PR: Michaël De Keersmaecker confirms 2013 RallycrossRX entry with his Ford Focus Mk2 SuperCar in camouflage livery.
After two European titles and three European vice-titles Michaël De Keersmaecker is delighted to confirm that he will be competing in the nine races of the FIA European Rallycross Championship.
Announcing his commitment to the RallycrossRX championship, De Keersmaecker said: “Last season in the SuperCars in all but one event I reached the A final, against drivers who are now all opting for the FIA European Rallycross Championship. So I feel very much at home in the RallycrossRX. This season I will be competing in one of the strongest Rallycross series ever with many renowned teams and drivers. I do not wish to take a step backwards and in that respect the choice was quickly made. On the other hand on paper with the Ford Focus Mk2 I will have one of the slowest cars of this impressive pack of fixed drivers in the RallycrossRX. I’ll therefore need to fully count on my 12 years of Rallycross experience and the circuit knowledge I have developed, combined with the reliability of the Focus that weighs some 40 kg more than the SuperCars of the latest generation”. It is a known fact the competition does not underestimate De Keersmaecker, as he always guarantees a great show and only lifts off his right foot once he has passed the chequered flag.
“So we are back at the start with the Ford Focus fitted with a brand new torque engine straight out of the Mike Callaghan Motorsport workshops. Furthermore we are still trying to reach an agreement with Duxe Engine Works concerning the data logging and engine management. I have two mechanics for the entire championship and this in stark contrast with the other top teams competing in the championship. As a team we are very much playing the part of the underdog and I’m going to take maximum advantage from it. Hence our change of look and we will be aggressively coming out of our corner boasting military colours. The helmet on the flank refers back to the Gauls, and according to Caesar the Belgians were the bravest amongst the Gauls. It will be a war with nine pitched battles. There are presently 15 fixed drivers in the highest RallycrossRX class. Last year there were but a mere 5 that competed in the entire championship. The FIA European Rallycross Championship also foresees one-off entries, whereby the number of cars per event in the SuperCars will turn out to be far higher than 20. Two semi-finals with six cars each will be held, whereby the three fastest drivers move on to the super final. And I want to be amongst them”.
“There are also far more races than in the past, with four qualifying heats resulting in the 12 best being selected for the two semi-finals. Therefore at best I should be in action six times. A disadvantage we have as compared to the top teams is that we can’t afford any major damage as the time between heats is too short. This is why I remain faithful to the extremely strong and reliable Focus. In fact I am the only true amateur among this gathering, but I’m going to fight to the bitter end. The FIA European Rallycross Championship will also receive lots of media attention and if one can battle it out against such world-class drivers as a Petter Solberg it gives me that extra motivation. A sad fact is that I will not appear at the start in either Belgium or the Netherlands. No doubt a disappointment for my loyal supporters, however we will make up for this by competing in the Belgian championship of the SuperNationals at the wheel of the Volvo C30”, the motivated JDK driver concluded.
Image: Michaël De Keersmaecker is going to race his known Ford Focus Mk2 SuperCar in camouflage livery this year. © TP/MDK/ERC24