PR: Scotland based Englishman Andy Scott has confirmed to tackle the 2013 FIA European Rallycross Championship with an all-new almost 600bhp strong Peugeot 208 SuperCar.

World-class Rallycross racer Andy Scott has confirmed his new Albatec Racing team entry for the 2013 FIA European Rallycross Championship. Armed with Peugeot’s exciting new hot hatch, the two-litre turbocharged, 600bhp Peugeot 208, Albatec Racing will field the only four-wheel drive Peugeot 208s in the newly-branded RallycrossRX. Albatec Peugeot 208’s RallycrossRX entry into the new IMG-promoted series is borne from a technical partnership between Team Principal Andy Scott and MTechnologies, with engines built by Oreca, and transmission supplied by Sadev.

Scott will fly the flag for the team’s debut event in the SuperCar class in front of his home crowd, in the opening round at Lydden Hill, Kent, the scene of his triple heat-winning outing last Easter. By mid-April, the team expects to have completed a second Albatec Peugeot 208. There are also plans to contest the Foz do Iguaçu X Games event in Brazil, which takes place over the weekend of 18-21 April, between the British and Portuguese RallycrossRX rounds. Since Scott’s return to racing six years ago, after a lengthy sabbatical to build up his business, he has rapidly climbed the world Rallycross ranks, securing 15 race wins across the 2012 Global RallyCross Championship and select rounds of the British and European championships, alongside a debut appearance at Rallycross de Lohéac in France, and the MSA British Rallycross Grand Prix at Croft.

Formed in 2009, MTechnologies has already achieved significant success with cars they have designed, winning championships across France and Europe, together with overall victory in the Global RallyCross X Games 2012. The experienced pairing of Stéphane Orré and Marc Laboulle, which claimed the manufacturer’s title in the 2012 FIA European Rallycross Championship, will form the technical infrastructure of the new Albatec Peugeot 208 team.

For 2013, RallycrossRX will see an exciting new fan-friendly race format that places the focus sharply on the championship’s headlining SuperCar class, which pitches 25 600bhp SuperCars in competition throughout the weekend. Each driver races over four qualifying heats and semi-finals before the all-important Final, while the series will run over nine events, starting at Lydden Hill on Easter Bank Holiday weekend, 31 March to 1 April.

Albatec Racing Team Principal and Driver, Andy Scott: “I am delighted to be contesting the 2013 FIA European Rallycross Championship with our new team, Albatec Racing. Naturally it will be a very challenging year, but equally the team has both the passion and the skill to become a leading title contender from the very first round at Lydden. We’ve spent months building the foundations for Albatec Racing with the valuable support of our suppliers and partners, and have pulled together a fantastic team of highly skilled professionals. Being part of the new RallycrossRX brand is also very exciting. With our expertise, paired with the technical excellence of Peugeot, I’m confident that we can really make an impact this year and bring Albatec and its partners success at the highest level.”

Albatec Racing Team Manager, Marc Laboulle: “The 2013 season presents a really exciting challenge with the foundation of Albatec Racing. We have created a very strong technical network and like-minded partners, MTechnologies, Oreca and Sadev, to help establish a highly successful and professional Rallycross team with huge potential. Our goal is to deliver the highest quality package and to put on track a Peugeot 208 that is as efficient as it is reliable. I am convinced the world of Rallycross will discover what I have been observing for the last year, that Andy is an extremely motivated driver and serious competitor, with whom it is also a pleasure to work. We have already built a tremendous team infrastructure and I cannot wait for our baptism of fire in the opening round of RallycrossRX at Lydden.”

Photo: The Peugeot 208 racing machinery as seen by the manufacturer. © Peugeot/ERC24