WorldRX – Hansen Motorsport commits to multi-year future in World RX’s electric era

Defending Teams’ World Champion Hansen Motorsport has announced a ‘multiple-year’ commitment to the FIA World Rallycross Championship as the pioneering series embarks upon its exciting electric era in 2022.

One of the most decorated teams in rallycross history, Sweden’s Hansen Motorsport has been at the forefront of the 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 outfit – the most recent of those coming last season, when Timmy Hansen waged a season-long duel with countryman Johan Kristoffersson that culminated with the pair tied on points at the head 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 and became 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 being designed and developed in-house at Hansen Motorsport’s Götene workshop. The race livery 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 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 is very special.”

Kevin Hansen, Driver, Hansen Motorsport, said: “Since 2018, we have spoken about electric rallycross in the World Championship and finally it’s going to happen. 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: “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.”