A weekend to remember for Timmy Hansen at the FIA World Rallycross of Germany, penultimate round of the 2017 season.
The young Swede, driving for his father’s Team Peugeot-Hansen, closed the event in second place overall, returning to the podium after a fairly long absence, as his last top-three finish of this season came as far back as at this spring’s meeting in Belgium.
Hansen showed impressive pace throughout the weekend’s qualifying rounds, claiming the fastest Q2 time in the process; his third-overall qualifying granted him a front-row spot in his semi-final, which he finished in second place. He then turned his second-row final start into a second-overall finish, between the EKS RX Audis of winner and reigning champion Mattias Ekström and Finnish team-mate Toomas Heikkinen.
With his second-place finish, Hansen scored his third season of the podium, which, summed up with his team-mate Sébastien Loeb‘s six top-three finishes, brings the total to nine, making PEugeot-Hansen second only to standings leaders PSRX Volkswagen Sweden.
“I had a good weekend which began well with a win and a strong lap time in Q2. It looks like all the work I have put in since Latvia has paid off”, Hansen says.
“My approach was more relaxed and it was nice to join in the podium celebrations again. I think we just need to improve our starts a little to make up the gap that currently separates us from victory.
“At one stage, I thought both Kevin and I were going to make it onto the podium. That would have been extraordinary. I did what I could to catch Mattias Ekström but I am still thrilled to have finished second, especially here.”
Just like all other World RX teams and drivers, Peugeot-Hansen are taking a month-long break until the season finale in South Africa, 10-12 November in Cape Town.
