Larsson ill, fast and disappointed

Febrile Super1600 favourite hampered by bad luck at Lydden.

The start of the 2011 European Rallycross Championship could have been much better for Swedish Super1600 driver Johan Larsson. The Citroën campaigner from Götene arrived in England with a febrile illness, but, nevertheless, showed his potential throughout the Lydden Easter event. Larsson proved immediately that he will be one of the top competitors in this year’s chase for the Super1600 title when he was fastest in timed practice, more than two tenth of a second faster than Norwegian Andreas Bakkerud and more than three tenth faster than Briton Julian Godfrey.

In his first qualifying heat the KHM man was trying to set another fastest time, but unfortunately missed to drive the alternative route for his Joker Lap which resulted in a 30 seconds penalty and, thereby, the 19th time only. “Of course I’m disappointed. I did not realise that I was already doing my last lap and looked forward to Joker in the next one,” claimed the Swede later. While heat winner Bakkerud drove the fastest time with 3:11:682 poor Larsson would have set a similar time without his half-a-minute overdose.

The bad qualification heat result of the first day kept Larsson under pressure for the second day, and, after some more bad luck, on Monday afternoon the Swede qualified only for the B final. He was determined to make it to the last starting place of the A final, and, despite a poor start, drove a tacticall race and was heading for a clear win in the B final when a flat front tyre spoiled all his hopes. “A bad weekend without any doubts! I know that I had the needed speed to win, but eventually had to go home with nothing but the tenth place only,” complained the Citroën C2 campaigner after the event.

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