A legendary line-up of rallycross talent will go head-to-head during a one-off RX2e competition at the upcoming RallyX Nordic presented by Cooper Tires meeting at Höljes.
World Rallycross title-winners Johan Kristoffersson and Timmy Hansen will be joined by, among others, multiple World Rally Champion Marcus Grönholm for the inaugural Superteam Challenge. Oliver Eriksson, 2020 RallyX Nordic Supercar Champion and double RX2 champion, will also be in the mix alongside RX Lites title-winners Kevin Hansen and Kevin Eriksson while World RX race winners Andreas Bakkerud and Sebastian Eriksson complete the star-studded driver pool.
The eight drivers will be split into four teams, with each pair sharing a brand new RX2e car that is set to be used in the 2021 FIA RX2e Championship. The electric vehicles, which generate 250kW (335bhp) of power and up to 510Nm torque, will be showcased in four heats and two finals as the world’s best off-road racers do battle at Höljes.
The doorhandle-to-doorhandle action may be familiar to fans but the pioneering electric technology will give a glimpse to the future of rallycross as an evolving sport, while established rivalries between the participating drivers will add plenty of spice to what already promises to be a spectacular event.
Renowned rallycross commentator Andrew Coley will be tasked with drawing out the team pairings, and he is well-aware of the potentially explosive partnerships he could create but is equally excited about the new technology on show.
He said: “I’m looking forward to seeing the RX2e cars head-to-head for a number of reasons; first and foremost the driver line up! Who doesn’t want to see a legend like Marcus Gronholm going up against Kristoffersson, the Hansens, Bakkerud, the Erikssons?!
“But aside from that, I’ve been lucky enough to see electric rallycross cars run on several occasions, but we’ve rarely seen them racing in a close pack, so this should be great fun and a proper demonstration of the technology.”
RallyX Nordic have already hosted demo runs from the RX2e car (in the hands of official test driver Oliver Eriksson) during the opening rounds of the season at Nysum, Denmark, and the upcoming Superteam Challenge is another example of the series’ commitment to green technology.
A RallyX Nordic spokesman said: “Last year at Höljes we brought something new in the form of our hugely popular Rally X Nordic Legends’ Race, and this year we are topping that with our Superteam Challenge.
“We have a stunning line-up of rallycross talent set to show their skills at the wheel of the cutting-edge new RX2e car, and the races promise to be fast and furious as old rivalries are renewed on track.
“RallyX Nordic is dedicated to seeking a sustainable future for rallycross as a whole, and we are delighted to be able to provide an exciting platform for fans to see stars of the sport and the cars of tomorrow up close.”
The Superteam Challenge heats and finals will slot into a packed RallyX Nordic schedule, with on-track action at Höljes getting underway on Thursday (13 May) at 9.15am (CET) and continuing on until Sunday (16 May).
