GCK Megane World RX team hopes to impress Renault enough for backing
The GCK team that will run a pair of Prodrive-built Meganes in the World Rallycross Championship hopes a successful first campaign will tempt Renault to become more involved
Guerlain Chicherit, whose team revealed the revolutionary Megane RS in Paris earlier this month, will start his first World RX round as a team owner and driver at Barcelona this weekend.
The Frenchman has self-financed the development, production and running of the car and team, but hopes early success will persuade the manufacturer to divert some of its resources from its Formula 1 team towards the project in the future.
"Renault has been working with us quite a lot since the beginning on the marketing approach," Chicherit told Autosport.
"We didn't really want them involved in the technical group, this might have complicated it when they are clearly fully focused on Formula 1 at the moment.
"We decided to do this on our own. This was a good choice because Prodrive are really so experienced in rally - OK, it's not rallycross, but it's close.
"But the idea is to involve Renault to become a semi-official programme and maybe an official programme. Why not?
"It depends how good we are."
Chicherit and team-mate Jerome Grosset-Janin were on the pace at Silverstone - the only pre-season World RX test they attended - last month, but the team boss is taking nothing for granted aboard the grid's most advanced car.
The Renault features an uncompromising layout tailored to World RX, with a longitudinal engine, inboard brakes and double wishbone suspension.
"We have gone all-in with this project, with no compromise," said Chicherit. "It's impossible to compare this car with anything else.
"It's really a revolution for rallycross. But how good? I don't know what to tell you.
"My own reference in this sport is pretty new and I didn't drive a proper rallycross car before, but it looked good to me - I jumped through the roof the first time I drove her.
"It's brand new. We can still make some improvements.
"This year is really to show what has been done and what we can do, we are coming for 2019 with the clear target [to win the title]."
SPEEDMACHINE - The British round of the WRX comes to Silverstone on May 25-27. To book your tickets visit www.speedmachine.com. For a limited time only get discounts on adult tickets using the codes SMW10 for weekends, SSMSAT10 for Saturday and SMSUN for Sunday
Previous article
Olsberg reveals new World RX Fiesta STs ahead of Barcelona opener
Next article
World RX Spain: PSRX driver Solberg heads the order on first day
About this article
| Series | World Rallycross |
| Author | David Evans |
From Lebanon to cross-category world titles - a rally legend's top 10
Petter Solberg has called time on his top-flight career after winning titles in two FIA world championships. Here, the 2003 rally and '14/15 rallycross king recalls his 10 best events - including the moment where all his success began
How to make an F1 venue fit for World RX
World Rallycross makes its first appearance at Silverstone this year as part of the 'Speedmachine' festival in May. We take a look at how the new rallycross track fared in its debut event
Volkswagen hasn't disappeared completely
Volkswagen's abrupt departure from the World Rally Championship it was dominating was one of the winter's biggest shocks. Now 2003 WRC champion Petter Solberg's World Rallycross team has VW support. What does that mean for World RX and what remains of Volkswagen Motorsport?
Why rallycross is becoming irresistible
Sebastien Loeb started a new journey in his motorsport career last weekend, but he wasn't the only attraction in Portugal. DAVID EVANS examines why the World Rallycross product works so well
How good is World Rallycross?
The entries are strong, the cars are powerful and it can teach the WRC a thing or two about promotion. But after visiting the Lydden Hill round, DAVID EVANS still has his doubts
New rallycross golden age comes to Britain
The sport began at Lydden in the late 1960s and this weekend the new-look World Rallycross Championship will strut its stuff at the Kent venue. HAL RIDGE explains why it will be unmissable
Solberg: why rallycross is my future
PETTER SOLBERG had a rough first season back in rallycross, but that hasn't deterred him from signing up for the first year of its new era in 2014, as he explains in his AUTOSPORT column
Solberg: back to school
Petter Solberg says that there's still lots to learn about running a successful rallycross campaign, but he's really enjoying getting back to his roots
