Double British Rally Champion Guy Wilks joins JRM Racing for the British round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship while Albatec Racing will also field two cars at Lydden Hill, driven by David Binks and Andy Scott.

Wilks will drive one of JRM’s MINI Countryman JCW 1.6 SuperCars at the ‘Cradle of Rallycross’ in Kent and the event will mark his debut in the FIA’s newest World Championship series. Meanwhile Binks and Scott will pilot two Peugeot 208 SuperCars for the Scotland-based team Albatec Racing.

“Rallycross is a sport that’s really going places and I see it as the next chapter in my career,” said 34-year-old Wilks. “As a driver who had a successful career in Rallying I know I have the skills and experience to make an impression in Rallycross. Joining the JRM Racing team at Lydden Hill is an exciting opportunity for me to take my first steps in Rallycross – and being part of an all-British line-up at Britain’s only round of the WorldRX series will be a proud moment as well.”

This Guy is going to do Rallycross soon: Wilks is looking forward to his home WorldRX round. © Peugeot/ERC24

Wilks travelled to Hockenheim in Germany to watch JRM Racing make its WorldRX debut last weekend with the two US drivers Dave Mirra and Danny Way. He’s now looking forward to getting acquainted with the team’s MINI. A machinery that still runs a 1.6 litre upgraded WRC engine to give its driver in 2015 for the last year a weight advantage of 90kgs over those SuperCar campaigners that race with engines using the maximum cylinder capacity of up to 2058cc.

JRM Racing Team Principle, James Rumsey, added: “Guy’s motorsport pedigree is undisputed and we won the British Rally Championship together in 2008. I have no doubt he’ll adapt to the requirements of Rallycross quickly and successfully. He’s excited about seeing what he can do in the MINI RX and the feedback that he will give us as we test before the race weekend and at Lydden itself will be a massive benefit as we continue the development of the car and ultimately make it even more competitive in WorldRX.”

Last year David Binks (here in second place) was the stand-in for Jacques Villeneuve at Lohéac. © JKR/ERC24

David Binks, Albatec Racing driver, said: “It’s great to be getting back behind the wheel again in WorldRX with Albatec; we ran last year in France and had a few little issues with driver and car. But after being out of the sport for two years it was great to be back. With the updates on the Albatec Racing 208 RX for 2015, I am excited to be climbing back on board to see how it goes at a track I cut my teeth on throughout my early years of Rallycross.”

Top photo: Wilks is going to race one of the JRM MINIs (here Danny Way in Hockenheim) at Lydden Hill. © JKR/ERC24