Defending Teams’ World Champion Hansen Motorsport has announced a ‘multiple-year’ commitment to the World Rallycross Championship, with the Swedish squad hailing a ‘huge investment’ as the pioneering series embarks upon its exciting electric era in 2022.
One of the most decorated teams in rallycross history, Hansen Motorsport has been at the forefront of the dual-surface discipline’s top-flight since founder and Team Principal Kenneth Hansen claimed the first of his record 14 European Rallycross Championship titles in 1989, prior to graduating to the headlining category four years later.
Three Teams’ World Championship trophies are testament to the calibre of the eponymously-named outfit – the most recent of those coming last season, when Timmy Hansen waged a hard-fought duel with countryman Johan Kristoffersson that culminated with the pair tied on points at the summit of the Drivers’ standings, the 2019 champion ultimately missing out on a second career crown on countback.
The 29-year-old returns for the forthcoming campaign, partnered once again by younger brother and fellow World RX event-winner Kevin Hansen. The Swedish siblings will be behind the wheel of new-look electric cars, based upon the previously used Peugeot 208 platform but re-engineered to adopt a homologated powertrain from Austrian firm Kreisel Electric, generating 500kW – equivalent to 680bhp – and 880Nm of instant torque.
Underscoring its sustainability credentials, last year, Hansen Motorsport joined the United Nations Sports For Climate Action Framework, subsequently becoming the first team in rallycross to achieve FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation. With its commitment to World RX’s bright electric future, 2022 marks the next step in its drive to increase environmental awareness.
The cars – presented in their launch livery today – are currently being designed and developed in-house at Hansen Motorsport’s Götene workshop. The race livery – along with other exciting news – will be revealed ahead of the start of the season.
Kenneth Hansen, Team Principal, Hansen Motorsport, said: “This is a huge investment that we are making in the FIA World Rallycross Championship, with a plan for multiple years – it’s the biggest thing we have ever done. It’s very new and very exciting for all of us, and it feels a little like when we entered four wheel-drive rallycross for the first time in 1993. We didn’t know many things then, and with the switch to electric technology there are many things we are learning about from scratch now, too.
“It’s very refreshing to be focussing on something so new, with some people we have worked with for many years and some new faces inspiring us as well. There really is a lot of fresh energy here to push forward. The group of drivers at the top in World Rallycross are among the best in the world, and that mine and Susann’s sons, Timmy and Kevin, are part of that group and choose to drive with our team is very special.”
Kevin Hansen, Driver, Hansen Motorsport, said: “It’s a super-exciting time for our company and team to embrace this new electric era. This is the biggest commitment we have made to the sport since the company began over 30 years ago, so it’s an incredible moment to have this big project in-house and really be looking to the future.
“Since 2018, we have spoken about electric rallycross in the World Championship and finally it’s going to happen. The electric powertrain kits will be arriving at Hansen Motorsport soon and for me to be part of this World Championship-winning team – with a great philosophy for what the car and everything around us should be – I couldn’t be prouder. It’s an amazing package for rallycross on the technical side from the FIA and the Promoter – I think it’s going to be even greater than people can imagine.”
Timmy Hansen, Driver, Hansen Motorsport, said: “So much of my passion is about trying to become World Rallycross Champion – I love the sport and I wish the best for it. World RX is where I’ve built my career and it’s given me some amazing opportunities. The level of competition in World RX is the very best, but that’s what drives us to push ourselves further. I believe we will have a very strong package going into the new season, which I’m very excited about.
“It’s second nature to our family to look for solutions to be as competitive as possible, especially in rallycross; it’s just what we do, and we are all extremely motivated for 2022. This is a big step in a new direction that I’m super-happy to be part of, racing extremely fast cars on great circuits against the best drivers and teams in the world. There really isn’t anything better.”
Arne Dirks, Executive Director, Rallycross Promoter GmbH, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to confirm Hansen Motorsport’s return to the grid in 2022. For a team of this stature and success in the sport to commit to a multi-year future in our championship demonstrates tremendous belief in the direction in which we are driving World RX with the upcoming electric switch.
“Like we are as Promoter, Hansen Motorsport is firmly focussed on being more sustainable in every area, and we warmly applaud the Three-Star Environmental Accreditation that the team achieved last year, which was richly deserved. On-track, Timmy and Kevin are always fierce competitors, and I have no doubt that both will be front-runners and title contenders once again right from the outset.”