PREVIEW: 2022 FIA European Rallycross Championship – Nyirád, Hungary

The 2022 FIA European Rallycross Championship gets underway this weekend (21/22 May) at Nyriád in Hungary. Featuring a wide range of talent from returning champions to rising stars, and in a setting as spectacular as Nyriád, it promises to be a blockbuster start to the season.

Known affectionately as the “Red Cauldron” due to its distinctive surface colour, Nyriád is making a welcome return to the highest level of rallycross, having last hosted a Euro RX event in 2013. With its combination of loose gravel, technical corners, and a whole host of overtaking opportunities, it comes as no surprise that the drivers are relishing the prospect of racing here again.

SET Promotion‘s driver Anton Marklund said of the track “You can really send the car on the loose gravel and drive full attack, which I love. You need a lot of commitment but also a lot of precision to make sure you get it exactly right – that’s very challenging, but huge fun. I will really enjoy taking part in the first round of the year on a proper rallycross track.”

Sweden’s Anton Marklund will be one of the favourites, having teamed up with SET Promotion for this year’s campaign. Credit: SET Promotion

The 29 year old Swedish driver will be among the favourites this weekend. Having won the title twice before, he has now teamed up with SET Promotion, who have a whopping nine titles under their belts. However, if experience is the mark of success, then Marklund will be facing stiff competition.

Jānis Baumanis, last year’s third-place finisher and highest-returning driver, will be racing with #YellowSquad, part of Hansen Motorsport, the team led by rallycross legend Kenneth Hansen and who scored 20 championship victories between 1989 and 2016.

Having secured his first Euro RX win last year at Lohéac in France, René Münnich will be hungry for more. Conversely, two-time runner up in the championship Jean Baptiste “JB” Dubourg will be keen to put the memory of 2021 behind him, as he was ruled out of contention by a crash at the same event which broke his arm. Expect him to come back fighting.

Home favourite Tamás Kárai will be another one to watch. Having competed in three finals last year and scoring a podium, plus having his home crowd behind him, don’t be surprised to see him fighting for the win come the end of the weekend.

René Münnich flies to victory at Lohéac in 2021. Credit: Rallycross Promoter GmbH / Red Bull Content Pool

However, these more experienced drivers will have to watch out, for there is a whole new generation of talent rising up through the ranks who will be desperate to prove themselves. Reigning Euro RX3 champion Yury Belevskiy will definitely be one to watch, having scored a mighty 147 out of a possible 150 points as he soared to victory last year. 2021 Cooper Tires’ “Rookie Of The Year” Sivery Svardal will be keen to improve after his impressive debut season in Euro RX.

Enzo Ide is also joining in the fun, bringing with him everything he learned from last year’s World RX campaign, which, given he was partnered with now four-time world champion Johan Kristoffersson, should stand him in good stead. And, having secured a podium finish at his debut supercar event at Lydden Hill followed by a stunning double victory at Pembrey just last weekend, 18-year old Patrick O’Donovan will be riding a wave of momentum as he makes his Euro RX debut in his Ford Fiesta.

This weekend really is set to be unpredictable, with such a wide range of experience on the grid, which can only mean one thing. While we may not know who will emerge victorious, one thing is for certain: it is going to be very, very exciting.

The 2022 FIA European Rallycross Championship gets underway in Nyriád in Hungary (21/22 May).

NO.	DRIVER	NAT.	COMPETITOR	NAT.	CAR
2	Oliver O’DONOVAN	IRL	Oliver O’Donovan	IRL	Proton Iriz
4	Patrick O’DONOVAN	GBR	Patrick O’Donovan	GBR	Ford Fiesta
6	Jānis BAUMANIS*	LVA	#YellowSquad	SWE	Peugeot 208
11	Aleš FUČÍK	CZE	KRTZ Motorsport ACCR Czech Team	CZE	Volkswagen Polo
12	Anders MICHALAK	SWE	Hedströms Motorsport	SWE	Volkswagen Polo
24	Sivert SVARDAL	NOR	Sivert Svardal	NOR	Volkswagen Polo
27	László KISS	HUN	Speedbox Racing Team KFT	HUN	Peugeot 208
33	Ulrik LINNEMANN*	DNK	Linnemann Promotion	DNK	Ford Fiesta
38	Mandie AUGUST*	DEU	ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport	DEU	SEAT Ibiza
39	Zoltán KONCSEG	HUN	Kárai Motorsport Sportegyesület	HUN	Audi A1
44	Dariusz TOPOLEWSKI*	POL	Oponeo	POL	Ford Fiesta
50	Attila MÓZER*	HUN	Nyirád Motorsport KFT	HUN	Ford Fiesta
51	Márk MÓZER	HUN	Nyirád Motorsport KFT	HUN	Peugeot 208
66	LUIGI*	HUN	GFS Motorsport Egyesület	HUN	Ford Fiesta
73	Tamás KÁRAI*	HUN	Kárai Motorsport Sportegyesület	HUN	Audi S1
77	René MÜNNICH	DEU	ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport	DEU	SEAT Ibiza
84	Hervé KNAPICK	FRA	Hervé Knapick	FRA	Citroën DS3
87	Jean Baptiste DUBOURG	FRA	Jean Baptiste Dubourg	FRA	Peugeot 208
88	Marcin GAGACKI*	POL	Oponeo	POL	Ford Fiesta
91	Enzo IDE*	BEL	EKS	SWE	Audi S1
92	Anton MARKLUND*	SWE	SET Promotion	FIN	Hyundai i20
95	Yury BELEVSKIY*	CHE	Volland Racing KFT	HUN	Audi A1

The Entry List for Round 1 of the Euro RX1 Championship in Hungary

*Denotes Permanent Entrants