Lydden European Rallycross: Hansen leads after qualifying heats
Timmy Hansen led the standings after the qualifying heats of the opening round of the 2013 European Rallycross Championship at Lydden as Petter Solberg snuck into the semi-finals at the death
Hansen, driving a Citroen DS3 run by his father Kenneth's Hansen Motorsport squad, followed up his Sunday pace by recording top-two finishes in his final two heats to ease through.
American extreme sportsman Tanner Foust, who beat Hansen in the third heat, will join him in semi-final 1 after ending the heats in third overall in his OMSE Ford Fiesta.
Splitting them in the interim standings, and taking pole for the second semi is Volkswagen Polo driver Anton Marklund.
Solberg, the 2003 World Rally champion, lay 14th in the standings with one heat remaining and only the top 12 guaranteed to progress to the semis.
That was a result of the Norwegian's driveshaft breaking in his opening heat of the day, pitching him sideways at the opening turn. He managed to recover, but was hit by Hansen and limped home a lap down.
He made amends by winning his final heat after a gripping battle with Stig-Olov Walfridson, although his victory was in part down to Andy Scott crashing his Albatec Peugeot out of the lead as he entered the final lap.
While Solberg's result sealed his progress in ninth, Scott missed out as he wound up 13th.
The Briton was given a reprieve, however, because Alexander Hvaal's Hansen Citroen blew its second engine of the weekend. The Norwegian was the fifth-best qualifier, but will take no further part of the weekend.
Scott moved up to 12th, meaning he will start from the back of the second semi, one spot behind fellow Briton Liam Doran.
Previous article
Lydden European Rallycross: Timmy Hansen leads after first day
Next article
Lydden European Rallycross: Tanner Foust wins season opener
About this article
| Series | World Rallycross |
| Drivers | Timmy Hansen , Kevin Hansen |
| Author | Sam Tremayne |
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
