Sweden’s Timmy Hansen was topped world champion in a pulsating closing round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship – the SABAT World RX of South Africa.
In a season which has been the closest in the sphere championship’s history, as anticipated, the drivers’ title battle came the total map down to a entertaining finale in the 196th flee of the 2019 campaign.
Coming into the closing, Timmy Hansen held a two-point lead over Norway’s Andreas Bakkerud with brother Kevin Hansen an additional 11 components inspire.
A contentious turn-six incident had a fundamental affect on the flee end result – and in the slay the title commute plight.
Bakkerud, in the lead after making essentially the most helpful originate of the six finalists, tangled with Timmy Hansen who spun and dropped from 2d to fourth. In the intervening time, Kevin additionally spun the sister Peugeot 208 in the grime and dropped to fifth set aside.
Bakkerud perceived to be heading for victory and the title nonetheless Niclas Gronholm in the GRX Taneco Hyundai i20 had other options. The Finn, who had been TQ previous to the closing, took the lead from Bakkerud in the turn 6 incident to protect the victory with Bakkerud 2d on the elevate out.
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Timmy Hansen fought inspire to retain out fourth on the inspire of Gronholm’s group-mate Timur Timerzyanov. Kevin was fifth.
Germany’s Timo Scheider in the ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport Seat Ibiza was sixth in his 2d appearance in a closing for the reason that opening round of the championship in Abu Dhabi.
The stewards launched a lengthy investigation in to the incident put up-flee and determined on no extra action for the protagonists eager.
The flee end result intended that Timmy Hansen and Bakkerud were tied on components at 211 with Timmy taking the title by advantage of the indisputable fact that he recorded four flee wins in 2019 to Bakkerud’s one. Kevin claimed third overall from Gronholm.
Timmy was overcome with emotion having climbed from his vehicle after the mandatory donuts at Killarney World Raceway’s turn one.
For Timmy, 27, the oldest son of Kenneth Hansen, 14-time FIA European Rallycross champion, this was the excellent elevate out to a gruelling season and a extremely-combative weekend.
“I’m in shock. I’ve set aside in the performance of my lifetime this weekend,” he acknowledged. “What a season it has been. It feels very perfect. It is all the things I wanted for.
“I’m trustworthy at ease that it has reach the total map down to the last flee of the year with all the things on the line. I’m extremely at ease with how I kept chilly, how I kept focussing. Speed by flee I delivered stable performances which is strictly what I hoped to manufacture coming right here.
“With stress love this, there isn’t room for the smallest mistake and its one in every of essentially the most helpful performances of my total profession. It feels unreal to be called world champion.
“In the closing, I was informed on the radio after the incident with Andreas (Bakkerud) that I had to enjoy up one set aside to be champion. I was chasing Timo (Scheider) onerous and seen he had a notify and was ready to procure by for fourth set aside.
“It’s no longer the dream manner to grab the title nonetheless it’s no longer about one flee, it’s a year-lengthy battle. This season has been essentially the most helpful of my profession.
“Also a success the teams’ title is a immense end result for a little group which works if fact be told onerous. I’m so at ease with everybody. The vehicle has to be finest each time and that’s the total map down to our total group.”
After finishing third overall in the 2013 FIA European Rallycross Championship, Hansen stepped forward to World RX and scored his maiden success in the Italian round on his manner to fourth in the championship.
A a success 2015 World RX season yielded three more wins (Norway, France, Turkey) and the runner-up plight in the sequence on the inspire of Petter Solberg.
In 2016, Hansen won at World RX of Canada and finished four more podiums in 2017. Hansen entered genuine into a fifth consecutive season with Peugeot in 2018 the set aside he picked up two podiums and carried out sixth in the championship.
In 2019, he has been the class of the area with four wins from the 10 rounds – essentially the most helpful a pair of tournament winner amongst the area in a season which has yielded six diverse victors.
Bakkerud was in no temper to rejoice securing 2d set aside in the title battle after the turn six incident. “I precise must explain a tall thanks to the Monster Strength RX Cartel for all their efforts this year,” he acknowledged.
“I’m additionally at ease with myself for finding essentially the most helpful in myself. I felt I won the battle this weekend by having essentially the most helpful reaction by a ways on the starting up of the closing, having all the things in my pocket. I’m no longer going to bid to any extent extra on the incident.”
Team STARD’s Janis Baumanis carried out the weekend seventh overall having reached semi-closing one. His group-mate Jere Kalliokoski was 14th after a weekend which started with his Ford Fiesta catching fireplace in Saturday’s free practice.
GC Kompetition rounded out the season with an overall elevate out of eighth for group boss Guerlain Chicherit.
GCK Academy’s De Ridder made his 2d semi-closing appearance in his Renault Clio nonetheless contact with Chicherit’s Renault Megane intended that every overlooked a gamble to in terms of the closing. De Ridder bought a 10-2d penalty for his allotment in the conflict and in the slay carried out 10th on the inspire of EKS Sport’s Krisztian Szabo.
Sweden’s Anton Marklund was 11th in the sister GCK Renault Megane whereas Frenchman Cyril Raymond transgressed the observe restrict markers three cases and was disqualified from Qualifying 2 and ended the weekend 15th overall.
Oliver Bennett in the Xite Racing Mini Cooper reached his 2d semi-closing, the foremost being at his home observe of Silverstone, and ended a stable weekend in 12th set aside precise previous to the Russian Matvey Furazhkin in the ESmotorsport – Labas GAS Skoda Fabia.
Bakkerud’s Monster Strength RX Cartel group-mate Liam Doran, who was expected to play a supporting role for the Norwegian, had a torrid weekend.
The Briton did no longer originate in Q1 prompting an engine trade on the Audi S1, broke a driveshaft in his Q2 flee and withdrew from Q3.
His complications did no longer slay there as, despite a snatch in Q4 he incurred a 5-2d penalty. He at last carried out the weekend on the foot of the standings.
Glimpse paunchy World RX of South Africa flee weekend facts right here.
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