Isachsen’s deadline

European Rallycross champion Sverre Isachsen has set himself a deadline of the beginning of February to have his plans for the 2012 season in place.

In the wake of Frode Holte’s decision to quit the European championship and race in America, Isachsen broke cover and said that he too would consider a season in the Global Rallycross Championship if the deal was right. Talking exclusively to Rallycross World the three-time in a row European champion said that he has not signed any contracts for 2012.

“Everything is open, I have not signed anything yet so I could race anywhere. The absolute ideal for me would be to have two cars, one in Europe and one in America but I think that time is already running out to have that kind of deal because it will need a lot of money and also the time to build a new car, maybe two,” he said.

At the end of the 2011 ERC season Isachsen spoke openly about ideas to replace his triple-title winning Focus with a new car. Driven in part at least by the recognition that he would never be able to gain manufacturer support from Ford all the time that OMSE is the blue oval’s designated team in Rallycross, establishing a link with a manufacturer has obvious attractions.

Isachsen, however, admitted that he may also switch to America as he dislikes some of the regulations in the ERC. “I don’t like the new rules about engines and turbos. A couple of years ago it was tyres, now engines and turbos, what’s next? I hear rumours that they [FIA] want to make the cars quieter and I don’t like these rules,” he said. “The level of the teams in the ERC is very high and the competition is good. There are not so many good drivers in America and the level is not as high yet but I think it will be easier to get money to race in America and if I go there it will help it to grow more quickly.”

As it stands right now Isachsen has everything and nothing; the advantage of being a free agent who can determine his own destiny and take his team in whichever direction he chooses, but also a driver at the top of his game with no contracts in place for the coming season. That self imposed deadline of the beginning of February will arrive very quickly and will be eagerly awaited on both sides of the Atlantic.

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