Former Hyundai Motorsport WRC driver Kevin Abbring from the Netherlands will switch over to the top class of FIA World Rallycross Championship with GC Kompetition.
Originally slated for the Euro RX permanent entry lists, he will now focus on some rounds in World RX this season. He will be entering in a newly developed Renault Clio R.S RX as a wildcard driver at Abu Dhabi, South Africa, Portugal and the new German track at Nürburgring.
“It feels fantastic to be racing at the highest level again after successful World RX debut last year, this is obviously where I like to be. Fighting for an entire Championship would have been great of course, but this is definitely the long term aim here as well – and competing against the very best in the world this year will be a positive step for sure.” Abbring said.
“I’m obviously most concerned about the global health situation we are facing right now, and just hoping everyone stays safe. However, as professional drivers, we can’t wait to be back racing competitively of course – and I’m sure once the situation is under control we will put down some of the best rallycross action yet.”
Abbring made his World RX debut last season and drove the Škoda Fabia for ES Motorsport at Norway and Sweden, he impressed everyone by reaching the finals at both events, and was en-route to win on his debut at Hell until the joker lap.
GC Kompetition owner and racer Guerlain Chicherit will be driving one of the Renault Clio R.S RX’s in the newly formed team GCK Unkorrupted; he has put a lot of efforts in to this season with a total of six drivers in the World RX and one in Euro RX.
“Putting Kevin into World RX rather than Euro RX was a strategic decision for the team. Kevin has enormous talent and is super committed to the sport, and we’d always planned for him and I to work very closely together this year.” Guerlain said.
“Globally, there are a lot of issues at the moment, and having Kevin put his focus and energy into the same number of races but at world-level against some of the world’s best rallycross drivers will prepare him for a successful, full assault come 2021.”
The team will be running three different teams this season, Chicherit will join the 2018 Super1600 champion Rokas Baciuška in the GCK Unkorrupted while former Audi S1 drivers Andreas Bakkerud and Liam Doran have formed the GCK RX Cartel in a pair of Renault Mégane R.S RX’s.
Anton Marklund will be running solo in the GCK Bilstein in a third Renault Mégane R.S RX. Philippe Maloigne is enter as the Euro RX driver in the fourth Renault Clio R.S RX. where Abbring would originally have joined.
