his third win of the 2016 FIA World Rallycross Championship at the World RX of Argentina.
Whilst fellow countryman Petter Solberg dominated Qualifying, Bakkerud was well placed to take pole position for Semi-Final two in which he duly took the win and a slot on the front row in the Supercar Final alongside championship rival Johan Kristoffersson.
With both men locked in the battle for second place in the Driver Championship, Bakkerud led from lights to flag to take his third win of the year, however with Kristoffersson finishing the Final in second place, the Norwegian took third place in the championship.
Hoonigan Racing’s Andreas Bakkerud takes the chequered flag at 2016 World RX of Argentina. Credit: Hoonigan Racing/Ford Performance
Bakkerud was very happy with the performance of the Hoonigan Racing Ford Focus RX RX in its development season.
“I’ve had so many people supporting me on my route to be here today, and it’s a great feeling,” Bakkerud explained. “I’m very proud of myself and of the people supporting me. Hoonigan Racing Division, Ford Performance, and M-Sport put together a great car.”
Brian Novak, Motorsport Supervisor of Rallycross at Ford Performance, summed up his feelings on a first season for the team in World RX that has seen its fair share of good points as well as bad.
“We wanted to come here and win. It was a tight battle, but a brilliant job done by Andreas and the Hoonigan, M-Sport, and Ford Performance team. We had some rough parts of the season, but we never gave up. We kept improving the car and we are proud to have it running up front.”
The Hoonigan Racing Division and the Ford Focus RS RX Supercars will be back in action at the 2017 FIA World Rallycross Championship opener in Barcelona, Spain next April.
