Simon Syversen says he has some ‘unfinished business’ to take care of in the RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires, as he prepares to return to the fiercely-contested FIA World Rallycross Championship feeder series in an expanded SET Promotion line-up. Whilst the Finnish outfit’s remaining two drivers have still to be officially announced, Syversen will spearhead SET’s assault on RX2 in 2018, and the Norwegian can draw upon three years of experience in the series and its predecessor RX Lites, finishing sixth in the standings in 2015 and fifth in 2016 – speeding to the podium in Barcelona along the way. Last season was a frustrating one for the 25-year-old, who found himself repeatedly plagued by ill-fortune that limited him to 12th in the drivers’ table, but semi-final appearances at Lydden Hill (UK), Höljes (Sweden), Cape Town (South Africa) and on home turf at Hell – not to mention a highlight of fourth overall at Lohéac in France – hinted at Syversen’s untapped potential. Now, he insists, he is back to put the record straight. “I’m really excited to be returning to RX2 this year,” he enthused. “I definitely still have some ‘unfinished business’ in the championship, because last season was disappointing for a variety of reasons and we weren’t able to demonstrate our true form – although when luck was on our side, I think we showed some good speed. “For me, one of the biggest changes in 2018 will be having a couple of team-mates at SET Promotion to compare data with and push me – and fast team-mates at that! They’ll certainly both keep me on my toes, and hopefully together we can all raise our game and drive the whole team forwards. Jussi [Pinomäki – SET Team Principal] has put a lot of effort into this project, and I’m looking forward to rewarding him with some strong results.” “We’ve been working with Simon for a few years and know he can produce the performances he needs to fight for regular podiums,” echoed Pinomäki. “Last season was difficult for him, but he raced in the RX Academy on Ice over the winter and was very competitive in a tough field. “Hopefully, the young guys in the SET team this year will help Simon perform at the level we have seen before, and if he does that, he can have a very good season.” The 2018 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires will take in seven rounds across three continents in support of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, visiting Belgium, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Canada, France and South Africa. 2018 RX2 International Series presented by Cooper Tires Calendar May 12/13 Mettet, Belgium May 26/27 Silverstone, Great Britain June 09/10 Hell, Norway June 30/July 01 Höljes, Sweden August 04/05 Trois-Rivières, Canada September 01/02 Lohéac, France November 24/25 Cape Town, South Africa