Faren plans Supercar for 2014

Front running rallycross Super1600 driver Eric Faren is planning to step up to the Supercar category next season in the FIA European Rallycross Championship, which will run alongside the new FIA World Rallycross Championship.

Faren has spent two years in the front wheel drive division and feels now is the right time to move up; “I want to go forwards next year, and I want to get as much four wheel drive experience as possible. We are really trying to do the European championship. I think that’s much more achievable because it will only be five rounds. I want to do it in a good car with a good team, so I quickly get on the pace, like Timmy [Hansen] did this year. At Lydden Hill Timmy looked at Timur [Timerzyanov’s) videos and stuff. I want to be in a similar position to learn from someone. I’m not interested in buying a car and running it ourselves. The way to be fast straight away is to be part of an existing team who already know the car inside out.”

Regularly one of the fastest drivers in Super1600 this season, Faren has high expectations for how things will go against some of the best drivers in the world in Supercar. “I would be hoping to race against the guys doing the World Championship and after a few events experience I’d like to make the final. I think that’s possible, it would be nice to beat some of the World guys sometimes. I want to stay in RallycrossRX. In only one year it has got bigger and better and it’s only going to get more so. I want to be part of it.”

The young Swede tested a Supercar Lite at Kinnekulle in Sweden earlier this month and will race at the final round of the GRC Lite championship on 7th November in Las Vegas.

“The Lite test was very good. The whole project is good, it’s a good way to lean. I hope to fight for the podium in Las Vegas . All the other guys have been driving the cars all year, but I think a good result is possible. I’ m going there to win, not for fun, but hopefully I will learn a lot, it will be valuable four-wheel drive experience.”

While racing at Las Vegas is currently a one-off for Faren, he would consider racing in the series if he cannot get the budget together for the European Championship;

“The Lites are still a possible option for next season. Maybe it would be better to do a full season of Lites to get four-wheel drive experience where everyone is in the same car rather than struggle in Europe in a bad car. The Swedish rallycross that will run alongside the Swedish Touring Car Championship (STCC) will also be very good next year. Everyone in Sweden knows about the STCC, now they will see rallycross too and see that rallycross is better. I would consider a Supercar for STCC but if I can do that then hopefully European Championship would be possible. The main goal is definitely the European championship.”

Faren, who scored three podiums this season, started racing the Citroen C2 Super1600 at the start of 2012, taking over from brother Johan Larsson who had previously raced the car in the championship. Since, Johan has continued to attend events as engineer to his brother. For 2014, he too hopes to be back behind the wheel.

“Of course Johan wants to drive next year. It’s hard for him because he has been out for a couple of years, apart from one race he did in a DS3 from Kenneth. We have talked a little bit about that if I was renting a car next year, maybe Johan could use it in the STCC rallycross. It might help share costs a bit, and maybe sponsors will be more interested in good coverage in both Sweden and Europe, we will see.”

Before Faren’s plans can come to fruition for next season, he is currently busy rebuilding his Citroen C2 ready to sell to a new owner; “We are trying to sell the C2. It’s a very good car. In the right hands it can win. We are just rebuilding it at the moment ready to sell.”

Faren’s participation in Supercar is an exciting prospect for RallycrossRX fans; if he brings the aggressive determination used in Super1600 with him he will be both fast, and spectacular.

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