Austria gets bigger

The RCC-Süd, organiser of the Austrian round of the European Rallycross Championship used the DiTech Racingshow at Vösendorf close to Vienna to unveil plans for a bigger and better event at the PS Racing Center in Greinbach this year.

There will be an expanded paddock area and a new grandstand at the Styrian venue in time for the third round of the European Rallycross Championship at the end of May. “Last year was our most successful event since we first hosted the ERC in 2002 and, with 12,000 spectators, also our biggest crowd. Now we are increasing the size of the paddock by 3400m² and also looking after the fans by building a grandstand that will overlook the finish line,” said an RCC-Süd spokesman.

At the DiTech show, the biggest in Austria, the club exhibited the Super1600 cars of Austrian drivers Christian Petrakovits and Werner Panhauser, the latter giving his new Citroën C2 it’s public debut. Each of the drivers also revealed their plans for the coming season at the show. Petrakovits will take part in eight rounds of the ERC with his VW Polo, the car now resplendent in the new livery of primary backer Remus sport exhausts.

Panhauser is returning to Rallycross after a break of several years. Runner-up in the national series in 2004, Panhauser has bought a Citroën C2 rally car from Czech Lukáš Pondělíček. The car has a strong pedigree having previously been driven to World championship success by Spaniard Dani Sordo (2005) and Czech Martin Prokop (2009). In his years away from Rallycross, Panhauser has driven in a handful of rallies at the wheel of a Mercedes 500SLC. “The most important thing is to learn to drive the car because it’s very different from the Group N Renault Clio I last raced in Rallycross,” said Panhauser, “I have had one test in the car and it’s very promising. The plan is to start with some events in the Austrian and CEZ championships and, of course, to be at Greinbach for the ERC round. In the second half of the season I hope to drive in most ERC rounds.”

RCC-Süd has also opened sales of advanced tickets via its website.

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