KHM takes Doran, Timerzyanov and the new DS3

Kenneth Hansen set to play another role in Rallycross.

Kenneth Hansen Motorsport will run cars for Liam Doran and Timur Timerzyanov in a full European Rallycross Championship campaign this year. Hansen himself will not contest a full championship, but will spend the first part of the year focused on the development of a new Citroën DS3 and on working with his two young drivers.

“I’m excited about this year, we have new technical challenges and a change in the way we run the team. I have mixed feelings about not driving regularly; I want this development for the team and our business but I also feel that I am still fast enough to win races and I have the urge to race. On the other hand, it was satisfying to work with Liam last year and help him to learn as a driver and I will have more time for that with Liam and Timur if I am not driving at every event,” said Hansen who feels that Doran and Timeryanov will make a strong team. “Their styles are quite different but I think that they will work well together and will be able to learn from each other. Timur has driven our car yet and getting the feel of a Supercar is not always easy, but I think he’ll do well. What Liam did last year was amazing and he is incredibly fast on some of the tracks. We need to help him get better results on the days when things don’t always go perfectly, then he can be a position to win the championship.”

The new DS3 will not be ready for the start of the year, Hansen currently hoping that it will be complete and ready to race for the Swedish round of the championship at Höljes in July. “We have been working on the DS3 for quite a long time already, but as it’s a new car there is much more to do than if we were just building a new C4. This will also be car that we can supply to customers so every component has a CAD

drawing and a part number and we can make and supply new parts quickly and easily,” said Hansen who also confirmed that the DS3 will use a transversely mounted engine, “We are going transverse with the DS3. This is the future for the development of Supercars and we have to do it now with a new car. Sadev has made big steps with the transmission for transverse engines in the last couple of years and I think this is the right time to change.”

Frenchman Marc Laboulle and his M-Technologies team has led the way in the development of tranverse setups, the team taking back-to-back French championships with Laboulle and Davy Jeanney in 2009 and ’10. Hansen has been convinced about the worth of the transverse arrangement since testing the M-Technologies Citroën Xsara at the end of 2009. The French team has also worked closely with Michelin on the development of radial tyres, but Hansen says he will stick with Avon. “I tried the Michelin when I tested with Marc [Laboulle] but we will stick with Avon, I’m certain that they will continue to offer winning tyres,” he said.

While Hansen will develop the DS3, Doran already has his sights set on driving the new car as soon as it is competitive.”I want to race the new car but I also want to win the championship so I need to be in a car that is quick enough right from the start of the year. The C4 has got some improvements so I think it will be as competitive this year as it was last,” he said. “There’s nothing that Kenneth doesn’t know so it’s great for him to develop and test the new car, he will know better than anyone when it’s ready to race, but I can’t wait to get my hands on it.”

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