Autosportfoto

Solberg wins Gymkhana Grid in Athens

Two-time FIA World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg won the 2016 edition of Gymkhana GRiD's European Gauntlet held in Marathon, Greece last weekend.

Driving his adapted Citroen Xsara, Solberg made it through to the final where he took on Britain's Liam Doran in a head-to-head battle, Doran competing in his 2015 World RX Citroen DS3 Supercar, and it was Solberg who was victorious by 1.75 seconds. Doran had earlier knocked out event founder Ken Block in the semi-final stages, despite the American setting some of the fastest times of the weekend through the event in his Ford Fiesta RX43. Meanwhile, Solberg had beaten World RX event winner Reinis Nitiss in the other semi-final, and Nitiss and Block battled it out for the final podium position, Nitiss emerging on top driving a Mitsubishi Evo X to secure third place.

"I'm so happy," said Solberg. "I stalled off the line in one the battles. I think that comes down to me being very nervous, and on this car there is no launch control, so I have to do it manually. In the semi-final and the final, I backed off a little bit, so as not to make any mistakes at all, going for more consistency and it paid off. It's a very unique event - a big thank you to everyone that put it on."

Nitiss, who has driven a Muennich Motorsport Seat Ibiza and OlsbergsMSE Ford Fiesta in World RX this season was both surprised and happy to beat Block for third place in Greece. "When I first came here, I was eight seconds off the pace. Then we tweaked the setup of the car, changing the tyres and pressures," he said. "When I just came off the track, the steward told me that I was in the top-three and I just beat Ken Block. It's amazing, I can't believe it!"

Block's World RX Hoonigan Racing Division team mate Andreas Bakkerud also took part in the event, driving Block's Ford Escort Mk2 in the two-wheel drive division.

Zdroj: fiaworldrallycross.com