As Timmy Hansen prepares to discover the nuances of the FC2 this weekend at Tierp Arena during the second round of the RallyX season, the 2019 FIA World Rallycross Champion is clearly relishing the opportunity to go head-to-head on equal machinery with the leading specialists of the Open 4WD category.
Having spent recent seasons competing in top-level electric rallycross programs, the Swedish driver now faces a very different challenge. At Tierp, Hansen will compete in an environment where every driver has access to identical equipment, placing greater emphasis on driving ability and adaptability.
It is a philosophy that particularly appeals to the 2019 World Champion, who believes standardized machinery puts the driver back at the center of performance.
“It’s quite a unique situation. I really enjoyed the development freedom we had in the past, especially with the electric cars where it was possible to evolve many different aspects of the package,” explains Timmy Hansen.
“But over the last few seasons, we sometimes felt we were slightly behind teams like Volkswagen or Hyundai. They seemed to have an advantage in terms of development. Now, going back to identical cars is also a good thing. It removes every excuse. You can no longer blame the car or the equipment. If things don’t work, it comes down entirely to the driver. It’s a more direct and purer approach. Everyone has the same tools, and the best driver makes the difference.”
Taking on a completely new challenge, Hansen will also have to deal with an extremely limited learning window. Without any pre-event testing before the Tierp weekend, the Swede will need to quickly understand the characteristics of the FC2 while immediately finding his rhythm against drivers already highly experienced with the car.
However, the situation does not appear to concern the elder Hansen brother too much.
“My main objective will be to learn the car as quickly as possible. We won’t have any testing before the race, so we’ll need to be effective straight away. That means learning directly in race conditions, using free practice to understand how the car behaves and build confidence. I expect the drivers who are already used to the FC2 to be very fast, so it definitely won’t be easy. I’m arriving with a slight disadvantage.”
“But I like this kind of challenge. I need to stay focused on my driving, understand what the car requires and adapt my style as quickly as possible. It’s not something you can do instantly, but experience helps you learn faster. I’ll try to speed up that process as much as I can.”
Although Hansen refuses to set unrealistic expectations ahead of his first outing in the FC2, the Swede remains as competitive as ever. Above all, he wants to quickly find his pace and fight near the front whenever the opportunity arises.
“Of course, the goal is always to win, but I don’t think that’s a realistic expectation from the opening race. First and foremost, I want to be competitive. And as you know me, I’m going to fight no matter what, whether it’s for first place or fifth place.”
Beyond the sporting aspect, Hansen also sees this appearance at Tierp as an opportunity to reconnect with the feeling of rallycross in a more relaxed environment, free from the pressure of a full championship campaign.
“What’s also interesting is that this is a one-off event. There’s no championship pressure attached to it. I can simply come here, drive, enjoy myself and reconnect with the feeling of rallycross.”