Timmy Hansen leads qualifying after first day in Abu Dhabi

Timmy Hansen topped the field for the World Rallycross season opener after the first day of running at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

The Team Hansen MJP driver won both of his heats and topped both Q1 and Q2, leading his brother Kevin in the first round of qualifying races, and beating championship favourite Andreas Bakkerud in the second round of heats.

RX Cartel entrant Bakkerud, who drew pole position and also won his opening race before being beaten by Hansen in their Q2 race, sits second at the halfway point in qualifying. He splits both Hansen brothers with Kevin Hansen in third.

Niclas Gronholm in is fourth after finishing Q1 in third overall and Q2 in fourth. He’s ahead of Anton Marklund, who won both of his heat races.

Timo Scheider ended the day sixth overall, ahead of  Reinis Nitiss, Janis Baumanis, and S1600 champion Rokas Baciuska, while Guerlain Chicherin, Timur Timerzyanov and Krisztian Szabo occupying the final transfer spots.

It was a tricky qualifying session for Liam Doran in the other RX Cartel Audi who was the finial finisher in each of his races. He currently sits 13th, comfortably ahead of Cyril Raymond who failed to finish his Q1 race, before slowing too early before the end of his Q2 race.

Raymond’s GCK Academy team mate Guillaume De Ridder also had a tricky qualifying. The 2018 RX2 runner-up failed to start in Q1, then had to contend with a radiator issue in Q2. De Ridder sits bottom of the qualifying standings, three points behind Oliver Bennett who also missed a race after suffering throttle failure in Q2.

World RX of Abu Dhabi qualifying standings (after day 1)

		Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	QP
1.	Timmy Hansen	50	50			100
2.	Andreas Bakkerud	39	45			84
3.	Kevin Hansen	45	38			83
4.	Niclas Gronholm	42	40			82
5.	Anton Marklund	38	39			77
6.	Timo Scheider	40	33			73
7.	Reinis Nitiss	30	42			72
8.	Janis Baumanis	36	36			72
9.	Rokas Baciuska	33	37			70
10.	Guerlain Chicherit	35	35			70
11.	Timur Timerzyarnov	37	32			69
12.	Krisztian Szabo	34	34			68
13.	Liam Doran	32	31			63
14.	Cyril Raymond	26	30			56
15.	Pal Try	26	29			55
16.	Oliver Bennett	31	0			31
17.	Guillaume De Ridder	0	28			28