HELL, NORWAY: This past weekend saw Hoonigan Racing Division’s Ken Block and Andreas Bakkerud return to Hell, Norway, for Round 6 of the 2017 World Rallycross Championship. Hell is where Block made his World RX debut in 2014 (an event which he took 3rd overall) and is Andreas’ home event (which he won last season with a full sweep).
This year saw the duo return with their Ford Focus RS RX rallycross cars and demonstrate their fastest pace of the season thus far. Both drivers had a solid outing during Saturday’s Q1 and Q2 races with Bakkerud winning his Q2 race. The pair ended the day sitting 2nd (Bakkerud) and 10th (Block) overall heading into Sunday’s racing.
Sunday saw Bakkerud win both his Q3 and Q4 races, with Block also having successful results. After four rounds of Qualifying races, the two found themselves sitting 1st overall (Bakkerud) and 6th overall (Block) heading into their respective Semi Finals, a best-ever result after the Qualifier races for Hoonigan Racing Division.
Bakkerud continued his hot streak for Sunday, winning his Semi Final and earning P1 on the starting grid of the Final. Block unfortunately narrowly missed making the Final, despite having an epic pass during the last lap of his Semi Final against Renis Nittis in a move up into 4th.
The Final saw Bakkerud first off the line (earning him the Monster Energy Super Charge award, a trophy given out to the driver with the fastest reaction time off of the starting line in the Final) and leading after Lap 1. However he lost the lead during Lap 2 and finished out the next five laps where he’d finish the event: 2nd overall.
“I’m really happy to be back on the podium here at home in Norway,” said Bakkerud. “It’s been a tough season for us so far and I’m very glad that I was able to find good pace with the car here at my home event. I was really hoping I’d be able to repeat my win from last year, but Johan [Kristoffersson] just barely got ahead of me with his second lap Joker and that was that. Overall I’m happy though, it’s always great to be on the podium in Norway with all of my Bakkerud Blue fans and I’m stoked for our team, the boys have put in a lot of work to help us be fast this weekend, we couldn’t have done it without them.”
The next round of action for both of the HRD drivers will be in Sweden in three weekends for Round 7 of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.
