Davy Jeanney
has become the first Frenchman to be crowned winner of a World RX event with
his Germany RX victory for Team Peugeot Hansen in his 208 RX Supercar.
With Petter
Solberg playing the Championship game, settled for 2nd place for
SDRX, Jeanney’s teammate Timmy Hansen came across the line behind Solberg to
lock out the final podium spot for Team Hansen.
With his
runner up finish, Solberg now leads 35 points over Johan Kristoffersson of
Volkswagen in the championship battle.
“To win today
feels incredible, it’s been the perfect weekend for me and it’s really
fantastic for the team to have Timmy on the podium too,” grinned Jeanney, who
enters the record books after becoming the first Frenchman to win a round of
World RX. Jeanney also won the Monster Energy Super Charge Award for his rapid
start off the line to be the first driver into the first corner in the Supercar
Final Hetat.
Jeanney, who
claimed three heat wins on his path to victory, added: “Both I and the car have
stepped up a level since the start of the year, I made just one small mistake
over the weekend and the rest was perfect.
I really enjoy the Estering, it’s a track that suits my driving style
well and I have good memories after finishing second in Germany two years ago.
I’ve not won a rallycross event in five years [France, 2010] and to leave here
with maximum points is a fantastic feeling.”
Though the team
eventually celebrated their two podium finishes, the weekend wasn’t smooth
sailing as Timmy Hansen encountered technical problems during the practice and
qualifying heats. However the team managed to get the car fixed in time and the
22 year old finished on the podium.
The World RX
crews will now have a week’s break before the Championship resumes in Sweden
for the iconic Holjes event from July 3-5.