Hansen claims early Lydden lead

Timmy Hansen heads the order after the opening two heats of the first round of the FIA European Rallycross Championship at Lydden.

The young Swede, starting only his third supercar race, went fastest in both the first and second heats to earn first place overall.

His team-mate and reigning champion Timur Timerzyanov sits second.

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2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg, who completed the first shakedown of his Citroen DS3 just days before the event, struggled in his first heat but then triumphed in his second.

Clutch problems led to the Norwegian first jumping the start and then suffering a poor getaway in his opener. He then touched a barrier on Chessons Drift, causing damage to the rear of his car, and compounded his problems by forgetting to take the joker lap.

He made amends by winning his second heat, in which he also set the second fastest time. He lies ninth overall heading into the final day.

“We still had all the issues from heat one, I just managed them better,” Solberg said following his win.

“The rear of the car was still damaged; we didn’t have time to fix it. I’m pretty disappointed but that’s life.”

British driver Liam Doran, also driving a brand new DS3 at Lydden, ended the opening day in sixth overall, two places higher than current British champion Julian Godfrey.

Sixteen-year-old Kevin Eriksson meanwhile tops the Super1600 category on his rallycross debut after finishing second and then fastest in his respective heats.

The final qualifying heats take place tomorrow morning ahead of the semi-finals and final in the afternoon.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/hansen-claims-early-lydden-lead

Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica Nanni Galli Oscar Alfredo Gálvez