Timmy Hansen, the older son of 14-times European Rallycross Champion Kenneth Hansen, has decided to walk in the shoes of his father and is set for a Rallycross career, after several years of tarmac-only racing in single-seaters.
While his dad Kenneth Hansen is the most successful Rallycross driver in history, winning no less than 14 ERC Gold Medals, and his mom Susann Hansen is the only female driver ever to claim a European Rallycross title [under her maiden name Susann Bergvall she won the 1994 ‘ERA 1400 Cup’], the couple’s first born son Timmy had his early focus on tarmac racing. After being quite successful in his six years of Karting he entered single-seater racing in 1999, dreaming of making his way up the “stairway to heaven” and right into the World of Formula One racing. However, dreams do not always come true and after four seasons of competition on tarmac the 20-years-old has now decided to try his luck in the motorsport of his parents, his younger brother Kevin as well as his cousin Magnus Hansen [the 1999 ERC winner of D2].
After his early announcement to plan an attempt on the new FIA European Rallycross Championship, launched in the Autumn of 2012 by its promoter IMG, the Swede has now officially revealed his 2013 programme as well as the car he is going to use. During the Stockholm Lifestyle Motor Show last weekend it was made known that Timmy Hansen is set to tackle the ERX with the very 545bhp strong Citroën DS3 SuperCar that reigning European champion Timur Timerzyanov drove in the first half of last year’s chase after the title and that 9-times World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb drove to victory in the 2012 X Games in Los Angeles. Timmy today on Facebook: “All right! I will be driving RallycrossRX this year in Loeb’s X Games winning Citroën DS3 by Hansen Motorsport. It’s a BEAST!”
“I couldn’t be more excited and happy to join the FIA European Rallycross Championship,” Timmy Hansen reflected. “After four years competing in single-seaters, I’m ready to move up to one of the most interesting series in motorsport with a car and team that provides everything I need to graduate successfully.” Hansen Junior’s introduction to the ERC commenced last year and he reflected: “I drove a one-off race at Kouvola in Finland last year and then I understood why my father stayed so many years in the sport. A SuperCar is a tiger, wild, strong and needs to be treated with respect. I think the high level of fidelity I have naturally learnt in circuit racing will suit the demands of driving in Rallycross and getting the best from a SuperCar.”
“I’m glad I have taken this decision to tackle the FIA European Rallycross Championship. The car is great, the series is going from strength to strength and while I do not under-estimate the challenge ahead, my motivation is sky high,” Timmy Hansen concluded.
