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FIA World Rallycross welcomes arrival of latest ‘Flying Finn’

The new-for-2014 FIA World Rallycross Championship is delighted to welcome 2013 GRC champion Toomas ‘Topi' Heikkinen to its ranks for its inaugural campaign, as the ‘Flying Finn' bids to emulate his impressive achievements on the international stage with Marklund Motorsport.

Heikkinen was left with a badly-broken ankle following a high-speed accident during practice for X Games Los Angeles in 2012, but just a few months later, he was back on-track and back on-form with a vengeance.

The 22-year-old former Finnish Rallycross champion was in dominant shape throughout 2013, tallying five consecutive triumphs behind the wheel of his OlsbergsMSE-prepared Ford Fiesta ST GRC and breaking every record in the book as he swept to the GRC title and a brace of X Games gold medals. Now he is fired-up to replicate that startling success in World RX with Swedish rallycross specialist Marklund Motorsport's brand new Volkswagen Polo RX Supercar.

"Landing ‘Topi' for the maiden season of the FIA World Rallycross Championship is a major coup," said Martin Anayi, Managing Director of series promoter IMG Motorsport. "It has been obvious that he is a huge talent ever since he won the Finnish title in his first year after switching from circuit racing, and we are delighted that he is now eager to test his mettle on the world stage.

"We are sure that with the expertise and support of Marklund Motorsport behind him, ‘Topi' will be able to hit the ground running in the first round at Montalegre in Portugal - although he will clearly face some pretty stiff opposition, with plenty of other strong contenders set to be unveiled over the coming weeks. We have no doubt that a thrilling season of rallycross action lies in-store!"

The Finn will be partnered at Marklund Motorsport by 21-year-old Supercar class sophomore Anton Marklund, and following a year of testing and development for the Polo RX, both Heikkinen and team owner and manager Jan Marklund are confident of mounting a concerted challenge on the inaugural World RX drivers' and teams' crowns.

"After a successful year winning the 2013 GRC title, my goal now is to win the new FIA World Rallycross Championship with Marklund Motorsport - and nothing less," Heikkinen asserts. "I'm confident that together we can develop a winning car and team. I want to thank Jan Marklund for this great opportunity to join Marklund Motorsport. I'm pumped for the season ahead!"

Marklund added: "Signing ‘Topi' shows the sort of progress that Marklund Motorsport is making going into the new season. His results last year speak for themselves, and we are incredibly happy to have a champion leading our driver line-up. It's a very exciting period in our project, and shows the hard work and planning that we have put in is really paying off."

The 2014 FIA World Rallycross Championship will rev into life at Montalegre in Portugal on 3-4 May. Following 12 rounds of exhilarating, high-octane entertainment, the all-action series is set to conclude in Cordoba, Argentina on 22-23 November.