It was a weekend of highs and lows at Lydden Hill on Bank Holiday Monday for our PGM Junior Team who, having had such a good result from the previous round, Marius Solberg Hansen now knows the true meaning of 'What a difference a day makes' entering the event leading the championship, now returning to Norway in third position.
Marius Solberg Hansen
Being the man to beat, Solberg Hansen found himself in the mix of the battle from the very start of the day, with everyone desperate for any available extra points as the chase for the Championship title draws nearer the end. Unfortunately, in a freak moment, after the finish of Q2, Solberg Hansen having not realise the cars ahead had unexpectedly slowed leaving the circuit through the joker section, accidentally tagged the back of the fellow competitor ahead which ended up with two points he would rather have not collected...on his licence! He tried to stay strong but a DNF from contact into Chessons in Q3 put him on the back row for the Semi Finals. He managed to qualify for the final where he picked up seventh place on a day that can only be described as 'character building'. Whilst this season was all about learning, the young Norwegian has already exceeded expectations winning the opening round and to still been at the top mid season proves he's has the pace, although to a teenager with such a passion for rallycross, that does not help with a ten point deduction from the championship points from this tightly controlled series and he is no longer at the top of the table. He will have his work cut out but as this day proves, anything can happen in Motorsport!
Kristiane Hvaal Engh
Fellow Norwegian Kristiane Hvaal Engh also did not have an easy day of it when her car started to jump out of second gear during the day, gear cables and selector changed for the semi finals she was set for promotion to the final in fourth position, she held off the advances of O'Donovan into Devils Elbow but with sights on the approaching chequered flag, taking the racing line down Hairy Hill, O'Donovan saw his way through into paddock bend to pip her to the post and grabbed the last place in the final.
Will Layton
Making his debut in a race car, Will Layton joined the PGM Team for his first taste of Rallycross. The former TKM Junior Champion having only sat in the seat for the first time on Saturday, soon got to grips with the Swift and recorded a respectable fourth fastest time in his opening qualifier on race day. Increasing with confidence throughout the day, the only newcomer in the grid, continued to gain pace and in the semi finals earned promotion through to the final where he finished an impressive sixth overall in his first event racing a car. The MSA Junior Rallycross Championship heads to Wales again next month where the PGM Team will be back to Pembrey in search of podium places once more.
