All McLaren departments F1 world championship material – Brown

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has claimed all departments of its Formula 1 team are “world championship material” after years of investment.Brown took the helm at the Woking-based outfit during a time of financial instability last decade and, despite further hardships which included rumours of a takeover by Audi, the American’s commercial nous has seen McLaren become one of the most heavily-backed …Keep reading

Leclerc: Easier taking blame for mistakes at Ferrari under Vasseur

Frederic Vasseur has changed the culture at Ferrari for the better since taking over as its Formula 1 team principal, according to Charles Leclerc.Vasseur took the reins of the Scuderia in January 2023 and implemented his trademark no-bullshit approach, after years of Ferrari being criticised not just for lacking performance but also for repeating errors and not always maximising its results under …Keep reading

Could a Formula 1 team be worth an 11-figure sum?

Formula 1 is an expensive, exclusive and – to the likes of Andretti, at least for the time being – elusive club.You think F1 teams, you think money – and why wouldn’t you? Global recognition, blue-chip sponsors, luxury brands and home to the fastest drivers on the planet… it must all add up.But do all of those assets equate to cold, hard cash?The Dallas Cowboys has just become the first team …Keep reading

Has F1 ever raced in Africa? A look at its history with the series

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali revealed the championship is in talks with Rwanda over plans to host a grand prix in the East African country.Domenicali told Autosport that Rwanda is “serious” about the project, especially as F1 does not currently hold a round in Africa despite grands prix in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.But a visit to the continent is now a key target as F1 aims to …Keep reading
World RX – ‘Battle of Technologies’ arrives in Belgium

World RX – ‘Battle of Technologies’ arrives in Belgium

Sport news

The FIA World Rallycross Championship’s ‘Battle of Technologies’ has arrived in Belgium for the World RX of Benelux (17-18 August), with another exciting double-header race weekend between all-electric and sustainably-fuelled internal combustion engined cars taking place at the Circuit Jules Tacheny in Mettet.

Johan Kristoffersson arrives leading the championship as he ramps up his quest for an extraordinary seventh World RX title. Driving his sustainably-fuelled Volkswagen Polo KMS 601 RX, the Swede has won three times out of four this season – with just a first corner collision with Kevin Hansen last time out in Hungary denying him a clean sweep.

Kristoffersson is the only driver in the current World RX pack to have previously triumphed at Mettet – on the way to the first of his world championship titles back in 2017.

His KMS – HORSE Powertrain team-mate Ole Christian Veiby arrives sitting second in the overall classification, 25 points in arrears and eager to make up ground. The Norwegian reached the rostrum at Mettet in the FIA European Rallycross Championship in 2015, and he holds the record for the most podium finishes in World RX without a victory – a tag he will be aiming to shake off this weekend.

Tied for third in the title table are CE Dealer Team by Volvo Construction Equipment duo Niclas Grönholm and Klara Andersson. The Finn profited from Kristoffersson’s misfortune to prevail in Hungary – claiming the first win for electric power in 2024 in his PWR RX1e – with his Swedish stablemate coming within a whisker of triumphing for the first time in the Höljes curtain-raiser, before adding another rostrum result to her increasingly impressive CV at Nyirád.

Hansen World RX Team siblings Timmy and Kevin Hansen are similarly closely matched in fifth and sixth positions. 2019 world champion Timmy is a three-time World RX podium-finisher at Mettet, while younger brother Kevin dramatically barrel-rolled out of contention there in 2017. The pair are still searching for the squad’s first top three finish of the season, which they hope to achieve this weekend.

The field is completed by experienced campaigner René Münnich in his ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport SEAT Ibiza and Frenchman Anthony Pelfrene in his JDM Raptor Racing Peugeot 208, both piloting sustainably-fuelled combustion-powered cars.

World RX of Benelux also hosts the penultimate round of the 2024 FIA RX2e, Euro RX1 and Euro RX3 championships, spearheaded by respective category leaders Nils Andersson, Patrick O’Donovan and Nils Volland.

Former Euro RX3 champion Kobe Pauwels is a ‘wild card’ entry in RX2e, as the talented Belgian teenager returns to rallycross for the first time in almost two years at his home track.

Fans can view the action on Rally.TV

World Rallycross Championship

World RXRallycrossWorldRX of BelgiumWorld RXSEASON 2024SportOff-Road1SportWorld Rallycross ChampionshipOff-RoadWorld RXSEASON 2024World RXRallycrossWorldRX of Belgium00Friday, August 16, 2024 – 10:56amFriday, August 16, 2024 – 10:56am