WRX
26 May 2019
Credit: Tom Banks/World RX Media
Timmy Hansen held off a charging Andreas Bakkerud to win World Rallycross of Great Britain.
The Peugeot driver, who dominated the first half of qualifying, is the first repeat winner of the 2019 World RX season.
Both Hansen and Bakkerud were even at the start, and made contact into turn one, but emerged from the skirmish unscathed. Bakkerud held the advantage early on, but Hansen’s choice to joker early on proved to be the key moment in the final.
Instead of reacting to Hansen, Bakkerud waited a further two laps to take the longer route, going for it on the penultimate lap of the six-lap race. That not only gave Hansen clear air, but his perfect joker lap and following lap allowed him to make up time and overhaul the RX Cartel Audi driver.
Anton Marklund was another driver to take the joker lap early and use the strategy to his advantage. The GCK driver jokered on the first lap, which allowed him to get the jump on Timo Scheider.
Krisztian Szabo finished a distant fifth in what was his first final appearance since the season opener in Abu Dhabi, while Liam Doran brought up the rear after making contact with Szabo on lap three, and then spinning a lap later while entering the dirt section.
British driver Oliver Bennett suffered heartbreak in the semi-finals. The Mini driver qualified for the semis for the first time in his career, and had the pace to make the final until an engine fire ended his race early.
Hansen and Bakkerud fought closely throughout the weekend – Credit: Tom Banks/World RX Media
| 1. | Timmy Hansen | 04:03.903 | ||
| 2. | Andreas Bakkerud | 04:04.790 | ||
| 3. | Anton Marklund | 04:05.506 | ||
| 4. | Timo Scheider | 04:06.352 | ||
| 5. | Krisztian Szabo | 04:11.584 | ||
| 6. | Liam Doran | 02:49.580 |
Timmy Hansen’s win, coupled with Kevin Hansen’s failure to make it to the final after a crash while taking the joker during his semi-final, means that the championship has changed hands for the first time this season, with the Silverstone victor overhauling his younger brother.
Andreas Bakkerud’s strong result means he leapfrogs Spa winner Janis Baumanis and Timur Timerzyanov – who drops back out of the top three – for third.
| Timmy Hansen | 88 |
| Kevin Hansen | 84 |
| Andreas Bakkerud | 77 |
| Janis Baumanis | 62 |
| Timur Timerzyanov | 61 |
| Liam Doran | 60 |
| Anton Marklund | 52 |
| Timo Scheider | 52 |
| Krisztian Szabo | 50 |
| Joni Wiman | 39 |
| Guerlain Chicherit | 37 |
| Cyril Raymond | 34 |
| Guillaume De Ridder | 11 |
| Oliver Bennett | 10 |
| Jani Paasonen | 4 |
| Mark Higgins | 2 |
| Herve Knapick | 0 |
Oliver Bennett shined on home turf – Credit: Tom Banks/World RX Media
