There are several events on the FIA World Rallycross Championship calendar that Timmy Hansen proudly admits that he really looks forward to and the 2018 World RX of France is one of those events.
For the former winner of the event, Loheac is a special place to race at, however its also the home round for the team and he knows there is work to be done on the newest evolution of the Peugeot 208 WRX Supercar.
For Timmy Hansen, the World RX of France is a big event. Credit: Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
“For us, this feels a bit like going to Le Mans: it’s one of the big races of the year! I think that Loheac should suit us quite well: the gravel is very grippy when it’s dry, which is typical of French circuits, so it’s actually very similar to the type of gravel that we have tested on before,” explains Hansen.
“The performance of the car is all there: we just need perhaps to focus a little more on the starts, which is so important in rallycross, especially in qualifying where all the cars start in a single line.”
Despite the already clear jump in performance of the newest evolution of the Peugeot 208 WRX Supercar, Hansen is fully aware that there are always issues with a new car.
Teamwork and development are crucial for Timmy Hansen for the rest of the year. Credit: Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
Alongisde this concern, he also has the fight for second place in the Drivers Championship to deal with. Fellow team-mate Sebastien Loeb is tied for second place and both drivers must work hard to close the points gap to leader Johan Kristoffersson.
“I’m feeling confident but with a new car you can always have a few surprises and don’t forget this is only our third event. When it rains in Loheac it can be very slippery,” says the Team Peugeot Total driver.
“Seb Loeb and myself are tied on points at the moment but the competition is too high for us to focus on each other: we’re going to keep on working as a team, which is one of our big strengths.”
