Expected to be among the leading contenders in Supercar Lites, Kevin Daarbak endured a frustrating start to the RallyX season at Eurocircuit Valkenswaard.

Despite securing a strong second-place finish in Race 1 in the Netherlands after a difficult start to the weekend, the Danish driver saw the second event come to a premature end following contact with local driver Nathan Ottink in the final.

As a result, Daarbak heads to Tierp Arena this weekend eager to respond on a circuit where he already gained experience during the 2024 season. Frustrated by the outcome of his opening weekend, the Dane is determined to bounce back at the second round of the championship.

Although the final outcome of the Dutch weekend inevitably left a sense of unfinished business, Daarbak still took encouragement from the way his team managed to recover from a particularly difficult situation during the opening race at Valkenswaard.

“The first race of the weekend started very badly for us at Valkenswaard. Right from qualifying, we encountered several gearbox issues and had to replace it twice. In those conditions, it wasn’t easy to immediately find the right rhythm again. In the end, managing to finish second in the final was almost unexpected and still represents a positive result overall.”

After a first day heavily affected by mechanical problems, the second race of the weekend appeared to offer much stronger prospects for the Danish driver.

“In Race 2, qualifying went much more smoothly and I managed to make a very good start in the final. Then I got stuck in traffic and there was the contact with Ottink. From my point of view, the move was quite borderline. We were side by side and he pushed me off the track, which ultimately cost us a podium position.”

The incident naturally left a great deal of frustration within the Danish camp as they departed the Netherlands.

“Obviously, there was a lot of disappointment at the finish. Honestly, it’s not a weekend I’ll remember among the good moments of the season.”

Daarbak is now keen to move on quickly and focus fully on the Swedish round at Tierp, a circuit he already knows and where he hopes to rediscover stronger form.

“Now the focus shifts to Tierp. The objective is to get back onto solid foundations, continue working with the team and put everything back in the right direction in order to be as competitive as possible. The championship is still wide open and there will be other opportunities throughout the season. I hope we can bounce back quickly and get back to fighting at the front.”