Hell, Norway, will host the start of the FIA World Rallycross (World RX) Championship on August 13 and 14 – backed by Volvo CE as an official construction equipment supplier and track building partner. This partnership is built on the strength of a shared commitment to developing a whole new world of motorsport that combines electrifying thrills with electric-powered solutions.
Volvo CE will play a role in building the tracks for the new electric racecars while supporting car recovery during two days of competition at each location. The company has also been putting its off-road expertise to good use by helping to design a whole new series of track elements that will ensure full-throttle fun for both racers and audiences.
Following months of hard work behind the scenes, competing teams will test the mettle of the championship's electric cars, whose twin motors – pushing out 500kW (equivalent to 680bhp) and 880Nm of instant torque – will propel them to 100km/h faster than Formula 1. What these electric solutions lack in carbon emissions they more than make up for with power and performance in the field.
World RX is transforming in even more ways – with both male and female drivers competing in the races, illustrating the importance of diversity in motorsport.
An electric gearshift
"The transformation to electrification is a thrilling and vital turning point for motorsport and one we are honoured to play a part in bringing to the global stage," says Bill Law, head of brand, marketing, and communications at Volvo CE. "We ourselves are no strangers to change and have been leading the way with electric machines that drive our own industry forward and push the boundaries for high-performing sustainable construction solutions.
"Our collaboration with World RX as Official Construction Equipment Supplier and Track Building Partner mirrors our ambition to drive awareness of electric power and build the world we want to live in. Change starts here and it's set to be an adrenaline-fueled revolution."
"I feel a bit like a kid at Christmas, to be honest, waiting to see these ground-breaking electric World RX cars race for the first time," says Arne Dirks, executive director of Rallycross Promoter GmbH. "Ever since we took over as championship promoter, we have been very clear about our commitment to a more sustainable future and we have been working tirelessly towards this day.
"This is a totally fresh start for World RX, and one that will disrupt and transform the motorsport landscape by demonstrating the outstanding potential of this pioneering new technology. Seeing the cars hit the track in Hell is going to be a very proud moment for everybody involved – and the start of what I have absolutely no doubt will be an amazing adventure for this great sport."
To Hell and back
The event in Hell, Norway, this weekend (August 13 to 14) marks the start of the first fully electric season for World RX. Further rounds will take place in Riga, Latvia; (September 3 to 4), Montalegre, Portugal (September 17 to 18); Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium (October 8 to 9); Catalunya, Spain (October 29 to 30); and Nürburgring, Germany (November 12 to 13).
The Lånkebanen circuit in Hell will celebrate its return to the calendar following a three-year absence with a full bill of rallycross entertainment. Among the line-up of competitors will be the Construction Equipment Dealer Team, supported by several independent dealers of Volvo CE and made up of Finnish driver Niclas Grönholm, who enjoyed his finest campaign to date in 2021, and Swedish driver Klara Andersson, who shone in the supporting FIA RX2e Championship last season and is the first permanent female competitor in World RX history.
