After competing in the Nysum and Estering rounds last year, Danish driver Emil Hammer has decided to commit to a full season in the RallyX North Championship.
A two-time Danish Rallycross Champion, Emil Hammer has decided to take his career to the next level by moving up to the Open 2WD category. The Silkeborg native, who was crowned champion in 2021 and 2022 at the wheel of a VW Polo in the S2000 class, has since swapped his car for a Skoda Fabia, previously driven by compatriot Morten Bertelsen.
“After five seasons behind the wheel of a VW Golf, we decided to purchase this Skoda from Morten Bertelsen,” explains Emil.
“We bought the car during the 2024 off-season with the aim of competing in the RallyX championship. We spent most of last season getting to know the Skoda, competing in four rounds of the Danish championship and also in the last two RallyX events in Nysum and Estering.”
“This experience was enough to convince our team that we were ready to take on the challenge of RallyX by committing to a full season in 2025. Both my team and I wanted to take a step forward in our development and RallyX quickly emerged as the best option for us.”
Although Emil Hammer failed to qualify for a final at either Nysum or Estering, he still managed five top-10 finishes in the 12 qualifying runs he took part in.
“We learned a lot of new things at Nysum and Estering. It gave us valuable experience and a clearer understanding of the level of competition. What I can say is that the competition is tough, with so many talented drivers and teams. For our part, we will do our best to improve both our car and our performance for the coming season.”
Aware of the high level of competition in the Open 2WD category, Emil is focusing on upgrading his Skoda Fabia to be able to compete with the best Scandinavian specialists.
“This Skoda Fabia is built on a factory chassis with a Volvo rear axle and a five-speed sequential gearbox. For the engine, we originally chose a Volkswagen 1800cc block fitted with a GTX 30 turbo, which allowed us to develop 470 hp and 530 Nm of torque.”
“This winter, however, we decided to switch to a two-litre version in order to optimise the engine’s operating window and torque. We also moved the cooling system to the rear to improve weight distribution. The wheel arches have also been optimised and we continue to refine the chassis and suspension.”
As Emil Hammer prepares for his first full season of RallyX, the Danish driver is leaving nothing to chance.
“This move to RallyX will undoubtedly be a very tough challenge. I know I still have a lot to learn and there are several areas where I need to improve. I am working on both the physical and mental aspects of racing and will also be spending a lot of time on the simulator to prepare for what promises to be a demanding season.”
“The level of competition will be extremely high and I am really looking forward to the challenge. We are eagerly awaiting the start of the championship and I must admit that we are particularly excited about the opportunity to race at a circuit like Riga. As far as our goals are concerned, finishing in the top 5 overall would be an incredible achievement for us.”
