The exciting RX Academy series has announced a five round expanded calendar for the 2018 season, as well as being a part of the spectacular RX2 on Ice series which gets underway in February next year.
The exciting calendar will give rallycross stars of the future the opportunity to compete on exactly the same circuit as the world’s best rallycross drivers, as it joins the RallyX Nordic Championship by beginning the season at Holjes in Sweden.
RX Academy will support both RallyX Nordic and the Finnish Rallycross Championship in 2018. Credit: SET Promotion Oy
The 2018 calendar includes two dates that join the Finnish Rallycross Championship at Honkajoki and Jalasjärvi. RX Academy will then continue at Holjes and take in races at the former FIA World Rallycross Championship venue of Kouvola in Finland where Tanner Foust took his last World RX victory and concluding the year at the new Tierps Circuit in Sweden.
RX Academy 2018 Calendar:
May 6: Holjes (Sweden)
June 16: Honkajoki (Finland)
August 11: Jalasjärvi (Finland)
August 26: Kouvola (Finland)
October 7: Tierps (Sweden)
RX Academy continues to use identical factory-built Renault Clio RS RX race cars, developed by multiple FIA European Rallycross Championship winning team SET Promotion, giving competitors a level playing field while competing in the highly-competitive 1.6-litre turbo charged 220 bhp machines that use six-speed sequential gearboxes.
RX Academy provides including physical and mental training, media and PR coaching and driver tuition amongst other courses for the rising stars of Rallycross. Credit: SET Promotion Oy
“I’m delighted to announce the 2018 calendar. We announced this concept just over 12 months ago and we have really delivered on what we set out to do,” said head of RX Academy, Jussi Pinomäki. “Last year we had drivers from all over the world compete with us and we look forward to having another diverse range of talented rising stars join us in 2018.”
“We have a solid foundation which we can now build on and continue developing into next year, and it’s fantastic to be joining both RallyX Nordic and the Finnish Rallycross Championship at some amazing circuits, some which I believe really are the best to drive in the world.”
The winner of RX Academy 2018 will claim a free drive in the 2019 FIA European Rallycross Championship for Super1600, or the chance to compete in the five European-based rounds of the RX2 International Series, the single-make support category to the FIA World Rallycross Championship.
Reigning RX Academy champion Jesse Kallio will compete in the 2018 FIA European Rallycross Championship for Super1600. Credit: SET Promotion Oy
Reigning RX Academy champion Jesse Kallio will use his prize drive to compete in the category in 2018.
“I learnt more from RX Academy in 2017 than I could ever have expected. It teaches you all the things that a rallycross driver needs to know, from driving to mental training,” Kallio said.
“After last season I feel I’m ready to face new challenges next year in Euro RX. I would say to all young drivers that RX Academy is the best option to develop as a driver in a highly-professional environment.”
