Former British Rallycross Champion Ollie O’Donovan will be supported by Loco Energy Drink in an assault on the 2017 FIA European Rallycross Championship, Team RX Racing announced on Thursday (January 12) at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham, UK.
O’Donovan will race the team’s Tony Bardy Motorsport Ford Fiesta Supercar in the series, which is undergoing upgrades and refinement ahead of the new season, building on knowledge gained from Euro RX campaigns in the last two years.
Alongside the five-round Euro RX Championship (held in Spain, Norway, Sweden, France and Latvia), O’Donovan plans to compete in the British round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship at Lydden Hill in May, and the final round of World RX in Cape Town, South Africa in November, a new event for the Championship. He will also race in a substantial programme of MSA British Rallycross Championship events, in which he won the final two rounds of 2016 season at Pembrey and Croft to secure second in the British RX standings.
“I’m delighted that we are able to announce our plans at this stage of the year, it gives us a solid base to build on heading to the first round of the British Championship at Croft and the European Championship in Spain,” said the 2007 British Rallycross Champion. “Having Loco Energy Drink on board for the year is a big boost to us, and I genuinely believe that the European Championship is a strong place to showcase the Loco brand to a young and enthusiastic audience.”
O’Donovan regularly qualified for the semi-finals in his recent Euro RX campaigns, and scored fourth place finishes in Norway and Spain in 2015. The team is planning a test programme ahead of the season, following some significant technical changes to the Fiesta Supercar. “We will be running a Mountune-built engine for this season in the Fiesta. We’re working together with them on the development of a different concept to what they provide other customers and that’s really exciting,” continued O’Donovan. “I enjoy the technical aspect of the sport along with the driving, so it’s really interesting. I must stress that we have not fallen out with Julian Godfrey in any way over engine supply. Julian has provided us with strong and powerful engines for the last few years, but like I said we are excited the prospect of a new challenge.”
Loco Energy Drink UK Managing Director Leonie Blackburn said; “We’re really pleased to be represented in the FIA European Rallycross Championship this season – we think Team RX Racing has the potential to spring a surprise this year. We are also working with the team on developing our young talent, so it makes perfect sense for us all. It’s going to be an exciting year for Loco Energy Drink in rallycross.”
For more information, visit the team’s website: www.teamrxracing.com
Check out Loco Energy Drink: www.loco-energy.com
2017 FIA European Rallycross Championship: www.fiaworldrallycross.com
1: Barcelona, Spain; April 1 – 2
2: Hell, Norway; June 10 – 11
3: Holjes, Sweden; July 1 – 2
4: Loheac, France; September 2 – 3
5: Riga, Latvia; September 16 – 17
2017 MSA British Rallycross Championship: www.rallycrossbrx.com
1: Croft; March 19
2: Lydden Hill; April 17
3: Pembrey; June 25
4: Mondello Park; July 22
5: Mondello Park; July 23
6: Lydden Hill; August 28
7: Pembrey; September 23
8: Pembrey; September 23
9: Croft; October 22
