British rallycross star Patrick O’Donovan will make the step up the the world stage at the final rounds of the 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship. The reigning 5 Nations BRX champion will make the transition to the top level of world rallycross as part of Hansen World RX Team‘s effort in Hong Kong on 11/12 November.
The Team
The Hansen team will field three cars in the concluding double-header event of the year, with O’Donovan joining the fraternal pairing of Timmy and Kevin Hansen. The team will be racing the same ZEROID X1 machinery as the rest of the field, due to ongoing investigations following the fire that took place back in July. These cars are used in the support RX2e category, which both the team and O’Donovan have great experience with. Kevin Hansen runs #YellowSquad, the Hansen’s RX2e team, and O’Donovan completed two years in that class, taking a pair of victories in 2022.
The teams have already had a chance to race the ZEROID X1 cars this year, most recently in South Africa, where Kevin Hansen managed to secure a double podium, finishing second on both Saturday and Sunday. Not only are all of the drivers working with the same machinery, but they are going to a circuit which will be brand new to all of them. With such experience and talent behind the wheel and such a level playing field, the team are clearly aiming to round off the 2023 season in style. Reigning champion Johan Kristoffersson is almost unassailably ahead in the points standings, but the Hansens and O’Donovan will want to make his life as difficult as possible on his quest for a sixth world title.
The Driver
O’Donovan, affectionately referred to as P.O.D by fans, has been making headlines ever since his rallycross debut. His father, Ollie O’Donovan, won the British rallycross championship back in 2007, and Patrick has been quick to make his own mark on the series. In 2022, he made history by becoming the youngest ever champion of the series, aged just 18.
In 2023, he has been competing in the 5 Nations British Rallycross Championship, including a memorable double victory at Lydden Hill in July. Simultaneously, he completed the 2023 FIA European Rallycross Championship, securing a podium in the opening round of the season and claiming a victory in Sweden. He finished third in the championship behind World RX heavyweights Anton Marklund and Janis Baumanis, an incredible achievement for his first ever full Euro RX campaign.
Reactions
As part of a Hansen World RX Team press release, O’Donovan clearly has his eyes on taking the fight to the cream of the crop. “It will be a childhood dream come true for me to make my World RX debut,” O’Donovan enthused, “even better to be doing it in a car that I know. I’m extremely excited to see how my pace fares against some of the best rallycross drivers in the world.”
Team principal and rallycross legend Kenneth Hansen is excited about the opportunities for both team and driver in Hong Kong. “It’s a new track there, which means the opportunities are equal in terms of track knowledge” he explained, adding “this is the first-time a #YellowSquad driver has stepped up to the World Championship. It’s a fantastic opportunity for Patrick to be side-by-side with Timmy and Kevin in exactly the same vehicle.”
The final rounds of the 2023 FIA World Rallycross Championship takes place in Hong Kong on 11/12 November.
