[tbtstt]

So as some of you may know, I’m rather partial to a bit of rallycross. I was at Lydden for the first round of the European Rallycross (now RallycrossRX) Championship earlier in the year and, at the time, I said I really wanted to see another round of the Championship this year.

I started making some enquiries about the European rounds and ended up getting offered a passenger ride with a UK rallycross driver who was going to the French RallycrossRX round at Lohéac. The offer was too good to pass, so I said yes! Then, just a week or so before I was due to go, I got into a Facebook conversation with a professional photographer. One thing led to another and before I knew it I was travelling to Loheac with a media pass in my mitts: result!

Many pictures were taken, but here are a few of my faves…

















The entry list for the French round was fantastic. A number of French drivers had entered (the French National Championship is arguably the strongest in Europe), plus there were some big international names in the Supercar class as well. Tanner Foust was back to try and maintain his 100% winning streak in Europe this year…



…Irish rally driver Kris Meeke was at the wheel of an Albatec Peugeot 208, plus another mildly famous rally driver had joined the entry…



…yes, the Sebastien Loeb was driving a borrowed Citroen DS3.



I was also looking forward to seeing Mats Öhman racing; you’ve probably never heard of him, so here he is surveying his car pre-practise.



Öhman is paralyzed from the waist down, has limited strength in his arms and cannot move his fingers.

[img]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y212/tbtstt/RXR720132_zps2b585776.jpg[/img]

Thanks to a highly modified car setup he is able to steer with his left arm and controls all other functions of the car with the right arm. This not only allows him to drive the car, but race it competitively. I have nothing but respect for someone with this much dedication to motorsport.



















You’re supposed to drive round chicanes Loeb, not over them...









At the start of the second set of heats, both Liam Doran and Petter Solberg had an issue on the start line. They both sat there for a few seconds, Doran got going first, then eventually Solberg set off.



Solberg then proceeded to drive round the circuit like an absolute lunatic. I was on the inside of the last corner and he came into it at the most ridiculous angle, I was sure he was going to lose it…





…but he just powered round. Watching him working away the steering wheel was one of those moments I won’t forget for a long time!

On the subject of Solberg I had a good nose around his garage whilst I had the chance.





His car isn’t wrapped: pretty much every panel is naked carbon fibre, save for the Bruce Lee on either side of the car.



The Mk.7 and Mk.8 Fiestas are still my fave looking cars from the current crop of rallycross machinery, but Solberg’s DS3 looks the ********, and I haven’t even mentioned the best bit…



…FIRE!