The FIA European Rallycross Championship is going to continue in Austria where Set Promotion is aiming for a win with feet on the ground.

The FIA ERC visits Austria over the coming weekend. Team Set Promotion has dominated the Super1600s category for the first month of the season. Out of the Finnish team drivers, Jussi-Petteri Leppihalme won the opening event in England and Andreas Bakkerud the second event in France. The drivers are leading the overall standings, equal on points. Finn Leppihalme drives a Renault Clio and Norwegian Bakkerud a Renault Twingo. The team’s third driver is Russian Timur Shigaboutdinov (Renault Clio).

“We have two interesting and very important races ahead of us. Immediately after Austria we travel to Hungary. Good results from these events would give us an excellent position in the championship. The track in Austria looks simple, but is actually pretty challenging. There are a few things that you have to learn and to understand. There is only one right-hand bend, all the others all lefties. According to the forecast, the conditions will be challenging. It should rain. In the first part of the season we have done more wet laps than in the last ten years all together,” says team manager Jussi Pinomäki.

“As far as our drivers are concerned, Andreas and Jussi-Petteri will be challenging for podium finishes. That is their personal goal. Timur has developed a great deal and has the skills and potential to drive straight into the A final. As a team we aim to help our drivers to achieve their potential and offer them equipment that works and enables them to reach their goals. Now we just have to be humble and carry on and work even harder than before. Let’s keep our feet on the ground and remember that it is only the start of the season,” emphasises Pinomäki.

Part of the event in Austria’s Greinbach is the introduction of the new JRX category, which will become an important part of European Rallycross. Set Promotion has three cars in this new category. The cars have a space frame chassis and have the appearance of a normal Rallycross car. Under their skin is top technology: a 5-speed sequential gearbox, four-wheel drive, 130 horsepower. When the car only weighs 500 kilos, the power/weight ratio is amazing. Set Promotion’s three JRX drivers will be made known on Saturday.

Photo caption: Jussi-Petteri Leppihalme pictured in the rain at Dreux. © JKR/ERC24