Press Release (8/29/2016)
With its win in Canada still fresh in everyone’s minds, Team Peugeot Hansen has switched its focus to France’s round of the 2016 FIA World Rallycross Championship on September 3-4 with renewed determination. Sébastien Loeb and Timmy Hansen are both ready to roar in their respective PEUGEOT 208 WRXs to light up Lohéac.
Thanks to its success at Trois Rivières (Canada), Team Peugeot Hansen is now only 30 points short of the lead in the provisional Teams’ standings. The French car maker hopes that the visit to its home venue and its appearance in front of home fans will allow it to close that gap even further.
For once, Sébastien Loeb will be on known territory in Brittany since he contested the Lohéac round of the European Rallycross Championship in 2013. His participation that year attracted a record attendance for the discipline and the figure of 75, 000 spectators might well be beaten this time round.
“The French round of the championship”, said Loeb, “is obviously something special. For me, it will be one of the few venues I already knew before the start of the season. Having said that, the other drivers are so sharp that I don’t think it will make much of a difference. I have fond memories of my participation in 2013. It was my first taste of rallycross which is an extremely popular sport in this part of France. I think the circuit’s profile should suit the PEUGEOT 208 WRX and I hope we are competitive in front of our home crowd.”
Timmy Hansen will be out to build on the momentum of his victories in Canada three weeks ago and at Lohéac this time last year.
“Canada three weeks ago was perhaps the best performance I have ever posted in a final,” exclaimed Hansen, “so I’m feeling pumped up for Lohéac which is a circuit I have always enjoyed. It is quite special and, like many tracks, gives good grip, which is something I appreciate. The atmosphere is always unique, too, a bit like Le Mans. My win at Lohéac last year was simply unforgettable.”
After skipping a round, the Peugeot Hansen Academy returns with PEUGEOT 208 WRXs for team regulars Davy Jeanney and Kevin Hansen.
A new episode of our WorldRX Inside web series is out. This time, Susann Hansen talks about one of Rallycross’s specificities: the draw for the qualifying start order https://youtu.be/P6a7GaMMUEY
Friday, September 2 4:00pm: Qualifying order draw
Saturday, September 3 10:30am: Free Practice 2:00pm: Qualifying 1 4:00pm: Qualifying 2
Sunday, September 4 8:00am: Warm up 9:10am: Qualifying 3 11:20am: Qualifying 4 3:00pm: semi-finals and final
TV COVERAGE Broadcast in 120 countries à http://www.fiaworldrallycross.com/article/tvlisting. The semi-finals and final will be broadcast live in France on L’Equipe 21 and in Sweden on SVT.