The DTM and Formula One venue Hockenheimring is the host of WorldRX Round 2 where Johan Kristoffersson and Liam Doran claimed the fastest times of Heat 1 and Heat 2 respectively during the afternoon of Germany’s May 1 holiday.

The four days event for the SuperCar regulars of the FIA World Rallycross Championship started already on Thursday evening. The within only a couple of weeks time prepared gravel sections, together with parts of the ‘Motodrom’, offer the opportunity for series promoter IMG to present Rallycross to a wider audience as part of the 2015 DTM season opener. Yesterday eve the Rallycross aces had one hour to test the all-new and good looking track, but the result did not match the raised expectations. After the almost 600bhp strong all-wheel drive SuperCars had whirled up a lot of dust and quickly harmed the loose surface the track was watered. With the result, that the soil became even more difficult to drive at. Another and actually bigger problem was the fact that a lot of gravel that was thrown up landed on the tarmac to make the organisers fear for the track conditions of the DTM racing. Therefore, during the night to Friday the Rallycross track layout was changed, whereby the asphalt sections became longer and the gravel parts shorter.

The DTM and Formula One venue Hockenheimring in Germany is hosting its first ever Rallycross event. © JKR/ERC24

The gravel sections looked good, but did not last for long under the brute power of the almost 600bhp strong SuperCars. © JKR/ERC24

A total of 22 drivers took part in Thursday’s Open Practice and in the end it was Swede Timmy Hansen (57:290s) who set the fastest time ahead of Norwegian Petter Solberg (57:699s) and Latvian Reinis Nitišs (58:015s). The Friday afternoon started with a Warm-Up session that was ruled by Portugal winner Swede Johan Kristoffersson (48:276s). Second fastest became American wildcard starter Tanner Foust (49:031s), third fastest time was set by Norwegian Andreas Bakkerud (49:041s).

Three American drivers came to Hockenheim, here wildcard Tanner Foust with his Marklund Motorsport VW Polo… © JKR/ERC24

…and here Foust’s compatriots Dave Mirra and Danny Way with their JRM MINI Countryman JCW 1.6 SuperCars. © JKR/ERC24

Heat 1 saw an unleashed Johan Kristoffersson making his father, ERX ace of the 1990s Tommy Kristoffersson, on his 56th birthday proud. The VW Polo Mk5 campaigner raced the four laps in 3:25.237 minutes, thereby beating British Citroën DS3 driver Liam Doran (3:27.042m) to second and his own teammate Norwegian Tord Linnerud (3:28.723m) in another VW Polo Mk5 to third place.

Norwegian Tord Linnerud drove his VW Polo Mk5 to the third fastest time in Heat 1. © JKR/ERC24

Reigning Champion Petter Solberg pictured while being in troubles in Heat 1. © JKR/ERC24

Heat 2 followed quickly and left Kristoffersson with bad luck, the Swede finished with two punctures last of the 22 competitors. Here it was Liam Doran who claimed the fastest time in 3:22.264 minutes, followed up in second place by his SDRX teammate Petter Solberg (3:23.305m) and his Citroën DS3. US Rallycrosser Tanner Foust proved once again to be on par with the top WorldRX regulars, the GRC frontrunner drove his Marklund Motorsport VW Polo Mk5 SuperCar in 3:24.659 minutes to the third fastest time.

Robin Larsson and his fire spitting Audi A1 under pressure of a Red Bull. © JKR/ERC24

The by the powerful SuperCars thrown up gravel became a bigger problem than it was expected. © JKR/ERC24

At the end of Day 1 ‘British Bomb’ Doran is leading the Overnight Standings with 95 points from Frenchman Davy Jeanney (80 points) and Latvian Nitišs (77 points). Former WRC ace Manfred Stohl surprised with two good results, the Austrian is fourth with 76 points, followed by Timmy Hansen (74 points) and Johan Kristoffersson (73 points). Reigning World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg has also 73 points on his tally, but as his results are less valuable ‘Hollywood’ holds currently the seventh position.

SuperCar standings after Day 1.

More ERC24 images from WorldRX of Hockenheim to be found here.

Top photo: ‘British Bomb’ Liam Doran has made Day 1 of WorldRX of Hockenheim his. © JKR/ERC24