Lydden plans rejected. WorldRX rocks at Speedmachine. Finnish season opens

A week of contrasting fortunes for rallycross in Great Britain as Lydden Hill’s latest bid to get development plans approved is rejected by the local authority while Speedmachine and World RX are well received at Silverstone.

23 May Dover District Council rejects a planning application from Lydden Hill circuit. The application sought a £6 million upgrade to the circuit and its facilities as well permission for activities such as a driving school to take place. In rejection the application, DDC said the development would cause  “substantial harm to the character of the countryside, and the tranquillity and landscape and scenic beauty”.

25 May Dare To Be Different visits a rallycross for the first time and brings 100 schoolgirls to Speedmachine at Silverstone. The girls, all from local schools and aged between 8 and 11 years, were invited for a close-up and personal insight into what a career in motor sport could be like. During their visit they met FIA World Rallycross Champion Johan Kristoffersson.

25 May RX2 championship drivers go head-to-head with Oxford United Football Club in a ‘skills swap’ event at Silverstone on the eve of the Speedmachine event. The racers were taught football skils while footballers were then put through their paces on a simulator and wheel change challenge – Owen James proving fast at both.

26 May The opening round of the Finnish Rallycross Championship is won by Ari Perkiomaki (Ford Fiesta). Run at Kaanaa, the event opened a five-event series. Mikko Ikonen (Saab) and Riku Tahko (Mini) completed the podium. Janne Viitikko (Toyota Corolla) won the Supernational category ahead of Joni-Pekka Rajala (Escort). Valtteri Koski wins in Crosskart.

27 May The new Speedmachine festival at Silverstone hosts round four of the FIA World Rallycross Championship. The event draws 27,250 people over the weekend and is won by World RX champion Johan Kristoffersson. Surviving a race stopping crash in semi-final one, Kristoffersson made his way to the final and his third victory of the year. Andreas Bakkerud claimed second place for EKS Audi Sport with Sebastien Loeb on the podium yet again for Team Peugeot Total.

The event also comprised round two of the RX2 series in which the win was taken by Oliver Eriksson. American Conner Martell and Norwegian Sondre Evjen completed the podium.

27 May The first round of the new Americas Rallycross Championship (ARX) is won by Tanner Foust. On the Speedmachine bill at Silverstone, ARX had ten starters for the first of its four 2018 events. Foust is joined on the podium by Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross team mate Scott Speed and British racer Liam Doran. 

27 May In Ireland, double FIA European Champion Derek Tohill won the third round of the Irish Rallycross Championship at Tynagh. Tohill dominated with his Euro RX specification Ford Fiesta to win the Supercar final and Superfinal. Brothers Michael (Vauxhall Nova) and Willie Coyne (Vauxhall Corsa) finished first and second in the Modified final and then joined Tohill on the Superfinal podium.

27 May Arron Windus won the second round of the RXAus Australian Rallycross Championship at Marulan in the four-wheel drive category to head home RX Academy driver Troy Dowel and Darren Windus. Mike Conway won the two-wheel drive class in a Ford Escort ahead of Will Orders and New Zealander Sloan Cox.

28 May Rally X Nordic adds Norwegian broadcast to its 2018 TV coverage with confirmation that TV2 Sportkanalan will show the series from round three at Grenland in Norway on 24 June.

30 May DA Racing names Adeline Sangnier as its second driver for round three of the French Rallycross Championship at Chateauroux on 2-3 June. Sangnier, a multiple winner of the Women’s title in the French Championship and an event winner in Super1600 (below), will also race DA’s Citroen DS3 Supercar at Faleyras on 16-17 June. Julien Febreau will contine in DA’s Peugeot 208.