There is a star studded entry for Lydden Hill when the Motorsport News World RX of Great Britain heads into town this month.
The entry list is headed by the 18 season-long competitors going for glory in motor sport’s newest – and arguably most exciting – official World Championship: the globe-trotting FIA World Rallycross Championship. For Britain’s only round, staged at the sport’s spiritual home at Lydden Hill, Kent, the grid is swelled by ten ‘wild cards’ all hoping to upstage the World RX stars.
Last year Andrew Jordan took the fight to the luminaries; the 2013 British Touring Car Champion wowed the record 10,000 crowd as he battled his way to a stirring podium finish. Now he’s back for another one-off appearance in 2015. Home fans will also be able to get behind Andy Scott who’s leading the 2015 British RX Championship, double British Rally Champion Guy Wilks and World RX full-timer Liam Doran.
Doran’s team-mate is defending World RX Champion Petter Solberg – the man most tipped for victory at Lydden. He spun out of last year’s grand final but, more recently, won a special one-off race staged for the BBC Top Gear TV cameras at the venue.
“That was a real help,” admitted the charismatic Norwegian ace. “I feel like I have some unfinished business with Lydden. Last year the whole weekend wasn’t really perfect for me. This time, I know what I have to do!”
Others in contention for victory include last year’s winner Andreas Bakkerud, DTM champion Mattias Ekstrom, Top Gear USA presenter Tanner Foust and Johan Kristoffersson who won the opening round of this year’s championship staged in Portugal.
Audi, Citroen, Ford, MINI, Peugeot, Volvo and VW will all be represented on the grid with seriously souped-up, 600bhp versions of familiar showroom models, all capable of blasting to 60mph faster than an F1 car!
MOTORSPORT NEWS WORLD RX OF GREAT BRITAIN
1. Petter Solberg (NOR) Citroen DS3
2. Ollie O’Donovan (IRE) Ford Fiesta VII
3. Johan Kristoffersson (SWE) VW Polo R WRX
4. Robin Larsson (SWE) Audi A1
7. Manfred Stohl (AUT) Ford Fiesta VII
10. Mattias Ekstrom (SWE) Audi S1 quattro
13. Andreas Bakkerud (NOR) Ford Fiesta ST
15. Reinis Nitiss (LVA) Ford Fiesta ST
17. Davy Jeanney (FRA) Peugeot 208 WRX
21. Timmy Hansen (SWE) Peugeot 208 WRX
26. Andy Scott (GBR) Peugeot 208 RX
31. Max Pucher (AUT) Ford Fiesta VII
32. Ole-Kristian Nottveit (NOR) Volvo C30
33. Liam Doran (GBR) Citroen DS3
35. Tanner Foust (USA) VW Polo RX
37. Guy Wilks (GBR) MINI RX
42. Timur Timerzyanov (RUS) Ford Fiesta ST
45. PG Andersson (SWE) VW Polo RX
50. Kevin Proctor (GBR) Ford Fiesta VII
51. Julian Godfrey (GBR) Ford Fiesta VI
55. Alx Danielsson (SWE) Audi S3
57. Toomas Heikkinen (FIN) VW Polo RX
71. Marc Laboulle (FRA) Citroen C4
77. Rene Munnich (GER) Audi S3
81. David Binks (GBR) Peugeot 208 WRX
91. Guttorm Lindefjell (NOR) Ford Focus II
92. Anton Marklund (SWE) Audi S1 quattro
99. Tord Linnerud (NOR) VW Polo R WRX
177. Andrew Jordan (GBR) Peugeot 208 WRX
199. Janis Baumanis (LVA) Peugeot 208 WRX
All 30 entries will contest two thrilling race heats on Saturday. Sunday’s schedule includes two more electrifying heats with the fastest 12 qualifying for a pair of knock-out semi-finals – the top three from each progressing to the no-holds-barred grand final. Fans will also be treated to a full supporting programme of races and other top class entertainment.
Advance tickets are priced from just £25 for Saturday and £30 for Sunday. These will rise to £30 and £35 for any remaining general admission tickets to be sold on the gate. Accompanied children aged 12 and under will be admitted free of charge, while VIP Hospitality and a limited number of grandstand tickets are also available in advance.
Those wishing to take full advantage of the advance ticket offer should visit the official www.lyddenhill.co.uk website for more information