As the RallyX championship enters its final stretch, the closing stages of the 2025 season will mark the long-awaited return of Norwegian driver Hans-Jøran Østreng to the Open 4WD class, where he’ll be back behind the wheel of his Hyundai i20.
While currently focused on his national championship—where he holds ninth place overall at the wheel of a BMW—Hans-Jøran will be switching gears as he reclaims control of his Supercar for the Danish and German rounds of the RallyX series.
“I’m torn between two options. On the one hand, I’m tempted to sell the Hyundai, but only after proving it’s still competitive. On the other, I have to admit I’m reluctant to let it go,” the Norwegian driver explains.
“From a budget standpoint, these kinds of cars are tough to maintain, but I enjoy driving it so much that I’m constantly stuck in between. Either way, I hope to make the most of the events in Nysum and Buxtehude—have some fun and hopefully go after some good results. We’ve already scheduled a few test sessions ahead of both races to make sure everything is in good working order.”
The RallyX format has proven ideal for giving older-generation Supercars a new lease on life through its Pro and Pro Am championships, and Østreng was especially impressed by Filip Martinsson’s double victory in Älvsbyn at the wheel of his Renault Clio 3—a performance that didn’t go unnoticed.
“I was genuinely impressed by his results. It goes to show that you can still be competitive with an older-spec car if it’s well-prepared. In early August, I’ll get the chance to find out whether the problem isn’t actually sitting between the seat and the steering wheel,” Østreng joked, referring to himself.
In the meantime, Østreng got a confidence boost at Höljes in early July, where he secured a spot in the final of the Support Open 2WD category.
“My main goal was really to enjoy the experience and make the most of every opportunity. I didn’t have high expectations, apart from telling myself that qualifying for the final would be a good result. There were a lot of turbo-powered cars out there, so the strategy was mostly about staying calm and making smart choices. It had been a while since I’d raced outside of Norway, and I have to say I love the atmosphere of these kinds of events. Hopefully it’ll be the same in Nysum and in Germany.”